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 then an Empire Strikes Back t-shirt could be yours. Or if you’ve been dying to show your support for the Green faction or the Blues but they won’t let you in the Hippodrome anymore then fear not because a Green or Blue iphone case or mouse mat or t-shirt could be yours. Or what about the most adorable item of all – a baby grow with porphyrogennitos on it. Come on, how could you resist?

Please go to www.highspeedhistory.com/byzantium to check out the full range. If you decide to buy something then use the code ‘byzantium’ at checkout to get a pound or dollar off each item you purchase. And you’ll be helping out the podcast as I will get a little something for sending you there. Anyone can buy these items – they ship worldwide. And this discount also applies to any items you purchase from the Greek or Roman sections of the website. Yes High Speed History has merch from a variety of historical eras check them all out at highspeedhistory.com.

I also did a written interview for the site to lure in those of you who find me weirdly interesting. So if you want to know my favourite film or what I’d put on a billboard in a busy city then check out the interview here.

Happy browsing.

During our break from the narrative I will try and keep in touch whenever something interesting comes up. Today Listener Steve Knepper (an English professor at Virginia Military Institute) has written a dramatic monologue about Justin I. I thought you might enjoy being transported back to the 6th century once more.

Justin, Dying

Constantinople, 527 AD

Justinian’s been crowned, with me too ill

To leave this couch and see my prayers fulfilled.

My thoughts drift to my first time through the gates,

A peasant boy still smelling of the pigs,

Dumbfounded by the spires, mosaics, and domes,

Glass-windowed shops, perfumes, incense, and spice,

The forum buzzing with the tongues of every

Land like Babel healed by Pentecost.

Even the fishmongers dealt in opulence.

Unfathomable that I should rule this place,

That he, my sister’s son, should rule in turn.

I heard the chanting from the Hippodrome

But was so weak I couldn’t even stand,

God teaching me humility again.

The last shall not be first without His Grace.

No skill or cleverness of ours alone

Has made these outland swineherds into Caesars.

Yet think of Christ’s temptation in the sands

When Satan offered him the diadem

Of worldly power, perhaps a crown like ours.

At times this plagues my mind.

Is He working in his cleverness?

When Anastasius lay dead it was

My nephew who first urged me to pursue

The throne. Chief of the royal guard and no

Monophysite, I’d set aright the wrong

My wise old emperor invited by

Imprudence in the Faith,

Repair us with the Patriarch of Rome.

Justinian convinced me to take bribes

Amantius intended for his cause

And use them to finance my own support.

It seemed, I still believe it was, God’s Will.

But what if he did slay Vitalian?

What of his rabble-rousing gangs of Blues?

Some cut their hair like Huns,

Shaved close on top and flowing in the back,

Barbarians in looks and action both.

How many riots, murders did he urge?

No doubt at least he looked the other way.

And what of Theodora,

Crowned empress in the Hippodrome where she

Once swayed her hips, unveiled her breasts,

A famous Leda on the stage,

Allowing geese to peck grain from her loins?

Some call her Theodora-of-the-brothel

Still, my spies within the senate say.

My wife had been a slave.

That does not give me pause.

I worry more she is monophysite,

An adept of the Bishop Timothy.

What will this pair now prove?

Is he the David that this city needs?

Or will he be the upstart thug they claim?

Is she a new Bathsheba…Athalia?

I need to banish evil thoughts like these.

I love Justinian.  His faith is true.

He tends the needy, widows, sick, and orphans,

Cares for the Christians scattered in far lands.

There’s mercy in his heart

And as his indiscretions fade with age

He may become a saintly emperor.

And she may be the woman at the well.

Her brilliance matches all her other charms.

Intelligence and wit may grow to wisdom.

The unity of faith may start with them,

Monophysite now wed to Orthodox,

Co-regents ruling all Byzantium,

Their eros may grow into agape.

This is why Christ’s two natures must be taught,

To show our weakness turned to strength, our strength

Perfected into love,

To show our flesh become a phoenix.

Nor is it bad that that they are strong and shrewd,

Well-versed in what the raucous demes may do,

With enemies within

And enemies without,

The Persians mighty in the east, the Huns

Still raiding in the Balkan dioceses,

With allies often more like enemies,

Goth Arians now seizing lands and life

Of senators in Italy for speaking

Too directly of old Rome made new.

He’ll need the prayers of that great peasant king

Who once was still a boy with flocks to guard,

Who heard the snarls and saw the glinting eyes,

Who stepped out from the fire’s ring

Remembering that he too was a sheep

In need of the Great Shepherd of us all.

A swineherd’s not so different from a shepherd.

It’s well that he wore rags before the purple.

I need such hope tonight

As I prepare for one procession more,

This time into the vale.

Hello everyone,

I recorded a short update about the podcast and the likely schedule for the next few months. You can listen to it here.

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 comment on the thread below.

Thanks for your support and understanding,
Robin