For example, Timothy Bratton makes the following points: * The Franks were among the earliest converts to theOrthodox faith (well, so were the Burgundians, but they were absorbed bythe Frankish kingdom), so they could hardly be accused of persecuting"Roman Catholics" (which is misleading terminology in itself at thisperiod); * Clovis himself converted to Orthodoxy, as did his Frankishsubjects. Indeed, the ecclesiastical hierarchy in Visigothic Gaul openlyworked on behalf of Clovis, since the bishops preferred the OrthodoxFranks to the heretical Arian Visigoths. Far from regarding Clovis as ananti-imperial barbarian, the Eastern Emperor Anastasius (reigned 491-519)granted Clovis the highest honors normally granted to distinguishedsenators in Constantinople -- the coveted ranks of consul and patricianin 508. As J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, no blind admirer of Clovis, put it inhis *The Barbarian West* (N.Y.: Harper Torchbooks, 1962), page 74-75,"the Emperor had for some time been in touch with the Franks and was gladto recognize them, at the appropriate moment, as a counter-balance toGothic power in the West." From this point on, the Eastern Empire andthe Frankish Kingdom were usually allies pitted against the Arianbarbarian kingdoms in the West. The Papacy too smiled on the Franks asprotectors of the true faith, and called upon the later Carolingiandynasty to protect Rome from the Lombards when the Byzantineadministration in central Italy collapsed in the early 8th century.

Relations began * Clovis himself converted to sour when Pepin "Orthodoxy, as did his Frankish subjects. Indeed, the ecclesiastical hierarchy in Visigothic Gaul openly worked on behalf of Clovis, since the Short" handed what hadbeen bishops preferred the Exarchate of Ravenna over Orthodox Franks to the Pope heretical Arian Visigoths. Far from regarding Clovis as an anti-imperial barbarian, the Eastern Emperor Anastasius (reigned 491-519) granted Clovis the nucleus highest honors normally granted to distinguished senators in Constantinople -- the coveted ranks of thePapal States (at that timeconsul and patrician in 508. As J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, the "Patrimony no blind admirer of StClovis, put it in his *The Barbarian West* (N. PeterY.: Harper Torchbooks, 1962), page 74-75, "). But as theByzantines Emperor had lost that area for some time been in touch with the Franks and was glad to recognize them, at the Lombardsappropriate moment, who as a counter-balance to Gothic power in turn lost it toPepin, it was his by right of conquestthe West." From this point on, the Eastern Empire and the Roman claims Frankish Kingdom wereadmittedly weakusually allies pitted against the Arian barbarian kingdoms in the West. LaterThe Papacy too smiled on the Franks as protectors of the true faith, Charlemagne had a brief border war with and called upon theEastern Empire, but this was later Carolingian dynasty to force his fellow emperor protect Rome from the Lombards when the Byzantine administration inConstantinople to recognize Charlemagne's comparable position central Italy collapsed in theWestearly 8th century.

* There never was any Carolingian :Relations began to sour when Pepin "the Short" handed what had been the Exarchate of Ravenna over to the Pope as the nucleus of the Papal States (at that time, the "conspiracyPatrimony of St. Peter" ). But as the Byzantines had lost that area to overrun theLombards, who in turn lost it to Pepin, it was his by right of conquest, and the Roman claims were admittedly weak. Later, Charlemagne had a brief border war with the Eastern Empire, but this was to force his fellow emperor in Constantinople to recognize Charlemagne's comparable position in the West. (This issue has been discussed at length on the Byzans-L listhost)

* There never was any Carolingian "conspiracy" to overrun the Eastern Empire. (This issue has been discussed at length on the Byzans-L listhost)   * Professor Romanides and his followers appear to confuse the Greekusage of "Franks" -- which later writers applied indiscriminately to_all_ Western Latin Europeans, including Germans! -- with the originaltribe that occupied Gaul. Yes, the sack of Constantinople in 1204, anevent which almost everyone on this list deplores as one of the mostshort-sighted tragedies of history, was carried out by "Frankish" (i.e.,French) minor nobility, but let's not forget the Venetians ( Italians!)either. The Great Schism of 1054, which split the Latin and Greekchurches apart, was carried out during the pontificate of Leo IX -- aGerman, not a "Frank." Professor Romanides, either through ignorance ofWestern history or perhaps because he has an axe to grind, has blamed thepoor "Franks" of the Merovingian and Carolingian states for the excessesof later people who might not have recognized nor used that name.

Also, * Justinian was issuing his *Novellae* in Greek, not Latin,throughout his reign, because Latin was becoming a forgotten language inthe East, just as Greek was vanishing in the West -- which makes claimsof a prevailing linguistic and cultural continuity questionable at best. {{stub}}