11. Byzantium - Last of the Romans
[WATCH WITH VIDEO: • 11. Byzantium - Last o... ]
On the outskirts of modern Istanbul, a line of ancient walls lies crumbling into the earth...
In this episode, we look at one of history’s most incredible stories of survival - the thousand-year epic of the Byzantine Empire. Find out how this civilization suffered the loss of its Western half, and continued the unbroken legacy of Rome right through the middle ages. Hear about how it formed a bridge between two continents, and two ages, and learn how the impregnable walls of Constantinople were finally brought crashing to the ground.
This episode we're joined by members of the St Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral Choir in London, and a number of musicians playing traditional Byzantine instruments.
SOURCES: www.patreon.com/posts/3931156...
All original music for this episode available to download to Patreon subscribers: / 39308482
Credits:
Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas
Voice Actors:
Nicolas Rixon
Joey L
Annie Kelly
Cleo Madeleine
Original Compositions and music supervision:
Pavlos Kapralos ( / @pavloskapralos3969 )
Chanters from the Greek Orthodox Cathedral:
Michael Georgiou
Alexandros Gikas
Matthew Tomko
Stephanos Thomaides
Pavlos Kapralos
Traditional Musicians:
Monooka (Monica Lucia Madas), vocals
Alexandros Koustas, Lyra (other names: Byzantine Lyra/ Lyra of Istanbul/ Kemence)
Konstantinos Glynos, Kanonaki (other names: qanun; in Byzantine Greek: psaleterion)
Theofilos Lais, Cretan Lyra
Dario Papavassiliou, Santouri (other name: Greek Santur)
Pavlos Kapralos, Oud
Other music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/
Title theme: Home At Last by John Bartmann. johnbartmann.com/
The absolute genius of Constantinus to use the rivalry of the chariot teams to see who could repair the wall the fastest. That was an amazing fact that I had never heard of before.
@@Etaoinshrdlu69 we see it happening right now. I see your point though I'm just trying to imagine how people would react if were told we were about to be invaded. I think youd have a large amount of people that wouldnt believe it. How could you get labor out of people when you cant afford to pay them well? He used thier competitive nature to his advantage. Was it a proud moment? Lol probably not but it was effective.
@Jkd Buck76 Imagine doing this to political parties!
Yea he was quite the puppet master
Yes. Yes! YES! YES!!!!! I completely understand how long it must take to put together work of this quality and complexity - and anyone being able to get it for free should result in nothing but gratitude and be worth waiting any number of months or years for new episodes. Still, I find myself turning into a toddler for a little while, getting intensely impatient for the next episode about 30 seconds after the last one ends. 😉
Agree with all the above...........plus.......send Mr Cooper some money
Yes. Yes! YES! YES!!!!! from Jojo? XD
The videos, of which this is a soundtrack, are truly wonderfulalso.
The description of everyday Constantinople hustle and bustle was magically enthralling. I lost myself in the descriptions, I could smell the spices, walk past the shops and kiosks selling everything from fruit to beads and rugs. Your podcasts recreate these worlds so vividly.
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
3.5 hours of Byzantine history? You've ready my mind!
Hope you enjoy!
@@FallofCivilizations thank you for doing this - really enjoyed it!
3.5 hours of Joseph Scaliger stealing fragments of Tartary, calling it "Rome", and selling it to desperate French noblewomen.
JM7
Robert Le aren’t all French noblewoman desperate?
Over time, this podcast became my favorite bed time story. I must've seen Sumer at least 50 times.
Welcome back!
I'm really glad I am Not the only one.
Calm down Sargon 😂
Takes me all day to listen because I'm constantly getting distracted and having to rewind. Worth it, tho.
Hahaha! Me too!
You aren't alone lol
This!
Yeah, I wish it could have some little dividers into chapters/where they are in the history so I can backtrack less randomly or break it up into smaller bits! It's fascinating but really hard to listen to all the way through because I'll get distracted by whatever else I'm doing and tune out.
oh it's ok
"That is no country for old men. The young In one another's arms, birds in the trees, -Those dying generations-at their song, The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas, Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long Whatever is begotten, born, and dies. Caught in that sensual music all neglect Monuments of unageing intellect." Yeats (Sailing to Byzantium)
Lovely
Thank you. Very appropriate.
Nice Poem
Thanks, always ment to read that.
I sleepwalked the afternoon that lasted a 1000 years. Thank you.
1100 years
In my view, without doubt, the most intelligent and absorbing history channel on the net. Thank you. Superb 🧡
Fall of Civs is fantastic. Have you checked out Historia Civilis? You might like it, though it's very different tonally.
@@dramlamb5196 No I haven't but I'm just about to. Thank you 🧡
Mike Duncan's the history of rome. Prepare for about 40 hours of fun.....
@@-Deena. Mom
Excited for this, but like to listen before bed. See ya in 14 hours!
Oh boy my shift at work started 5 mins ago. Bless this timing.
Same!
Lucky, I'm going to have to pause it once my job starts
I feel you my man, these videos make work so much more enjoyable for me.
Same here. I work 3rd shift maintenance. These really help my nights fly by.
eric cloud l
The depth and quality of these podcasts are astounding. Thank you so much.
Pure joy to listen to.
@@cUCH1337NPC c s cicicxiu
I concur with Reformer ! You started your telling in geologic time! Whoa.
P P Op P Popped O P Po P Pp Po
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This is the 8th video I’ve watched so far, since discovering this channel two weeks ago. What makes you different from other historical documentaries is the personal passion in them. It’s easy to see that through the attention to detail and the focus on subtle nuance of everyday life of your subject matter. At times, it’s very much like you’re speaking in a first person account without attempting to do so. As a lifelong lover of history, I know how hard it is, and how much research it requires, to paint as vivid and accurate account of it as you do. You have a great talent. Rarely have I experienced content and narration that allows me multi-sensory enjoyment. Thanking you for doing these is all the reward I can offer at this time. I hope to do more soon.
Thank you, that's so kind of you to say! Really glad you've been enjoying.
I was thinking the same thing. TV documentaries do so much faffing about, trying to embellish and make things dramatic, that by the end I feel like I barely got any information out of them. If it's interesting information like what we have here, there is no need for TV flair.
WHO is it???
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OUR BOY IS BACK BLESS UP
What??
It's been a while, but I can see why. There must be so much that goes into developing these, but I LOVE them
Took off work today for completely different reasons than listening to this... plans change I guess. Thanks for the upload
My pleasure, thanks for listening!
@@FallofCivilizations now you have to contend with the fall of civilisation, due to excellent long-form analysis on the fall of civilisations taking up civilisations time.
@John Wolf I'll be doing both! Another video episode is coming soon - but since the later episodes are longer, they take a long time to create videos for.
My favorite empire since I discovered it in a Time/Life hard cover called Byzantium, way back in the 1970s. I had never heard of them, except in reference in books on Rome, when I read on and realized that the empire didn't die in 476, but lived on in the east for another millennium...I got hooked! The turmoil, triumphs, defeats, yet persistent way they survived in a hostile sea of enemies, is truly captivating. They were also vilified by many historians in the past as little more than a corrupt oligarchy of oriental intrigue and corruption. Yet in the last 20 years a new rennaissance of Byzantine studies, books and Blogs/Vlogs have led us here.....a crowning achievemen in your Fall of Civilization series...the road that leads to Byzantium: Last of the Romans.
Ditto
You had never heard of the Roman empire?
@@ItReallyIsiPOD You're funny....keep it up.
Time/Life's Byzantium That's where I first got to learn about this great empire too. That exquisite mosaic cover really caught the attention of a 12 year old me in our local library.
pp0)l
I was asleep while this was playing (found it when I woke up) and no joke, I had a dream I was living in the Byzantine Empire. It was pretty cool.
Dude same just happened to me last night
Is this like a thing that happens. Its just happened to me
Autosuggestion
jealous
Dreams like that are half the reason I repeatedly listen to these in bed at night. Love every single one of these.
Justinian in time to watch this over my evening.
ha ha ha lol
Im just going to assume you do sit and watch the screen for its entirety
I usually listen while I Rome
Areulius think this lecture is great.
@@crieverytim I usually do... does that make me weird? It just feels unsettling for this non corporeal voice to fill the room but for there to be no focal point to look at.
If I was a history teacher I would play your podcast in class and watch the students faces light up. You have a real gift.
Me: it's three and a half hours long?! Fall of civilisations podcast: 6 *million* years ago... Me: ah
yeah it is... learning is not for the impatient. there is no "elevator version" of human history.
finally some video with some substance , i like long vids ,
i fell asleep about 25 mins in, the narrator's voice very soothing, calming...lol
Well done again! These are the highest quality and you really should be on the BBC
🤣🤣🤣
A great video! The Byzantine Empire was the archrival of my nation (Bulgaria) for 7 centuries and I have always been interested in its history. Byzantine even prevailed over the First Bulgarian Empire and conquered it, but it is amazing how little we the Bulgarians know about our historic neighbors. Even being a "history freak", I learned a lot of interesting facts from this episode. Thank you once again!
We turks made u
This was absolutely incredible. It's so odd that Rome lived on in Constantinople and the ERE for another 1000 years and yet so little of it is known or represented in popular culture.
1100 years
It’s Istanbul not Constantinople
Nobody knows but the Turks
@@nneisler What does Istanbul means? Even this City's name has Greek roots.
This is Black history. Yes it is incredible and its hidden by the elites.
One of my absolute top favorite subjects ,remember finding out by digging in Gibbons volumes ,that there was somewhat of a revelation to my young mind that Rome never really fell in 476AD
The absolute gold standard of podcasts. Can listen over and over again.
Not a podcast
These are amazing I've been listening to them over and over at work. The Khmer and Aztec are my favorite. You have a gift for storytelling
the Aztec episode is amazing.
@@uraba624 I've listened to that one 10 times
I don't know how you choose which is best. All have been fascinating. I had to stay up till 2 AM last night watching the Incas. Superb series, Han, Greenland Vikings, Easter Islands, Mayans, Bronze age. I've been forced to binge watch the whole series.
Yeah but you
Excellent all this channels videos are great 👍
I am happy to see Byzantium getting the attention it deserves from a historical perspective.
I was supposed to go to sleep early today. *notification about a new Fall of Civilizations episode* Barely enough sleep to get through the day it shall be, then.
Get some rest! It will be there in the morning 😄
@@FallofCivilizations but I needed to go to work in the morning! You left me no options!
Took off work today for completely different reasons than listening to this... plans change I guess. Thanks for the upload
I'm loving these. The fall of civilization seems to be a quite relevant topic right now, and it's good to have something to teach that while they rise and fall; civilization itself has always continued. It always seems like the end of the whole world to those who are experiencing it.
This is the lamest fall of civilization ever.
@Hunter Smith indeed. Ours will be the first civilisation in history to go over the cliff whilst arguing about transgender bathrooms and watching funny cat videos.* *Stolen shamelessly from Mark Steyn.
I'm glad I'm not the only one with this exact opinion lol
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I feel asleep, woke up and genuinely thought pyrocynical was lecturing me about the Byzantine empire
Bro i feel asleep n woke up to ur coment ngl
Yay, we get another video. I listen to these while driving the truck, I had run out of material.
"The Greece runestones (Swedish: Greklandsstenarna) are about 30 runestones containing information related to voyages made by Norsemen to the Byzantine Empire. They were made during the Viking Age until about 1100 and were engraved in the Old Norse language with Scandinavian runes." "On these runestones the word Grikkland ("GREECE") appears in three inscriptions,[1] the word Grikk(j)ar ("GREEKS") appears in 25 inscriptions,[2] two stones refer to men as grikkfari ("traveller to Greece")[3] and one stone refers to Grikkhafnir ("Greek harbours").[4] ."
I love you Love Zmoaaaass at atadaadas aadasa da sangsssssaagas gaaas
Mr. Cooper, truly your writing pen is dipped in fire and gold! Who needs television when THIS is available? I was absolutely RIVETED by your superb storytelling! Cheers for a brilliant channel!
You literally made me cry describing the desperation of the citizens at the fall against the turks. The smell of the cannon, the vivid descriptions of how it sounded on the wall, the Emperor weeping bitterly. Incredible storytelling ability you have sir.
Wow, finally consumed this within last 3 days. This is epic, I knew so much about Roman (Western) Republic and Empire but always was missing chronological knowledge about Byzantium. I love the quality of production.
Absolutely flawless work, as always. I spent all of last year studying Byzantine history and it culminated with a lengthy stay in Istanbul in the fall. You touched on it here but an absolutely defining part of living there are the earthquakes. The frequency and intensity of them shocked me.
I experienced some of this living in Santorini. It's a surreal feeling watching brick walls wobble like jelly.
You know what sounds nice? Watching video tours of Istanbul from a location where buildings are not at an increased risk of caving in on top of you.
@@booradley6832hey that’s just living on this planet man
I've been listening to a lot of history lately and I have to say that yours are probably the best available on KZhead, at least that I have found. I think the main reason is that so many of them focus on war, which is obviously important but it's certainly not everything. You seem to put so much more substance in your documentaries and I appreciate it
kings and generals are also not bad
I have a new standard of relevance. From now on all documentaries concerned with human civilization should find a way to start with the words "Six million years ago." That is so epic and true.
I was feeling absolutely terrible today, until I saw this newest addition to this amazing series, covering my favorite civilization. I will listen to this many times probably.
This became my favorite episode. Every listen feels like a visit to Byzantium, and a journey through their history with them.
😊
Such magic, such detail, so much vivid beauty orated to my ears that I melt into the past and into the stories you weave, thank you.
This is absolutely essential listening. Wonderful work, brilliant production
Never realized most Mosques in Asia Minor were once Churches or situated on land were Churches once stood. The Hagia Sophia is one primary example ( just made into a functional Mosque again).
It should've stayed as a museum. All those Mosaic Art are being wasted hidden behind curtains.
The entire Anatolian peninsula is basically occupied territory. A true testiment to the religion of peace.
you have alot to learn
@@danielbylund8937 That's every square inch of land on the earth
@@AA-em3yx I'm sure that all the other people's that controlled Anatolia thought it would be theirs forever.
So excited to listen. Only discovered these in lockdown and they've been amazing.
After reading Braudel's grammar of civilizations, this series is the best thing that I ve watched explaining the rise and fall of civilizations. Allthough I am suposed to have studied Byzantium at school since I am Greek, nothing really imprinted in my memory but vague descriptions of grandeur. I really thank you for this beautiful work, It is really inspiring to listeners to start reading history. Thank you so much!
Blindsighted book
It's quite amazing how quickly 3 hours and 27 minutes go by when the content is so well researched and the narration so wonderful.
I am totally absorbed by these readings. You have a true skill that deserves being heard.
Thank you so much for making these episodes! It is always a welcome sight to see you upload new videos.
Thanks for listening! Really hope you enjoy.
@@FallofCivilizations The longer episodes are amazing for us who like to use it to sleep keep it up!
I am coming back for a second listening a few months after release. Definetly worth it. Thank you very much for the amazing podcast!
Paul said med was called mare magnum, sorry mate, it was called mare nostrum, our sea
The location of Constatinopole was perfect during it's time. Like Panama and Suez canals today :)
Awesome. I have turned my six year old daughter on to some of this content and she's really enjoying it. Great delivery and keep it up, very excited to watch this tonight.
Starting early! Love to hear it.
Excellente idea ! Kids, young kids LOVE real knowledge, and their brain is so powerful at that age that they learn avidly ! Be ambitious for your daughter's sake 👍 💃🇫🇷🥂 🌱 👏
Watched this like 10 times. Might be the most thought provoking and saddening video I’ve seen on here in a bit.
I started reading my dad's book about the Ottoman conquest of Contantinople, but never got a chance to finish it. Very grateful for this.
What book is that, pray?
@@jamiemcintosh3030 I can''t remember.
There's just something about Byzantium that is so, so fascinating to me. I've got this weird, sad feeling listening to this. Something about how unique and niche their culture was, how it was a geographic and cultural crossroads, their long history of both Greek and Roman culture, the slow decline of the empire and all they endured, the climactic siege and sacking of Constantinople, etc.
The eastern roman empire is a fascinating story of glory and decline they were a nexus between two ages, two different worlds, an ancient civilization that some how got trapped on the emerging medieval period. It is incredible that surrounded by enemies on every side and plagued by brutal infighting and civil wars they managed to rise from their ruins and defeat there enemies time and again for a thousand years, it's too beautiful a story and too sad at the same time it has everything an epic needs to have and yet sadly we westerners are still unable to get over the inferiority complex and envy we felt for them back then, so much has this echoed through the ages that still to this day we continue to ignore and neglect the crucial influence this civilization had on world history and the shaping of the modern world.
Of course this drops when I already have 4 hours of content to watch. Well there goes my day.
You began with Western Rome, and now you cover Eastern "Rome". Please, please don't let this one be the last one of your marvellous series.
You still need to cover the decline and fall of the American Empire!
No, more to come!
@@FallofCivilizations Prasayuschee, my old droogy tovarisch. Eagerly waiting for it.
Oh yeah, can't wait for this one! Hope the Komnenos chads take a part!
Thank you for taking the time out to produce something this lengthy, passionate, informative and in-depth. While not everyone on youtube appreciates content this long, every once in a while, I need something like this to get me through the day.
Thank you Damon, glad you think so!
"The Frankish court (during the 7TH CENTURY A.D) no longer regarded the Byzantine Empire as holding valid claims of universality; instead it was now termed the 'EMPIRE OF THE GREEKS'." Fouracre, Paul; Gerberding, Richard A. (1996). Late Merovingian France: History and Hagiography, 640-720. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, p. 345:
Thats my evening sorted out! Thanks for this.
3,5 hours? This is gonna take me a month to get through
Haha enjoy
The longer the better!!!( for this podcast)
I so love that you begin your episodes with the geography and geology of the area. I’m a geologist by profession and a history student, and I feel that without the geologic and geographic background of a place, history loses its context.
Thank you, glad you think so!
I have yet to listen to this episode, but given the quality of all your previous work: thank you so much for this!
Hope you enjoy!
Yes i will add this tp my favorites channelc. Thanks
Finally, my favourite empire.
I don't know if it's possible but I'd absolutely love a video on the fall of the Pictish Kingdom of Scotland. They were lost to time ❤️
Been waiting longingly for this since the last episode dropped. I am always amazed and in awe of the humanity and connection that i feel for every civilization we have visited together. My only worry during the some times long wait between episodes is the fear that another may not come, and i pray to all the gods of all the Fallen Civilizations that such a dark day never comes to pass. Thank you so much for this phenomenal podcast, this is the passion and humanity that we can always use more of in history education.
Such lovely Intro music! Such rich content. Absolutely stunning channel.
this is greek fire. I absolutely love your work and it seems to always be improving. I love the recent videos you've been making as well
I am no expert but I think oil burns like Greek Fire. Oil is a sprayable flammable liquid. And since Greeks mined metals like gold iron, and tin why not have oil wells.
that was immensely exciting. I love every minute of this!!
simply the best history content on youtube
This is amazing. You should consider getting together with Robin Pearson, who's been doing the History of Byzantium podcast for years now. I think you'd find you have a lot in common in your view of the importance of Byzantium's legacy.
Got a link for the podcast? I realize I could google but I wanna make sure I get the right one.
I loved how the first several episodes had images to go along with them and I'm missing them from these past few.
I'm pretty late to the party, but I just have to say that when the Song of Seikilos came on near the end (when you where describing what happened to the people after Constantinople fell (3:14:50 or so)), it made me feel some feelings. This was a really fascinating and well made podcast, thank you for putting it together. (For the record, the lyrics of the Song of Seikilos are: While you live, shine have no grief at all life exists only for a short while and Time demands his due* *via Wikipedia)
It is a beautiful piece of music! Thanks go to Pavlos Kapralos for his wonderful rendition.
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These are very well produced podcasts. I hope this team gets picked up by Netflix to do some work for them.
Netflix Sux
I knew you wouldn't disappoint me! This is quality content!
Hands down. The best written podcasts on the net.
I never knew learning could be so relaxing and engaging until I found this channel
Interesting history on the Hagia Sophia and prudent timing with it just being reverted from museum to mosque
"Eustathius of Thessalonica ; c. 1115 - 1195/6) was a Byzantine Greek scholar and ARCHBISHOP of Thessalonica. disambiguates the distinction in his account of the sack of Constantinople in 1204 by referring to the invaders with the generic term "Latins", encompassing all adherents to the Roman Catholic Church, and THE "HELLENES" AS THE DOMINANT POPULATION OF THE EMPIRE." Espugnazione di Thessalonica, Palermo 1961, p. 32
Oh how I wish this was a visual documentary!:)
Coming soon!
@@FallofCivilizations 🥰🥰
P.S. in that ancient ruin, the oval stadium that those popular chariot races were run, in the center are the remains of a tall, bronze snake tripod, in very bad shape, but the Romans had taken it from Delphi, moved it there, during Constantine's reign, I think, when he changed the capital, remade the city.
its near the obeliisce right?
Susan McDonald I saw that bronze snake myself. If you look closely you can see Greek writing which is the name of the cities and towns that provided troops for the Greek coalition that defeated the Persians 2,500 years ago
"The Byzantine empire was clearly, despite its multinational dimension, a Greek empire while its neighbours considered it so, and whose unity was based on the power of authority, in the dominance of Orthodoxy and the use of Greek as the official language." Sylvain Gouguenheim, "La gloire des Grecs", 2017, pp.73
Constantinople, city of Constantine, "polis" Greek, Byzantium began earlier as a Greek colony, before there was a Roman Empire.
I loved the method of presenting wonderful documentaries. I felt for a moment that I had lived in a bygone era. I heard all the episodes of the fall of civilizations, so that I replayed some of them to listen to them again. Thank you.
Great thanks for this marvellous podcast! I have read a number of books and saw some documentations in the past 20 years about related history, but I cannot remember one of them putting it together so brilliantly like You did!
Visit
Thank you so much Paul for presenting this rich history to all of us. Your podcasts continue to educate and humble me as I learn the history of our civilization.
Km 9nnn😊nn9n nnknnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnn😊😊
Wow you really out done yourself here! I absolutely love Byzantine history. You tell its history in such a captivating way; adding in music and even sound effects adds such a nice atmosphere to everything! Well done! This is for sure one of my favorite channels on KZhead :)
Its rotten
Yeah finally a new episode! And it's a long one :) can't get enough of your content! I have listened to all your episodes multiple times!
Best history lessons ever. Thank you.
the ending to this ep brought me to tears
This is an awesome surprise! Can't wait.
I’ve been waiting so long for another one of these, thanks so much for the great work!!!
Brilliant! I've been to Istanbul six times and have studied its history, but you make it come alive as NO ONE ELSE. Thank you!
thank you so much, my Husband and i look forward to your podcasts!
Hope you both enjoy!
@@FallofCivilizations we always do, thanks to everyone's hard work. ❤️
I thoroughly enjoy your videos. Your passion for story telling, blend of deep cuts of historical events and unheard details from the mouths of the people who experienced them are the pinnacle of historical documentaries. ❤ it Thank you
Thank you very much!
Glad to see you back!
Finally something on KZhead with millions of views that deserves to have millions of views.
Absolutely love your podcasts, I've heard multiple times, and even rewatched the reuploaded ones :D you do amazing work, hope you keep it up Until there is no empire left for you to review :D
Thank you Jordan, really glad you've been enjoying!
Wow, just when I thought this channel couldn't get any better you come out with a more in depth longer format! Could you do one on the collapse of the Mongol empire in the future? That would be awesome!
One of the most well presented,informative and moving documentaries Ive every listened to.Bravo!
My favourite podcast! Thanks for the new episode! I've listened twice to all the previous ones.
when my mom enters the room and asks me why are you crying so much
Me too!
NGL, that was me with the end of the Sumerians and the epic of Gilgamesh at the end (with that sad music accompanying especially!)
@@maligjokica y