Eunuchs were prominent figures in T&J era Byzantium, and the most notable by far was the general, Narses. But for those whose only touchstone for eunuch representation has been the character, Varys, from the HBO hit series Game of Thrones, consider this a masterclass in eunuch culture and physiology. One that explores eunuchs of both Qing dynasty and Ottoman imperial courts, as well as the singing eunuchs of post-Renaissance Europe — the castrati.
--------
1:11:06
The Plague Pt. 2
In a total antique PR disaster, the Justinianic Plague a.k.a. the bubonic plague a.k.a. the world's very first pandemic reduces the Roman Empire's population by about half and reverses some pretty ossified norms — sound familiar? We meet three Johns (and thanks to Theodora, lose one) along with an OG sea monster.
--------
1:09:44
The Plague Pt. 1
A huge swath of the world goes dim for a year and a half after a mysterious haze covers Eurasia's skies. The abrupt dip in climate creates some pretty ideal conditions for the bubonic plague. Meanwhile, T&J set out to restore the Roman Empire with less-than-desirable results.
--------
1:02:55
Solomon, I Have Outdone Thee
The Nika Riots leave Constantinople a tabula rasa for Justinian's masterpiece cathedral, the Hagia Sophia. Although, not without petty rivalries, starchitects and a shrewd, Hebrew king's influence along the way.
--------
1:06:26
Purple is the Noblest Shroud
To move forward, we must first look back ... to the early days of T&J's being crowned empress and emperor, where a confluence of unfortunate policies — plus, a flawed hanging — cause the couple to come scarily close to losing everything. Thankfully, generally speaking, they have just the crew on-hand to turn things around.
A limited series, Roman Empire podcast devoted to sixth century Byzantium and the greatest recorded love story on earth — that between Empress Theodora and her husband, the Emperor Justinian.
Listen to T&J: A Roman Empire Love Story, WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
New Zealand