The Dark Ages Podcast

542-543 In Belisarius’ absence, the Byzantine’s greed and incompetence create a space for the Ostrogoths to launch a comeback. Under their new leader, Totila, they enjoy stunning success in a series of battles and sieges that carries them to the walls of Naples, and all the way to the very southern corners of Italy. There’s merch now: darkagespod-shop.fourthwall.com Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/05/18/67-totila-and-the-ostrogothic-resurgence/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

540 to 541 We return to Italy, where Belisarius had the Ostrogoths on the ropes… until he didn’t. Leadership failures on both sides result in a renewal of conflict and the appearance of a new power among the Ostrogoths. There’s merch now: darkagespod-shop.fourthwall.com Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/03/06/66-when-the-generals-away/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

90% of the population of Europe was made up of rural peasants. By the end of Roman rule in the West, only some of those peasants had been fully Christianized. This episode is about the efforts by the Church to spread its message to the peasantry, and how it changed in the process. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/02/18/65-church-and-people/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional music by Ensemble Organum Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

The process of fragmentation that followed the fall of the west affected the Church just as much as it did other parts of society, and there was a process of remaking. What emerged was not the behemoth we may imagine when we think of the medieval church, all under the control of the pope. All the bishops and priests recognized that they were brothers in the same family, they would have been horrified at the idea of there being separate churches; but they would have equally been nonplussed at the idea that they were all subject to the central authority of the pope. This episode takes a stab at describing how the popes saw their role, and how very differently the church functioned in actual practice. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/02/11/64a-church-and-state/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By…

584 to 612 Part three of a two-part series on the life and times of Queen Brunhilda of Austrasia sees the her emerge fully as a player in Frankish and European politics. Her influence is felt across three generations of leaders, though ultimately she comes to an unpleasant end. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/01/27/63-slay-queen/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

577 to 587 Part two of Queen Brunhilda’s biography covers the conflict between her husband and his father and strife between the Queen and the nobles around her son. We also talk about her role sponsor of cultural activities, and how those had changed in the hundred years since the end of Empire. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/31/episode-62-widow-and-regent/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

480 CE A pre-Christmas ghost story. Excavation of a fortification on a Swedish island reveals a spasm of violence that wiped out an entire settlement. The finds shed light on life in the fifth century, while the circumstances of its ending is a mystery. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/22/the-sandby-borg-massacre/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ “Nu-Flute” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

567 to 577 Part one of life of Brunhilda, the Visigothic princess who was regent for three generations of Merovingian rulers. Autochthonous : adj. Native to the place it is found, i.e. indigenous. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/12/61-queen-energy/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

561 to c. 590 We take a look at the utterly baffling fraternal struggles as the descendants of Clovis continue to be unable to get along with each other or their neighbors. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/11/18/60-carry-on-my-wayward-sons/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

547-561 The two remaining Merovingian kings, Chlothar and Childebert, rule the now vast lands of the Franks, while warily eying each other. The question of inheritance hangs over everything, and one son decides to betray his father. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/11/19/59-the-life-and-lusts-of-chlothar-the-first/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

c. 500 to 590 "Bishops move diagonally. That's why they often turn up where the kings don't expect them to be." - Terry Pratchett, Small Gods Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/05/05/58-bishops-gambits/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music: Hildegard of Bingen, “Antiphon for St. Ursula” Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

516 - 548 One of the strongest of the early Merovingians, Theudebert built a powerful kingdom while squabbling with his uncles and carrying on a complicated personal life. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/04/16/57-the-life-and-loves-of-theudebert-i/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

511-532 Out of the four sons of Clovis, not one of them was the type to stay at home, or to be content with what he had. In this episode, we’ll abandon chronological accuracy for the moment, to tell stories of each of these kings. Violence, mostly. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

c. 450 - c. 600 When Clovis, king of the Franks, died in 511, he passed on to his sons a huge territory, containing many millions of people. In this episode, we take a look at those people, how they made their livings, and how they organized society around them. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod https://www.museedestempsbarbares.fr/le-village-franc/ Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/03/03/the-kingdoms-of-francia/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Basque-ing in Glory 4000 BCE to c. 700 CE The Western Pyrenees are home to the Basques, a mysterious community who speaks a unique language, and who have been there … for as long as anyone can tell. In this episode we’ll explore their history up through the seventh century, and their relationship to the people who have come and gone around them. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2025/01/31/54-basque-ing-in-glory/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Of Outstanding Goodness 586 to 601 CE Reccared takes the throne and makes a momentous change. The Visigothic kingdom becomes unified under one religion and climbs to a new level of stability and security. Webpage for this Episode Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

A Saintly Prince 578 to 586 CE Religious differences lead to rebellion and murder, as a Visigothic prince becomes a martyr for Catholicism… or does he? Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/12/30/52-a-saintly-prince/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

A strong king emerges in Visigothic Hispania, who moves to reform his kingdom and push to develop a new identity. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/12/16/51-liuvigild-and-the-search-for-unity/ Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Five Kings and Some Romans 513 to 552 CE Putting on the afterburners to get through about fifty years of Visigothic history, as the Balt dynasty runs out into the sand, and uncertainty and internal division opens the door to outside powers. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/07/21/50-five-kings-and-some-romans/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Conquest and Crisis: Visigoth Hispania, Pt. 1 456 to 513 CE After beating up on the Suevi it was the Visigoths’ turn to be beaten up by the Franks. After years of expansion, the Visigoths are forced to realign themselves south, under a new, unlucky king. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/07/02/conquest-and-crisis-visigoth-hispania-pt-1/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

The Kingdom of the Suevi C.418 to 470 The Suevi have been the unloved stepchildren of the Dark Ages Podcast for far too long, and finally get their own episode! They’re going to have to be happy with it because I don’t see anything else coming their way. We’ll trace their origins in the forests of Germania, their establishment of a kingdom in northwestern Hispania, and the fortunes of their three most successful kings, before it all turns to mush in the end. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2024/06/17/48-the-kingdom-of-the-suevi/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

C.406 to 452 And we’re back! Thank you to everyone for your patience and kind emails and messages, they meant a lot to me and kept me motivated to come back. Hispania was a peaceful and prosperous part of the Roman Empire for much of its history, and a popular retirement destination. The arrival of the Vandals, Suevi, and Alans, followed by the Visigoths, put all that peace and tranquility firmly in the rear view mirror. Webpage for this Episode darkagespod.com/2024/06/10/47-roman-hispania/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

The Fall of Italy March 538 - May 540 The Gothic War grew in intensity after the siege of Rome, and Belisarius had to deal with threats both from without and from within his own army as he fought to bring it to a successful conclusion. The war spread across northern Italy, with devastating consequences for the civilian populace. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Wives, Lovers, and The Worst Year Ever This episode is all over the place. It features marital infidelity, official corruption, Swiss glaciers, an Icelandic volcano, and an attempt at an Irish accent that inevitably slides into a Scottish one in less than four words. Enjoy. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

What happens when I wander off topic into the wilds of Magical Practice in Byzantine Egypt? You get a bonus episode, that’s what! This one explores a story of one particular Egyptian saint, and the strange case of the woman transformed into a horse. It’s just a bit of anthropological fun. We’ll be back to Belisarius in the next episode. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Other Music: "Ritual" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Rites" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Shaving Mirror" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And…

November 536 to March 538 Belisarius continues moving up the Italian Peninsula, to bring his army to attack the greatest prize: Rome itself. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Theodahad’s Thirty Pigs 535 to 536 The death of Amalasuintha triggered the Gothic Wars, wherein the Eastern Empire, under Justinian, attempted to claw back what it had lost in Italy. This episode follows the war up to the siege of Naples by Belisarius in the autumn of 536. Transcript Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

Queen of the Goths 526 to 535 The death of Theodoric brought his youngest daughter Amalasuintha to power, as regent to her son Athalaric. She was the first queen of a post Roman state to openly wield authority, and inherited a realm divided against itself. This episode tells her story. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music: "I Walk With Ghosts", by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "The Epic 2" by Rafael Krux Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Music promoted on https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "Nordic Wist" and "Pippin the Hunchback" by Kevin MacLeod (https://www.incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative…

September 533 - March 534 Things go from bad to worse for the Vandals in Africa. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

533 The first of Justinian’s wars in the West begins, as Belisarius leads an army to Africa. Early victory makes the war seem like a slam dunk, and Procopius is there to tell us all about it. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

518 to 532 Justinian is probably the best-known “Byzantine” emperor to the general public. We’ll introduce the man and some of his circle, and explore some of the most important events at the beginning of his reign. Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

476 to 533 The Vandal Kingdom has had its ups and its downs since the fall of the West. Four kings work to maintain Gaiseric’s legacy in the face of a hostile populace and a looming threat in the East. Website for this episode Instagram Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

490ish to 526 A whirlwind tour around Europe, checking in on what’s been going on in the years up to Theodoric’s death. Webpage for this episode Instagram https://darkagespod.com/2023/07/11/2-14-consolidation-and-conversion/ Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

493 (maybe?) to 511 We finish off the career of Clovis I, and then backtrack to talk about his conversion to Catholicism, and what it all meant. Webpage for this episode Instagram Facebook Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

486 to 508 Clovis and his army carve a new thing, called France, out of old Roman Gaul. Webpage for this episode Instagram Facebook Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

c. 400 to 486 CE We review the sources for the reign of Clovis the First, and review the scenario in northern Gaul when he came to power. Webpage for this episode Instagram Facebook Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

The legends and literature that came out of the Dark Ages are rich and stirring tales of heroism that have inspired both great art and terrible crimes. In this episode, I retell three stories from the many contained in the sagas and epics of Germany and Scandinavia. Transcript Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)Incidental Music:"Pippin the Hunchback" by Kevin MacLeod (https://freepd.com)"Hidden Past" by Kevin MacLeod (https://filmmusic.io/u/kmac)"Temple of the Manes" by Kevin MacLeod (https://filmmusic.io/u/kmac)"Nordic Wist" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)"The Ice Giants" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"Rulers of our Lands" by Rafael Krux (https://freepd.com/)"Rites" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com)"Combat Theme #2" by Andrew Sitkov Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

511 to 526 CE "Lying in a featherbed will not bring you fame, nor staying beneath the quilt, and he who uses up his life without achieving fame leaves no more vestige of himself on earth than smoke in the air or foam upon the water." --Dante The last years of Theodoric's reign in Italy saw the erosion of confidence, and increasing internal strife, along with diplomatic reversals abroad. Episode Webpage Support the Show Sources Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

484 to 519 CE Divisions within the church have consequence for Theodoric's relationship with the Emperor. Against my better judgment, this episode is mostly about religion. So, remember when I was talking about Boethius and I mentioned the Acacian Schism, and I said it was just too obscure to get into? Well guess what? Transcript and more Support the show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

500 - 511 CE Theodoric and Cassiodorus work to prevent war in Western Europe, while crafting an image of imperial majesty. In the end, it works out pretty well for the Ostrogoths. Episode Website Sources Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

We pause to take a look at two of the most famous subjects of Theodoric the Great. Transcript for today's show. Support the podcast here. Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

493 to about 505 CE Theodoric's kingdom in Italy gets historians unreasonably excited. We'll explore how he ran it, how he turned himself from warband chief to beloved king, and how he worked to restore the glory of old. Support the Show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

488 to 493 Theodoric leads his people to Italy, to make war on Odoacer and win for himself a permanent kingdom. Transcript and Maps Here Just Maps Here Support the show Here Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sources: Heather, Peter J. The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2014. Martindale, J.R. The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. II. vol. 2, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1980. 3 vols. The Internet Archive, https://archive.org/details/prosopography-later-roman-empire/PLRE-II/mode/1up. Wolfram, Herwig. History of the Goths. Translated by Thomas Dunlap, University of California Press, 1990.

479 to 488 Rocky relations between Theodoric and Zeno lead to ups and downs for the Ostrogoths, along with many diversions and detours in their search for a stable home. Finally, an opportunity arises in Italy, and Theodoric moves boldly in the direction of one last gamble. Maps for this episode. Support the show Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com

c. 460 to 479 CE We welcome to the stage Theodoric, soon to be Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. In the process we catch up on the overwritten soap opera that was politics in Constantinople in the 470s. It’s a wild ride. Webpage for this episode Maps Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

455 to 490 CE Odoacer is a name that is little known and little celebrated. This episode illuminates the career of the soldier who closed the book on the Roman empire, who was he, and why don't we know him better? Episode Website Support the Show References Bury, John B. 1967. The Invasion of Europe by the Barbarians. Edited by Fossey John C. Hearnshaw. New York: Norton. Eugippius. 1965. Commemoratorium Severinus. Translated by Ludwig Bieler. Washington, DC: Catholic University Press. Frassetto, Michael. 2003. Encyclopedia of Barbarian Europe: Society in Transformation. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Goldsworthy, Adrian K. 2009. How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpower. New Haven: Yale University Press. Heather, Peter J. 2014. The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Wolfram, Herwig. 1997. The Roman Empire and Its Germanic Peoples. Translated by Thomas Dunlap and Thomas R. Dunlap. Berkeley: University of California Press. Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin…

This the first episode of Season 2 takes a broad look at what the waging of war looked like in the dark ages, from weapons to tactics and funding. It's good to be back. For the transcript of this episode, along with images and links, visit www.darkagespod.com. Now you can support the podcast at ko-fi.com/darkagespod, the digital tip-jar. Help me keep the lights on around here with just a few bucks, if you can. Links: Full text of "The Battle of Maldon" A reading of "The Battle of Maldon" Music: Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

474 to 476 CE In which we kill off the Western Roman Empire, and then dig through the remains to try and figure out what happened. More importantly, where do we go from here? Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod at Free Music ArchiveLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

c. 367 to c. 460 CE The much-promised episode about post Roman Britain arrives, to explore what a real Dark Age would look like. Sources Music Credits: Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod at Free Music ArchiveLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Other Music: "Pippin the Hunchback", "Nordic Wist", & "Moorland", all by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

453 CE to 460 CE Out of the wreckage of Attila's empire, new peoples emerge. New actors inject new elements into the political game of the late Roman empire British Museum entry for the Gepids, with some artefacts History Files Article and Regnal List of the Gepids Scirian Earring found at Bakod Puszta Sources Title Music:"The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod at Free Music ArchiveLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/