Conflicted: A History Podcast

Latest Episodes:

When Justinian Met Theodora – Part 4 Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

In the conclusion of the series, Justinian and Theodora face a cascade of setbacks and disasters. The Empress hatches a plan to destroy John the Cappadocian. Belisarius learns of Antonina’s serial infidelity. A deadly Plague threatens to bring the Byzantine empire to its knees.

SOURCES:

Bridge, Antony. Theodora: Portrait in a Byzantine Landscape. 1978.

Potter, David. Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint. 2015.

Parnell, David Alan. Belisarius & Antonina: Love and War in the Age of Justinian. 2023.

Hughes, Bettany. Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities. 2017.

Sarris, Peter. Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint. 2023.

Kaldellis, Anthony. The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium. 2023.

Cesaretti, Paolo. Theodora: Empress of Byzantium. 2003.

Procopius. The Secret History.

Procopius. The Wars of Justinian.

Phillips, Robin. West, Jeff. Who in the World Was The Acrobatic Empress? 2006.

Norwich, John Julius. Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy. 2011.

Evans, James Allan. The Empress Theodora: Partner of Justinian. 2002.

Holmes, Nick. Justinian’s Empire: Triumph and Tragedy. 2024.

Charles Rivers Editors. Justinian the Great: The Life and Legacy of the Byzantine Emperor. 2014.

Captivating History. The Byzantine Empire. 2018

Captivating History. The Vandals. 2018

Dahm, Murray. Combat: Byzantine Cavalryman vs Vandal Warrior. 2023.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/01/03/gods-librarians

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When Justinian Met Theodora – Part 3 May 02, 2025

Show notes

With the Nika Riots behind them, Justinian and Theodora rebuild Constantinople and pursue a bold new agenda for the Byzantine Empire. Belisarius sails to war against the Vandal Kingdom. John the Cappadocian seeks to drive a wedge between the imperial couple.

SOURCES:

Bridge, Antony. Theodora: Portrait in a Byzantine Landscape. 1978.

Potter, David. Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint. 2015.

Parnell, David Alan. Belisarius & Antonina: Love and War in the Age of Justinian. 2023.

Hughes, Bettany. Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities. 2017.

Sarris, Peter. Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint. 2023.

Kaldellis, Anthony. The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium. 2023.

Cesaretti, Paolo. Theodora: Empress of Byzantium. 2003.

Procopius. The Secret History.

Procopius. The Wars of Justinian.

Phillips, Robin. West, Jeff. Who in the World Was The Acrobatic Empress? 2006.

Norwich, John Julius. Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy. 2011.

Evans, James Allan. The Empress Theodora: Partner of Justinian. 2002.

Holmes, Nick. Justinian’s Empire: Triumph and Tragedy. 2024.

Charles Rivers Editors. Justinian the Great: The Life and Legacy of the Byzantine Emperor. 2014.

Captivating History. The Byzantine Empire. 2018

Captivating History. The Vandals. 2018

Dahm, Murray. Combat: Byzantine Cavalryman vs Vandal Warrior. 2023.

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When Justinian Met Theodora – Part 2 Mar 22, 2025

Show notes

After being crowned Emperor and Empress of the Byzantine Empire, Justinian and Theodora face their first major test as rulers, the deadly Nika Riots of 532 AD.

SOURCES:

Bridge, Antony. Theodora: Portrait in a Byzantine Landscape.

Potter, David. Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint.

Parnell, David Alan. Belisarius & Antonina: Love and War in the Age of Justinian

Hughes, Bettany. Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities.

Sarris, Peter. Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint.

Cesaretti, Paolo. Theodora: Empress of Byzantium.

Procopius. The Secret History.

Phillips, Robin. West, Jeff. Who in the World Was The Acrobatic Empress?

Norwich, John Julius. Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy

Evans, James Allan. The Empress Theodora: Partner of Justinian.

Holmes, Nick. Justinian’s Empire: Triumph and Tragedy

Charles Rivers Editors. Justinian the Great: The Life and Legacy of the Byzantine Emperor.

Captivating History. The Byzantine Empire. 2018

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When Justinian Met Theodora – Part 1 Feb 22, 2025

Show notes

From 527 to 565 AD, Emperor Justinian I and his Empress Theodora ruled over the Byzantine Empire in Constantinople. Together, they reshaped the Mediterranean world, weathering political upheaval, wars of conquest, and an outbreak of bubonic plague. In this first installment of a multi-part series, we explore the early years of New Rome’s greatest power couple. Rising from a disreputable background in the brothels of Constantinople, the actress-turned-informant Theodora catches the eye of Prince Justinian, heir to the Byzantine throne...

SOURCES:

Bridge, Antony. Theodora: Portrait in a Byzantine Landscape.

Potter, David. Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint.

Parnell, David Alan. Belisarius & Antonina: Love and War in the Age of Justinian

Hughes, Bettany. Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities.

Sarris, Peter. Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint.

Cesaretti, Paolo. Theodora: Empress of Byzantium.

Procopius. The Secret History.

Phillips, Robin. West, Jeff. Who in the World Was The Acrobatic Empress?

Norwich, John Julius. Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy

Evans, James Allan. The Empress Theodora: Partner of Justinian.

Holmes, Nick. Justinian’s Empire: Triumph and Tragedy

Charles Rivers Editors. Justinian the Great: The Life and Legacy of the Byzantine Emperor.

Captivating History. The Byzantine Empire. 2018

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The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 5: Thank God, They’ve Attacked Us Dec 20, 2024

Show notes

On December 3rd, 1971, India and Pakistan go to war on two fronts, battling for the future of Bangladesh. In the East, the Indian army races against time, hoping to capture Dacca and force a Pakistani surrender before the United Nations can demand a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger unleash a fusillade of diplomatic pressure to frighten a defiant Indira Gandhi into compliance. After months of imprisonment, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman learns what has happened to his country. The war ends, and a new era begins.

SOURCES:

Bass, Gary K. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide. 2013.

Bennet-Jones, Own. The Bhutto Dynasty. 2020.

Carney, Scott. Miklian, Jason. The Vortex: A True Story of History’s Deadliest Storm, an

Unspeakable War, and Liberation. 2022.

Chang, Jung. Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story. 2005.

Frank, Katherine. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. 2001.

Gewen, Barry. The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and his World. 2020.

Hiro, Dilip. The Longest August: The Unflinching Rivalry Between India and Pakistan. 2015.

Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger. 2001.

Hoodbhoy, Pervez. Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future. 2023.

Jalal, Ayesha. The Struggle for Pakistan. 2014.

James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. 1997.

Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. 1975.

Khosa, Faisal. The Making of Martyrs in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh. 2021.

K.S. Nair. December In Dacca. 2022.

Keay, John. India: A History. 2000.

Mookherjee, Nayanika. The Spectral Wound. 2015.

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh. 2013.

Rose, Leo. Sisson, Richard. War and Secession. Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh. 1990.

Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh. 2011.

Schanberg, Sydney.”He Tells Full Story of Arrest and Detention.” New York Times Jan 1972

Schendel, Willem van. A History of Bangladesh. 2009.

Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Henry Kissinger and American Power. 2020.

Sengupta, Nitish. Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal. 2011.

Siddiqi, A. R. Yahya Khan: The Rise and Fall of a Soldier. 2020.

Tudda, Chris. A Cold War Turning Point: Nixon and China, 1969-1972. 2012.

Walsh, Declan. The Nine Lives of Pakistan. 2020.

Zakaria, Anam. 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. 2019.

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The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 4: Casus Belli Nov 02, 2024

Show notes

As Yahya Khan’s crackdown in East Pakistan sparks a refugee crisis and a guerilla insurgency, the neighboring nation of India, led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, must decide how to respond. Meanwhile, President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger pursue secret talks with Communist China. In Madison Square Garden, musicians George Harrison and Ravi Shankar organize a massive charity concert for the people of Bangladesh.

SOURCES:

Bass, Gary K. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide. 2013.

Bennet-Jones, Own. The Bhutto Dynasty. 2020.

Carney, Scott. Miklian, Jason. The Vortex: A True Story of History’s Deadliest Storm, an

Unspeakable War, and Liberation. 2022.

Chang, Jung. Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story. 2005.

Frank, Katherine. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. 2001.

Gewen, Barry. The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and his World. 2020.

Hiro, Dilip. The Longest August: The Unflinching Rivalry Between India and Pakistan. 2015.

Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger. 2001.

Hoodbhoy, Pervez. Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future. 2023.

Jalal, Ayesha. The Struggle for Pakistan. 2014.

James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. 1997.

Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. 1975.

Khosa, Faisal. The Making of Martyrs in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh. 2021.

K.S. Nair. December In Dacca. 2022.

Keay, John. India: A History. 2000.

Mookherjee, Nayanika. The Spectral Wound. 2015.

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh. 2013.

Rose, Leo. Sisson, Richard. War and Secession. Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh. 1990.

Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh. 2011.

Schendel, Willem van. A History of Bangladesh. 2009.

Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Henry Kissinger and American Power. 2020.

Sengupta, Nitish. Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal. 2011.

Tudda, Chris. A Cold War Turning Point: Nixon and China, 1969-1972. 2012.

Walsh, Declan. The Nine Lives of Pakistan. 2020.

Zakaria, Anam. 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. 2019.

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Introducing...BEEF Oct 10, 2024

Show notes

Join me for a special featured episode of BEEF, a scripted podcast narrated by award-winning host Bridget Todd. This episode tells the story of explorers Sir Richard Burton and Captain John Hanning Speke as they face unimaginable dangers, and their own divisiveness, while searching for the source of the Nile River.

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The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 3: A Man Named Blood Sep 23, 2024

Show notes

On March 25th, 1971, President Yahya Khan launches Operation Searchlight in East Pakistan, a brutal military crackdown intended to snuff out Bengali separatism and restore West Pakistani authority. Meanwhile, an American diplomat in Dacca named Archer Blood begins reporting and documenting the slaughter, hoping to convince his government to step in and restrain Yahya. In Washington, D.C., President Richard Nixon and his national security advisor Henry Kissinger weigh the political costs of intervening in the atrocities, while secretly planning a groundbreaking outreach to Communist China.

SOURCES:

Bass, Gary K. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide. 2013.

Bennet-Jones, Own. The Bhutto Dynasty. 2020.

Carney, Scott. Miklian, Jason. The Vortex: A True Story of History’s Deadliest Storm, an

Unspeakable War, and Liberation. 2022.

Chang, Jung. Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story. 2005.

Frank, Katherine. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. 2001.

Gewen, Barry. The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and his World. 2020.

Hiro, Dilip. The Longest August: The Unflinching Rivalry Between India and Pakistan. 2015.

Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger. 2001.

Hoodbhoy, Pervez. Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future. 2023.

Jalal, Ayesha. The Struggle for Pakistan. 2014.

James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. 1997.

Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. 1975.

Khosa, Faisal. The Making of Martyrs in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh. 2021.

K.S. Nair. December In Dacca. 2022.

Keay, John. India: A History. 2000.

Mookherjee, Nayanika. The Spectral Wound. 2015.

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh. 2013.

Rose, Leo. Sisson, Richard. War and Secession. Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh. 1990.

Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh. 2011.

Schendel, Willem van. A History of Bangladesh. 2009.

Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Henry Kissinger and American Power. 2020.

Sengupta, Nitish. Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal. 2011.

Tudda, Chris. A Cold War Turning Point: Nixon and China, 1969-1972. 2012.

Walsh, Declan. The Nine Lives of Pakistan. 2020.

Zakaria, Anam. 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. 2019.

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The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 2: Bhutto’s Game Jul 26, 2024

Show notes

In the wake of the deadly Bhola Cyclone, 50 million Pakistanis go to the polls on December 7th, 1970 and cast their votes in a national election, which yields unexpected and destabilizing results. As the emergent factions fight for control of Pakistan’s nascent democracy, the political process slowly disintegrates and the gulf between East and West Pakistan becomes irreconcilable.

SOURCES:

Bass, Gary K. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide. 2013.

Bennet-Jones, Own. The Bhutto Dynasty. 2020.

Carney, Scott. Miklian, Jason. The Vortex: A True Story of History’s Deadliest Storm, an

Unspeakable War, and Liberation. 2022.

Chang, Jung. Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story. 2005.

Frank, Katherine. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. 2001.

Gewen, Barry. The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and his World. 2020.

Hiro, Dilip. The Longest August: The Unflinching Rivalry Between India and Pakistan. 2015.

Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger. 2001.

Hoodbhoy, Pervez. Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future. 2023.

Jalal, Ayesha. The Struggle for Pakistan. 2014.

James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. 1997.

Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. 1975.

Khosa, Faisal. The Making of Martyrs in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh. 2021.

K.S. Nair. December In Dacca. 2022.

Keay, John. India: A History. 2000.

Mookherjee, Nayanika. The Spectral Wound. 2015.

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh. 2013.

Rose, Leo. Sisson, Richard. War and Secession. Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh. 1990.

Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh. 2011.

Schendel, Willem van. A History of Bangladesh. 2009.

Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Henry Kissinger and American Power. 2020.

Sengupta, Nitish. Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal. 2011.

Tudda, Chris. A Cold War Turning Point: Nixon and China, 1969-1972. 2012.

Walsh, Declan. The Nine Lives of Pakistan. 2020.

Zakaria, Anam. 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. 2019.

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The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 1: Land of Broken Maps Jun 08, 2024

Show notes

In March 1971, the nation of Pakistan was split apart by a vicious civil war, eventually culminating in the creation of a new state: Bangladesh. In this first episode of a multi-part series, we trace the origins of the conflict and introduce the key historical figures involved.

SOURCES:

Bass, Gary K. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide.

Bennet-Jones, Own. The Bhutto Dynasty.

Carney, Scott. Miklian, Jason. The Vortex: A True Story of History’s Deadliest Storm, an

Unspeakable War, and Liberation.

Chang, Jung. Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story.

Frank, Katherine. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi.

Gewen, Barry. The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and his World.

Hiro, Dilip. The Longest August: The Unflinching Rivalry Between India and Pakistan.

Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger.

Hoodbhoy, Pervez. Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future.

Jalal, Ayesha. The Struggle for Pakistan.

James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India.

Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography.

Khosa, Faisal. The Making of Martyrs in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh.

K.S. Nair. December In Dacca

Keay, John. India: A History.

Mookherjee, Nayanika. The Spectral Wound.

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh.

Rose, Leo. Sisson, Richard. War and Secession. Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh.

Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh.

Schendel, Willem van. A History of Bangladesh.

Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Henry Kissinger and American Power.

Sengupta, Nitish. Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal.

Tudda, Chris. A Cold War Turning Point: Nixon and China, 1969-1972.

Walsh, Declan. The Nine Lives of Pakistan.

Zakaria, Anam. 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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