Tiglath Pileser
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tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
Tiglath Pileser
@tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
46 followers 120 following 200 posts
Exploring the history of Byzantium, the Ottomans, and their neighbours — empires, borders, and the crossroads of civilizations.
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tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
Tiglath Pileser @tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social · Sep 9
Bellini’s masterful sketch of a Janissary in Mehmed the Conqueror’s court.
Stoic. Silent. Eyes like polished obsidian.
What’s he thinking?
World domination?
Philosophy?
Nope—probably lunch.
If I know the Janissaries, it’s always lunch.
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
The Venetians and Ottomans are at it again.

The Battle of Zonchio (1499) by an unknown Venetian artist (British Museum)
December 14, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
petercnstewart.bsky.social
The Chinese identity of St Mark’s bronze ‘Lion’ and its place in the history of medieval Venice | Antiquity | Cambridge Core - bit.ly/3JYSxkm
The Chinese identity of St Mark’s bronze ‘Lion’ and its place in the history of medieval Venice | Antiquity | Cambridge Core
The Chinese identity of St Mark’s bronze ‘Lion’ and its place in the history of medieval Venice - Volume 99 Issue 407
bit.ly
October 18, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
uophistory.bsky.social
NEW HISTORY BLOG POST

UoP third-year history student Elliott Thomas examines the surprisingly pragmatic relationship between Catholic Venice and the Islamic Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

history.port.ac.uk?p=3685
November 21, 2025 at 11:40 AM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
A group of female musicians playing traditional instruments, in an Ottoman miniature painting from the book Surname-i Vehbi, written by Seyyid Vehbi (1793).
December 13, 2025 at 7:35 PM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
Looking to get a circumcision? Hire these guys.

Miniature of dancers and musicians performing at a circumcision ceremony. From the Süleymanname.
December 13, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
willdalrymple.bsky.social
There is also a wonderful Buddha from the Buddhist university, library and monastery in Nalanda, brilliantly juxtaposed with an image of Ptolemy II who built the Library of Alexandria.
December 13, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
stoicquotes.bsky.social
“To accuse others for one’s own misfortunes is a sign of want of education.”
– Epictetus

#stoic #philosophy #wisdom
Stoic quote image
December 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
“On their side are the resources of a mighty empire, strength unimpaired, experience and practice in fighting, a veteran soldiery, habituation to victory, endurance of toil, unity, order, discipline, frugality and watchfulness,”

Ogier Ghiselan de Busbecq

📷 By Levni
December 12, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
rogueclassicist.bsky.social
Anatolia’s only known ‘Good Shepherd’ Jesus fresco uncovered in Iznik, crafted in Roman style - Türkiye Today
www.turkiyetoday.com/culture/anat...
Anatolia’s only known ‘Good Shepherd’ Jesus fresco uncovered in Iznik, crafted in Roman style - Türkiye Today
In a frescoed tomb at Iznik’s Hisardere Necropolis, a rare Good Shepherd image of Jesus offers a new glimpse into Early Christian faith in Anatolia
www.turkiyetoday.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
peterpaulrubens.bsky.social
2/2 Dealing with an over-excited horse. Must keep him in his proper place! As geometrically defined by perspective genius Paolo Uccello of Florence.
December 10, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
peterpaulrubens.bsky.social
Young woman in profile, painted around 1460 by Paolo Uccello of Florence. Today is his day.
December 10, 2025 at 1:50 PM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
A yatagan made in 1526–27 for Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent by court jeweler Ahmed Tekel.

Its blade shows a dramatic dragon vs. phoenix in gold, framed by foliate scrolls—motifs inspired by Chinese art and carried into Ottoman design through Persian contacts.

📷 Met Museum
December 10, 2025 at 12:47 PM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
Short Sword from the Court of Süleyman the Magnificent (reigned 1520–66)
📷 Met Collection
December 9, 2025 at 3:48 PM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
Short Sword from the Court of Süleyman the Magnificent (reigned 1520–66)
📷 Mine
December 9, 2025 at 3:46 PM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
Thomas Cromwell Book of Hours - Hever Castle.
📷 mine
December 9, 2025 at 3:32 PM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
Ever wondered why the Ottomans were so victorious in war?

📷 By Tim Sheerman-Chase
December 8, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
artinsociety.bsky.social
16th century Venetian lawyer/bibliophile Odorico Pillone shelved his books spine-inward and commissioned Cesare Vecellio (Titian’s nephew) to paint their fore-edges with colourful images suggesting their subject matter. Here’s how they looked on the shelf news.yale.edu/2019/03/14/p...
December 8, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
justagalandadog.bsky.social
@willdalrymple.bsky.social
December 7, 2025 at 12:51 PM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
The Throne of Maximian—a 6th-century episcopal seat made for Archbishop Maximianus of Ravenna. It was carved in the Greek East of the Byzantine world before being shipped to Italy, though scholars still debate whether it came from Constantinople or Alexandria.
📷 mine
December 6, 2025 at 5:06 PM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
The Throne of Maximian (made for Archbishop Maximianus of Ravenna) is an ornate 6th-century episcopal seat now displayed in Ravenna’s Archiepiscopal Museum. It was carved somewhere in the Greek East of the Byzantine Empire, then shipped to Italy.
📷 mine
December 6, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
chapps.bsky.social
One object at the #BritishMuseum that never fails to enthrall people is this Achaemenid Persian gold model chariot, part of the Oxus Treasure. I love the guy sitting sideways on a bench wearing a kandys coat. Zoom in for the details! 🏺 1/

5th-4th c. BCE, Tajikistan. 📸 me
Model of a gold chariot drawn by four horses abreast. At the front of the cab are two diagonal bracing struts with a head of the Egyptian god Bes at the intersection. The two large wheels each have nine spokes, and the running surfaces are studded with small pellets to represent the bulbous heads of large stud-like nails which in the full-size original would have secured a tyre and felloe-sheathing of bronze. The main human figure in the cab is seated on a bench; he wears a long robe reaching to the ankles, the sleeves of which appear to be empty like those of the kandys (a three-quarter length leather or thick wool Persian coat). On his head is a hood or cap, around the front of which is a flat strip of gold, resembling a fillet, and around his neck is a gold wire torc. The driver wears a similar cap without a fillet, a short girded tunic and a wire torc; his legs are also formed of wires. The two human figures are fixed to the chariot by wires. The chariot is pulled via a pair of draught-poles fixed to four horses under a single four-bay yoke. On the yoke, above each horse, is a large loop, representing the terrets, through which the wire reins pass; alternating with these loops were originally four crescentic fan-shaped yoke ornaments. The chariot is pulled via a pair of draught-poles fixed to four horses under a single four-bay yoke. On the yoke, above each horse, is a large loop, representing the terrets, through which the wire reins pass; alternating with these loops were originally four crescentic fan-shaped yoke ornaments. The bits have large rings at the sides as rein attachments, and each animal has duplicate representations of the neck-strap and backing-element, the former with a pendant tassel, punched into the metal. Only nine of the original sixteen legs of the horses survive.
November 26, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
architecture.bsky.social
Guinigi Tower in Lucca, Tuscany was built in 1384 by the wealthy Guinigi family as a symbol of power and prestige
Guinigi Tower in Lucca, Tuscany was built in 1384 by the wealthy Guinigi family as a symbol of power and prestige
December 3, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
malcolmstoneman.bsky.social
Wall tiles
c. 1630-50
Probably from Lahore

Seen at -
The Great Mughals:
Art, Architecture and Opulence exhibition.

V & A Museum #London

#TilesOnTuesday
Earthenware with white glaze and underglaze colours, cuerda seca (dry cord) technique.
November 25, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Reposted by Tiglath Pileser
stelingard.bsky.social
The dreamy barrel-vaulted choir ceiling @carlislecathedral.bsky.social. The structure is from circa 1400, but the heavenly painted decoration is from a 19th century restoration, repainted in 1970. #CeilingsOnSunday #Carlisle #Cumberland #Cathedrals
📷 my own
A large cathedral choir ceiling painted as a blue sky punctuated with beautiful golden stars. For more information, visit: https://carlislecathedral.org.uk/visitor-information/unique-features/
November 30, 2025 at 1:38 PM
tiglath-pileser1.bsky.social
"Architecture is teamwork. Apprenticeship is not." -
Mimar Sinan in Elif Şafak's novel The Architect's Apprentice.

He probably never said it, but that's a great line.
December 1, 2025 at 9:59 AM