Robin Pierson

Episode 334 – State Builders from the Steppe with Eric Halsey

I talk to Eric Halsey about his new book State Builders from the Steppe: A History of the First Bulgarian Empire.

In it he chronicles the rise and fall of the Bulgars as they arrive in the Balkans and forge a state that would be a thorn in the Byzantine side.

I thoroughly recommended the book. It’s well researched, easy to read and it’s nice to hear about a subject so intimately entwined with Byzantine history from a different perspective.

Find the book on Ama...

Episode 333 – The Bachelorhood of Basil II with Mark Masterson

To mark the 1000th anniversary of his death we revisit the bachelorhood of Basil II.

My guest is Mark Masterson — until recently Associate Professor of Classics at Victoria University of Wellington (retired 2025). His work explores masculinity, desire, and male social bonds in the Roman world.

In his book Between Byzantine Men he discusses an oration written in Basil's day which may shed light on his intimate life.

Picture: Basil II by 2025-12-15 20:58:18 +0000 UTC View Post

Zoom Calls this Sunday (30th November)

Hey everyone,

This is the link to the Zoom Calls on Sunday 30th November:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81937089656

Meeting ID: 819 3708 9656

We'll have a quick Q&A followed by a Byzantine quiz/trivia. The winner will be declared the Basileus of Patreon :-)

There will be calls at 6pm and 10pm UK time. See you then,
Robin

Zoom Calls - 30th November (Quiz!)

Hello everyone,

I am back from my latest tour to Turkey. That is me posing right above the Cilician Gates (they are just at the top of the picture). And no I am not a daredevil. It's a very cool optical illusion you can create when you visit Gulek Castle. I was scouting locations for next Autumn's tour of Eastern Turkey. Email me if you're not on the tours mailing list.

I'm going t...

Zoom Calls - Sunday 7th September

Hey everyone,

This is the link to the Zoom Calls on Sunday 7th September:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81937089656

Meeting ID: 819 3708 9656

The same link will work for each call which take place at 1pm, 5pm and 9pm UK time.

Each will last an hour and you can join all three of them if you want to. Ask me anything or...

More Patreon Zoom Calls

Hey everyone,

I'm going to host three more Zoom calls for Patrons on Sunday 7th September.

The Zoom calls will be at 1pm, 5pm and 9pm UK time. Each will last an hour and you can join all three of them if you want to. If anyone would like to moderate a call please let me know.

You can ask me anything on these calls. But I'd also be interested to know what questions you have about the earlier Roman Empire. ...

Where can I find the bonus episodes?

Here is a list of the episodes which you gain access to with the $6 a month feed at Patreon and where to find them.

Episode 28 – After the Apocalypse

The Origins of Islam (between episodes 58 and 59)

Episode 77 – Leo and Irene

Byzantine Stories Episode 1 – John Chrysostom. Parts 2, 3 and 4 (between episodes 77 and 78)

Byzantine Stories Episode 2 – Symeon the Stylite (between episodes 106 and 107)

Byzantine Stories Episode 3 – Porphyrius the Chario...

Zoom Calls

Hey everyone,

This is the link to the Zoom Calls on Sunday 20th July:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81937089656

Meeting ID: 819 3708 9656

The same link will work for each call which take place at 1pm, 5pm and 9pm UK time.

Each will last an hour and you can join all three of them if you want to.

I look forward to speaking to yo...

What Happens Next

Hello everyone,

I hope you enjoy the final episode of the narrative. I’m here to answer the question that people have been asking me for about 10 years now. So what are you going to do after 1453?

Well as I mentioned a while ago the History of Byzantium will continue.

I will take the narrative on a little further. We’ll re-join the siege and find out what happened to all the characters in that story. And talk about the fate of the citizens of Constantinople and what Mehm...

Episode 332 - Not with a Whimper but a Bang

Mehmed II becomes Sultan in 1451 and immediately makes plans to conquer Constantinople.

Period: 1448-53

Siege delayed

Hey everyone,

I'm afraid the final siege won't be out this Friday. For various reasons the episode has taken much longer to produce than I had anticipated. I can't give you an ETA at this stage but I'm moving as quickly as I can.

I'm sorry for the delay. My only hope is that Timur does not invade from the East while I'm trying to get this siege completed.

Thank you for your patience,
Robin

Patreon Zoom Calls

Hey everyone,

I'm going to host three Zoom calls for Patrons on Sunday 20th July. The podcast narrative will have finished and it will be a chance for me to say thank you to all of you. And a chance for you to ask questions.

Though to answer the obvious ones now.
1) There will be a pause for a couple of months as I take a break and research the next few episodes
2) Those episodes will continue the story of the next few days, months and years in Constantin...

Episode 331 – The Last Hope

John VIII Palaiologos asks the Pope for an Ecumenical Council to reunite the churches. To his surprise the Pontiff says yes and a huge Byzantine contingent travels to Italy.

Pic: John VIII Palaiologos (from ‘Rulers of the Byzantine Empire’ published by KIBEA)

Period: 1425-48

Episode 330 – The Life of Manuel II Palaiologos

We explore the life of Manuel II Palaiologos. The last Roman Emperor who we can actually get to know. We go through his life story and his writing to learn more about being the Basileus in an age of decline.

Pic: Manuel and Henry IV of England from the St Albans chronicle by Thomas Walsingham

Period: 1350-1425

Episode 329 - Buying Time

With the Ottoman civil war raging Manuel II Palaiologos tries to improve the Roman position and ensure his sons succeed him.

Period: 1402-30

Pic: John VII, Manuel II and John VIII (from a 15th-century codex in the Bibliothèque Nationale of Paris)

Episode 328 – In the Nick of Timur

Pic: Bayezid held captive by Timur, painting by Stanisław Chlebowski (1878)

Manuel II Palaiologos refuses to play vassal to Sultan Bayezid. So the Ottomans set up a permanent blockade of New Rome. The siege would last for eight years and only a miracle could save the Romans.

Period: 1391-1402

Episode 327 – Vassals and Pawns

John V Palaiologos faces rebellions from his sons and Grandsons. Forcing the Romans to become both Ottomans vassals and the pawns of Venice and Genoa.

Period: 1371-91

Pic: John V Palaiologos  (from ‘Rulers of the Byzantine Empire’ published by KIBEA)

Episode 326 - The Rise of the Ottomans, Part 2

We look at the details of how the Ottomans ran their state. Including the creation of loyalty to the ruling dynasty, succession policy, military recruitment and slave trading. 

Period: 1280-1371

On this spot...

When I take listeners around the Hagia Sophia its really cool to be able to show them the exact spot where Emperors were crowned. If you could visit one spot where something from Byzantine history happened what it would be?

Episode 325 - The Rise of the Ottomans, Part 1

We follow the last century of narrative from an Ottoman point of view.

Period: 1280-1371

Pic: Sultan Orhan (painted by Konstantin Kapıdağlı, 19th century)

Episode 324 – Just Another Beylik

John V Palaiologos takes charge of the Empire but finds he has only one option left to save his state. He must travel West and beg for Latin help. Meanwhile the Turks conquer Thrace.

Period: 1355-71

Map: The breakup of the Serbian Empire c 1360 AD

Episode 323 – At Least Things Can’t Get Any Worse

Map: The Roman Empire c 1350 AD

Finally in sole control of the Empire John Kantakouzenos makes plans to restore the Roman world. His plans come to nothing though as he immediately faces war, invasion and plague.

Period: 1347-55

Episode 322 – The Worst Civil War, Part 2

In order to gain the throne John Kantakouzenos destroys what is left of the Roman Empire. He allows the Serbs to conquer Macedonia while his Turkish allies enslave his people.

Picture: Stefan Uroš IV Dušan (fresco painted between 1341-7 in the Lesnovo monastery in North Macedonia).

Period: 1343-47

Episode 321 – The Worst Civil War, Part 1

Andronikos III Palaiologos died on the 15th June 1341. Four months later his nearest and dearest were at each others throats.

His right hand man John Kantakouzenos declared himself Emperor but was rejected by the people at every turn. Refusing to give up he invited foreign powers to intervene on his behalf.

Picture: John VI Kantakouzenos (from 'Rulers of the Byzantine Empire' published by KIBEA)

Period: 1341-43