Today we talk to the man whose research has guided our last few podcasts Dr Maximilian Lau. Dr Lau is Adjunct Professor of Economic History at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, and also a Research Associate in History at St Benet’s Hall, University of Oxford. He has been studying 12th century Byzantine history for many years now and the fruits of that labour can be found in his forthcoming book “Rebuilding New Rome. The Foreign Policy of John II Komnenos.” The book is written and will be ou...
Oct 10, 2021•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast Last time we watched as John Komnenos attempted to untangle the Gordian knot which Anatolia had become. After campaigning against the Danishmends – John moved on to Cilicia and Antioch. The Emperor attempted to enforce his rights without angering the Latins. A trick which he failed to pull off. Today John will be forced to go through the whole process all over again. But when he reaches the gates of Antioch this time he won’t take no for an answer. Period: 1138-1143 Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...
Oct 03, 2021•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast John II Komnenos is finally free to campaign in Anatolia. If he can keep the Turks quiet then he can make it to Antioch where his real goal lies. But once there will he risk outraging Latin opinion by assaulting the city or will he negotiate a deal to bring the city back into the Empire? Period: 1127-1138 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 22, 2021•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast John II Komnenos takes charge of the Empire and campaigns immediately in Anatolia. But he is soon beset by the complications of the new position Byzantium finds itself in. Serbians, Steppe tribes, Hungarians and Venetians all demand his attention. Enemies and allies are crowding the chess board and John must make each move very carefully. Period: 1118-1127 If you want to send in feedback to the podcast: - Either comment at https://thehistoryofbyzantium.com/ - Or on the facebook page. - Lea...
Sep 17, 2021•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast I have now finished all of the videos of Istanbul. So do subscribe to the History of Byzantium Youtube channel if you’d like to see them. The first few will go up next week. I have also completed our next Byzantine Story. It will be available in the next hour. It’s about a provincial magnate named Kekaumenos whose life gives us the invaluable perspective of a Roman outsider. Someone who viewed the Emperor and his bureaucracy with some suspicion. For anyone interested in daily life i...
Aug 28, 2021•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hello everyone, I don’t normally talk about personal things on the podcast. But my father has been diagnosed with cancer. It’s serious and it’s all happened very quickly. I am still working away on the next Byzantine Story but further disruption to the schedule is inevitable. Thanks for your understanding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Aug 02, 2021•23 sec•Transcript available on Metacast As you may know I have already produced three episodes about Women in the Roman World which are available for you on the Ad-Free Bonus Feed at Patreon. I now present three more episodes about Women in the Byzantine World. And these episodes are very much a continuation of that series. In part one we talk about how the arrival of Christianity affected Roman women. We also hear a couple of Saints' Lives. These tales give us a rare glimpse of how women appeared in popular culture. This first episod...
Jul 14, 2021•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hello everyone, I am back with three bonus episodes for you about Women in the Byzantine World. These episodes should be available within an hour or so of this update. Since women get much less attention than they deserve in our narrative I’ll put the first of these episodes out for free for everyone to enjoy. Parts 2 and 3 though are only available on the Ad-Free Bonus Feed at Patreon or at thehistoryofbyzantium.com. Since I’m very late with these bonus episodes they will b...
Jul 14, 2021•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast An Update on the schedule of the podcast, May 2021 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 13, 2021•1 min•Transcript available on Metacast Our sixteenth Kickstarter backers reward episode looks at the relationship between Byzantium and the Rus and later Russia in conversation with Professor Sergey Ivanov. Professor Ivanov is a Russian scholar who has been studying Byzantium for many decades. He currently works in the Institute of Oriental and Ancient Studies at the National Research University “Higher School of Economics” in Moscow. He has written several books about Byzantium as well as contributing hundreds of art...
Apr 16, 2021•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast High Speed History have Byzantine-themed merchandise available! The good people over at Highspeedhistory.com have produced a range of delightful items featuring our beloved Byzantium. We’re talking t-shirts, hoodies, bags, clocks, towels and stickers amongst many other items. I’m very pleased to say that some of your ideas have made their way into the collection. I asked for your input on social media and you came up with great ideas. If you want to celebrate your love of Justinian or Belisarius...
Mar 10, 2021•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast When I announced I would be taking a break back in the Autumn I received an email from listener Brian Sherry offering to produce an episode of the show for me. He told me about the metal band Judicator recording an entire album about Belisarius. And he very kindly offered to interview them on my behalf. I said yes and Brian got lead singer and writer John Yelland on the phone and they talked about turning the life story of Justinian’s most trusted General into a full metal album. Today's ep...
Mar 04, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast Our final episode on Alexios' reign returns us to our first. Back in episode 197 we interviewed Professor Leonora Neville about Anna Komnene. That interview set us up to cover Alexios' reign and the First Crusade with Anna as our primary source. But the last question I asked that day was about the succession from Alexios to John and Anna's supposed coup attempt. Here we finally hear Professor Neville's argument that Anna did no such thing. We also briefly look at our main historian for our next ...
Feb 23, 2021•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast We look at your questions about Alexios and the Crusades. Listeners wanted an update on the state of Byzantium's army, economy and administration. How much credit or blame should Alexios get for the events of his reign? What about his relationship with his family? Were the Latins tougher fighters than the Byzantines? And several more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 16, 2021•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Three new episodes are coming your way in the next three weeks. New narrative episodes will come at some point in the Spring. I am still busy working on the Istanbul videos and Byzantine Stories. Also we have a new Patreon https://www.patreon.com/historyofbyzantium. Bonus episodes will no longer be available at thehistoryofbyzantium.com from October 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 11, 2021•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hello everyone, This is a short update about the podcast and the likely schedule for the next few months. The main takeaways are: - The narrative will resume around Spring 2021 - In the meantime I will be producing bonus episodes and videos from Istanbul. As well as doing work for my Dad and taking a little time out for my mental health. - At least two more free episodes about Alexios will be coming soon. Including a Q&A about his reign and the Crusades so do send your questions in. You can ...
Oct 14, 2020•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast Alexios tries to forge a coalition against Antioch but has to abandon his plans when Anatolia comes calling again. The Emperor leaves this world frustrated by his failure to outmanoeuvre the Normans but his record in office is impressive nonetheless. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 02, 2020•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bohemond heads back to Western Europe to recruit a new army. He leads them back to the Balkans to capture Dyrrhachium but Alexios is waiting for him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 24, 2020•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast More armed pilgrims arrive at Constantinople in the wake of the fall of Jerusalem. Alexios advises them to avoid the Turks of Anatolia but they ignore him. Meanwhile Alexios' attempts to put pressure on Antioch are thwarted by Bohemond's nephew Tancred. Finally we return to Constantinople to check in with the Komnenian regime and watch a man get burnt to death. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 15, 2020•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's the end of the First Crusade and this episode is for sale. Either at the website or at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofbyzantium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 04, 2020•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Crusaders set up a siege of Antioch. The vast size of the city makes it impossible to fully encircle. What follows is a battle of attrition as the Crusaders wait for the Turkic garrison to make a mistake and the garrison await reinforcements. Meanwhile Alexios makes his way to the centre of the Anatolian plateau to consolidate the return of Byzantine power. He also awaits news from Antioch. Time Stamps - each section is broken up by our drum sound effect 00.00-03.05 Introduction 03.06-08.47 ...
Aug 16, 2020•2 hr 47 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Byzantines recover the West Coast of Anatolia while the Crusaders cross the plateau. As they travel the Westerners begin dropping like flies and come to hate the land they've come to liberate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 02, 2020•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Crusaders march out from Nicaea on their way to Antioch. First stop is at Dorylaeum on the Anatolian plateau. But the forces of Kilij Arslan are lying in wait. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 28, 2020•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is your final reminder about the Intelligent Speech Conference taking place this Saturday 27th June. I'll be taking part in two sessions and if you want to be there go to https://www.intelligentspeechconference.com/ to get tickets Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 25, 2020•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast Alexios directs the Crusaders to Nicaea where they set up a siege. Behind the scenes though the Emperor was busy negotiating with the city's garrison. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 19, 2020•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Basil II may have been gay! Just one of the 'Hidden Stories' I'll be talking about at the Intelligent Speech Conference in a week's time. Tickets are still available for $10 until the 19th June. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 18, 2020•1 min•Transcript available on Metacast I'm a part of two sessions at the Intelligent Speech Conference on June 27th. Please consider buying your ticket today before prices go up! https://www.intelligentspeechconference.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 15, 2020•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast The senior nobles of the First Crusade make the journey to Constantinople. There Alexios asks them to swear an oath of allegiance to him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 12, 2020•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Our narrative resumes as the so-called People's Crusade crosses the Danube and heads for Constantinople. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 05, 2020•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast I will be taking part in the Intelligent Speech Conference on June 27th. I will be part of a panel talking about how medieval history is depicted in popular culture. And giving a talk about the hidden voices of Byzantium. Find out more at intelligentspeechconference.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 29, 2020•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
