Diagrams: from sundials to the schematics of the Trinity, with Linda Safran
A conversation with Linda Safran on the hitherto-unexplored world of Byzantine diagrams. We talk about maps, sundials, and more abstract representations of the world and even God.
The Scottish Borders and King Malcolm Canmore, with Neil McGuigan
On this episode of Scotichronicast, Kate Buchanan talks with Neil McGuigan about the sources for borders between Scotland and England and the importance of Malcolm Canmore III as a king.
The Mongol Storm with Nicholas Morton
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Nicholas Morton about the one hundred year rise of the Mongol Empire in the Near East, why they were so effective, and why they pursued global domination.
Dinner in the Byzantine Empire
This episode of the Medieval Grad Podcast is tasty! Adam Morin discusses with Lucie Laumonier the ins and out of Byzantine cuisine. What did a Byzantine grocery list look like? And what did people eat?
The enduring power of ancient statues in Constantinople, with Paroma Chatterjee
A conversation with Paroma Chatterjee on the power that ancient statues still had in Orthodox Constantinople. In many contexts, they were more prominent than icons. We talk about some of their functions, but also why Byzantine art history is so focused on icons, which were secluded objects, in comparison.
Medieval Storytime, Knightly Edition
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle reads stories from the biographies of two of the Middle Ages’ greatest knights, William Marshal and Boucicaut, as well as revisiting the famous Combat of the Thirty.
The Battle of Nájera (1367)
The Hundred Years’ War moves to Iberia, as the French and English get involved in the Castilian Civil War. The forces would meet…
ArcheoBotany and the Secrets of Plants
Have you ever heard of archeobotany? It’s the study of ancient plants! Alice Wolff tells Lucie Laumonier about her research, which takes her from the fields to the lab.
Criminal Cases in Late Medieval Scotland, with Chelsea Larsson
Kate Buchanan is joined by Chelsea Larsson as they talk about crime and criminal cases in late medieval Scotland.
History in Three Dimensions – TEDx Revisited
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle revisits her TEDx talk, History in Three Dimensions, five years later to reflect on what’s changed in the field, to give you some of the footnotes, and to explore what couldn’t be squeezed into eighteen nerve-wracking minutes.
The Siege of Lisbon (1147)
One of the major actions of the Second Crusade took place far from the Holy Land, at the western edge of Europe. In this episode of Bow and Blade, Michael and Kelly talk about the Siege of Lisbon in 1147.
Royal Funerals – Medieval and Modern
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle reflects on the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, how it relates back to medieval royal funerals, and what traditional elements may be left behind in the future.
Crusading in the Baltic with the Teutonic Knights
What did Baltic crusaders feel when fighting on the battlefield? Or, more precisely, what were they supposed to feel, according to chroniclers? In this episode of the Medieval Grad Podcast, Lucie talks with Patrick Eickman, who studies the Baltic crusades through the fascinating lens of the history of emotions.
Embodying the Soul with Meg Leja
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Meg Leja about the relationship between bodies and souls in medical thought in the early Middle Ages, why people were meant to care deeply for both, and where medieval people believed the soul to be located in the body.
Danièle’s Tale
It’s September: a time for fresh starts, as well as a time when every career and educational decision may seem large and looming. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle shares the story of how her many false starts, successes, and failures led to her career as an indie medievalist.
The Siege of Rhodes (1522)
The Mediterranean island of Rhodes would once be the stage for the conflict between the Hospitallers and the Ottoman Empire. In this episode of Bow and Blade, Michael and Kelly talk about how Suleiman the Magnificent was able to besiege and overcome the Hospitallers and their fortress.
Your Medieval Questions Answered
This week, Danièle answers your burning medieval questions from social media and Patreon, covering everything from diapers, to sleep, to the mysterious Green Man.
Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, with Shayna Devlin
One of the powerful men in late fourteenth and early fifteenth-century Scotland was Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany. While he served as regent to three Scottish kings, he seemingly wanted even more power. In this episode of Scotichronicast, Kate Buchanan is joined by Dr. Shayna Devlin as they talk about Robert and his family.
The Deeds of Philip Augustus with Cecilia Gaposchkin and Sean Field
As a teenage king, a crusader, and a bigamist, Philip Augustus’ life story is filled with enough saintliness and scandal to satisfy the appetites of any medieval chronicler. This week, Danièle speaks with Cecilia Gaposchkin and Sean Field about the life of Philip II Augustus, as recorded by a contemporary monk.
How to be philanthropic in early Byzantine Christianity, with Dan Caner
A conversation with Dan Caner about the different kinds of charitable giving in early Byzantium. We talk about the pre-Christian background, the role of institutions, and views about wealth. Was giving primarily good for the soul of the giver, and under what conditions, or for the material assistance of the needy? How could one give to ascetics, who had renounced such needs?
Manuscript Fragments with Lisa Fagin Davis
Manuscript fragments, the lone survivors of medieval books which have been dismembered or destroyed, can be found in collections all over the world, and it takes some serious detective work to bring them back together. This week, Danièle speaks with Lisa Fagin Davis about how fragments are tracked down and reassembled, and what we can learn from these forgotten treasures of the Middle Ages.
The Battle of Towton (1461)
One of the major battles that took place during the Wars of the Roses – the Battle of Towton would take place during a snowstorm on Palm Sunday in the year 1461. In this episode of Bow and Blade, Michael and Kelly look at this conflict between the Houses of York and Lancaster.
How did most people in the Roman empire get by? with Kim Bowes
A conversation with Kim Bowes about production and consumption in the Roman world, especially by the 90% of the population who are less represented in our literary sources. How did they get by from day to day? What alternatives does the evidence suggest to the “subsistence” model that many ancient historians have used?
Going to Church in Medieval England with Nicholas Orme
During the Middle Ages, the church was at the very heart of European society, but how did ordinary people interact with it in their daily lives? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Nicholas Orme about the churchgoing experience of everyday medieval people, how it changed over time, and what it was like to attend a medieval mass.
Medieval Scottish Women with Elizabeth Ewan
On this episode of Scotichronicast, Kate is joined by Elizabeth Ewan as they talk about women in medieval Scotland, focusing on some court cases and what women did for work.