The History of Byzantium

Latest Episodes:

Episode 355 - You Can’t Understand the Modern World without Byzantium Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

How do you explain your strange interest in Byzantium to your friends and family? I argue that you can't understand the modern world without Byzantium.

This is the last episode of the podcast.

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Episode 354 - Final Questions Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

I answer the final batch of questions which came in after 1453. They are mostly fun speculation or about me and the podcast.

Our Constantine Acrostic

Christianized the Roman state,

Oldest offspring of the Great.

Nearly reigned one hundred days,

Saved the city, so they say.

Theophanes called him dung,

Assassinated by his mum.

Noted writer, purple born,

The Slayer's brother earns our scorn.

If Monomachos tried his best,

No Doukas could save the rest.

Eleven fell amongst the crowd,

So his forebears would be proud.

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Episode 353 - How did Romans become Greeks with Anthony Kaldellis Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

A discussion with Professor Anthony Kaldellis about how the Romans became Greeks.

Anthony Kaldellis is the Gaylord Donnelly Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Classics and the College at the University of Chicago.

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Episode 352 - Crusader Storm with Nicholas Morton Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

This is our last chance to talk about the Crusades on this podcast. So I put listener questions to Dr Nicholas Morton.

Dr Morton is Associate Professor in Middle Eastern and Global history at Nottingham Trent University in the UK. His research focuses on the history of the Crusades and the Medieval Middle East between the tenth and the fourteenth centuries. He has written four other books on Crusading and the Crusader states as well as The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East.

His new book The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East is available now.

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Episode 351 - The 10 Worst Byzantine Emperors May 26, 2026

Show notes

I pick the 10 Worst Byzantine Emperors

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Episode 350 - Questions XIX Apr 22, 2026

Show notes

I answer your questions about where the Romans got their gold from, how Romania ended up with a Romance language, Byzantine games of polo and more.

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Episode 349 - Questions XVIII Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

I answer your questions about the Secret History, eunuchs, the Doukas name, the Byzantine crown, the Crown of Thorns and more.

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Episode 348 - Trebizond! Part Two Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

We explore the history of Trebizond under the Grand Komnenoi. Today I cover the period from 1297-1453.

The music for these episodes comes from the brilliant Youtube channel of Farya Faraji. Farya is a musicologist who collaborates with traditional musicians around the world to present music from different cultures on his channel, with an emphasis on authenticity and accurate cultural representation. This track is called Trapezuntine - Epic Byzantine Music. You can buy his music here.

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Episode 347 - Trebizond! Part One Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

We explore the history of Trebizond under the Grand Komnenoi. Today I cover the period from 1204-1297.

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Episode 346 - What If? Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

I tackle your counter factual questions.

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