show episodes
 
Exploring various topics of history and government with a feeble attempt at humor. Don't worry I lack the storytelling ability of a Dan Carlin, the commitment to a fast pace and consistent release schedule of a Mike Duncan. Nor do I have the calm and reassuring voice of a Robin Pierson. What I do have is some spare time and boredom and want to talk about random things in history.
  continue reading
 
Loading …
show series
 
We look at listener questions about this period of narrative. Were the Varangian Guard still employed at Nicaea? Had Greek Fire been lost? How many Emperors are actually Saints? Why did Nicaea win? Should they have moved back to Constantinople? Were the Romans Greeks now? Period: 1204-61 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…
  continue reading
 
With Constantinople back in Roman hands we explore the one vantage point we've ignored: the last Latin Emperor Baldwin II. Dr John Giebfried returns to give us Baldwin's biography. Period: 1215-61 John completed his PhD in Medieval History at St Louis University in 2015 and has subsequently worked at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Georgia Sout…
  continue reading
 
We talk to Dr Nicholas Morton about the arrival of the Mongols into the Byzantine world. Their confrontation with the Seljuks of Anatolia will have serious consequences. Dr Morton is Associate Professor in Middle Eastern and Global history at Nottingham Trent University in the UK. His new book The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Me…
  continue reading
 
While Epirus was rising and falling, Nicaea was consolidating. John Vatatzes, the new Emperor, was competent at home and abroad. After years of consolidation he decided to besiege Constantinople. But he didn't act alone he invited an unlikely ally to join him. Period: 1215-37 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…
  continue reading
 
Theodoros Doukas the leader of the Roman state of Epirus leads his people to ever greater heights in the 1220s. He captures Thessalonica and drives towards Constantinople itself. Doukas declares himself Emperor but does he have the resources necessary to reach the Hagia Sophia? Period: 1215-30 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa…
  continue reading
 
Today we look at Constantinople itself. What was the physical state of the city and what was the Latin administration like? Guiding us today is Dr John Giebfried. John completed his PhD in Medieval History at St Louis University in 2015 and has subsequently worked at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Georgia Southern University, East Georgia Stat…
  continue reading
 
Today we look at the parts of the Roman Empire we haven't covered so far in the post-siege narrative. This includes Attalia, Trebizond and the multiple acquisitions of Venice. Helping me is Dr John Giebfried from the University of Vienna. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  continue reading
 
Michael Komnenos Doukas would have had a forgettable career if it wasn't for the chaos which followed Manuel Komnenos' death. But the twists of fate allowed him to found a new state in Epirus (Western Greece) which would eventually seize huge parts of the Roman world. Period: 1204-15 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…
  continue reading
 
The narrative returns as we head back to 1204 and the sack of Constantinople. The arrival of the Latins had actually splintered the Roman world into at least 13 different states. With a little help from the 2008 film 'Vantage Point' we will be following the different perspectives of these actors as they deal with the fallout from the sack. We begin…
  continue reading
 
I speak to Rob and Jamie from the podcast Totalus Rankium. Their show is a light hearted ranking of every Roman Emperor from Augustus to Constantine XI. It's a really fun listen and they include all the amusing stories which I edited out of Byzantine history. They have a sister show where they rank American Presidents. Find both shows here. Hosted …
  continue reading
 
Alexander Christie-Miller was the Turkish correspondent for the Times Newspaper between 2010 and 2017. He has written a book called ‘To the City’ about the people who live along the Theodosian Walls in Istanbul today. He tells the story and charts the sweeping changes they've experienced in Turkey over the past 50 years. It's a brilliant read, idea…
  continue reading
 
Professor Kaldellis' new history of Byzantium is out now in the USA and on Kindle everywhere. In the final episode in this series he answers more of your questions. Amongst the topics we cover are citizenship, class, counter-factuals, academia and AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…
  continue reading
 
Professor Kaldellis' new history of Byzantium is out now in the USA and on Kindle everywhere. In this episode he answers your questions. Including succession mechanisms, taxation, the Senate, usurpers, Belisarius, Maurice and many more topics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…
  continue reading
 
A new book has come out about that most famous of Byzantines. It's called Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint by Peter Sarris and it is excellent. It is not a dramatization of his career but a brilliantly researched account of his life and time in office. Track his evolving thinking through the amazing range of sources we have for his reign and gain…
  continue reading
 
Loading …

Quick Reference Guide