Andros Odyssey: Byzantine Kalivarion introduces you to the Psellus family from Andros. The family is entangled in an 8th century east-west religious struggle between the idol-bashing supporters of Judaism and Islam and the art-loving Greeks and Romans. Part of the Psellus family is exiled to Cappadocia, as part of an imperial program to unify and defend the Byzantine Empire. The exiles establish Kalivarion, a Cappadocian colony. The families survive four centuries (700-1100 AD) of Byzantine turmoil and struggle. One of them, historian and politician Michael Psellus left behind an Empire in ruins and his famous history of that period. The family changes their name to Megas to avoid humiliation and becomes intertwined with the Stravolemis family, after the liberation of a bastard slave from Crete. During recent centuries, Byzantium had an undeservingly critical view by western authors. It was only lately, that light has been shed on how important Byzantine culture was in the development of our Western civilization. Our knowledge of Greek and Roman literature and law, we owe to the Byzantines. Western renaissance was based on Byzantine art and music.

After the fall of Constantinople, After the fall of Constantinople, Christians under the Ottoman rule experienced a very stressful existence, under slavery conditions. They persevered through that occupation and utilized education as a tool for survival, in exchange for helping the Ottoman Empire expand militarily. To achieve their survival, Greek families employed unparalleled ingenuity, planning, patience and secrecy. Many fled abroad, further spreading Greek civilization and creating secret Greek organizations, geared to mobilize the world against the Ottomans. To defend against that, the Ottomans engineered the total separation of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, isolating any Christian rebellion from any help from the West. Greeks tried unsuccessfully to find allies in the West but eventually settled into a secret alliance with Russia, which eventually brought about the Greek Revolution of 1821.

Their tenacity to preserve faith and culture, withstood centuries of pressure, even when whole societies around them yielded, and were assimilated in the Moslem world.

The families of Andros Odyssey are entangled in the insanity and the destructive forces of the Crusades. The Crusades started with Islam, which expanded through war by making people believe through force. This brought the Crusades, a series of holy wars. They were a means of defending against the expansion of Islam. The Crusades were led by equally self-righteous, intolerant and ruthless people. The proto-imperialism of the Crusaders introduced Western aggression to the Middle East, leaving it in ruins and at the same time, devastating Byzantium, which happened to be in the way. In desperation, the Byzantines had to fight both, Christians and Moslems. Byzantium, with its stiff resistance against the idea of the Crusades, soon became an enemy to the West. As a result, the failed Crusades left Byzantium exhausted and vulnerable to new attacks from the East. In spite of the danger to the West, help against the Turks came too little and too late, resulting in the total destruction of Byzantium and the fall of Constantinople. families evolve and old families are transformed because of name changes under the Turkish occupation.

After the fall of Constantinople, After the fall of Constantinople, Christians under the Ottoman rule experienced a very stressful existence, under slavery conditions. They persevered through that occupation and utilized education as a tool for survival, in exchange for helping the Ottoman Empire expand militarily. To achieve their survival, Greek families employed unparalleled ingenuity, planning, patience and secrecy. Many fled abroad, further spreading Greek civilization and creating secret Greek organizations, geared to mobilize the world against the Ottomans. To defend against that, the Ottomans engineered the total separation of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, isolating any Christian rebellion from any help from the West. Greeks tried unsuccessfully to find allies in the West but eventually settled into a secret alliance with Russia, which eventually brought about the Greek Revolution of 1821.

Their tenacity to preserve faith and culture, withstood centuries of pressure, even when whole societies around them yielded, and were assimilated in the Moslem world.

The families of Andros Odyssey are entangled in the insanity and the destructive forces of the Crusades. The Crusades started with Islam, which expanded through war by making people believe through force. This brought the Crusades, a series of holy wars. They were a means of defending against the expansion of Islam. The Crusades were led by equally self-righteous, intolerant and ruthless people. The proto-imperialism of the Crusaders introduced Western aggression to the Middle East, leaving it in ruins and at the same time, devastating Byzantium, which happened to be in the way. In desperation, the Byzantines had to fight both, Christians and Moslems. Byzantium, with its stiff resistance against the idea of the Crusades, soon became an enemy to the West. As a result, the failed Crusades left Byzantium exhausted and vulnerable to new attacks from the East. In spite of the danger to the West, help against the Turks came too little and too late, resulting in the total destruction of Byzantium and the fall of Constantinople. families evolve and old families are transformed because of name changes under the Turkish occupation.

"Andros Odyssey: Byzantine Kalivarion" introduces you to the Psellus family from Andros. The family is entangled in an 8th century east-west religious struggle between the idol-bashing supporters of Judaism and Islam and the art-loving Greeks and Romans.

Part of the Psellus family is exiled to Cappadocia, as part of an imperial program to unify and defend the Byzantine Empire. The exiles establish Kalivarion, a Cappadocian colony. The families survive four centuries (700-1100 AD) of Byzantine turmoil and struggle. One of them, historian and politician Michael Psellus left behind an Empire in ruins and his famous history of that period. The family changes their name to Megas to avoid humiliation and becomes intertwined with the Stravolemis family, after the liberation of a bastard slave from Crete.

During recent centuries, Byzantium had an undeservingly critical view by western authors. It was only lately, that light has been shed on how important Byzantine culture was in the development of our Western civilization.

Our knowledge of Greek and Roman literature and law, we owe to the Byzantines. Western renaissance was based on Byzantine art and music."