540 to 541 We return to Italy, where Belisarius had the Ostrogoths on the ropes… until he didn’t. Leadership failures on both sides result in a renewal of conflict and the appearance of a new power among the Ostrogoths. There’s merch now: darkagespod-shop.fourthwall.com Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/03/06/66-when-the-generals-away/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Musi...
Mar 06, 2026•22 min•Ep. 67
90% of the population of Europe was made up of rural peasants. By the end of Roman rule in the West, only some of those peasants had been fully Christianized. This episode is about the efforts by the Church to spread its message to the peasantry, and how it changed in the process. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/02/18/65-church-and-people/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Titl...
Feb 19, 2026•34 min•Ep. 66
The process of fragmentation that followed the fall of the west affected the Church just as much as it did other parts of society, and there was a process of remaking. What emerged was not the behemoth we may imagine when we think of the medieval church, all under the control of the pope. All the bishops and priests recognized that they were brothers in the same family, they would have been horrified at the idea of there being separate churches; but they would have equally been nonplussed at the...
Feb 13, 2026•30 min•Ep. 65
584 to 612 Part three of a two-part series on the life and times of Queen Brunhilda of Austrasia sees the her emerge fully as a player in Frankish and European politics. Her influence is felt across three generations of leaders, though ultimately she comes to an unpleasant end. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/01/27/63-slay-queen/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music: "...
Jan 27, 2026•45 min•Ep. 64
577 to 587 Part two of Queen Brunhilda’s biography covers the conflict between her husband and his father and strife between the Queen and the nobles around her son. We also talk about her role sponsor of cultural activities, and how those had changed in the hundred years since the end of Empire. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/31/episode-62-widow-and-regent/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen ...
Jan 01, 2026•31 min•Ep. 63
480 CE A pre-Christmas ghost story. Excavation of a fortification on a Swedish island reveals a spasm of violence that wiped out an entire settlement. The finds shed light on life in the fifth century, while the circumstances of its ending is a mystery. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/22/the-sandby-borg-massacre/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music: "The Britons" b...
Dec 23, 2025•14 min•Ep. 62
567 to 577 Part one of life of Brunhilda, the Visigothic princess who was regent for three generations of Merovingian rulers. Autochthonous : adj . Native to the place it is found, i.e. indigenous. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/12/61-queen-energy/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commo...
Dec 12, 2025•30 min•Ep. 61
561 to c. 590 We take a look at the utterly baffling fraternal struggles as the descendants of Clovis continue to be unable to get along with each other or their neighbors. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/11/18/60-carry-on-my-wayward-sons/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3....
Nov 18, 2025•30 min•Ep. 60
547-561 The two remaining Merovingian kings, Chlothar and Childebert, rule the now vast lands of the Franks, while warily eying each other. The question of inheritance hangs over everything, and one son decides to betray his father. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/11/19/59-the-life-and-lusts-of-chlothar-the-first/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Cr...
Nov 04, 2025•26 min•Ep. 59
c. 500 to 590 "Bishops move diagonally. That's why they often turn up where the kings don't expect them to be." - Terry Pratchett, Small Gods Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/05/05/58-bishops-gambits/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music: Hildegard of Bingen...
May 05, 2025•28 min•Ep. 58
516 - 548 One of the strongest of the early Merovingians, Theudebert built a powerful kingdom while squabbling with his uncles and carrying on a complicated personal life. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/04/16/57-the-life-and-loves-of-theudebert-i/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licen...
Apr 16, 2025•32 min•Ep. 57
511-532 Out of the four sons of Clovis, not one of them was the type to stay at home, or to be content with what he had. In this episode, we’ll abandon chronological accuracy for the moment, to tell stories of each of these kings. Violence, mostly. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/li...
Mar 24, 2025•31 min•Ep. 56
c. 450 - c. 600 When Clovis, king of the Franks, died in 511, he passed on to his sons a huge territory, containing many millions of people. In this episode, we take a look at those people, how they made their livings, and how they organized society around them. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod https://www.museedestempsbarbares.fr/le-village-franc/ Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/03/03/the-kingdoms-of-francia/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "Th...
Mar 03, 2025•35 min•Ep. 55
Basque-ing in Glory 4000 BCE to c. 700 CE The Western Pyrenees are home to the Basques, a mysterious community who speaks a unique language, and who have been there … for as long as anyone can tell. In this episode we’ll explore their history up through the seventh century, and their relationship to the people who have come and gone around them. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2025/01/31/54-basque-ing-in-glory/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons...
Feb 01, 2025•41 min•Ep. 54
Of Outstanding Goodness 586 to 601 CE Reccared takes the throne and makes a momentous change. The Visigothic kingdom becomes unified under one religion and climbs to a new level of stability and security. Webpage for this Episode Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-mu...
Jan 14, 2025•29 min•Ep. 53
A Saintly Prince 578 to 586 CE Religious differences lead to rebellion and murder, as a Visigothic prince becomes a martyr for Catholicism… or does he? Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/12/30/52-a-saintly-prince/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free...
Dec 30, 2024•22 min•Ep. 52
A strong king emerges in Visigothic Hispania, who moves to reform his kingdom and push to develop a new identity. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/12/16/51-liuvigild-and-the-search-for-unity/ Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/...
Dec 16, 2024•30 min•Ep. 51
Five Kings and Some Romans 513 to 552 CE Putting on the afterburners to get through about fifty years of Visigothic history, as the Balt dynasty runs out into the sand, and uncertainty and internal division opens the door to outside powers. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/07/21/50-five-kings-and-some-romans/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://cr...
Jul 23, 2024•27 min•Ep. 50
Conquest and Crisis: Visigoth Hispania, Pt. 1 456 to 513 CE After beating up on the Suevi it was the Visigoths’ turn to be beaten up by the Franks. After years of expansion, the Visigoths are forced to realign themselves south, under a new, unlucky king. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/07/02/conquest-and-crisis-visigoth-hispania-pt-1/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: B...
Jul 04, 2024•30 min•Ep. 49
The Kingdom of the Suevi C.418 to 470 The Suevi have been the unloved stepchildren of the Dark Ages Podcast for far too long, and finally get their own episode! They’re going to have to be happy with it because I don’t see anything else coming their way. We’ll trace their origins in the forests of Germania, their establishment of a kingdom in northwestern Hispania, and the fortunes of their three most successful kings, before it all turns to mush in the end. Webpage for this Episode https://dark...
Jun 18, 2024•31 min•Ep. 48
C.406 to 452 And we’re back! Thank you to everyone for your patience and kind emails and messages, they meant a lot to me and kept me motivated to come back. Hispania was a peaceful and prosperous part of the Roman Empire for much of its history, and a popular retirement destination. The arrival of the Vandals, Suevi, and Alans, followed by the Visigoths, put all that peace and tranquility firmly in the rear view mirror. Webpage for this Episode darkagespod.com/2024/06/10/47-roman-hispania/ Buy ...
Jun 10, 2024•33 min•Ep. 47
The Fall of Italy March 538 - May 540 The Gothic War grew in intensity after the siege of Rome, and Belisarius had to deal with threats both from without and from within his own army as he fought to bring it to a successful conclusion. The war spread across northern Italy, with devastating consequences for the civilian populace. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecom...
Mar 04, 2024•36 min•Ep. 46
What happens when I wander off topic into the wilds of Magical Practice in Byzantine Egypt? You get a bonus episode, that’s what! This one explores a story of one particular Egyptian saint, and the strange case of the woman transformed into a horse. It’s just a bit of anthropological fun. We’ll be back to Belisarius in the next episode. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://cre...
Jan 29, 2024•19 min
Wives, Lovers, and The Worst Year Ever This episode is all over the place. It features marital infidelity, official corruption, Swiss glaciers, an Icelandic volcano, and an attempt at an Irish accent that inevitably slides into a Scottish one in less than four words. Enjoy. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.c...
Jan 29, 2024•22 min•Ep. 45
November 536 to March 538 Belisarius continues moving up the Italian Peninsula, to bring his army to attack the greatest prize: Rome itself. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/...
Jan 09, 2024•35 min•Ep. 44
Theodahad’s Thirty Pigs 535 to 536 The death of Amalasuintha triggered the Gothic Wars, wherein the Eastern Empire, under Justinian, attempted to claw back what it had lost in Italy. This episode follows the war up to the siege of Naples by Belisarius in the autumn of 536. Transcript Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from f...
Dec 18, 2023•33 min•Ep. 43
Queen of the Goths 526 to 535 The death of Theodoric brought his youngest daughter Amalasuintha to power, as regent to her son Athalaric. She was the first queen of a post Roman state to openly wield authority, and inherited a realm divided against itself. This episode tells her story. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music: ...
Dec 04, 2023•34 min•Ep. 42
September 533 - March 534 Things go from bad to worse for the Vandals in Africa. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com...
Oct 23, 2023•28 min•Ep. 41
533 The first of Justinian’s wars in the West begins, as Belisarius leads an army to Africa. Early victory makes the war seem like a slam dunk, and Procopius is there to tell us all about it. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com...
Oct 09, 2023•30 min•Ep. 40
518 to 532 Justinian is probably the best-known “Byzantine” emperor to the general public. We’ll introduce the man and some of his circle, and explore some of the most important events at the beginning of his reign. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com...
Sep 25, 2023•27 min•Ep. 39
