The Dark Ages Podcast

540 to 541 We return to Italy, where Belisarius had the Ostrogoths on the ropes… until he didn’t. Leadership failures on both sides result in a renewal of conflict and the appearance of a new power among the Ostrogoths. There’s merch now: darkagespod-shop.fourthwall.com Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/03/06/66-when-the-generals-away/  Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

90% of the population of Europe was made up of rural peasants. By the end of Roman rule in the West, only some of those peasants had been fully Christianized. This episode is about the efforts by the Church to spread its message to the peasantry, and how it changed in the process. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/02/18/65-church-and-people/  Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional music by Ensemble Organum Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

The process of fragmentation that followed the fall of the west affected the Church just as much as it did other parts of society, and there was a process of remaking. What emerged was not the behemoth we may imagine when we think of the medieval church, all under the control of the pope.  All the bishops and priests recognized that they were brothers in the same family, they would have been horrified at the idea of there being separate churches; but they would have equally been nonplussed at the idea that they were all subject to the central authority of the pope. This episode takes a stab at describing how the popes saw their role, and how very differently the church functioned in actual practice. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/02/11/64a-church-and-state/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

584 to 612 Part three of a two-part series on the life and times of Queen Brunhilda of Austrasia sees the her emerge fully as a player in Frankish and European politics. Her influence is felt across three generations of leaders, though ultimately she comes to an unpleasant end. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/01/27/63-slay-queen/  Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

577 to 587 Part two of Queen Brunhilda’s biography covers the conflict between her husband and his father and strife between the Queen and the nobles around her son. We also talk about her role sponsor of cultural activities, and how those had changed in the hundred years since the end of Empire. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/31/episode-62-widow-and-regent/  Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

480 CE A pre-Christmas ghost story. Excavation of a fortification on a Swedish island reveals a spasm of violence that wiped out an entire settlement. The finds shed light on life in the fifth century, while the circumstances of its ending is a mystery. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/22/the-sandby-borg-massacre/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ “Nu-Flute” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

567 to 577 Part one of life of Brunhilda, the Visigothic princess who was regent for three generations of Merovingian rulers. Autochthonous : adj. Native to the place it is found, i.e. indigenous. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/12/61-queen-energy/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

561 to c. 590 We take a look at the utterly baffling fraternal struggles as the descendants of Clovis continue to be unable to get along with each other or their neighbors. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/11/18/60-carry-on-my-wayward-sons/  Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

547-561 The two remaining Merovingian kings, Chlothar and Childebert, rule the now vast lands of the Franks, while warily eying each other. The question of inheritance hangs over everything, and one son decides to betray his father. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/11/19/59-the-life-and-lusts-of-chlothar-the-first/  Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

c. 500 to 590 "Bishops move diagonally. That's why they often turn up where the kings don't expect them to be." - Terry Pratchett, Small Gods   Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/05/05/58-bishops-gambits/   Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music: Hildegard of Bingen, “Antiphon for St. Ursula” Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

516 - 548 One of the strongest of the early Merovingians, Theudebert built a powerful kingdom while squabbling with his uncles and carrying on a complicated personal life. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod   Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/04/16/57-the-life-and-loves-of-theudebert-i/   Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

511-532 Out of the four sons of Clovis, not one of them was the type to stay at home, or to be content with what he had. In this episode, we’ll abandon chronological accuracy for the moment, to tell stories of each of these kings. Violence, mostly. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod   Webpage for this Episode: Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

c. 450 - c. 600 When Clovis, king of the Franks, died in 511, he passed on to his sons a huge territory, containing many millions of people. In this episode, we take a look at those people, how they made their livings, and how they organized society around them. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod https://www.museedestempsbarbares.fr/le-village-franc/ Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/03/03/the-kingdoms-of-francia/     Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Basque-ing in Glory 4000 BCE to c. 700 CE The Western Pyrenees are home to the Basques, a mysterious community who speaks a unique language, and who have been there … for as long as anyone can tell. In this episode we’ll explore their history up through the seventh century, and their relationship to the people who have come and gone around them. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2025/01/31/54-basque-ing-in-glory/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Of Outstanding Goodness 586 to 601 CE Reccared takes the throne and makes a momentous change. The Visigothic kingdom becomes unified under one religion and climbs to a new level of stability and security. Webpage for this Episode Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

A Saintly Prince 578 to 586  CE Religious differences lead to rebellion and murder, as a Visigothic prince becomes a martyr for Catholicism… or does he? Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/12/30/52-a-saintly-prince/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

A strong king emerges in Visigothic Hispania, who moves to reform his kingdom and push to develop a new identity.  Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/12/16/51-liuvigild-and-the-search-for-unity/ Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Five Kings and Some Romans 513 to 552 CE Putting on the afterburners to get through about fifty years of Visigothic history, as the Balt dynasty runs out into the sand, and uncertainty and internal division opens the door to outside powers. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/07/21/50-five-kings-and-some-romans/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Conquest and Crisis: Visigoth Hispania, Pt. 1  456 to 513 CE After beating up on the Suevi it was the Visigoths’ turn to be beaten up by the Franks. After years of expansion, the Visigoths are forced to realign themselves south, under a new, unlucky king. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/07/02/conquest-and-crisis-visigoth-hispania-pt-1/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

The Kingdom of the Suevi  C.418 to 470 The Suevi have been the unloved stepchildren of the Dark Ages Podcast for far too long, and finally get their own episode! They’re going to have to be happy with it because I don’t see anything else coming their way. We’ll trace their origins in the forests of Germania, their establishment of a kingdom in northwestern Hispania, and the fortunes of their three most successful kings, before it all turns to mush in the end. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/06/17/48-the-kingdom-of-the-suevi/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

C.406 to 452 And we’re back! Thank you to everyone for your patience and kind emails and messages, they meant a lot to me and kept me motivated to come back. Hispania was a peaceful and prosperous part of the Roman Empire for much of its history, and a popular retirement destination. The arrival of the Vandals, Suevi, and Alans, followed by the Visigoths, put all that peace and tranquility firmly in the rear view mirror. Webpage for this Episode darkagespod.com/2024/06/10/47-roman-hispania/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

The Fall of Italy March 538 - May 540 The Gothic War grew in intensity after the siege of Rome, and Belisarius had to deal with threats both from without and from within his own army as he fought to bring it to a successful conclusion. The war spread across northern Italy, with devastating consequences for the civilian populace. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Wives, Lovers, and The Worst Year Ever This episode is all over the place. It features marital infidelity, official corruption, Swiss glaciers, an Icelandic volcano, and an attempt at an Irish accent that inevitably slides into a Scottish one in less than four words. Enjoy. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

What happens when I wander off topic into the wilds of Magical Practice in Byzantine Egypt? You get a bonus episode, that’s what!  This one explores a story of one particular Egyptian saint, and the strange case of the woman transformed into a horse. It’s just a bit of anthropological fun. We’ll be back to Belisarius in the next episode. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Other Music: "Ritual" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   "Rites" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   "Shaving Mirror" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

November 536 to March 538 Belisarius continues moving up the Italian Peninsula, to bring his army to attack the greatest prize: Rome itself. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Theodahad’s Thirty Pigs 535 to 536 The death of Amalasuintha triggered the Gothic Wars, wherein the Eastern Empire, under Justinian, attempted to claw back what it had lost in Italy. This episode follows the war up to  the siege of Naples by Belisarius in the autumn of 536. Transcript Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

Queen of the Goths 526 to 535 The death of Theodoric brought his youngest daughter Amalasuintha to power, as regent to her son Athalaric. She was the first queen of a post Roman state to openly wield authority, and inherited a realm divided against itself. This episode tells her story. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music:   "I Walk With Ghosts",  by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  "The Epic 2"  by Rafael Krux Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  Music promoted on https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "Nordic Wist" and "Pippin the Hunchback" by Kevin MacLeod (https://www.incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "We Three Celtic Kings" by Alexander Nakarada | https://creatorchords.com Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Sound effects from freesound.com and https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

September 533 - March 534 Things go from bad to worse for the Vandals in Africa. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

533 The first of Justinian’s wars in the West begins, as Belisarius leads an army to Africa. Early victory makes the war seem like a slam dunk, and Procopius is there to tell us all about it. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

518 to 532 Justinian is probably the best-known “Byzantine” emperor to the general public. We’ll introduce the man and some of his circle, and explore some of the most important events at the beginning of his reign. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

476 to 533 The Vandal Kingdom has had its ups and its downs since the fall  of the West. Four kings work to maintain Gaiseric’s legacy in the face of a hostile populace and a looming threat in the East. Website for this episode Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

490ish to 526 A whirlwind tour around Europe, checking in on what’s been going on in the years up to Theodoric’s death. Webpage for this episode Instagram https://darkagespod.com/2023/07/11/2-14-consolidation-and-conversion/ Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

493 (maybe?) to 511 We finish off the career of Clovis I, and then backtrack to talk about his conversion to Catholicism, and what it all meant. Webpage for this episode Instagram Facebook Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

486 to 508 Clovis and his army carve a new thing, called France, out of old Roman Gaul. Webpage for this episode Instagram Facebook Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

c. 400 to 486 CE We review the sources for the reign of Clovis the First, and review the scenario in northern Gaul when he came to power.   Webpage for this episode Instagram Facebook Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

The legends and literature that came out of the Dark Ages are rich and stirring tales of heroism that have inspired both great art and terrible crimes. In this episode, I retell three stories from the many contained in the sagas and epics of Germany and Scandinavia. Transcript Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)Incidental Music:"Pippin the Hunchback" by Kevin MacLeod (https://freepd.com)"Hidden Past" by Kevin MacLeod (https://filmmusic.io/u/kmac)"Temple of the Manes" by Kevin MacLeod (https://filmmusic.io/u/kmac)"Nordic Wist" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)"The Ice Giants" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"Rulers of our Lands" by Rafael Krux (https://freepd.com/)"Rites" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)"Combat Theme #2" by Andrew Sitkov Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

511 to 526 CE "Lying in a featherbed will not bring you fame, nor staying beneath the quilt, and he who uses up his life without achieving fame leaves no more vestige of himself on earth than smoke in the air or foam upon the water." --Dante The last years of Theodoric's reign in Italy saw the erosion of confidence, and increasing internal strife, along with diplomatic reversals abroad. Episode Webpage Support the Show Sources Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

484 to 519 CE Divisions within the church have consequence for Theodoric's relationship with the Emperor. Against my better judgment, this episode is mostly about religion. So, remember when I was talking about Boethius and I mentioned the Acacian Schism, and I said it was just too obscure to get into? Well guess what? Transcript and more Support the show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

500 - 511 CE Theodoric and Cassiodorus work to prevent war in Western Europe, while crafting an image of imperial majesty. In the end, it works out pretty well for the Ostrogoths. Episode Website Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

We pause to take a look at two of the most famous subjects of Theodoric the Great. Transcript for today's show. Support the podcast here. Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

493 to about 505 CE Theodoric's kingdom in Italy gets historians unreasonably excited. We'll explore how  he ran it, how he turned himself from warband chief to beloved king, and how he worked to restore the glory of old. Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

488 to 493  Theodoric leads his people to Italy, to make war on Odoacer and win for himself a permanent kingdom. Transcript and Maps Here Just Maps Here Support the show Here Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sources: Heather, Peter J. The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2014. Martindale, J.R. The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. II. vol. 2, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1980. 3 vols. The Internet Archive, https://archive.org/details/prosopography-later-roman-empire/PLRE-II/mode/1up. Wolfram, Herwig. History of the Goths. Translated by Thomas Dunlap, University of California Press, 1990.

479 to 488 Rocky relations between Theodoric and Zeno lead to ups and downs for the Ostrogoths, along with many diversions and detours in their search for a stable home. Finally, an opportunity arises in Italy, and Theodoric moves boldly in the direction of one last gamble. Maps for this episode. Support the show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

c. 460 to 479 CE We welcome to the stage Theodoric, soon to be Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. In the process we catch up on the overwritten soap opera that was politics in Constantinople in the 470s. It’s a wild ride. Webpage for this episode Maps Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

455 to 490 CE Odoacer is a name that is little known and little celebrated. This episode illuminates the career of the soldier who closed the book on the Roman empire, who was he, and why don't we know him better?  Episode Website Support the Show References Bury, John B. 1967. The Invasion of Europe by the Barbarians. Edited by Fossey John C. Hearnshaw. New York: Norton. Eugippius. 1965. Commemoratorium Severinus. Translated by Ludwig Bieler. Washington, DC: Catholic University Press. Frassetto, Michael. 2003. Encyclopedia of Barbarian Europe: Society in Transformation. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Goldsworthy, Adrian K. 2009. How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpower. New Haven: Yale University Press. Heather, Peter J. 2014. The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Wolfram, Herwig. 1997. The Roman Empire and Its Germanic Peoples. Translated by Thomas Dunlap and Thomas R. Dunlap. Berkeley: University of California Press. Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This the first episode of Season 2 takes a broad look at what the waging of war looked like in the dark ages, from weapons to tactics and funding. It's good to be back. For the transcript of this episode, along with images and links, visit www.darkagespod.com. Now you can support the podcast at ko-fi.com/darkagespod, the digital tip-jar. Help me keep the lights on around here with just a few bucks, if you can. Links:  Full text of "The Battle of Maldon" A reading of "The Battle of Maldon" Music: Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

474 to 476 CE In which we kill off the Western Roman Empire, and then dig through the remains to try and figure out what happened. More importantly, where do we go from here?   Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod at Free Music ArchiveLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

c. 367 to c. 460 CE The much-promised episode about post Roman Britain arrives, to explore what a real Dark Age would look like.   Sources   Music Credits: Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod at Free Music ArchiveLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Other Music: "Pippin the Hunchback", "Nordic Wist", & "Moorland", all by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

453 CE to 460 CE Out of the wreckage of Attila's empire, new peoples emerge. New actors inject new elements into the political game of the late Roman empire British Museum entry for the Gepids, with some artefacts History Files Article and Regnal List of the Gepids Scirian Earring found at Bakod Puszta   Sources Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod at Free Music ArchiveLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

466 to around 473 The Visigoths break out, under the leadership of their new and aggressive King Euric. Inside the empire, another emperor falls to Ricimer's scheming. An appropriate map for this episode is here. Sources are here Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod at Free Music ArchiveLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

461 to 468 CE The East and West combine forces in one great push to take Africa backs from the Vandals and make everything all better. Sources Title Music:"The Britons" and "The Vikings" by Kevin MacLeod at Free Music ArchiveLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/   Sound effects from freesound.com

456 to 464 CEEmperor Majorian and his Right-Hand man Ricimer attempt to pull the empire back from the brink after the departure of Avitus.  But there's a snake in the grass, a fly in the ointment, and a bad apple in the barrel.  It all leads to the creation of a new entity called the Kingdom of Soissons.  Or does it? Map of Majorian's Campaigns Sources Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/   Sound effects from freesound.com and zapsplat.com

The Franks, Part I 280 to 480 CE We welcome the Franks onto the stage of Europe, and look at their origins, early history, ferocious reputation, and the way modern politics work their way into the telling of history. Fittings from the Sword and Scabbard found in Childeric's tomb. Childeric's Ring at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France Childeric's Bees Sword and Scabbard Decoration from Childeric's Treasure Sources Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

418 to 456 CE A senator by the name of Eparchius Avitus is dragooned into filling the imperial shoes left behind by the well-aimed brick that took out Petronius Maximus. His life gives a framework for discussing the place of southern Gaul within the Roman empire, and how the Visigoths were settling in.   The full text of Sidonius' letter describing Theodoric.   Sources   Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The Vandals Part III 439 to 455 CE “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be therefore as wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Matthew, 10:16 Gaiseric weathers Roman attempts to recover the African provinces, and begins to set his house in order. Marriage deals are made and broken, and an ancient version of gunboat diplomacy is used by the new king. Meanwhile, jealousy and paranoia lead to big changes in the Roman government, and the consequences are severe. The Vandals play their most famous role in Roman history in this episode.   Sources   Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/   Sound effects from freesound.com and zapsplat.com

c. 450 to c. 482 CE   Saint Severinus was a holy man who was active in Noricum Ripensis, in modern Austria and Bavaria. His life coincided with the end of Roman rule in the west, and the biography that was written by his disciple Eugippius includes several insights into the world as the ancient social structures changed and were replaced by new anxieties and dangers. In this episode we'll talk about those changes and the new role religion was taking on in the formerly Roman West. Article on the Noricum Limes - with Map

The Huns, Part IV 450-453 CE Attila unleashed his fury on the Western empire in two back to back campaigns. The first culminated in the Battle of the Catalaunian Fields. The second ended with the famous meeting between Attila the Hun and Pope Leo I. Map of Attila's Invasion of Italy Sources War dominates the scene on today's episode, as it does on today's headlines. The inevitable consequence of war is the displacement of those caught in its path. If you can, please donate to one of the organizations working to help Ukrainian refugees, and people all around the world who are victimized by the violence of the powerful and the greedy. Links to a few of them are below. Thank you. The International Rescue Committee Global Giving Doctors Without Borders Music "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

c. 448 CE In the spring, a diplomatic mission set out from Constantinople for discussions with Attila the Hun. One of the men on the trip later wrote out his experience in one of the most detailed accounts of life among the Huns. This episode condenses the writing of Priscus of Panion, diplomat and historian.    Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com and zapsplat.com

408 - 439 CE The Vandals, along with their allies, the Alans and Suevi, ravage Spain before moving into Africa.  There, under the leadership of their king Gaiseric, they will achieve something no other Barbarian tribe has yet accomplished. Map of the Vandal Invasion of Spain Roman Provinces of Africa The Peutinger Tabula   Music Title: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod http://www.freepd.com Incidental Music by Andrew Sitkov

c. 200 BCE to 408 CE I introduce the Vandals with a cold.  The Vandals don't have a cold, I have a cold. So, sorry about that. The Vandals rose up next door to the Goths, with whom they would have a complicated relationship.  This episode tracks their early migration into Gaul and then Spain, and talks a little bit about what their home life would have been like.  There's also a bonus tribe, as we sketch a bit about the Alans. And as promised, I learned to pronounce "Przeworsk" Report on the Archaeology of the Przeworsk Culture in Hungary Sketches of various Przeworsk artifacts Article on with Maps and pictures Some photographs of Wielbark Artifacts for comparison Music: The Britons by Kevin MacLeod freepd.com

435 - 446 CE The scourge of God rises from the Hunnic horde.  The Romans have to deal with him while also facing earthquake, flood, and plague.  Straight up not having a good time, bro. Map of the Roman road network. Another map of the geography of the Balkans in late antiquity. Music "The Bretons" By Kevin MacLeod freepd.com

395 - 435 CE Contact with the wealth of the Roman empire gradually changes the Huns and sets the stage for their most famous ruler.   Map of Roman Provinces   Music "The Bretons" By Kevin MacLeod freepd.com

c. 370 - 395 CE Where had the Huns come from? Who were they? How did they fight? What made them so scary? I'll look for answers in this episode, and may even find some. Information on cranial modification is here and here An image of the patera is here Music "The Bretons" By Kevin MacLeod freepd.com

The Goths, Part 5 410 - 451 CE The Visigoths move out of Italy, into more years of privation. Along the way there's a royal marriage, long marches, sieges and naval blockades. Ultimately the Goths find what they've been looking for for nearly half a century - a home. But there's another, even greater test on the horizon, and a chance to face an old enemy. Music: "The Bretons" By Kevin MacLeod freepd.com "The Black Knight" By Raphael Krux freepd.com "Epic Strike" By Andrew Sitkov freepd.com Music is for this episode is by Andrew Sitkov, Keven MacLeod, and Raphael Krux Sources can be found here

The Goths, Part 4 408-410 CE The death of Stilicho leaves Alaric and the Visigoths high and dry.  Negotiations break down, and Alaric takes drastic action.  The Sack of Rome of 410 is pointed to as one of the points where the Roman Empire fell and the resonance of the event would be felt down through the centuries.   Music : "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod freepd.com "Rulers of our Lands" by Raphael Krux freepd.com

The Goths, Part 3 378 - 408 CE The Gothic Wars end in stalemate as Goths and Romans try to come to terms with new realities.  A new leader appears to push for dignity and power for his people, who will take the fight into the heartland of the Roman world. Map of Alaric's invasion of Greece Map of Alaric's First Invasion of Italy Bust of Eutropius Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod freepd.com

The Goths, Part 2 c. 264-378 CE The Goths face challenges at home and abroad.  An ambitious Roman Emperor seeks to shore up his reign at their expense.  Religious controversy and rivalry threatens internal stability.  But the greatest challenge arises in the East, and the Goths must abandon their way of life. The Lord's Prayer in Gothic Map of the Adrianople Campaign Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod freepd.com

The Goths, Part One. The Goths appear on the Roman border and quickly become a force to be reckoned with.  This episode deals with the Goths origins, early history, conflicts with Rome in the third century, and some things about their culture. Who was a Goth when he was at home? (Spoiler, he didn't wear black or think much about vampires.) This episode covers a period from about 100 BCE to 271 CE. Music "The Bretons" By Kevin MacLeod freepd.com The mentioned map can be found here. References are here.