Podcast
Tides of History
Everywhere around us are echoes of the past. Those echoes define the boundaries of states and countries, how we pray and how we fight. They determine what money we spend and how we earn it at work, what language we speak and how we raise our children. From Wondery, host Patrick Wyman, PhD (“Fall Of Rome”) helps us understand our world and how it got to be the way it is.
Episodes
Introducing One Plus One
Feb 19 2019
Every great collaboration is a love story. It’s intense. Passionate. Along the way, there are flashes of love, hate, pride, ego, ambition, and brilliance. This is One Plus One, the show about the spark that drives two original thinkers to ultimate success. We’ll unearth the stories of Paul McCartney & John Lennon, Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera, Beyonce & Jay-Z, Shaq & Kobe, and many more, and learn what it is about their chemistry that led them to greatness. Subscribe to One Plus O...more
The Rise and Fall of Burgundy
Feb 14 2019
The Valois dukes of Burgundy were kings in all but name. Originally a branch of the French royal family, they fought for control of the French crown, accumulated vast lands, and nearly carved out a kingdom for themselves in the borderlands between France and the Holy Roman Empire. But eventually their ambition stretched too far, and they disappeared in a haze of gunpowder and blood.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Quip - Go to GetQuip.com/TIDES and get your first refill pack free!Ube...more
Game of Thrones and Late Medieval Politics
Feb 07 2019
Surprise: Patrick loves Game of Thrones. Bigger surprise: GoT is actually a pretty accurate portrayal of late medieval politics - except for the dragons. Patrick's friend Albro Lundy, a very funny and smart TV writer, joins us to talk about it. Follow him on Twitter @bromanconsul.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!You can find all episodes of Tides of History 6 months and older, plus ad-free new episodes, only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go to stitcherpre...more
Civil Wars and Political Breakdowns in Late Medieval Europe
Jan 24 2019
The Wars of the Roses are infamous, but practically every European kingdom, not just England, was wracked by serious bouts of infighting in the second half of the 15th century. In a time period known for the growth of state power, why were there so many civil wars - and why were they all happening at the same time?Support this show by supporting our sponsors!SimpliSafe - Protect your fortress! Go to simplisafe.com/TIDESLinkedIn - Get $50 off your first job post at LinkedIn.com/TIDES
The Wars of the Roses, II
Jan 17 2019
By 1461, the Wars of the Roses had already claimed thousands of lives and shaken England's political system to its foundations. The bloodiest battle ever fought in England would soon follow, along with decades more of instability and periodic crisis.Love Tides of History? You can follow Patrick on Twitter @Patrick_Wyman and Leah at @leahgoeswhere. You can follow the show @TidesHistory. Send us your questions and love letters! If you have hate mail address it to: Tides of History, Attn: Charles, ...more
The Wars of the Roses
Jan 10 2019
The Wars of the Roses brought what had once been Europe’s most stable and well-governed kingdom to its knees. Weakness at the center, in the form of the useless King Henry VI, reverberated outwards throughout the political system. Could England survive Henry VI, and at what cost?Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Quip - Visit GetQuip.com/TIDES to get your Quip toothbrush, and your first refill pack is free!Simplisafe - Protect your kingdom! Visit Simplisafe.com/TIDES to learn more.
The Reformation, Live from Boston
Dec 20 2018
Leah and I had the opportunity to give a public talk at the Sound Education Conference at Harvard. We talked about the Reformation, why it matters, and how historians think about it today.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Hair Club for Men - Visit HairClub.com/TIDES for a free hair analysis and free kit.The Art of Shaving - The perfect shave is here. Get 15% off your first order by using the promo code "TIDES" at checkout online or in the store.
Archaeology Rules with Raksha Dave!
Dec 13 2018
YES we're talking to THAT Raksha Dave, the one from Time Team, Patrick and Leah's favorite show! She tells us about her future digs, all the cool stuff she's done since Time Team, how she became an archaeologist, and why we should all treat old stuff with respect.Follow Raksha on Twitter!Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Give the gift everyone is buzzing about this year - visit GetQuip.com/TIDES for your first refill pack free!You can listen to Mythology wherever you listen to Tides o...more
Vlad the Impaler and the Legend of Dracula
Dec 06 2018
Medieval politics, full of assassinations and betrayal, was not for the faint of heart. But even within that landscape, one man stands out for his cruelty: Vlad the Impaler, prince of Wallachia, the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Count Dracula. This episode examines the real person behind the legend and the world that made him.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Boll & Branch - Get $50 off your first set of sheets at BollandBranch.com and use Promo Code "Tides" at checkout.
George Washington and the End of the Revolution: An Interview with Author Nathaniel Philbrick
Nov 29 2018
Nathaniel Philbrick - one of Patrick's favorite authors of popular history - stopped by to chat about his latest book, In the Hurricane's Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown. The bestselling author filled us in on the dramatic final days of the Revolutionary War and the strategic vision of George Washington.You can get Nat's book here.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Quip - Get your first refill pack for free by going to GetQuip.com/TIDESHair Club - Visit...more
Beer, Brewsters, and Women's Work: An Interview with Judith Bennett
Nov 15 2018
Professor Judith Bennett joined Patrick to talk about the difference between ale and beer, and how work - and women's work in particular - changed over time.Check out Judith's Books!A Medieval Life: Cecilia Penifader of Brigstock, c. 1295-1344Sisters and Workers in the Middle AgesWomen in the Medieval English Countryside: Gender and Household in Brigstock before the PlagueAle, Beer, and Brewsters in England: Women's Work in a Changing World And, the best way to support this show is by suppo...more
The Fall of Constantinople and the Tragic End of the Byzantines
Nov 08 2018
In 1453, after more than 60 years of trying, the Ottomans finally besieged and captured the city of Constantinople. This marked the end of one phase of Ottoman expansion and the beginning of another as the dominant power of the region. It was also the end of the Byzantines, the last vestige of a Roman Empire that had once stretched over the entire Mediterranean and beyond.Support our show by supporting our sponsors!Boll & Branch - Visit BollandBranch.com and use promo code "TIDES" to get $50...more
Holy War and the Rise of the Ottomans
Nov 01 2018
The Ottoman Empire rose from humble beginnings in Anatolia to dominate a vast swathe of territory. Holy war, gaza, was a powerful driving force behind that expansion. At the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396, Ottoman holy war clashed directly with its Christian equivalent: crusading.If you're interested in learning more, you can check out:The great book by Cemal Kafadar, Between Two WorldsIf you prefer to watch your history, try Resurrection: Ertugrul on Netflix.You are supporting this show when you s...more
Archaeology and Why It Rules
Oct 18 2018
Archaeology shows up all the time on Tides of History, and it's one of Patrick's favorite topics. Leah joins to chat about what it can tell us, how it works, and why it's so dang cool.
Heresy, Witch Hunts, and Inquisition
Oct 11 2018
The dark side of the late medieval Church was its emphasis on control and conformity. A concept of orthodoxy produced a conception of unacceptable difference, which manifested itself in hunts for heretics, witches, and the institution of the Inquisition.The best way to support this show is to support our sponsors, like Quip! They make a beautiful toothbrush that's easy to travel with and easy to care for, and you can get your first refill pack for FREE by going to Getquip.com/Tides.
The Trials and Tribulations of the Late Medieval Church
Oct 04 2018
The late Middle Ages were a time of upheaval for the universal Church, caught between the glories and overwhelming power of the High Middle Ages and the crisis of the Protestant Reformation.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Don't be a peasant, sleep in luxury in the finest Boll & Branch sheets! Get $50 off your first order by visiting BollandBranch.com/tides
Tides of History Book Club: Silk Roads
Oct 01 2018
Patrick and Leah talk about Peter Frankopan's The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, which Patrick didn't like very much. Critical reviews of books are just as important as glowing ones, so let's talk about that.
Interview: Historian Christopher Dyer on Peasants and the Medieval Economy
Sep 27 2018
Professor Christopher Dyer of the University of Leicester joins us to talk about why peasants mattered and how the medieval economy worked. You can check out his book, A Country Merchant, 1495-1520: Trading and Farming at the End of the Middle Ages, online.
Peasants' Rebellions and Resistance
Sep 20 2018
Peasants and common folk were oppressed by their social superiors, but they didn't accept that as a natural state of affairs: They resisted in small, everyday ways, and they rebelled, sometimes spectacularly.
Peasants and the Medieval Countryside
Sep 13 2018
Humble peasants, not knights in shining armor or fancy bishops in soaring cathedrals, were the backbone of medieval society. Let's talk about them.You can support this show by supporting our sponsors!Whether you rent your home from a feckless landlord or own it outright (you must be a noble!) the best way to protect your castle is with Simplisafe. Protect your home and family today by visiting simplisafe.com/tides
Listener Mail: Your Questions, Our Answers
Sep 06 2018
We put out the call for questions, and you guys responded. We covered a ton here, from the rise of capitalism and the subjection of medieval peasants to the Roman army and good historical fiction. Thanks to everybody who wrote in!Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Don't be a peasant, sleep in luxury in the finest Boll & Branch sheets! Get $50 off your first order by visiting BollandBranch.com/tides Want to keep up with what we're reading? The best way to do that is with Audible. Yo...more
Tides of History Book Report: The Guns of August
Aug 26 2018
Ladies and Gentlemen. Leah read a book. Well, most of a book. I think she read the book? We're discussing in detail The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman. You can download it on Audible or wherever books are sold. What should Leah read next? Let us know on Twitter - @TidesHistory or @leahgoeswhere.
Interview: Economist Jared Rubin on Islam, Christianity, and the Rise of the West
Aug 23 2018
Professor Jared Rubin of Chapman University joins us to talk about the economic divergence between Europe and the Middle East that began in the early modern period. Check out his fantastic book - Rulers, Religion, and Riches: Why the West Got Rich and the Middle East Did Not.
Chivalry
Aug 16 2018
When we think of the Middle Ages, the first thing that comes to mind is usually knights in shining armor. Chivalry - the ideal of behavior that guided knights - was a major force in medieval life. Honor and piety, bravery and reputation: these were core values for the secular elite. We explore what they actually meant to medieval people.You are directly supporting this show when you support our sponsors!Simplisafe - Try SimpliSafe risk-free by visiting SimpliSafe.com/TIDESBoll & Branch - Get...more
The Effects of the Hundred Years War
Aug 09 2018
Wars that last for a century tend to leave a mark. The Hundred Years War transformed warfare, remade England and France as states, and had a transformative impact on the subjects of both kingdoms.You are directly supporting this show when you support our sponsors! Audible is the best way to keep up with the Tides of History Book Club! Most of the titles we recommend are on Audible, including The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman for Leah's Book Report. You can get your first audiobook FREE by si...more
Tides of History Book Club: Getting Medieval with Dan Jones
Jul 30 2018
Leah and I discussed the medieval narrative histories of Dan Jones, whom I interviewed last September on Tides of History about his book The Templars. That's one of three books we discussed, all of which are available on Audible, so you should check them out.The Templars: The Rise and Fall of God's Holy WarriorsThe Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the TudorsThe Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made EnglandAnd re-listen to our interview with Dan here o...more
Interview: Historian William Chester Jordan on the Great Famine and the High Middle Ages
Jul 26 2018
Historian William Chester Jordan of Princeton University joins us to talk about his work on the Great Famine of the fourteenth century.Support us by supporting our sponsors!SimpliSafe - Order your SimpliSafe security system today and SimpliSafe will DONATE one to a family in need at SimpliSafe.com/TIDES
The Hundred Years War: Agincourt, Joan of Arc, and the Rise and Fall of English Power in France
Jul 19 2018
The second major phase of the Hundred Years War saw the peak of English power in France, controlling half of the kingdom and ruling it as a dual monarchy. But that situation couldn't last, and beginning with the miraculous intervention of Joan of Arc, English control on the continent slowly seeped away into utter defeat.Support us by supporting our sponsors! Hims - Visit ForHims.com/TIDES to get a trial month for just $5. SimpliSafe - Order your SimpliSafe system today at SimpliSafe.com/TIDES a...more
The Hundred Years War: Origins and the Triumph of England
Jul 12 2018
The Hundred Years War, fought between England and France from 1337 to 1453, defined late medieval politics and drastically changed the course of history. Today, we explore the origins of the conflict and the first six decades, from 1337 to 1396.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Boll & Branch - Get $50 off your first set of sheets by going to bollandbranch.com and using promo code TIDES.
Europe After the Black Death
Jun 28 2018
Plague, war, and a worsening climate drastically changed Europe in the years and decades after 1350. This new state of affairs laid the groundwork for the explosion around 1500 that gave rise to the modern world.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Audible - Join the Tides of History Book Club! Go to Audible.com/TIDES or text TIDES to 500-500 and your first audiobook is free with a 30-day trial of Audible.
The Black Death
Jun 21 2018
Between 1346 and 1351, the Black Death killed tens of millions of people - at least half the population - in Europe and the Middle East. This great mortality, one of the worst disasters of any era, fundamentally reshaped European society and set the stage for the world that followed.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Hims - Get a trial month of Hims for just $5 at forhims.com/TIDESBoll & Branch - Get $50 off your first order by using promo code TIDES at checkout when you visit them...more
Tides of History Book Club: Roger Crowley Takes Us To The High Seas
Jun 18 2018
This week we talked about friend of the show Roger Crowley, whom we interviewed back in April. He's a master storyteller, and luckily for us he decided to write a bunch of books for us to enjoy!Check out Roger's books on Audible!Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World (and Leah's pick for summer reading!)1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the WestCity of Fortune: How Venice Ruled the SeasConquerors: ...more
Interview: Historian and Friend of the Show Keith Pluymers on Rebellions and Popular Politics in Early Modern Europe
Jun 14 2018
Keith returns to talk to us about rebellions, revolts, and how you can have popular politics in non-democratic political systems. We also discuss trials and executions of cows (!!!) for treason and other fascinating anecdotes.
Tides of History Book Club: Chris Wickham and the Legacy of Rome
Jun 04 2018
Have you wondered about power relations between peasants and lords in Medieval Europe and the Mediterranean? We have just the author for you. Today we're talking about Patrick's favorite historian, Chris Wickham!He wrote the following books:Medieval EuropeThe Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages 400-1000Framing the Early Middle Ages: Europe and the Mediterranean, 400-800Tides of History Book Club is sponsored by Audible. Start your free trial and your first audiobook is free by going ...more
1346: Europe on the Brink
May 31 2018
Follow along on an in-depth tour of Europe on the brink of the late Middle Ages, with a changing climate, the Black Death, and the Hundred Years War peeking over the horizon.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Boll & Branch - Get $50 off your first set of sheets by going to bollandbranch.com and using promo code TIDES.
John Calvin, Henry VIII, and the Counter-Reformation
May 24 2018
The Reformation may have begun with Martin Luther, but it didn't end there. Other reformers in different parts of Europe took the threads of change in a wide variety of directions, from the Reformed movement of Zwingli and Calvin to the conservative national reform of Henry VIII in England. The traditional Church changed as well, in a flurry of dramatic shifts we call the Counter-Reformation.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Hims - Get a trial month for just $5 at forhims.com/TIDES.
Tides of History Book Club: The Old West
May 18 2018
In Part 2 of our Book Club, we explore the Old West. Thank you to Audible for sponsoring our book club! Start a 30-day free trial and get your first audiobook for FREE by visiting Audible.com/TIDES or texting TIDES to 500-500.Today we're talking about: Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History, by S.C. GwynneThe Comanche Empire, by Pekka HamalainenThe Heart of Everything That Is: The Untold Story of Red Clo...more
Martin Luther and the Early Reformation
May 17 2018
The Protestant Reformation is one of the defining processes of the last 500 years, and Martin Luther's 95 Theses kicked it off. Today, we look at the medieval background to the Reformation, the complicated character of Luther himself, and the dramatic consequences of Luther's actions.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!Boll & Branch- Get $50 off your first set of sheets by going to bollandbranch.com and using promo code TIDESBombas - Get 20% off your first purchase by going to ...more
Pea Plants, Salmon Sperm, and a Milestone for Humanity - Interview with Steven Johnson
May 10 2018
The phone in your hand is more powerful than all of the computers that put a man on the moon, combined. In the age of supercomputers, driverless cars, and mail-order DNA testing it’s easy to forget that the journey to these incredible innovations was a lot of surprising moments. We’re fascinated with the scientists, engineers and innovators who changed the world for the better… and sometimes worse. These are the leaps of mankind, as they happened.We had the chance to talk to Steven Johnson, best...more
Tides of History Book Club: Five Great Popular Histories
May 03 2018
More than anything else, we get asked two questions: “What is Patrick reading?!”; and "What would you recommend to read?" We hear you, and we’re bringing you several episodes dedicated to Patrick’s favorite books over the next few months. Today's episode is sponsored by Audible! Check out all of our books today on Audible. Go to Audible.com/TIDES to start a 30-day trial and your first audiobook is free.Today we talked about...SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, by Mary BeardThe Guns of Au...more
Interview: Historian and Author Roger Crowley on the Portuguese Voyages to India
Apr 19 2018
How and why did the Portuguese end up sailing thousands of miles from their home country to acquire the riches of the Indian Ocean? To find out, I spoke to Roger Crowley, author of the recent book Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire. We also discussed his previous books, on the early modern Mediterranean, and how to write a great historical narrative.Bombas - Save 20% on your first purchase by going to bombas.com/TIDES and enter code TIDES at checkout.First Leaf - Get your 3-...more
Columbus, Da Gama, and the Age of Discovery
Apr 12 2018
Within one fateful decade, the 1490s, Europeans burst onto the world scene: Christopher Columbus headed west across the Atlantic and came upon the Americas, while Vasco da Gama reached India. In today's episode, we try to understand these two figures, why their voyages happened so close together in that decade, and what impact they had on the world that followed.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Boll & Branch - Get $50 off your first set of sheets by going to bollandbranch.com and using ...more
Medieval Exploration and the Age of Discovery
Apr 05 2018
Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and the other important explorers of the early sixteenth century didn't appear in a vacuum; instead, their voyages were the result of centuries of slow, steady exploration in the Atlantic. In today's episode, we explore the medieval background to the Age of Discovery. Beginning in the thirteenth century, sailors had to learn winds and tides, merchants had to learn how to make profits in unfamiliar markets, and governments had to learn to exert control over ne...more
The Printing Press and the Information Revolution
Mar 22 2018
Within a few decades of its invention in the 1450s, the printing press transformed the world. It launched an information revolution, leading directly to the Protestant Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, and even the invention of news as we understand it.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Masterclass - Get an all-access pass to learn from the world's greatest minds at MasterClass.com/TidesBoll & Branch - Get $50 off your first set of sheets when you enter promo code TIDES at...more
Interview: The Washington Post's Lillian Cunningham on Presidents and the Constitution
Mar 15 2018
Today we're joined by Washington Post editor and podcaster Lillian Cunningham. Lillian has two shows that we highly recommend - Presidential and Constitutional - that trace American History and the way that our nation's past influences our present. Sound familiar? You'll love our conversation with Lillian, and you can click on her shows below to listen.Listen to Presidential.Listen to Constitutional.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Quip- Sign up and get your first refill pack free at getqui...more
Gutenberg and the Printing Press
Mar 08 2018
The printing press is one of the most important inventions in human history. It launched a communications revolution, gave us mass production of books, and even enabled political propaganda on a huge scale. In today's episode, we'll explore its inventor, Gutenberg, and how printing spread throughout Europe in the second half of the fifteenth century.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Ring - Save up to $150 on a Ring security kit at ring.com/TIDES.Helix Sleep - Get a custom mattress ...more
Interview: Historian Keith Pluymers on Environmental History and Political Ecology
Feb 22 2018
How do people interact with their environments, and how do those environments change over time? How do people respond to shifts in climate and the scarcity of resources? Dr. Keith Pluymers, soon to be professor of history at Illinois State University, drops by to discuss environmental history, the Atlantic World, and the politics of ecology.
Why Did the Roman Empire Fall, and Why Does It Matter?
Feb 15 2018
Did the Roman Empire ever actually fall? Some historians don't think so, for good reasons. In today's episode, we finish our conversation on why I believe the Roman Empire actually fell, why that happened, and why it matters in the grand scheme of things. If you only take one thing away from our time in Rome, remember this: What's extraordinary about the Roman Empire is not that it fell, but that it existed and held together as long as it did. Ave atque vale!Support us by supporting our sponsor...more
Decline, Fall, or Transformation?
Feb 08 2018
Did the Roman Empire ever actually fall? Some historians don't think so, and say its end is better described as a long transformation. Others say that the question itself misses the point, and prefer to discuss a long Late Antiquity of religious and cultural dynamism. In today's episode, we explore those perspectives and why I still think there was a real fall of the Roman Empire.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Boll & Branch - Get $50 off your first set of sheets when you enter pr...more
Life in Renaissance Florence
Jan 25 2018
What was it like to have a front-row seat to the explosion of learning, art, and culture in Renaissance Florence? In this episode, we follow two people as they lived in the linked worlds of business and humanistic learning in the fifteenth century. These early knowledge workers combined a genuine interest in the wisdom of the classical past with a practical desire for the skills that would help them rise up the economic and social ladder.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Quip - Get your firs...more
The Renaissance
Jan 11 2018
The Renaissance is still with us today. It shapes our sense of what art is, our ideas of education, our understanding of historical time, and even our political concepts. But the Renaissance didn't arrive out of nowhere: It grew out of a specific place and time, the wealthy and urban Italy of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.Thank you to our sponsors:Boll & Branch - Get $50 off your first set of sheets when you enter code TIDES at:bollandbranch.com. Hello Fresh - Take $30 off your firs...more
Interview: Historian Kyle Harper on Disease, Climate and the Fall of the Roman Empire
Jan 04 2018
How did a changing climate and plague play into the fall of the Roman Empire? I'm joined by Kyle Harper, Professor of Classics at the University of Oklahoma, to discuss his important new book The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHWatch the trailer for Darkest Hour: http://bit.ly/2uH7nAtThank you to our sponsors:Hello Fresh - Take $30 off your first week of meals when you enter code TIDES30 at:www.hellofre...more
Interview: Historian Peter Mancall on Monsters, the Atlantic World, and Early Modernity
Dec 29 2017
Why did sixteenth-century maps of the Atlantic Ocean prominently feature monsters? How did early modern people imagine the world around them? What does "early modern" mean, anyway? To find out, I talked to Peter Mancall, the Mellon Professor of the Humanities at USC and director of the USC-Huntington Early Modern Studies Institute and the author of the recently released Nature and Culture in the Early Modern Atlantic.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHWatch the ...more
Interview: Actor Gary Oldman from "Darkest Hour" on History and Film
Dec 21 2017
For much of the general public, fictional portrayals (rather than nonfiction history) dominate their understanding of the past. We had the opportunity to talk to Actor Gary Oldman and Screenwriter Anthony McCarten about that. The conversation covered history, film and how they recreated Winston Churchill's first month as Prime Minister in the tense weeks of May 1940 in the new film "Darkest Hour." You can see "Darkest Hour" in theaters everywhere on December 22.Subscribe today so you never miss ...more
Natural Disasters and the End of the Roman Empire
Dec 14 2017
Justinian was the last great Roman emperor, but his reign was plagued by disasters beyond his control: volcanic eruptions, a changing climate, and a plague of epic proportions. Those disasters created a turning point that we can, with good reason, call the end of the Roman Empire.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Hello Fresh - Take $30 off your first week of meals when you enter code TIDES30 at:www.hellofresh.comSquarespace - Get a fre...more
Justinian the Great and the Reconquest of the Western Empire
Dec 07 2017
Justinian is one of the defining figures of the Roman Empire. In many ways, he marks the boundary between Antiquity and the Middle Ages. In this episode, we explore his ambitious reform program and his reconquest of the lost provinces of the West.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Hello Fresh - Take $30 off your first week of meals when you enter code TIDES30 at:www.hellofresh.comSquarespace - Get a free trial and save 10% when you laun...more
How Latin Became the Romance Languages
Nov 23 2017
How did Latin splinter into the Romance languages? In this episode, we explore how Latin transformed from a single, widely dispersed language into a series - French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian, and so on - of related but no longer mutually intelligible tongues.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Hello Fresh - Take $30 off your first week of meals when enter code TIDES30 at:www.hellofresh.comSquarespace - Get a free trial and ...more
Big Business, Small Business, and the Rise of Capitalism
Nov 16 2017
What was it like to live through huge economic upheavals? To find out, we follow a Venetian merchant and banker and an English farmer and wool trader in the years between 1350 and 1520.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Audible - Try audible free and get a free audio book when you visit them here:www.audible.com/tidesSquarespace - Get a free trial and save 10% when you launch your domain here:www.squarespace.com/tidesZip Recruiter - Lea...more
The Rise of Capitalism and the Early Modern Economic Explosion
Nov 09 2017
Out of the disasters of the Black Death and the economic recession that followed grew the roots of the economic innovations that still define our world today. From credit instruments to the capitalist mindset, the years between 1350 and 1650 built the institutions that eventually led to an economy that's recognizably our own.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Audible - Try audible free and get a free audio book when you visit them here:...more
Interview: Christianizing the Roman Empire with Professor Lisa Bitel
Nov 02 2017
How did the Roman Empire, and barbarian Europe after it, become Christian? To find out, I talked to Professor Lisa Bitel of the University of Southern California, a world-class expert on medieval Christianity and Christian conversion.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Audible - Try audible free and get a free audio book when you visit them here:www.audible.com/tidesSquarespace - Get a free trial and save 10% when you launch your domain ...more
The Decline and Fall of the Roman City
Oct 19 2017
Cities were what made the Roman world Roman, but as the Empire fell apart, so did its cities. They shrank drastically or disappeared entirely between 400 and 600. In today's episode, we'll find out how and why.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Audible - Try audible free and get a free audio book when you visit them here:www.audible.com/tidesSquarespace - Get a free trial and save 10% when you launch your domain here:www.squarespace.com...more
The Roman City
Oct 12 2017
Cities were what made the Roman world, well, Roman. They were centers of culture and political life, and they were the bedrock that tied together its economy. Today we'll explore how those cities came into being, what sustained them, and what made them so important to the Roman Empire.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Audible - Try audible free and get a free audio book when you visit them here:www.audible.com/tidesSquarespace - Get a ...more
Interview: Historian Dan Jones on the Knights Templar
Oct 05 2017
I'm joined by historian Dan Jones, author of some of the best popular history out there (The Wars of the Roses, The Plantagenets) to discuss his new book on the fascinating Knights Templar (The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors). We discuss the Templars, the Crusades, and what's familiar and foreign about the Middle Ages.Check out Dan's new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Templars-Rise-Spectacular-Fall-Warriors/dp/0525428305/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1507135075&am...more
Interview: Dr. Jennifer Raff on DNA and History
Sep 21 2017
I'm joined by Dr. Jennifer Raff, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Kansas, to discuss her work with DNA. Dr. Raff explains how DNA is rewriting our understanding of prehistory and migration and changing everything we thought we knew about the deep past.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Audible - Try audible free and get a free audio book when you visit them here:www.audible.com/tidesSquarespace - Get a free trial...more
Life as a Mercenary in the Military Revolution
Sep 14 2017
The Military Revolution transformed warfare, but what was it like to be one of the soldiers who experienced those enormous changes? We follow the lives and careers of two English archers in the late stages of the Hundred Years War and two German mercenaries around 1500 to try to understand what the Military Revolution meant for real people.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Texture - Get a 14-day free trial with access to thousands of o...more
The Military Revolution, 1350-1650
Sep 07 2017
As the fifteenth century turned into the sixteenth, warfare was transformed. Cannon made castles obsolete, and firearms and pikes displaced knights as the dominant force on the battlefield. Most of all, the scale of war grew infinitely larger, with a correspondingly greater impact on society as a whole.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Texture - Get a 14-day free trial with access to thousands of online magazines here:www.texture.com/t...more
Interview: Podcaster and Author Mike Duncan on the End of the Roman Republic
Aug 24 2017
I'm joined by Mike Duncan, host of The History of Rome and Revolutions podcast and author of the upcoming book The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic. We discuss his new book - which is excellent! - along with whether the United States is Rome, the practice of history, storytelling, and much more.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Texture - Get a 14-day free trial with access to thousands of online ma...more
How the Eastern Roman Empire Survived Attila the Hun and the Disastrous Fifth Century
Aug 17 2017
While the western half of the Roman Empire was collapsing, the east managed to weather the storm of the disastrous fifth century. In this episode, we examine how and why it survived Attila the Hun and a host of other problems through the eyes of a family of soldiers and bureaucrats.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Texture - Get a 14-day free trial with access to thousands of online magazines here:www.texture.com/tidesSquarespace - Get...more
Why Didn't the Eastern Roman Empire Fall?
Aug 10 2017
When we talk about the fall of the Roman Empire, we're only talking about the western half - France, Spain, Italy, North Africa, and Britain. The eastern half of the Roman Empire survived the disastrous fifth century and would last in one form or another until 1453. What was so special about the eastern half of the Roman Empire, and how did it avoid the fate of its western cousin?Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Texture - Get a 14-day...more
The Rise of the State
Jul 20 2017
We take for granted that central governments - sovereign states - are the ultimate political force in the world, but it wasn't always this way. Between 1350 and 1650, this form of government vanquished city-states, town leagues, and smaller lordships to dominate first Europe and then the world. In this episode of Tides of History, we explore how that happened.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Texture - Get a 14-day free trial with...more
The Ebb and Flow of History
Jul 20 2017
History shapes our world in ways both seen and unseen. In the introductory episode of Tides of History, we explore two major tides - the Fall of Rome and the Rise of the Modern World - and why history matters in the here and now.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/TOHThank you to our sponsors:Texture - Get a 14-day free trial with access to thousands of online magazines here:www.texture.com/tidesSquarespace - Get a free trial and save 10% when you launch your d...more
Introducing Tides of History
Jul 07 2017
History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme, said Mark Twain. From the fall of the Roman Empire to the rise of the modern world: history ebbs and flows over the centuries, driven by great tides of economic, social, political, religious, and cultural change that shape the world and everyone who lives on it. In this new series from Wondery, PhD historian Patrick Wyman (Fall of Rome) brings the cutting edge of that history to listeners in plain, relatable English. Premieres July 20t...more