Geolette Marie Esguerra

Powee Celdran’s Book on the Byzantine Empire

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As ancient history goes, the Byzantine Empire isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind. And if the name doesn’t ring any bells, it could be because it doesn’t show up too much in popular culture.The Byzantine Empire isn’t as famous as ancient Rome or Greece—which have scores of films to their name—though it isn’t any less interesting. This period of history is full of tense battles, political intrigue, and fascinating technology (imagine a mechanical throne and automata in the shape of animals—sort of like the world’s early robots).<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773421635229FRONT COVER copy 2 Large.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>A Time Traveller’s Guide to Byzantium: 62 Years That Shook and Shaped the Eastern Roman Empire by Powee Celdran</div>But here’s the short of it. The Byzantine Empire—also called the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium—was what became of the Roman Empire after it fell in the fifth century. Think of it as Roman Empire: the sequel, and you won’t be far off the mark. It lasted for over a thousand years before the Ottoman Empire eventually toppled it.If history class isn’t your thing, artist and author Powee Celdran’s new book might actually be for you. A Time Traveller’s Guide to Byzantium: 62 Years That Shook and Shaped the Eastern Roman Empire isn’t the kind of history book that you’re used to. It doesn’t get bogged down in the minutiae of every single event. It’s more a light read meant for everyone.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773421759268Original photo of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul Large.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Hagia Sophia, Istanbul </div>“Byzantine history is something that appears very scholarly, very academic compared to other periods in history like ancient Rome or ancient Greece,” Celdran says. “I want to change that by writing a book that&#x27;s more entertaining. And that way they [the readers] can learn something about Byzantine history because it&#x27;s very easy to understand.”In this, the book succeeds. Celdran breaks down every chapter into several short entries: each one long enough to be informative but short enough for readers to take in several at a time. They’re about the same length as long Instagram captions, and won’t grate at your attention span.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773421828306YEAR SPREAD copy 2 Large.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div>With immersive photos, detailed maps, graphic timelines, and art from Celdran’s network of illustrators from across the world, the book is visually striking. Many of the pages feature Celdran’s own artwork, done in a cartoony, naive art style using the vibrant colors of the Byzantine palette.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773422210509Original character Illustrations by hand copy Large.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Another novel thing is the inclusion of Time Traveller Tips: bite-sized entries that appear in each chapter, which point out where you can still see traces of the Byzantine Empire today. From the Aurelian Walls and the Column of Phocas in Rome to the ruins of Magnaura and the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the book takes its readers to the past, but grounds it in the present by showing what these ancient sites are now.</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773421860230330AD spread Large.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div>“The whole point of the book is also to look for places where you can experience Byzantine history, where it took place.”It makes for a good guide when visiting these places, since the tips come from Celdran’s own experiences, and include details that you might not notice otherwise. They’ll take you to a dark corner in Turkey to view a surviving mosaic and to a sprawling fortress in Egypt where the Arabs fought a hard-won siege against the Byzantines.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773421923949Original photo of Chora Church interior Large.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Chora Church or Kariye Mosque in Turkey </div>All told, A Time Traveller’s Guide to Byzantium took Celdran and his team more than two years to finish, though his interest in the era started long before he even began writing the book.His first brush with Byzantine history was back in high school, when he played Assassin’s Creed Revelations: an open-world video game that has a recreation of Constantinople, once the capital of the Byzantine Empire.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773422060010Powee in Venice copy Large.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Powee in Venice</div>The fascination never left him, and Celdran traveled across Turkey, Greece, Italy, Russia, and the Balkans—places that belonged to or were heavily influenced by the Byzantine Empire. He also began visiting museums and other places that held artifacts and manuscripts from the Byzantine Empire.“Even before I thought of writing the book, I already traveled to all those places because I was interested in the history,” Celdran says. “And I wanted to see those places where Byzantine history took place. So the places I&#x27;ve visited are not complete yet. I haven&#x27;t been everywhere yet in the Byzantine world.”<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773422124968Powee taking photos of Myrelaion Church in Istanbul Large.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Powee taking photos of Myrelaion Church in Istanbul</div>While Celdran might have more trips ahead of him, his continued interest has since led him to take a short course on the subject at Oxford University. He’s since created an Instagram account, a podcast, a board game, a deck of cards, stickers, and even a clothing line. Still, this book is his most exhaustive work yet.In any case, A Time Traveller’s Guide to Byzantium: 62 Years That Shook and Shaped the Eastern Roman Empire is set to launch on March 14. At 300-odd pages, it makes for a fantastic nightcap read. And if you’re looking to jump deeper into the rabbit hole, you can check out his other stuff <a href="https://www.byzantinetimetraveller.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

The book takes you on a tour of the Byzantine Era—and it’s an easier read than you think.

The book takes you on a tour of the Byzantine Era—and it’s an easier read than you think.

Powee Celdran’s Book on the Byzantine Empire Makes You Wish History Class Was This Easy

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Powee Celdran’s Book on the Byzantine Empire Makes You Wish History Class Was This Easy

Aurelio Icasiano III

Published March 13, 2026 06:00 PM PHT

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Updated March 14, 2026 01:26 AM PHT

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Powee Celdran

Byzantine Empire

Eastern Roman Empire

A Time Traveller’s Guide to Byzantium

History Book

Light Read

Time Traveller Tips

Constantinople

Art

Assassin's Creed Revelations

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