When you think of Byzantine emperors, you don’t necessarily think of flying thrones, machines and automations, do you?

Empress Zoe Porphyrogenita is among the most intriguing female figures in Byzantine history for a number of good reasons.

Around 1,000 years ago, a remarkable gold coin with ... for three Byzantine emperors. As the statement notes, guards like Hardrada traditionally looted the palace every time an emperor died ...

It appears to be from the Byzantine Empire, and other coins like it are sometimes attributed to John III Doukas Vatatzes, who ...