The History of Byzantium
A podcast telling the story of the Roman (Byzantine) Empire from 476 AD to 1453. www.thehistoryofbyzantium.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 333 - The Bachelorhood of Basil II with Mark Masterson
To mark the 1000th anniversary of his death we revisit the bachelorhood of Basil II.
My guest is Mark Masterson — until recently Associate Professor of Classics at Victoria University of Wellington (retired 2025). His work explores masculinity, desire, and male social bonds in the Roman world.
In his book Between Byzantine Men he discusses an oration written in Basil's day which may shed light on his intimate life.
Find out more about Professor Mark Masterson here and check out his two books on male relationships within the Roman world.
Between Byzantine Men: Desire, Homosociality, and Brotherhood in the Medieval Empire
Routledge (2022)
Man to Man: Desire, Homosociality and Authority in Late-Roman Manhood
The Ohio State University Press. (2014)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast Episodes
Episode 355 - You Can’t Understand the Modern World without Byzantium
How do you explain your strange interest in Byzantium to your friends and family? I argue that you can't understand the modern world without Byzantium.This is the last episode of the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.c…
Episode 354 - Final Questions
I answer the final batch of questions which came in after 1453. They are mostly fun speculation or about me and the podcast. Our Constantine Acrostic Christianized the Roman state,Oldest offspring of the Great.Nearly rei…
Episode 353 - How did Romans become Greeks with Anthony Kaldellis
A discussion with Professor Anthony Kaldellis about how the Romans became Greeks.Anthony Kaldellis is the Gaylord Donnelly Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Classics and the College at the University o…
Episode 352 - Crusader Storm with Nicholas Morton
This is our last chance to talk about the Crusades on this podcast. So I put listener questions to Dr Nicholas Morton.Dr Morton is Associate Professor in Middle Eastern and Global history at Nottingham Trent University i…
Episode 351 - The 10 Worst Byzantine Emperors
I pick the 10 Worst Byzantine Emperors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 350 - Questions XIX
I answer your questions about where the Romans got their gold from, how Romania ended up with a Romance language, Byzantine games of polo and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 349 - Questions XVIII
I answer your questions about the Secret History, eunuchs, the Doukas name, the Byzantine crown, the Crown of Thorns and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 348 - Trebizond! Part Two
We explore the history of Trebizond under the Grand Komnenoi. Today I cover the period from 1297-1453.The music for these episodes comes from the brilliant Youtube channel of Farya Faraji. Farya is a musicologist who col…
Episode 347 - Trebizond! Part One
We explore the history of Trebizond under the Grand Komnenoi. Today I cover the period from 1204-1297.The music for these episodes comes from the brilliant Youtube channel of Farya Faraji. Farya is a musicologist who col…
Episode 346 - What If?
I tackle your counter factual questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
