How does Google’s Gemini Nano Bana Pro compare to ChatGPT 5.1 in creating a Byzantine Noblewoman in 1060 AD?
Gemini and ChatGPT are locked in a battle for AI supremacy. As I have stated before, Gemini is really strong at creating photorealistic replications of reality; the reality that we see with own eyes, with the lighting and texture without the Hollywood cameras. Gemini also takes less of your time to create such images while ChatGPT has recently been slow at creating images.
In this post, I am going to show the results of these two chatbots at how they create AI images for a Byzantine Noblewoman in 1060 AD.
Gemini
Gemini is the best for replicating reality as the eye sees rather than artistic interpretations here. When it comes to historical eras that are further back in time, the model is taking inspiration from the artistic depictions here.
As one can see in this image that I generated on Gemini, the mosaics of the Byzantine Empire are represented quite well in here. The contrast between the servant and noble woman is here is very important but also shows the continuation of the Ancient Roman tradition in a Christian context here.
The prompt that I used here was: Create image of an Upper class Byzantine woman who is wife of a senator in 1060 Era.
I used Nano Banana Pro on Thinking Mode.
Chat GPT
ChatGPT is currently in version 5.1 and is the most powerful version I have seen. However, it takes longer to create images even though I am subscribed to the service. I used the same prompt in order to create AI image of the Byzantine noblewoman.
This is the result and to emphasize here, I did not change the prompt or add any modifications.
The main difference between the images is that ChatGPT chose to give me an artistic interpretation over a photorealistic creation. I would say that such an image would be something that you would see in a book which is covering Byzantine history.
The Macedonian Era has no photographs but we do have art that depicts women in that era. The two women, one photorealistic and the other stylized in here are similar but its clear that Gemini is better for creating photorealistic images.
While the context cannot be completely correct in every instance, AI images can teach us about the past that artist impressions can only hope to reach. The ChatGPT image creation process is very slow, while Gemini is quick and will be better able to create images efficiently.
The Gemini image is better at showing the nature of the society quickly. You can see the textiles and the social structure. It helps people ask questions in a Socratic way, helping to expand their minds in an age where smartphones are making people think in a less expansive way here.
AI Images for history can help to make history more accessible and most importantly get people to go beyond the textbook to reach greater enlightenment about their own cultures and those across the globe.
That is the power of AI Image Generation, and I hope it continues to impress people enough that they will be using it to spark imagination in people of all ages.
Byzantine-Empire.com 
