Tag: Federati

  • 16. Speaking Frankly

    16. Speaking Frankly

    The Franks, Part I 280 to 480 CE We welcome the Franks onto the stage of Europe, and look at their origins, early history, ferocious reputation, and the way modern politics work their way into the telling of history. The floodgates have opened, and now the puns cannot be stopped. Kyrie eleison. We have arrived…

  • 10. King of Africa

    The Vandals Part II 408 to 439 CE The Vandals, along with their allies, the Alans and Suevi, ravage Spain before moving into Africa.  There, under the leadership of their king Gaiseric, they will achieve something no other Barbarian tribe has yet accomplished. The city sits at the west end of the bay, looking out…

  • 9. The Vandals

    The Vandals Part I c. 200 BCE to 408 CE I introduce the Vandals with a cold.  The Vandals don’t have a cold, I have a cold. So, sorry about that. The Vandals rose up next door to the Goths, with whom they would have a complicated relationship.  This episode tracks their early migration into…

  • 5. Five Kings and a Reckoning

    The Goths Part V 410 to 451 CE The Visigoths move out of Italy, into more years of privation. Along the way there’s a royal marriage, long marches, sieges and naval blockades. Ultimatehttps://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/r3j854/episode005_fivekings_edit.mp3ly the Goths find what they’ve been looking for for nearly half a century – a home. But there’s another, even greater test…

  • 4. The Sack of Rome

    The Goths Part IV 408 to 410 CE The death of Stilicho leaves Alaric and the Visigoths high and dry.  Negotiations break down, and Alaric takes drastic action.  The Sack of Rome of 410 is pointed to as one of the points where the Roman Empire fell, and the resonance of the event would be…

  • 3. Alaric the Bold

    The Goths Part III 378 to 408 CE The Gothic Wars end in stalemate as Goths and Romans try to come to terms with new realities.  A new leader appears to push for dignity and power for his people, who will take the fight into the heartland of the Roman world. Map of Alaric’s invasion…

  • 2. Athanaric and Fritigern

    The Goths Part II c. 264 to 378 CE The Goths face challenges at home and abroad.  An ambitious Roman Emperor seeks to shore up his reign at their expense.  Religious controversy and rivalry threatens internal stability.  But the greatest challenge arises in the East, and the Goths must abandon their way of life. The…