Apologies for the long radio silence, I’ve been busy with other projects but now I want to update you on the next and final season in this podcast which I’m super excited about because it will cover what I regard as one of the most fascinating parts of the story of the fall of the Roman Empire – i.e. what happened after the fall? Now, we all know that this time was called the Dark Ages although there’s a huge amount of debate among historians about just how dark it was. Some see it as a total collapse of civilisation which wasn’t reversed for hundreds of years while others think it was a time when new ideas and cultures came into being which formed the melting pot for the later development of Europe and the Islamic world.I think there’s truth in both of these views but it does depend where you were at the time. For example, if you were in Britain, then it was a truly dark time when civilisation returned to prehistoric levels, with the complete loss it seems of pretty much every civilised skill, from pottery to house building to literacy. But if you were in Syria or Egypt then you were part of the Islamic Empire which would go through its golden age over the next 300 years with Baghdad, for example, becoming the largest and wealthiest city on the planet with over a million people.And what I want to do in this season of podcasts is to show the big picture of what was happening because I think historians sometimes lose sight of this. The problem arises because we’re not just dealing with the Roman Empire any more but really with three major successor states to Rome: first, the Arab empire; second, the Byzantine empire and, third, as we’ll soon hear, the rise of another great empire – the Frankish empire. For a free ebook, maps and blogs check out my website nickholmesauthor.comFind my latest book, Justinian's Empire, on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. For German listeners, find the German translation of the first book in my series on the 'Fall of the Roman Empire', Die römische Revolution, on Amazon.de. Finally check out my new YouTube videos on the fall of the Roman Empire.
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The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 114 "The Missing Link"
Why did Arabia rise so rapidly in the seventh century AD to become the dominant global superpower? In this episode, we look at a fascinating new theory.For a free ebook, maps and blogs check out my website nickholmesauthor.comFind my latest book, Justinian's Empire, on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. For German listeners, find the German translation of the first book in my series on the 'Fall of the Roman Empire', Die römische Revolution, on Amazon.de. Finally check out my new YouTube videos on the fall of the Roman Empire.
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The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 113 "Byzantium's Greatest Victory"
The Arab siege of Constantinople in 717/718 was one of the greatest turning points in all of history. Discover why in this episode.Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyFor a free ebook, maps and blogs check out my website nickholmesauthor.comFind my latest book, Justinian's Empire, on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. For German listeners, find the German translation of the first book in my series on the 'Fall of the Roman Empire', Die römische Revolution, on Amazon.de. Finally check out my new YouTube videos on the fall of the Roman Empire.
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The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 112 "Greek Fire"
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 flame-thrower would help!Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyFor a free ebook, maps and blogs check out my website nickholmesauthor.comFind my latest book, Justinian's Empire, on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. For German listeners, find the German translation of the first book in my series on the 'Fall of the Roman Empire', Die römische Revolution, on Amazon.de. Finally check out my new YouTube videos on the fall of the Roman Empire.
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The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 111 "The Fall of Egypt"
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 to the armies of Islam has long baffled historians. Discover the surprising story of how division, betrayal and sheer bad luck caused a turning point in history.Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyFor a free ebook, maps and blogs check out my website nickholmesauthor.comFind my latest book, Justinian's Empire, on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. For German listeners, find the German translation of the first book in my series on the 'Fall of the Roman Empire', Die römische Revolution, on Amazon.de. Finally check out my new YouTube videos on the fall of the Roman Empire.
EVER WONDERED WHY THE ROMAN EMPIRE FELL? Find out in this podcast from British historian, Nick Holmes, as he tells the extraordinary story of Rome's decline and fall, and how its legacy is still central to the world we live in today. WANT A FREE EBOOK? Then head directly to Nick's website www.nickholmesauthor.com.
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