After Belisarius' heroic defense of Rome in 537-538, it looked as if there might be a rapid end to the Gothic war. But no. The Roman high command was wracked by internal division that would prolong the war and lead to the tragic sack of Milan. Check out my website nickholmesauthor.com for a free ebook, maps and blogs. Find my latest book, 'Rome and Attila' o ... Show More
Apr 2024
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 85 "The Hollow Victory"
<p>In May 540, Belisarius captured Ravenna from the Goths and took prisoner the Gothic king Wittigis. But before he could destroy the Gothic kingdom completely, he was recalled to Constantinople to face the invading Persians. In the next few years, a new Gothic king - Totila - wo ... Show More
24m 10s
Apr 2024
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 86 "The Sack of Antioch"
<p>In May 540, the unthinkable happened. The Persian shah, Chosroes, burned the Roman Empire's second city, Antioch, to the ground and butchered or enslaved its inhabitants. How did this catastrophe happen? Find out here!<br/><br/></p><p>For a free ebook, maps and blogs chec ... Show More
26m 11s
Aug 2020
The Fall of the Roman Empire
In 476, the last of the Roman emperors in the West was deposed; in 1776, historian Edward Gibbon wrote “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, and Rome’s fate became a major point of comparison for all empires. In Gibbon's view, instead of inquiring why the Rom ... Show More
39m 40s
Feb 2024
423. Carthage vs. Rome: The Wolf at the Gates (Part 3)
“Every man is the architect of his own destiny”
Long before Rome reigned over the Mediterranean, there was Carthage: the supreme predator of Antiquity. But how did Rome rise to become one of the most ruthless powers of all time, united in cold, disciplined violence? And what was ... Show More
49m 29s
Feb 2023
Heliogabalus: Rome’s scandalous emperor
The story of the Roman emperor Heliogabalus is filled with sex, death, decadence and religious extremism, but it also touches on some key questions about imperial Rome. What were the limits of political power? How far should a ruler intervene in the life of his subjects? And what ... Show More
36m 58s