What would a modern Byzantine empire look like?

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What this means is that if the Byzantines can conquer any part of the Pontic Steppe, now that moldboard plows and horse collars make it possible to till steppe soils, Greeks will likely migrate in large numbers to that area, making that area densely populated and Greek and paving the way for further Greek expansion (and a larger Greek population overall). Think New Englanders migrating from the stony soils of New England to the rich soils of Ohio and Illinois IOTL in the 19th Century.

That is a *very* interesting proposal on its own.
 
That is a *very* interesting proposal on its own.

It's not completely out of hand. From what I know, this would be similar to what happened in Hispania during 2nd/1st century BC.

And it would repeat a halfway forgotten direction of Greek colonisation.

But would the opportunity across the Black Sea outweigh the burdens it would put on the Empire? The Byzantine Empire was constantly under the stressful threat from two fronts - would adding a third one; geographically unfathomable and unpredictable in its threats, do much good?

Perhaps after the introduction of reliable gunpowder weapons it becomes manageable....?
 
It's not completely out of hand. From what I know, this would be similar to what happened in Hispania during 2nd/1st century BC.

And it would repeat a halfway forgotten direction of Greek colonisation.

But would the opportunity across the Black Sea outweigh the burdens it would put on the Empire? The Byzantine Empire was constantly under the stressful threat from two fronts - would adding a third one; geographically unfathomable and unpredictable in its threats, do much good?

Perhaps after the introduction of reliable gunpowder weapons it becomes manageable....?

As it was, OTL, there was a substantial Northern Pontic Greek population (Crimea, Ukraine and S. Russia) for many centuries, and there still is a small population. Possibly continuously since the 7th cent. BCE. They did tend to hug the coast, just as the original Greek colonies in the region did.
 
If there were Greek colonies on the steppe, would not the Dnieper be an obvious location for settlement? Easy trade access and some notion of security; horselords were not known for their naval prowess, after all.
 
I agree, but I'm saying is that why are people assuming that even with no Fourth Crusade, the empire will never get Anatolia again?

The demographics had shifted, AIUI.

Given a really able and aggressive Emperor, and an all-out campaign followed by intense hellenization, Anatolia might be regained and held, but that's an outlier case.
 
The demographics had shifted, AIUI.

Given a really able and aggressive Emperor, and an all-out campaign followed by intense hellenization, Anatolia might be regained and held, but that's an outlier case.

Areas Byzantium could and did rule and areas that were Hellenic are not identical.
 
How strong an Byzantine empire would be economically? Compared with heavyweights such as Germany or France.
 
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