The History of Byzantium

Find out how you can buy the sale episode on the Origins of Islam by listening to this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We explore more issues surrounding why the Arabs won. We look into their society. We explore the great battles themselves and the armies who fought in them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An interview with Tom Holland, author of the book "In the Shadow of the Sword." The book traces the origins of Islam by looking at the Jewish, Roman and Persian worlds of late antiquity. In the interview he gives his views on how this process worked and then I ask him why did the Arabs win? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why can't we entirely trust the traditional Islamic account of the conquests? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why did the Romans lose control of their Eastern provinces so easily? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justinian II comes to power aged 16 and begins imitating his namesake in ambition and productivity. He orders campaigns in east and west, begins building and taxing and calls for an Ecumenical Council. All the while though his popularity  plummets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Constantine IV calls an Ecumenical Council to discuss the issue of Monotheletism. He also has to deal with an invasion of the Balkans by the Bulgars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Constantine IV inherits his father's throne together with his ceaseless war with Muʿāwiyah. As the Caliph builds a fleet to threaten Constantinople the Emperor responds with the weapons at his disposal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Constans II uses the Muslim civil war to reorganise the Roman military in the East. Then he travels to the West making a new home for himself in Syracuse in Sicily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heraclius' family fall out with each other over the succession. The crown eventually comes to rest on the head of the fourteen year old Constans II. He is left with an Empire under attack in Egypt, Armenia and the Mediterranean. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.