The History of Byzantium

Professor Kaldellis' new history of Byzantium is out now in the USA and on Kindle everywhere. In our second conversation we discuss the adoption of Christianity as the Roman religion. How much did Roman society change as a result? Why was early Christianity so riven with disputes? We also talk about the function of the law in Roman society. How did it help define individual rights and responsibilities beyond criminal behaviour? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Kaldellis' new history of Byzantium is out now in the USA and on Kindle everywhere. He has kindly agreed to talk to us about it across 4 episodes! In this first conversation we discuss the new Roman government that Constantine established in 330AD. What was the 'personality' of government? How did it achieve legitimacy in the eyes of the people? Was it really a Republican Monarchy? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Holland is the author of half a dozen brilliant books on the ancient world. He has now written three on the Roman Empire. The latest 'Pax' takes the story from the death of Nero to that of Hadrian. It's the golden age of Roman power and yet insecurity and anxiety lie under the surface. I talk to Tom about how he gains insight into people so utterly different to us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October 2023 Update Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American author Robert Bruton takes us through his Master’s thesis on the role of climate change and plague in the decline of Roman fortunes in the 6th century. He is also writing a trilogy of historical fiction novels about the life of Belisarius. Find out more about Robert and his work here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Kaldellis returns to give us his 10 Worst Emperors. He is a Professor in the Department of Classics at the University of Chicago and the author of dozens of books and articles on key aspects of Byzantine history. Find out more here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Guardians of Byzantium - Book 2 is now available. Listen for a special offer to get hold of both books today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I talk to historian Adrian Goldsworthy about his new book. It covers the 700 year rivalry between the two great powers of the ancient world. Everything from Crassus having gold poured down his throat to Heraclius returning the True Cross to Jerusalem. Dr Goldsworthy is an award winning historian of the classical world. He has written a dozen books on Greco-Roman topics including biographies of Julius Caesar and Augustus. As well as studies of the Roman army and the Empire’s rise and fall. So if you like what you hear today there is a small library of Goldsworthy goodness waiting for you to read. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I talk to Katherine Pangonis about her new book - Twilight Cities: Lost Capitals of the Mediterranean. In it she travels to Tyre, Carthage, Syracuse, Ravenna and Antioch to tell their stories and experience what remains. It's a fantastic book for those who want to learn more about these ancient power centres and be inspired to visit them. We spoke to Katherine about her first book 'Queens of Jerusalem' back in episode 238. She returned to tell us about the devastating earthquakes in Turkey in February 2023. Find out more about her at her website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We look at the stories of three different Romans who had to deal with their city being sacked. Through their experiences we come to a better understanding of the loss felt by those who lived through the fall of Constantinople in 1204. NOT SUITABLE FOR YOUNG EARS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June 2023 Schedule Update Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our final batch of questions for this century includes queries about the Hippodrome, diplomatic marriages, national identity and political legitimacy. We also enjoy an update on the Crimea, the Jewish communities of Byzantium and the Varangian Guard. I also talk about the perception of time and rank some dynasties. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We take a look at the pros and cons of the Komnenian system. Then trace why it was causing enough resentment to lead to provincial separatism. We then move on to discuss the army and the bureaucracy and the people of Constantinople. Looking at how each was affecting political stability in the run up to the Fourth Crusade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nathan Websdale is a PHD candidate at Oxford University and President of the Oxford University Byzantine Society. His work is focussed on ethnic identification, social inclusion and self-determination in the Byzantine World, c.1200-c.1230. Nathan graduated with a BA (First Class) in History from Royal Holloway, University of London in 2016 and an MA (Merit) in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies from the Intercollegiate University of London in 2017. I talk to Nathan about the thorny issue of provincial separatism before and after the Fourth Crusade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More questions to tackle this week. Comparing the sack of 1204 to the sack of Rome in 410. Questioning the Byzantine system of succession and the roots of their decline. And pondering whether other Emperors rose to power like Alexios Angelos - on the back of a foreign army. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Anthony Kaldellis has just completed a new history of Byzantium which will be published in October 2023. So I cheekily asked him if he would list his 10 greatest Emperors. Graciously he agreed to apply his immense knowledge to this frivolous topic. He is a Professor in the Department of Classics at the University of Chicago. This is his third interview on the History of Byzantium. I talked to him about two of his books 'The Byzantine Republic' and 'Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: The Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade.' But he is the author of over a dozen books on Byzantium along with translations of texts and many articles. Find out more here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I answer more questions about the Fourth Crusade and the sack of Constantinople. What was the reaction of other nations? Did people see it as sign of the end times? What did the Byzantines think of the Templars and Hospitallers? What were the religious differences between the Orthodox and the Catholics? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I answer more questions about the Fourth Crusade and the sack of Constantinople. We talk about why the Roman response was so feeble and if anything else could have been done? Along with questions about the tombs of the Emperors, statues, coins and ships. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I answer listener questions about the Fourth Crusade. This episode focuses on the big picture. Who is to blame? Was it inevitable? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a special episode to urge listeners to donate to the ongoing relief effort in Turkey and Syria. I interview two expert guests about the situation with a particular focus on the city of Antakya (Byzantine Antioch). Andrea De Giorgi is a Professor of Classical Studies at Florida State University. He specializes in Roman urbanism and visual culture and has written many books and articles on the subject. He co-authored the fantastic book Antioch. A History which I thoroughly recommend. Dr. De Giorgi has also directed excavations and surveys in Turkey, Syria, Georgia, Jordan, and the UAE. Since 2013, he has codirected the Cosa Excavations in Italy and, since 2021, the Coastal Caesarea Archeological Project in Israel; currently, he is studying the 1930s Antioch and Daphne collections at the Princeton University Art Museum. Katherine Pangonis is a historian and author of the book ‘Queens of Jerusalem’ who I interviewed back in episode 238 of the podcast. Her second book - to be published this summer - is called ‘Twilight Cities: Lost Capitals of the Mediterranean.’ In it she explores famous cities from antiquity like Tyre, Carthage and Ravenna. Cities who once ruled whole Empires and were littered with magnificent buildings but have been somewhat forgotten. One of the cities she covers is Antioch. She also hosts the podcast - Women Who Dared to Write. This is an appeal for you to donate to one of the various charities who are rushing to the scene at this moment to help the survivors. You have a number of options. You may have campaigns being run in your country by reputable organisations. So here in the UK the Disaster Emergency Committee have launched an appeal that has raised millions. This is an organisation which brings a group of charities together. In this case Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund and Islamic Relief amongst many others. dec.org.uk/appeals/ To help specific groups directly: The White Helmets are volunteers who have been operating in Syria for many years. They help evacuate people from dangerous areas and offer medical help. https://www.whitehelmets.org/en/ AKUT Search and Rescue Association. They are a non-governmental organisation offering emergency and disaster relief to people caught up in natural disasters in Turkey. https://www.akut.org.tr/en/donation AHBAP an independent civilian organisation who offer disaster relief to communities in need across Turkey. This is the organisation that the kind listener who prompted me to make this appeal recommends. https://ahbap.org/disasters-turkey International Red Cross https://www.icrc.org/en/donate/syria-emergency Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.