The History of Byzantium

In this episode we move across the Bosporus into the Eastern Provinces and explore Anatolia, Syria, Palestine and Egypt. We then take a look at the neighbours of the Empire and see what the Persians are up to before moving on to the Arabs, Armenians and other peoples from the Caucus mountains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We explore the capital of the Byzantine Empire: Constantinople. We look at the origins of the city and trace its development from Greek city to Imperial centre. Then we see why it had such a strategically valuable location. After that we visit the city itself in the 6th century from the Great Palace to the streets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We take a look at the remaining Byzantine Balkan Provinces along with the northern neighbours of the Empire. We also take a glance at the Black Sea Coast and the Byzantine military interest in the Crimea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We take a look at the former Roman Provinces of  Italy and Africa and see what Theodoric’s Ostrogoths and the Vandals, respectively, have been up to in the last century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We take a look at the former Roman Provinces of Gaul and Spain and see what the Franks and Goths have been up to in the last century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Emperor Anastasius now faces a real rebellion from the Count of the Federates in Thrace, Vitalian. The Emperor sends out an army under his nephew Hypatius but they are defeated and Vitalian marches on Constantinople. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Emperor Anastasius deals with more riots along with an invasion in the West by the Bulgars and the East by the Persians. He then begins to give in to his monophysite sympathies and is almost toppled after allowing his Patriarch to interfere with the O Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Emperor Zeno dies in 491 after trying to appease the monophysites with his 'Henoticon.' Zeno's widow Ariadne then gets to pick his succesor and marries Flavius Anastasius. We have a look at the early years of his reign and the Isaurian War. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Emperor Zeno is now back in charge and has to deal with the members of the conspiracy that ousted him. In the first half of the episode we see how he handled his enemies close to him and in the second we look at his relationship with the Goths. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We journey back to 457 to introduce the Emperor Leo. I don’t cover his reign in full but there are important details about life in the East which “The History of Rome” didn’t cover. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.