The starting location of the Byzantine Empire in Medieval: Total War
The Byzantines are a playable faction in Medieval: Total War. It is the largest faction at the start of the Early Period. They are one of the few factions that start with provinces that are not adjacent to each other, the others being The English, The French, The Italians, and The Sicilians. It is identified by purple on the campaign map, and is an Orthodox faction.
Starting provinces[]
Early period[]
Around 1000 a.d. the Byzantine Empire is the largest playable faction: it controls all of Asia Minor and Levant, Balkans and southern Italy, as well as Mediterranean islands of Crete, Rhodes and Cyprus.
High period[]
Around 1200 a.d. the Byzantine Empire is broken apart: player controls little more than the province of Nicaea and the island of Rhodes.
Late period[]
Around 1350. a.d. the Byzantine Empire is restored, but weak: it controls Constantinople, Nicaea and Rhodes.
Special units[]
- Cataphracts - unique Byzantine heavy cavalry armed with lances, no shields.
- Byzantine Cavalry - heavy cavalry archers.
- Pronoiai Allagion - Byzantine equivalent of feudal knights.
- Byzantine Lancers - light cavalry, available only in early period.
- Byzantine Infantry - men-at-arms armed with swords and shields, in mail armor.
- Trebizond Archers - light infantry with bows, helmets and shields.
- Varangian Guards - heavily armored infantry armed with axes and shields.
- Naptha Throwers - middle-eastern unit, short ranged artillery.
