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The History of Byzantium
Baby and New Schedule
I have big news. A History of Byzantium baby is on the way. The purple room in the Palace is being prepared for the Autumn and I can assure you that the names Justinian and Theodora will not be under consideration.
Of course I’m very excited. But it means I think we need to change the way the podcast is scheduled. I plan on being as involved as possible during the first few months of my baby’s life. And so it won’t be possible to keep a normal podcast routine.
So what we’re going to do is switch to a sort of TV schedule. Where there is silence for a few months and then I will release a complete series of episodes. So that when the podcast is on air, so to speak, you know that it will be out every week without fail and that whatever period of narrative we’re in will reach a natural conclusion. This will include bonus episodes for those who subscribe over at Patreon.
I feel more comfortable switching to this new schedule thanks to Patreon. It means that those of you who kindly support the show can manage your subscriptions however you see fit. And if you’re still in any doubt about how Patreon works - you can pick up a subscription or cancel one any time you like. There is no contract or commitment. And when you resubscribe you get your benefits back instantly.
We’re going to switch to this new schedule immediately. So there will now be a period of silence before a run of episodes that will take us from the death of Manuel through to the sack of Constantinople in 1204.
I won’t be announcing any dates for this new schedule. The periods of silence will take as long as they take and then there will be loads of episodes in a row to enjoy. It will be an adjustment for all of us but I think it’s for the best.
I have pushed myself hard in the past to try and produce the podcast weekly and to leave as few gaps as possible and it can cause a lot of stress. History podcasting just does take a long time. Some topics take weeks to research. And the more I read the better the show gets.
I’m hoping this new schedule will make life easier for you and for me. Thank you for your patience and for your support.
More episodes
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Episode 344 - Cold Case: Constantine XI
01:06:30|I investigate the death of the Emperor Constantine XI. What happened to him on the last day of his life?Episode 343 - The End of Crusading and the Third Rome
22:48|We look at the reaction to the fall of Constantinople in Venice, Rome and Russia. And briefly discuss those who claimed descent from Constantine XI.Intelligent Speech conference this Saturday
01:49|What if Belisarius had accepted the Goths offer and become the Western Roman Emperor in 540AD? This is one scenario I will be discussing on Saturday at the Intelligent Speech Conference. Use the code Byzantium to get 10% off your ticket https://intelligentspeechonline.com/Episode 342 - The Roman Diaspora
28:40|We look at the fate of the Roman people after 1453. Many were enslaved while others searched desperately for loved ones. Those who adapted quickly to Ottoman rule could gain great wealth. While some fled to the West.Episode 341 - Mehmed and Constantinople
26:33|Mehmed did not make Constantinople his capital straight away. There were political, practical and psychological arguments against it. We talk about these and how the Sultan overcame them.Episode 340 - Questions XVII
25:15|We look at all your questions about the siege of 1453. As well as the Palaiologan era in general.If you want to hear more about Trebizond then check out Byzansimp's Youtube seriesEpisode 339 - What Happened Next?
25:28|We follow events after the Ottomans broke through the walls of Constantinople. Taking the story up to the Sultans triumphant return to Edirne.To win the game Seljuk: Byzantium Besieged email me thehistoryofbyzantium at gmail.com before February 28th. See an interview with the creator here.Episode 338 - Get Rid of Byzantium with Leonora Neville
39:57|Professor Leonora Neville joins us to make the case for getting rid of the term Byzantium for good. She wants to replace it with a different term and a different understanding of Roman history.Professor Neville is the John W and Jeanne M Rowe Chair of Byzantine History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She specialises in the 9-12th centuries of the Empire’s history. And her research has focussed on gender, civic religion, and religious aspects of political culture as well as historical memory and historiography.She has written several excellent books which have been vital to this podcast. Her guide to Byzantine historians is essential reading for students. Her book on Byzantine gender helped direct my episodes on ‘Women in the Roman world’ and her book on provincial authority was extremely helpful in understanding Kekaumenos. She is also a Senior fellow at Dumbarton Oaks and an editor of several book series. Find out more at the University of Madison-Wisconsin website.Episode 336 - 10 Influential East Romans with Anthony Kaldellis. Part 2
01:10:37|As we look back at Byzantium I turned once more to Professor Anthony Kaldellis. I asked him to present a list of ten influential East Romans who were not featured heavily in the political narrative.Anthony Kaldellis is a Professor in the Department of Classics at the University of Chicago. He is the author of over a dozen books on Byzantium including the definitive history (The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium). Find out more here.Timestamps:Photios: 0.47 secs - 15m 08sMichael Psellos: 15m 09s - 31m 25sAnna Komnene: 31m 26s - 39m 25sEustathios of Thessaloniki: 39m 26s - 47m 27sGeorge Gemistos Plethon: 47m 28s - 1h 07m 22s