St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai in Egypt. The Monks complained to Justinian about raiders and so he built them these impressive walls which still stand today.

Was Justinian a good Emperor?

Period: 565

Download: Episode 32 – The True Believer

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I thought it was appropriate to end Justinian’s reign on this image. It’s reflective of the scale of his building and his commitment to his faith. But it also shows you the vulnerability of the 6th century Byzantine world. The walls are impressive but in an earlier age they would not have been needed.

The remains of the Long Walls in Thrace (panoramio.com/photo/20959714)

A series of natural disasters and domestic disturbances mar the final years of Justinian’s reign. We also meet the Avars, bring silk to Byzantium and give Belisarius one last chance to shine.

Period: 550-565

Download: Episode 31 – Getting the Band Back Together

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Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent, 565

The men Justinian puts in charge of his military operations keep getting older or more unlikely as the 550s unfold. However they bring success in Italy, the Balkans, Lazica and then most surprisingly in Spain. The peace these victories bring allow the Emperor one last chance to bring the Orthodox and the Monophysites together.

Period: 550-555

Map: The map shows the political distribution of states and nations in 565 AD.

(Author: Thomas Lessman, Source Website: www.WorldHistoryMaps.info.)

Download: Episode 30 – Age Before Beauty

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With the sack of Antioch, the Italian conquest falling apart and the Plague, the years 540-45 were like a nightmare for Justinian. The next five years would continue to bring bad news as war continues on every front and members of the Imperial family begin to pass away.

Period: 545-550

Download: Episode 29 – The Nightmare Decade

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Church of San Vitale Apse (you can see the Imperial couple either side of the windows)

Portrait of Totila by Francesco Salviati (from Wikipedia)

With Justinian struggling with the Plague Theodora takes charge of the Empire and makes a decision with profound consequences. When Justinian does recover he is faced with an Empire collapsing around him. He has to reorganise the Empire’s finances and redirect its armies as war resumes on every front.

Hand necrosis caused by plague (from Wikipedia)

The Plague arrives at Pelusium and spreads to Alexandria where it rages for four months. By Spring 542 the Egyptians have to begin sending out the grain fleets. They export the Plague with them and Constantinople endures a nightmare summer of death and dislocation. Out in the provinces there is psychological and spiritual torment too. We then explore where the Plague came from, what it did to the body and how it spread around the Empire.

Period: 541-543

Download: Episode 27 – The Walking Dead

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King of Kings Khosrau (drawing by Jalal Al-Din Mirza via Wikipedia)

Khosrou leads the Persian Army across the border into Syria and begins extorting money from every city he passes. The Byzantine army is nowhere to be found as the army approaches the Empire’s third largest city: Antioch. At the end of the podcast I update everyone on how the project is going and the support I need from you.

Period: 540-542

Download: Episode 26 – The Sack of Antioch

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The Basilica Cistern today (photo from ramyad.net)

We take a look at what else was going on in the Empire during the 530s including: monophysites, tax and administration, buildings, Africa and possibly a meteor strike.

Period: 532-540

Download: Episode 25 – The “Roaring” Thirties

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The First Gothic War

Belisarius is content to leave John to die in Ariminum but the Chamberlain Narses arrives and begs to differ. Conflicts over how to complete the conquest of Italy lead to disaster at Milan and a long delay in finally reaching Ravenna. Once there Justinian recalls his General. The Persians are on the move again. We debate who was to blame for what happened next and head to Cteisephon to see what Khosrou has been up to in the last decade.

Period: 538-540

Map: The First Gothic War Campaign Map

(Author: Konstantinos Plakidas,, Source Website: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gothic_War_-_First_Phase,_535-540.svg)

Download: Episode 24 – The Western Emperor

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