The Battle of Didgori and the Rise of Georgia Under the white-capped peaks of the Greater Caucasus live the Kartvelians. Jason’s Argonauts found them on the balmy shores and hills, retreating from the Black Sea as an already ancient people. Modern scholars estimate their occupation dating well into the Neolithic when the Kartvelians first made wine in
How African Slaves Helped Break the Caliphate In the sweltering August heat of Southern Iraq, an army of slaves and Bedouins laid siege to the wealthy city of Basra. Over a month the besiegers tightened the noose around the city, burning outlying villages, and ambushing reinforcements and supply trains bound for the city. By September 7th, 871 AD the rebel army had gained a foothold in the city and…
How Viking Trade Revitalized Europe In 655 AD the first Muslim fleet met the Byzantine navy off the coast of Anatolia. The rough seas forced both sides to lash their ships to one another and the two great rafts collided in a fierce battle. Soldiers and sailors jumped from ship to ship in ruthless melee combat. As the day wore on the Muslim fleet gained the upper hand. When enemies closed …
How Geography Has Shaped Levantine Politics On a scorching July day in Palestine Ludolf of Tournai clambered over the battlements and scattered his Fatimid foes. Ludolf fought wildly, desperately, he had endured years of suffering on behalf of his God to reach the Holy City. He had survived the arrows of Turkish horsemen as he thirsted on the Anatolian Plateau. He had braved the treacherous footp…
Peace negotiations between Charles V and Francis I after the Italian War of 1536-1538 Background
Report Having been ambassador in the legation of France on behalf of Your Serenity for some forty months, I know my duty, according to the most laudable custom of this Most Serene Dominion, is not to give an account of all my actions during that legation, because day by day I have striven to keep Your Lordships advised of those matters that have seemed to me worthy of your notice: and therefore I shall not say a word about them, which will also be the cause of that brevity I desire. Report Having been ambassador in the legation of France on behalf of Your Serenity for some forty months, I know my duty, according to the most laudable custom of this Most Serene Dominion, is not to give an account of all my actions during that legation, because day by day I have striven to keep Your Lordships advised of those matters that have seemed t…
Revenues; Court; Territories; Religious and Political Turmoil; War Against the Turks; Personal Matters This is Part II of a 1532 report on the Habsburg dominions. Part I here.
Revenues and Forces; Government; Protestantism; Personality; Diplomatic Relations This is a long report on the Habsburg dominions of Charles V and Ferdinand I, so I split it into a Part I and Part II. This first part covers Charles V, the second will cover Ferdinand I. I also added section headers (to me, the most interesting sections are Protestantism and Charles V’s Diplomatic Relations with other states).
Everything you wanted to know about my next book... and were not afraid to ask Thanks to all the subscribers who submitted questions in response to my last post.
I'm finishing my new book, The Castle. Ask me anything you like about it... Sir Edward Coke, that great legal brain and Magna Carta fetishist of the seventeenth century, is the man usually given credit for the coining the idiom ‘An Englishman’s home is his castle.’
You can now watch every episode of my podcast on YouTube ****French adventure special notice****
A non-definitive list Lots of people seem to be enjoying my little Nativity podcast mini-season, This Is History: A Nativity To Die For. (If you haven’t listened yet, give it a go.)
Explore 25 tips from the Middle Ages, featuring practical and sometimes strange medieval advice on health, travel, animals, family life, and everyday living, drawn from medieval sources.
During the Middle Ages, the court of a great lord was a place filled with lavish feasts, grand tournaments, and other ostentatious displays of wealth and power. Theme: Courtly life Alice Isabella Sullivan, "Courtly culture in the Middle Ages: Origins and sources," 16-17. Kathryn Walton, "The romances of courtly life: Of love, magic, and chivalry," 18-21. Leslie Ivings, "The court of the purple born: Byzantine power and ceremony," 22-25. Jacob H. Deacon, "Pas d'armes: Knights, giants, and unicorns," 26-33. Helen Carr, "The court of Edward III: Chivalry, powers, and spectacle," 34-37. Lucie Laumonier, "Dining at court: Fine cuisine and table manners," 38-43. Jacob H. Deaon, "Freydal: Combat and dance," 44-47. Features: Richard Thomson, "Medieval Edinburgh: The principal burgh of our kingdom," 8-13. Robert Jones, "Knights behaving badly: When chivalric culture failed." 14-15. Conor Robison, "The hard ground at Gladenmore: Reigniting Scotland's war for independence," 48-51. Lucie Laumonier, "Practical magic: Debunking myths about medieval witches," 52-53. James G. Clark, "The Golden Legend: A popular treasury of tales," 54-55. Jonathan H. Jones, "Book review: Johannes Gutenberg: A Biography in Books," 56. Michael Kister, "Book review: Frederick Barbarossa," 57.
During the Middle Ages, the Apocalypse was a big deal, with much attention paid to when it would happen, what it would be like, and how things would be afterwards. Religion played a big role in all of this, with Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all seeing things slightly differently. Theme: The Apocalypse Alice Isabella Sullivan, "Eschatology and the Apocalypse: Anticipating the end of the world," 18-21. Christian Askeland, "Marginalization and oppression: John's Apocalypse in Coptic Egypt," 22-27. James G. Clark, "Doom play: Public dramas and the Last Judgment," 28-31. Richard K. Emmerson, "Medieval Apocalypse manuscripts: Imagery, allegory, and salvation," 32-39. Francis X. Gumerlock, "The day and hour of the Second Coming: Medieval conjectures on when the world would end," 40-43. Ryan Szpiech, "The coming of the Messiah: Between redemption and apocalypse," 44-49. Features: Wendy Yunjia Zhang, "Water-Moon Guanyin in medieval China: Compassion across time," 8-11. Robert Jones, "Chivalric women: Agency, importance, and power," 12-13. Michael Kister, "Italian power politics: The emergence of city communes," 14-17. Jason Hulott, "Knife fighting in medieval Europe: Masters, law, and self-defence," 50-53. Kathryn Walton, "The Canterbury Tales: A story for every reader," 54-55. Rowdy Geirsson, "Review: Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age," 56. Gabrielle Storey, "Review: 'Europe' in the Middle Ages," 57.
This post shows charts showcasing the populations of the biggest cities in the Byzantine Empire in 1050 AD right before the Great Schism between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church in Constantinople.
The best site for beginning your coin collection if theancientcoinguy on eBay.
Evidence emerges of the day in 1562 when an infamous Spanish cleric tried to destroy Maya religion
<p>The best way to understand the impact slavery had on a person's life is to follow their journey through the institution, but the ancient world provides few examples that we can use. Instead, we have to assemble a composite character from bits and pieces. We'll call him Publius, and watch him as he's abducted, enslaved, and lives out his life in a new, Roman, world.</p><p>Patrick launched a brand-new history show! It’s called Past Lives, and every episode explores the life of a real person who lived in the past. Subscribe now: https://bit.ly/PWPLA</p><p>And don't forget, you can still Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge.</p><p><br /></p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>
<p>We follow events after the Ottomans broke through the walls of Constantinople. Taking the story up to the Sultans triumphant return to Edirne.</p><br /><p>To win the game <a href="https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1025-seljuk-byzantium-besieged-1068-1071.aspx" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Seljuk: Byzantium Besieged</a> email me thehistoryofbyzantium at gmail.com before February 28th. See an interview with the creator <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WxSYDPRPNg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><hr /><p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Royal favourites, we want your voice notes in our new miniseries on historical failures. Look out for Producer Al’s callout post on patreon.com/thisishistory England’s grip on France is collapsing. After more than a century of brutal conflict, English forces across the Channel are exhausted, bankrupt, and beaten down. In London, hopes rest on King Henry VI — now an adult and expected to rescue his father’s dying empire. But Henry is no warrior king, and the French are dismantling England’s hard‑won gains with shocking ease. Then, a new force enters the fray: Margaret of Anjou. Young, formidable, and newly crowned Queen of England, she becomes a lightning rod for ambition, fear, and bitter factional rivalries. Some believe she can save England’s fortunes in France; others fear she is about to upend the entire balance of power at court. As defeat looms and alliances fracture, this episode traces how Margaret of Anjou steps into a failing war — and begins reshaping the fate of the Hundred Years’ War, the English crown, and the violent political battles still to come. – And don’t forget, you can now WATCH every This Is History episode on YouTube. Subscribe at youtube.com/@thisishistorypod – A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices – Written and presented by Dan Jones Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Executive Producer - Simon Poole Production Manager - Jen Mistri Production coordinator - Eric Ryan Mixing - Amber Devereux Head of content - Chris Skinner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
<p>In this episode of the podcast, we talk to Jessica Clarke about the spread of theatre in ancient Italy, why the traditional Roman-centric narrative may be wrong, and how archaeology can offer an alternative perspective.</p>
A conversation with Kevin van Bladel (Yale University) on his proposal regarding "The Classical Near East," a constellation of fields defined by the classical literary traditions of medieval Near Eastern cultures, including Byzantium. We talk about languages, fields, classical traditions, translations, and more. The conversation is based on Kevin's chapter 'The Classical Near East' in E. S. Bolman et al., eds., Worlds of Byzantium: Religion, Culture, and Empire in the Medieval Near East (Cambridge 2024) 79-97.
<p>Slavery was foundational to ancient societies, but it was never a single thing: The experiences of the enslaved varied dramatically depending on when and where they lived, who owned them, and most of all, the jobs they had to do. Slavery was never good, but there were better and worse versions, and in this episode, we'll explore some of the variation that shaped the lives of enslaved people.</p><p>Patrick launched a brand-new history show! It’s called Past Lives, and every episode explores the life of a real person who lived in the past. Subscribe now: https://bit.ly/PWPLA</p><p>And don't forget, you can still Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge.</p><p>Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory</p><p><br /></p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>
<p>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.</p><br /><p>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.</p><br /><p>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. </p><hr /><p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Owen Tudor is running out of time. With Queen Mother Catherine de Valois dead, their once‑secret marriage — and the Tudor bloodline it produced — is suddenly exposed. The English court is alarmed, the line of royal succession is in question, and powerful enemies are closing in. But political panic is only the beginning. When Eleanor Cobham is accused of witchcraft and plotting against King Henry VI, England is convulsed by one of the most explosive scandals of the 15th century. Accusations of sorcery, prophecies of regicide, and ruthless factional battles collide at the heart of the medieval court. Power, prophecy, and the birth of the Tudor dynasty meet head‑on in this gripping chapter of medieval English history — as paranoia, ambition and fear push a fragile kingdom toward chaos. – Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon, where you can listen to this week’s bonus episode — ad-free— with Dan and Producer Al. In this episode, they discuss all things medieval astronomy and witchcraft, and why Catherine de Valois’ death is such a big dynastic deal. Plus, you get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and lively chat rooms over at patreon.com/thisishistory And don’t forget, you can now WATCH every This Is History episode on YouTube. Subscribe at youtube.com/@thisishistory – A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices – Written and presented by Dan Jones Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Executive Producer - Simon Poole Production Manager - Jen Mistri Production coordinator - Eric Ryan Mixing - Amber Devereux Head of content - Chris Skinner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
<p>Check out Patrick's new show, <em>Past Lives</em>! You can listen on your platform of choice through the links <a href="https://www.pod.link/1852618120" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>, and be sure to subscribe to the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/cw/PastLivesMedia" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Patreon</a> for tons of bonus content - Q and As, interviews with fantastic historians, and much more.</p><p>Saint Patrick is one of the most famous individuals who lived in the late Roman Empire, but long before he became the apostle of the Irish, he was a Romano-British teenager who was abducted from his home and enslaved for six years.</p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>
<p>It's been quite a while since I've answered listener questions, so here are a bunch on everything from the best depictions of siege warfare in movies to the pre-Indo-European languages of Europe.</p><p>Patrick launched a brand-new history show! It’s called Past Lives, and every episode explores the life of a real person who lived in the past. Subscribe now: https://bit.ly/PWPLA</p><p>And don't forget, you can still Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge.</p><p>Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory</p><p>Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter</p><p><br /></p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>
The royal court isn’t exactly celebrating after the death of Joan of Arc. A dangerous liaison erupts between the widowed Queen of England, Catherine de Valois, and a Welsh suitor called Owen Tudor. 1430s England is not a safe place for the Welsh, let alone someone who risks muddying the royal lineage. It has become vanishingly thin after the death of King Henry V, and the crowning of nine-year-old King Henry VI as King of France hasn’t allayed the court’s fears about a fragile crown. – Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon, where you can listen to this week’s bonus episode with Dan and Producer Al. In this episode, they discuss the enduring legacy of Joan of Arc, and England’s anti-Welsh apartheid laws that came after the rebellions of Owain Glyn Dwr. Plus, you get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and lively chat rooms over at patreon.com/thisishistory And don’t forget, you can now WATCH every This Is History episode on YouTube. Subscribe at youtube.com/@thisishistorypod – A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices – Written and presented by Dan Jones Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Executive Producer - Simon Poole Production Manager - Jen Mistri Production coordinator - Eric Ryan Mixing - Amber Devereux Head of content - Chris Skinner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
“Carthage must be destroyed” – and with these words Cato the Elder doomed his North African rival by helping spark the Third Punic War, the last in a century of conflicts between Rome and Carthage. Deprived of its military in the aftermath of Zama and harassed by the Numidian king Massinissa, Carthage nevertheless managed to bounce back as an economic powerhouse during the first half of the second century B.C. Yet this recovery made the Senate suspicious of their Punic neighbor, which rapidly escalated into a war of annihilation as the Romans were determined to secure their position as sole master of the Mediterranean. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2026/01/20/115-the-third-punic-war-delenda-est/) Episode Transcript: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/115-the-third-punic-war-delenda-est-transcript.pdf) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/hellenisticpod.bsky.social) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Patreon (https://patreon.com/TheHellenisticAgePodcast) Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)
A conversation with Jana Matuszak, a Sumerologist, and Petra Goedegebuure, a Hittitologist (both University of Chicago) about the prospects for the survival of smaller academic disciplines that require specialized language skills. What critical mass of experts is needed? How can these fields be combined with others? Byzantine Studies is still larger than Sumerology and Hittitology, but the numbers of our full-time faculty is shrinking. How can our fields navigate an uncertain future?
<p>Every year, new archaeological discoveries claim to rewrite what we think we knew about the ancient Americas, but how much can we trust the initial reports we see? Professor Shane Miller, now of the University of Alabama, joins me again to place the White Sands footprints and other key sites in their proper context.</p><p>Patrick launched a brand-new history show! It’s called Past Lives, and every episode explores the life of a real person who lived in the past. Subscribe now: https://bit.ly/PWPLA </p><p>And don't forget, you can still Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge.</p><p>Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory</p><p>Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter</p><p><br /></p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>
<p>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.</p><br /><p><a href="https://classics.uchicago.edu/people/anthony-kaldellis" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Anthony Kaldellis is a Professor in the Department of Classics at the University of Chicago.</a> He is the author of over a dozen books on Byzantium including the definitive history (<em>The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium</em>). Find out more <a href="https://kaldellispublications.weebly.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br /><p>Timestamps:</p><p>Photios: 0.47 secs - 15m 08s</p><p>Michael Psellos: 15m 09s - 31m 25s</p><p>Anna Komnene: 31m 26s - 39m 25s</p><p>Eustathios of Thessaloniki: 39m 26s - 47m 27s</p><p>George Gemistos Plethon: 47m 28s - 1h 07m 22s</p><hr /><p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
