In AD 410, Alaric the Visigoth sacked Rome. It was the first time in 800 years that the city had fallen. Find out in this episode why and how it happened. For a free ebook, maps and blogs check out my website nickholmesauthor.com Find my latest book, The End of Antiquity, on Amazon. For German listeners, find the German translation of the first book in my se ... Show More
Dec 2022
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 48 "Was Climate Change Rome's Real Killer?"
In this episode, we reflect on the reasons for the sack of Rome in AD 410, and ask whether climate change on the steppe-lands of Asia was the ultimate cause?For a free ebook, maps and blogs check out my website nickholmesauthor.comFind my latest book, The End of Antiquity, on Ama ... Show More
17m 3s
Dec 2022
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 49 "Restoring the Roman Name?"
The year is AD 410. Rome has been sacked. Is this the end of the western empire? Not yet. And the next few years will be full of surprises. For a free ebook, maps and blogs check out my website nickholmesauthor.comFind my latest book, The End of Antiquity, on Amazon. For German l ... Show More
22m 14s
Aug 2025
BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT - 'The End of Antiquity' Book 5 in The Fall of the Roman Empire
Although I’m no longer making new episodes of this podcast, I thought you might be interested in my latest book, called The End of Antiquity, which relates particularly well to the content in this podcast since it’s about the rise of Islam in the seventh century AD and the collap ... Show More
1m 53s
Aug 2017
Anthony Kaldellis, “Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: The Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade” (Oxford UP, 2017)
In the 10th century, a succession of Byzantine rulers reversed centuries of strategic policy by embarking on a series of campaigns that dramatically reshaped their empire. This effort and its consequences for the history of the region is the focus of Anthony Kaldellis‘s Streams o ... Show More
56m 57s
Aug 2024
The Fall of Roman Britain
<p>By 410 AD, over 450 years after Julius Caesar first landed on its shores, the Romans had formally withdrawn from Britain. Burdened by military threats and political upheaval on the continent, the empire began to contract in on itself. The Romano-Britons were left to fend for t ... Show More
36m 10s
Sep 2025
Who Was Muhammad II Fatih?
<p>The fall of Constantinople in 1453 marked the end of the Roman Empire after more than 2,000 years and the rise of the Ottomans as a dominant global power. Dr. Roy explores the centuries of turmoil that led to this moment: Mongol invasions, the Black Death, fractured kingdoms, ... Show More
59m 10s
Jul 2025
The Roman Conquest of the Hellenistic World
<p>For most of its history, Rome barely bothered with the Greek east. Then, quite suddenly, Rome exploded onto the scene, laying low the two most powerful Hellenistic warrior-kings of the past century. Within ten years, Rome became the undisputed hegemonic power of the Mediterran ... Show More
43m 35s
Oct 20
358. History of Rome (English Vocabulary Lesson)
When you imagine the city Rome, what comes to mind? Maybe the Colosseum, the Vatican, one of the largest empires in history, or delicious pasta? Rome isn’t just Italy’s capital; it’s also one of the most influential cities in human history. In today’s Thinking in English episode, ... Show More
21m 16s
Sep 2025
History of Ancient Rome, Part 1 of 2 - The Republic
This sleepy story about the History of Ancient Rome is the first of two parts, because there were too many things to say for one single episode. The next part about the end of the Republic and the Empire will be out soon. In this episode, I tell you about the origins of Rome, its ... Show More
1h 19m
Sep 2024
Love, Betrayal, and the Battle for Rome (Replay)
HISTORY This Week returns with new episodes starting September 16th! In the meantime, listen to a favorite classic from the archives.
September 2, 31 BCE. Two camps prepare for battle off the coast of Greece. On one side is Octavian, Julius Caesar’s heir apparent. On the other, ... Show More
40m 48s