Real Historians vs Pop Historians, A Roundtable Discussion -- JFT Ep 18

Real Historians vs Pop Historians, A Roundtable Discussion -- JFT Ep 18

Author: Michael September 8, 2025 Duration: 2:04:28

This is a roundtable discussion between REAL HISTORIANS David Parnell and John D Hosler and POP HISTORIANS myself and Andrew of Shadows over Constantinople.

You may have seen some online tension between pop historians/enthusiasts and "real" historians. I have experienced a bit of that myself (see previous episode).

Why is there this tension? Don't we have common ground? How can we all work together better? We discuss "What is an historian?" and "Is history an art or science?" What does an historian's training look like? How do we spend our time? Why are many non-professional historians anonymous? and more!

You can follow David Parnell on substack here

You can pick up his excellent book here

You can follow John D Hosler on X here

You can pick up his excellent book on the Siege of Acre here

You can follow Andrew on X here

And lastly, you can follow everything related to my Memory Medieval project at the substack

Look for new episodes on the 3rd and 17th of each month. I have a few great episodes lined up for the near future you won't want to miss. The next episode is on medieval literature and its effect on the medieval mind. Then an episode on war horses. And a couple more big episodes in the works!



Get full access to Memory Medieval at memorymedieval.substack.com/subscribe

Michael hosts Memory Medieval Podcast, a series of thoughtful conversations that dig into how people lived, thought, and organized their worlds a thousand years ago. Rather than just listing dates and battles, this podcast explores the textures of daily life, the evolution of cultural ideas, and the complex structures of society that defined the medieval period. Each episode features a different historian or expert, leading to organic discussions that can jump from analyzing a single manuscript to debating broad social transformations across centuries. You’ll hear about the stories we tell ourselves about the past and how our modern memory of the Middle Ages is constantly being reshaped. The tone is more like a deep dive with curious friends than a formal lecture, making the distant past feel surprisingly immediate and relevant. For anyone with an interest in the roots of our contemporary world, this podcast offers a nuanced and engaging doorway into a fascinating era. Find more from Michael and his guests through the Substack linked to the show.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 36

Memory Medieval Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Last Anglo-Saxon King --JFT Ep14 w/ Paula Lofting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Did Harold Godwinson have a legitimate claim to the throne of England? Did William the Conqueror? What was Anglo-Saxon culture like? Author Paula Lofting joins me to discuss the last Anglo-Saxon King of England, Harold G…
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Upcoming medieval-inspired game! JFT Ep8 w/ Jan of Knight's Path [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:45
I have a very fun episode for you today. I am speaking with Jan, a European game developer who is creating the game Knight’s Path. English is his second language so this is a pretty RARE English interview! When I ask peo…
Great Man or Instrument of God? Henry V! JFT7 w/ Medieval Scholar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:24
One of the largest medieval history accounts on X, Medieval Scholar joins me to talk about Henry V and various theories of history. Was Henry a great man? Was he an instrument of God? How should we look at history and ho…
Painting Dante's Inferno - JFT6 w/Eric Armusik [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:55
In this episode I am joined by Eric Armusik to discuss Dante and his enormous artistic project in progress, 40 large canvas paintings of Dante’s “Inferno”. We will discuss an artists perspective of history and historical…
5th Crusade (gone wrong) and medieval military insurgency! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:16
Today I am joined by professor Laurence Marvin to discuss the 5th crusade and medieval military insurgency. Professor Marvin has written the first book-length account of the 5th crusade in over 40 years! He also wrote a…