Dirty Books with Kate Rudy
Through grime, stains, and wax droplets, the filthiest, most well-loved manuscripts tell us the story of how medieval people used – and abused – their books. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Kate Rudy about what we can learn from the smudges the people of the Middle Ages left behind, how modern technology helps us figure it out, and why we should all appreciate a really dirty book.
Crisis and Resilience in Late Antique Rome, with Michele Salzman
A conversation with Michele Salzman about the resilience shown by the city of Rome and its ability to recover from crisis during the fifth-seventh centuries. These recoveries were usually spearheaded by the Senate of Rome, which continued to invest in the city and its institutions even after the emperors ceased to reside there full-time.
The Battles of Thermopylae
A rather unassuming spot in Greece has seen dozens of battles throughout history. On this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries are joined by Myke Cole to talk about the book The Killing Ground: A Biography of Thermopylae, written by Michael and Myke.
Introducing the Medieval Fox with Paul Wackers
Foxes were everywhere in the medieval world and the medieval imagination. But where do the ideas we have about foxes come from? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Paul Wackers about why foxes were loved and hated in the real world, in fables, and in the Christian imagination of the Middle Ages.
Rome and the Papacy with Jessica Wärnberg
He’s one of the most powerful figures in all of Western history, with influence not only over life and death, but over the immortal souls of billions of people over thousands of years. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Jessica Wärnberg about the role of the pope, his influence on Rome, and what happens when the holiest of men isn’t quite so holy.
Inheriting the Mantle of the Roman Empire, with Nathan Aschenbrenner
A conversation with Nathan Aschenbrenner about Western European claims to the Roman imperial title, from the Middle Ages to early modernity. We also discuss some plans in the West after 1453 to reclaim the “eastern empire” and a curious history from the early sixteenth that fuses Western and Eastern imperial history into one.
Medieval Charms with Katherine Storm Hindley
Like many people today, medieval people used charms, personal talismans, and amulets to help smooth their way through life. But just who used them? How did they use them? And what did the church think about such things? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Katherine Storm Hindley about charms in the Middle Ages.
The Battle of Edington (878)
The Vikings are attacking England, and it’s up to Alfred, King of Wessex, to stop them. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly discuss this important battle in Anglo-Saxon England.
A Medieval Map of the World with Meredith Small
With a team of dedicated monks and lay brothers to help him, fifteenth-century Venetian Fra Mauro attempted to create the most accurate map of the world. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Meredith Small about this incredible mappamundi, what it contained, and how this landed Fra Mauro on the moon.
What is a battleline?
In their ninth Q&A, Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries answer listener questions about medieval military history. What do we mean when we talk about lines at a battle? Could those first into a battle survive? Are there campaigns that do not lead to battles or sieges? What was their favourite scene of medieval warfare from a film?
Justinian: statecraft, law, and self-glorification, with Peter Sarris
A conversation with Peter Sarris about the emperor Justinian (527-565), on the 401st anniversary of the rediscovery of Prokopios’ Secret History. We talk about Justinian’s goals, accomplishments, and victims, all of which continue to spark debate and controversy, just as they did during his own lifetime.
The Battle of Poitiers (1356)
In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly take another look at this important battle from the Hundred Years’ War. How do a visit to the battlefield and the writings of an Italian chronicler change their views on how Edward the Black Prince gained his victory?
Medieval Monsters with Charity Urbanski
They’re the things that go bump in the night, the creatures that storm your mead hall and eat your friends, the beings that wander restlessly from their graves. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Charity Urbanski about monsters in the medieval world.
The Discovery of Constantinople, with Sarah Bassett
A conversation with Sarah Bassett about the exploration and discovery of the antiquities of Constantinople, starting in the sixteenth century. We talk about scholars, diplomats, and archaeologists, and the intellectual trends of their times.
William of Auvergne with Lesley Smith
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Lesley Smith about William of Auvergne, the thirteenth-century upstart bishop of Paris who shaped a royal saint, changed the university forever, and gently guided the lives of ordinary Parisians with wit and compassion.
The Battle of Legnano (1176)
In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly look at how the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa and a Milanese force suddenly encounter each other in northern Italy. How would this battle change the Holy Roman Empire’s plans for Italian conquest?
Carrying and Moving in the Middle Ages
In a time and place with a serious lack of pockets and built-in shelving, how and where did people carry and store their everyday stuff? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle takes a look at carrying, packing, and moving in the Middle Ages.
Who is ‘Islamic History’ about?, with Christian Sahner
A conversation with Christian Sahner about the notion of Islamic history as a field of study. What does it prioritize, who does it tend to see most, and what about everyone else? No field-name is perfect; they all have advantages and disadvantages, and we need to be clear-eyed about them.
Eleanor of Aquitaine with Karen Sullivan
She’s one of the most well-known figures in history: married to two kings, mother to three, and a powerful duchess in her own right. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Karen Sullivan about the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine, her famous – and infamous – relationships, and what makes her such a fascinating subject for historians and fiction writers alike.
The Battle of Nisa (1062)
It is a clash between Viking kings, as Harald Hardrada of Norway faces off against Sweyn II of Denmark. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly discuss this naval battle and how it was told by the Icelandic writer Snorri Sturluson.
Justice, Politics, and Death in Medieval Ireland with Joanna MacGugan
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Joanna MacGugan about how the justice system worked in Ireland under medieval English rule, how communities shaped justice, and what this meant when a person was faced with capital punishment.
Shifty Greeks, Arrogant Latins: Polemical authors and the schism of the Churches, with Alessandra Bucossi
A conversation with Alessandra Bucossi about the text “Against the Greeks” and “Against the Latins” that were produced by writers taking sides in the Schism of the Churches (Rome and Constantinople, of Greek and Latin, or Catholic and Orthodox, as we would call them today). There are many of these texts and they contain fascinating material, but have yet to receive the attention they deserve. Alessandra is our guide through the jungle.
2023: The Year in Review for Medievalists
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle explores the big medieval news stories of 2023 in conversation with Peter Koniezcny, editor of Medievalists.net.
The Battle of Bannockburn (1314)
The most famous battle in Scottish history took place at Bannockburn in 1314. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries examine how Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, was able to defeat the English led by King Edward II.
Medieval Europe without a “core”, with Christian Raffensperger
A conversation with Christian Raffensperger — one hundred episodes after our previous one! — on medieval European rulership from Iberia and Scandinavia to Rus’ and Constantinople. We talk about succession and co-rulership and titles in ways that don’t prioritize the British, French, and German models.