Belisarius - Epic Byzantine Music

Music by Farya Faraji and Dimitris Athanasopoulos of the One Man's Noise channel who beautifully performed the tsambouna and mantura in the instrumentation of this piece. Many thanks to Luke Ranieri of the polýMATHY channel for helping transform my grammatically incoherent lyrics into something functional (although I probably still did some mistakes in the grammar). Please note that this isn't reconstructed historical music, it's entirely modern music with a historical theme. Also note that the lyrics use Classical Latin Pronunciation, which has nothing to do with the historical context of Belisarius, at which point the many diverging dialects of Latin had changed immensely from the Classical Latin period; my usage of it is only pragmatic as it's the one pronunciation I'm used to, and one could make a thematic interpretation of it representing the dream of a restored Roman empire of the glory days, which correspond with Classical Latin's period.

I wanted to write a ballad-like piece about Flavius Belisarius, an Eastern Roman general who would be Justinian the Great's greatest servant in the Renovatio Imperii of the 6th century, the project that would see the reconquest and retaking of much of the lands previously controlled by the Roman Empire of Antiquity. Each of the verses refers to one of the main campaigns of Belisarius' career, first his war against Gelimer and the Vandals in North Africa, then his wars in Italy against the Goths, his battles against Khosrow Anushirvan (immortal soul) in the Lazic Wars, his further battles in Italy where he implored Totila to spare the city of Rome in a moving letter, in the chance that Totila were to win, and his final service post-retirement against the Kutrigurs in the Balkans.

The instrumentation is mainly based on a tsambouna, a Greek bagpipe very frequently played in the islands like the Cyclades and especially Crete, and a mantoura, a remnant of the Ancient Greek aulos, both expertly played by my collaborator Dimitris Athanasopoulos of the channel One Man's Noise, who perfectly took my basic melody and breathed into it the authentic rhythms and ornaments of Greek music, which contains echoes of older music of Belisarius' age, where the bagpipe was frequently used by the Eastern Romans. A mainland Laouto provides the backing chords, and a davul drum and darbuka provide the percussions as is typically the case in traditional Greek music. A low vocal hum supports the melody, inspired by the Ison of Byzantine Chant practice. The point of this was essentially to mix Latin lyrics with Byzantine Chant and a traditional Greek sound centred on the Cycladic-Cretan island sound.

Lyrics in Latin:
Gladius Rōmae imperī sum,
Ubi’st nostrum imperium?
Nē plōrā, mater Rōma,
Dēnuō flōrēbis,

Cīvis Romānus sum,
Sed sine imperiō sum,
Sanguine barbarōrum,
Renāta erit Rōma!

Arēnae Āfricānae,
Cum sanguis Vandalōrum rubrae factae sunt,
Plōrā Gelimer, Rēx sine rēgnō,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!

Hortī Ītaliae lacrimīs Gothicīs fertilēs factī sunt,
Plōrāte, Gothicī, barbarī,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!

Montēs, Lazicae,
Cum sanguis Sassanidārum, rubrī factae sunt!
Vāde, Chosroē, mortālis anime!
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!

Urbī ferro flammāque minatus est,
Mementō, Totila, Rōmam antīquam esse,
Sī rēx bonus es tū, nē nēlē rēgīnam nostram,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!

Glaciēs Dānuviī sanguine Hunnōrum, rubrae factae sunt,
Vāde, Zabergan, Attila nōn es tū,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!

English translation:
I am Rome's sword. Where is our empire?
Weep not, mother Rome, again shall you prosper.
A citizen of Rome I am, yet without an empire I am,
In barbarians' blood shall Rome be reborn!

The sands of Africa, with Vandals' blood, are turned red!
Weep Gelimer, king without a kingdom,
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!

The gardens of Italy, with Goth's tears, are made fertile,
Weep Goths, barbarians,
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!

The mountains of Lazica, with Sassanians' blood are turned red,
Away, Khosrow, you mortal soul!
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!

The city is threatened with fire and sword,
Remember Totila, how Rome is ancient,
If you are a true king, destroy not our queen.

The ices of the Danube, with Huns' blood, are turned red,
Away, Zabergan, you are no Attila,
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!

Eastern Roman Empire was so Beautiful and Rich in archicture, Music and lifestyle i really Hate muslim turks for destroying it but also Italians for allowing turks to destroy it 😤🤬

Le grand et dernier grand général belisaire

Τι εχεις γραψει ρε πουστη..... ...trully amazing

TE BANCO BELISARIOOOOOOOOOOO

This is not even byzantine music. The creator is such an empty head

My professor gave me this link in an email. W professor.

Beast Mode Byzantine

Why is this not on spotify? @faryafaraji

Gladius Romae sum, belisarius

Masterpiece

My Face when I restore the Roman Empire in Europa Universalis IV and Crusader Kings II:

Belisarius, the hero Rome needed, but didn't deserve

inshallah this goes up on other platforms

This is great practice for my Latin learning!

I'm initially a biologist but now my ambition is to join the varangian guard

When this song will be realsed in the music platforms like spotify??

Felt connected to it, even though I don't understand anything..love from Bharat.

Does the Belisarius gonna be on Spotify?

Quality in music and quality in lyrics; enjoyable and historically accurate.

This Pieceof Art is amazing and absolutely lovley to listen to!👍🏻💪🏻

W music man keep it up

Wow, my first time hearing Latin sung in an eastern way of singing/chanting and I gotta say that I like it.

can you do the improved version of this song?

let's be honest, the balkans have produced the best and strongest people in humanity in many areas.
My whole country of Macedonia is walking history, when I visit monasteries it's like being back in the Middle Ages.

i love this music, thanks for existing ♥⚔

I see you creeping over there, Justinian and Narses.

Love how you altered the mosaic.
Is there somewhere to purchase your music?

Nice Music.

The salt of Carthage, with vandals blood are turned red

If someone told me they will combine Latin with Balkan instrument I'd say they're crazy and yet it works great here! Awesome tune

My father's family came from Blagoevgrad in 1910s, very close to where Belisarius was allegedly born. Now I have lived 29 years exactly where he lived and died, Chalcedonia.(Anatolian Istanbul)

@faryafaraji this song is incredibly beautiful, can't stop listening to it. Are you planning to make one also for Maiorianus?

hi, from Armenia 🇦🇲

I can really hear that the roman and ancient greek culture got mixed into the turkic/turkish culture. Not only because of this but also other facts, its amazing. This song also reminds me a little bit of the lazica music (Laziki, Egrisi). Lazica people still live in their region, especially on the turkish side of black sea and in Georgia. I love Caucasian people and one of them are Lazicas.

Persia 🇮🇷 Hellenic 🇬🇷 Roman 🇮🇹 the best Indo-European Empires ever !

is this available on Spotify?

Mr Farya, this music is great. Trully modern but also ancient..
Thank you and mr Athanasopoulos for this..

Why isnt this on spotify…???

Slowly but surely I have come to the conclusion you are one of my favourite musicians on YT, I hope to see you live some day.

Justinian didn't deserve Belisarius....

Portuguese speaker here, I can understand almost everything that they speak

Está bonito

Привет из России 🇷🇺🤝🏻
Очень нравится современное исполнение на такую тематику. Мир вам❤

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1,5x

🇬🇷☦️🦅

Perfect battle music for mount and blade bannerlord

karadenizden selamlar

belisaius could have been born in the Moorish era