Episodes
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Marco Cappelli, the man behind the Storia D'Italia podcast, has created a Roman history comic book. Ammianus - the Twilight of an Era tells the story of the incredible change that took place across Italy during the 6th century.
The comic is so good it made me cry. I interview Marco about why he decided to make this and where the inspiration came from.
Get your own copy in Italian, English or Latin! And in physical or digital form here.
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Professor Nicholas Morton returns to tell us about developments on the sea during the Crusading era. We discuss why Venice, Genoa, Pisa and Amalfi were able to dominate the waves. And talk about the ships they used and how they fought.
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 Medieval Near East is available now.
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Missing episodes?
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Hello everyone,
Here are 3 podcast-related things you may be interested in.
Roman Graphic Novel
Friend of the show Marco Capelli has made a comic book set in 6th century Italy. It follows two figures that we know about from an Ostrogothic jewellery collection that was discovered in 1938. A Roman Patrician Stephanus who marries a Gothic noblewoman Valatrud. They are subjects of King Theodoric who is trying to create a functioning Gothic-Roman kingdom in Italy. But their union comes shortly before Italy submerges into chaos. And Justinian sends Belisarius out to retake the home peninsula.
You can get your hands on a copy in English or Italian. In paper or in a digital format. Plus loads of other goodies are available from Marco’s Kickstarter campaign.
The Kickstarter ends on October 11th so act now.
Tour of Greece
Lantern Jack, the host of the podcast Ancient Greece Declassified, is leading a tour to Greece.
It’s taking place from January 3rd to the 11th 2025. And it visits every site connected with the famous war between the Persians and the Athenians and Spartans. If you want to go you will visit the Acropolis, the Straits of Salamis, Marathon, Eubeoa, Thermopylae, Delphi, Plataea and you’ll get to try on Hoplite Armour!
Click here to find out more
The History of Byzantium T-Shirts
Finally my new friend Magnus who creates Roman themed merchandise on Etsy has created an actual History of Byzantium podcast t-shirt. Or I should say t-shirts. Branded with the podcast logo you have several to choose from. I’m sure they will light up any occasion you go to with looks of confusion and bewilderment. But I think they look beautiful.
Check them out here. He also has t-shirts and mugs celebrating lesser figures than me – such as Constantine, Justinian, Basil II, Marcus Aurelius and others.
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When Andronikos' son dies he ponders whether to disinherit his Grandson Andronikos III. This prompts two bouts of civil war as the younger generation try to force change on their elders.
Period: 1310-1328
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Andronikos roles the dice and hires the Catalan Grand Company to fight the Turks. Those who advised the Emperor not to hire them could never have imagined just how badly things would go. Meanwhile Latin forces continue to take Aegean islands for themselves.
Period: 1281-1303
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We look at Andronikos II Palailogos' domestic arrangements and European wars. After disbanding his fleet to save money the Emperor was repeatedly humiliated by the Venetians. We also look at the Emperor's personality to understand why he was not best suited to the difficult times he lived in.
Period: 1281-1303
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The arrival of the Mongols in Anatolia would eventually lead to the expulsion of the Romans. Mongol dominance of the plateau sent waves of tribes into Byzantine territory. It was a crisis which the Emperor Andronikos was not equal to.
Period: 1281-1303
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The Union of Lyons had unleashed bitter division within Byzantium. We follow Michael and his son Andronikos as they try to make peace with the various factions that had opposed them.
Period: 1281-1310
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The Pope responds with despair to the news of Constantinople's fall. He calls for a Crusade to restore the Latin position. The man who answers is the brother of the King of France, Charles of Anjou. Michael Palaiologos is willing to do whatever it takes to stop them. This means he must agree to church union.
Period: 1261-82
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Michael VIII Palaiologos enters the city of Constantine for the first time. He has a lot of work to do to rebuild the city and restore its prestige. He must also navigate a complex diplomatic position which sees his forces in action on five fronts simultaneously.
Period: 1261-5
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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
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We talk about the challenges which Michael Palaiologos and the Nicaens faced as they prepared to move back to Constantinople.
Period: 1204-61
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We talk about the Latin occupied parts of Byzantium. What was life like for the conquered and the conquerors? Was the occupation a colonial enterprise?
Period: 1204-61
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Professor Nicholas Morton returns to tell us the story of the Fifth Crusade. To learn more check out his book The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East.
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For our 300th episode I decided to do something different. I chose my 10 greatest Byzantine Emperors.
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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 Southern University, East Georgia State College, and since 2022 has been a faculty member at the University of Vienna, where he teaches History and Digital Humanities. His academic work focuses on the Crusades, the Crusader-States, and European interactions with the Mongols.
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Theodore Laskaris II beds down his father's conquests in Europe. But his early death sees his family sidelined by Michael Palaiologos. The new Emperor needs some victories to legitimise his seizure of power and the fates reward him beyond all expectations.
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With the Bulgarians and Turks hobbled by the Mongols the field is clear for Nicaea. John Vatatzes annexes a huge swathe of European territory and is widely recognised as the true Roman Emperor.
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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 Medieval Near East is available now.
In it he offers a panoramic account of the Mongol invasions of the Middle East during the thirteenth century, examining these wars from the perspectives of the many different societies impacted by their conquests, including of course Byzantium.
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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
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