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Episode 8: Roman Fire

Badass Stories from Byzantium - July 22, 2021 22:00 - 28 minutes
The massive Arab navy nor the Vikings of the Early Middle Ages stood a chance against Roman Fire, a fact that was proven on more than one occasion to both peoples. In Episode 8: Roman Fire, I examine this Medieval super weapon and why it mysteriously disappeared. Huge thanks to Podcorn for spons...

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Episode 8: Roman Fire

Badass Stories from Byzantium - July 22, 2021 22:00 - 28 minutes
The massive Arab navy nor the Vikings of the Early Middle Ages stood a chance against Roman Fire, a fact that was proven on more than one occasion to both peoples. In Episode 8: Roman Fire, I examine this Medieval super weapon and why it mysteriously disappeared. Huge thanks to Podcorn for spons...

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Episode 7: The Blue Augusta

Badass Stories from Byzantium - June 17, 2021 23:00 - 34 minutes
There was no pathway for women to rule the Byzantine Empire as there was for men, but that didn't stop some from reaching the top. Theodora was one such woman. In Episode 7: The Blue Augusta, I follow Theodora's journey from blue rags to purple riches as she championed women's rights and saved t...

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Episode 7: The Blue Augusta

Badass Stories from Byzantium - June 17, 2021 23:00 - 34 minutes
There was no pathway for women to rule the Byzantine Empire as there was for men, but that didn't stop some from reaching the top. Theodora was one such woman. In Episode 7: The Blue Augusta, I follow Theodora's journey from blue rags to purple riches as she championed women's rights and saved t...

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Ramblings on the Black Death in Byzantium

Badass Stories from Byzantium - April 12, 2021 07:00 - 41 minutes
In today's episode I deviate from my conventional narrative style and take a more laidback approach to the topic, the Bubonic Plague and its effect on the Byzantine Empire. We'll go over numbers and the difficulty in finding them, as well as how disease was interpreted in the medieval ages, and ...

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Ramblings on the Black Death in Byzantium

Badass Stories from Byzantium - April 12, 2021 07:00 - 41 minutes
In today's episode I deviate from my conventional narrative style and take a more laidback approach to the topic, the Bubonic Plague and its effect on the Byzantine Empire. We'll go over numbers and the difficulty in finding them, as well as how disease was interpreted in the medieval ages, and ...

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Short Stories: The Megali Idea

Badass Stories from Byzantium - March 20, 2021 10:00 - 23 minutes
What if the Byzantine Empire were alive today? If the Kingdom of Greece had its way in the 19th century, that very well could have been the case. In Short Stories: The Megali Idea, I talk about Eastern Roman pipe dreams in the modern day and how they almost came to be. Big thanks to Podcorn for ...

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Short Stories: The Megali Idea

Badass Stories from Byzantium - March 20, 2021 10:00 - 23 minutes
What if the Byzantine Empire were alive today? If the Kingdom of Greece had its way in the 19th century, that very well could have been the case. In Short Stories: The Megali Idea, I talk about Eastern Roman pipe dreams in the modern day and how they almost came to be. Big thanks to Podcorn for ...

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Episode 6: Are You Romiós?

Badass Stories from Byzantium - March 06, 2021 06:00 - 30 minutes
The Byzantine Empire fell in 1453, but the Greek-speaking, Eastern Orthodox Romans lived on as exiles in Western Europe and second-class subjects under the Ottoman sultans. In Episode 6: Are You Romiós, I follow the last of the Palaiologi and the Romií in the 15th century and beyond. In doing so...

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Episode 6: Are You Romiós?

Badass Stories from Byzantium - March 06, 2021 06:00 - 30 minutes
The Byzantine Empire fell in 1453, but the Greek-speaking, Eastern Orthodox Romans lived on as exiles in Western Europe and second-class subjects under the Ottoman sultans. In Episode 6: Are You Romiós, I follow the last of the Palaiologi and the Romií in the 15th century and beyond. In doing so...

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Short Stories: Manuel II's European Tour

Badass Stories from Byzantium - February 06, 2021 20:00 - 16 minutes
Desperate times call for desperate measures. With an Ottoman army at the gates in Constantinople, Manuel II Palaiologos knew this all too well. In today's Short Stories episode, I tell of Manuel's trip to Western Europe, where he pled for aid and met the likes of Henry IV. Support the show

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Short Stories: Manuel II's European Tour

Badass Stories from Byzantium - February 06, 2021 20:00 - 16 minutes
Desperate times call for desperate measures. With an Ottoman army at the gates in Constantinople, Manuel II Palaiologos knew this all too well. In today's Short Stories episode, I tell of Manuel's trip to Western Europe, where he pled for aid and met the likes of Henry IV. Support the show (http...

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Episode 5: Ashes to Ashes

Badass Stories from Byzantium - January 30, 2021 09:00 - 46 minutes
The last couple centuries of the Byzantine Empire were defined by a cycle: Civil war begot foreign aid begot opportunism. With each rotation, the empire wound up weaker. In Episode 5: Ashes to Ashes, I examine the Eastern Roman Empire's final breaths on the world stage and the 1453 Fall of Const...

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Episode 5: Ashes to Ashes

Badass Stories from Byzantium - January 30, 2021 09:00 - 46 minutes
The last couple centuries of the Byzantine Empire were defined by a cycle: Civil war begot foreign aid begot opportunism. With each rotation, the empire wound up weaker. In Episode 5: Ashes to Ashes, I examine the Eastern Roman Empire's final breaths on the world stage and the 1453 Fall of Const...

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Episode 4: Phoenix in the East

Badass Stories from Byzantium - December 05, 2020 06:00 - 42 minutes
The medieval Eastern Romans looked up to their glorious past and down on their Latin cousins. The former would let them down time and time again and the latter would remind them through blood and fire that the west shared the same history. In Episode 4: Phoenix in the East, I tell of the disaste...

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Episode 4: Phoenix in the East

Badass Stories from Byzantium - December 05, 2020 06:00 - 42 minutes
The medieval Eastern Romans looked up to their glorious past and down on their Latin cousins. The former would let them down time and time again and the latter would remind them through blood and fire that the west shared the same history. In Episode 4: Phoenix in the East, I tell of the disaste...

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Series Announcement

Badass Stories from Byzantium - November 13, 2020 21:00 - 2 minutes
Who were the folks that made up the Byzantine Empire and what happened to them after it fell? I hope to answer these questions in Diaspora, a Badass Stories from Byzantium three-part series starting Dec. 5.  Also, I'd love to see how you're liking the show, so please give a rating, review, or dr...

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Episode 3: Norsemen

Badass Stories from Byzantium - September 30, 2020 01:00 - 35 minutes
For centuries, the Varangians were the cream of the crop of the Byzantine army. As Scandinavian warriors in a foreign land, they were ruthlessly efficient and loyal to a man. In Episode 3: Norsemen, I tell the history of the Varangian Guard and the most famous Varangian, Harald Hardrada.    Supp...

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Episode 3: Norsemen

Badass Stories from Byzantium - September 30, 2020 01:00 - 35 minutes
For centuries, the Varangians were the cream of the crop of the Byzantine army. As Scandinavian warriors in a foreign land, they were ruthlessly efficient and loyal to a man. In Episode 3: Norsemen, I tell the history of the Varangian Guard and the most famous Varangian, Harald Hardrada.    Sup...



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Update on schedule

Badass Stories from Byzantium - July 22, 2020 18:00 - 1 minute
Hi everyone! Wanted to give a heads up on Episode 3: Northmen, coming out Saturday, Aug. 8, and say thanks for listening! Get updates at Twitter.com/badassbyzantium and Facebook.com/badassbyzantium. We'll go exploring soon. 

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Episode 2: Hooligans

Badass Stories from Byzantium - June 28, 2020 02:00 - 25 minutes
Hooligans have been around as long as there have been competitions and young, bored men to watch them. For a time in the Eastern Roman empire, it was a state-paid gig. In Episode 2: Hooligans, I dive into the world of the Byzantine Blues and Greens and examine their transformation from fire-hung...

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Episode 2: Hooligans

Badass Stories from Byzantium - June 28, 2020 02:00 - 25 minutes
Hooligans have been around as long as there have been competitions and young, bored men to watch them. For a time in the Eastern Roman empire, it was a state-paid gig. In Episode 2: Hooligans, I dive into the world of the Byzantine Blues and Greens and examine their transformation from fire-hung...

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Episode 1: Empire of the Dead

Badass Stories from Byzantium - May 16, 2020 22:00 - 20 minutes
The Plague of Justinian, thought to be a demon by its contemporaries, ravaged what was left of the ancient world. What came out on the other side was quite medieval. In this episode, I tell the story of a 200-year plague pandemic that struck the Mediterranean in 541 CE and its effects — or lack ...

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Episode 1: Empire of the Dead

Badass Stories from Byzantium - May 16, 2020 22:00 - 20 minutes
The Plague of Justinian, thought to be a demon by its contemporaries, ravaged what was left of the ancient world. What came out on the other side was quite medieval. In this episode, I tell the story of a 200-year plague pandemic that struck the Mediterranean in 541 CE and its effects — or lack ...

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