At a glance
- When
- about 330 to 1453 CE
- Where
- Anatolia, the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean, centred on Constantinople
- Entries in our catalogue
- 144 (69 individual genomes)
- Countries of the finds
- 9
What ancient DNA shows
Studies of Roman and Byzantine period individuals from Anatolia found that they were genetically close to earlier Anatolian populations of the Bronze and Iron Ages, which points to long local continuity under changing empires.
Byzantine period sites in the Balkans, the Levant and Italy show the same mixture of local continuity and incoming people seen in Roman times, with individuals of Anatolian and Eastern Mediterranean ancestry appearing far from home.
Their genetic legacy today
Present-day populations of Turkey, Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean carry ancestry from the Byzantine era population of their regions, alongside later additions, including Central Asian ancestry in Anatolia after the eleventh century.
Byzantines samples in the MYDNATLAS catalogue
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 144 entries whose culture label names the Byzantines. 69 of them are individual genomes; the others are reference entries, such as averages of several individuals, and samples flagged as outliers. Half of the 143 dated entries fall between 550 CE and 1,000 CE, with a median of 624 CE.
Where they were found
| Country | Entries |
|---|---|
| Türkiye | 108 |
| Lebanon | 17 |
| Croatia | 5 |
| Italy | 4 |
| Romania | 4 |
| Greece | 2 |
| Serbia | 2 |
| Germany | 1 |
Most common labels
| Label | Entries |
|---|---|
| Byzantine Anatolia (Turkey) | 78 |
| Roman/Byzantine Levant | 10 |
| Byzantine Cappadocia (Central Anatolia) | 8 |
| Byzantine (Lebanon) | 4 |
| Romania Roman Empire-Early Medieval (Byzantine) Histria | 4 |
| Byzantine Dalmatia (Croatia) | 2 |
Measured from the live catalogue on 2026-10-17. Dates are those recorded for each entry; the archaeological dates of the culture are given above. See our data sources for where the samples come from.
Compare your DNA with the Byzantines
To see how close you sit to Byzantines samples, you need your DNA as G25 coordinates. Download your raw data file from your testing company, convert it, and MYDNATLAS compares your coordinates with these entries and the rest of the catalogue, period by period, in its closest population and mixture tools.
- Download your raw DNA file: step by step for each testing company.
- Upload it from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage or FamilyTreeDNA, or another supported provider.
- Explore the results with the period by period breakdown and closest populations.
Start free: browse the Population Encyclopedia. The Population Encyclopedia is free to browse with a free account; analysing your own DNA needs a paid plan.
Questions
How many Byzantines samples does MYDNATLAS hold?
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 144 entries labelled as Byzantines, of which 69 are individual genomes; the rest are reference entries such as group averages, and flagged outliers. Figures measured 2026-10-17.
Where were the Byzantines samples found?
They come from 9 countries, most often Türkiye, Lebanon, Croatia, Italy and Romania. Half of the dated entries fall between 550 CE and 1,000 CE.
Were the Byzantines genetically Greek?
Byzantine populations were regionally varied. In Anatolia they were close to earlier Anatolians, and in Greece close to earlier Greeks, so a single Byzantine genetic profile does not exist.