Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchThe Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 112 "Greek Fire"
Season 1 Episode 112
In the first half of the seventh century AD, the rise of Islam seemed unstoppable. How could Byzantium survive? Luck and the invention of a medieval …
11 months, 1 week ago
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 111 "The Fall of Egypt"
Season 1 Episode 111
Roman Egypt was not only the Roman Empire's wealthiest province, it was also one of the earliest bastions of Christianity. Therefore, its rapid fall …
11 months, 2 weeks ago
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 110 "Green Arabia"
Season 1 Episode 110
In this episode, we look at climate history and ask whether the rise of Islam was helped by more favorable climatic conditions during the Late Antiqu…
11 months, 3 weeks ago
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 109 "Climate, Plague and Catastrophe"
Season 1 Episode 109
In this episode, we revisit the 'Late Antique Little Ice Age' and the Justinianic Plague, and consider whether these contributed to the rise of Islam…
1 year ago
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 108 "The Last of the Sasanians"
Season 1 Episode 108
After defeating the Romans at the Battle of Yarmuk in 636, the first Islamic Caliphate turned its attention to Persia. The fighting there would be ev…
1 year ago
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 107 "The Battle of Yarmuk: Rome's Greatest Defeat"
Season 1 Episode 107
In August 636, near the Yarmuk river in modern-day Syria/Jordan, a battle was fought between the new Islamic Caliphate and the Roman Empire that woul…
1 year ago
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 106 "Muhammad's Revolution"
Season 1 Episode 106
As Rome and Persia fought the last war of antiquity, they scarcely noticed a revolution was taking place in Arabia. A revolution led by a man named M…
1 year, 1 month ago
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 105 "Heraclius Triumphant"
Season 1 Episode 105
Heraclius was one of the greatest of all Roman Emperors and soldiers, and in 628-30 he secured a complete victory over Rome's oldest enemy - Sasanian…
1 year, 1 month ago
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 104 "The Siege of Constantinople"
Season 1 Episode 104
The Roman Emperor Heraclius faced his gravest challenge yet in AD 626 as the Avars and Persians closed in on the capital city, Constantinople. But th…
1 year, 2 months ago
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 103 "The Best Form of Defence"
Season 1 Episode 103
The year AD 622 was a difficult one for the Roman Empire and its emperor, Heraclius. Surrounded by the Avars in the west and the Persians in the east…
1 year, 2 months ago