History Podcast / TheHistoryOfByzantium

* TheSiege:

* PlotDetour: Pierson uses the end of the century retrospective episodes to do brief overviews of other events going on in neighboring regions that are relevant to Byzantium in someway, such as looking at the origins of Islam or reign of Charlemagne.

** Episode 69 is called "Lost to the West", a shout out to Lars Brownsworth's book ''Lost to the Wesst''. Brownsworth being an early history podcaster who also did a Byzantine-themed podcast, called ''12 Byzantine Rulers'', that was an inspiration for Creator/MikeDuncan. Brownsworth's book being largely a book version of his podcast.

* TheExile: A common tactic for dealing with political enemies, and sometimes deposed Byzantine Emperors, is for them to exiled to some distant portion of the empire or fringes of civilization (usually living in a monastery). Explained as Byzantine Emperor's way of dealing with political opponents without having to violate the "thou shall not kill" portion of Christian teachings.[[note]] Though Pierson points out "accidents" were likely arranged for these opponents once they out of the public conscious[[/note]]

* TheCavalry: The cavalry wing of the Byzantine military has long surpassed the infantryman as the primary focus of the army, something that started late into the ''Podcast/TheHistoryOfRome'''s run. A necessity with the rise of the Arabs and the need to properly respond to Arab raids along the Byzantine border and interior.

* EnemyCivilWar: Whenever the various Arab or later Islamic empires fall into their own [[SuccessionCrisis dynastic civil wars]], it proves a much needed respite for the Byzantines.

* TheGreatestStoryNeverTold: Byzantine history (outside of Justinian sometimes) is a largely overlooked historical state, so by it's very nature the podcast covering the whole history of the Byzantium falls under this.

* MeetTheNewBoss: The explanation for why the Christian areas (such as Egypt) conquered by the Arabs during the early Muslim conquests didn't go into immediate revolt. After decades of occupation by the Sassanids and then the unpopular religious policies of returning Byzantines under Heraclius, the Arabs wouldn't have looked that marginally better or worse to the average citizen or local bureaucrat.

* LockedAwayInAMonastery:

**

* RightfulKingReturns:

The main contribution that differs it from it's predecessor is that when Pierson approaches the end of a century in the history of Byzantium, he does a series of episodes that overviews wider issues relevant to that century that couldn't be fit into a traditional narrative episode.

* SuccessionCrisis: A frequent topic and carry over from ''Podcast/TheHistoryOfRome'', happens to just about every dynasty of Byzantine.

* BreatherEpisode: When the podcast reaches the end of a century, Pierson does a mini retrospective series of episodes overlooking parts of Byzantine society and life that wouldn't fit into the traditional narrative episodes. As well as also episodes devoted to questions from the audience.

* InsistentTerminology: Pierson insistently calls the denizens of the Empire "Romans" to drive home the point that this is the same state and people of the classical [[AncientRome Ancient Romans]] we think of. As well this is what they both called themselves and were called by their neighbors when they were around.

* SuccessionCrisis: A frequent topic and carry over from ''Podcast/TheHistoryOfRome'', happens to just about every dynasty of Byzantine

* UnreliableNarrator: Pierson makes note this is a challenge with just about all of the available primary sources on the Byzantines (and even the early history of Islam). Special mention goes to Procopius, the chief historian under Justinian and aide to Belisarius. He wrote many of the state-approved histories of Justinian's reign and then his own personal time, the ''Secret History'' for him and his friends' amusement which skewered Justinian, Empress Theodora, and Belisarius.
* VestigialEmpire: One could say the Byzantine Empire starts out as this at the start of the show with the collapse of the Western Empire but is definitely this by the 640s C.E. with the loss of Egypt, Syria, and North Africa to the Arabs.

** Episode 69 is called "Lost to the West", a shout out to Lars Brownsworth's book ''Lost to the West''. Brownsworth being an early history podcaster who also did a Byzantine-themed podcast, called ''12 Byzantine Rulers'', that was an inspiration for Creator/MikeDuncan. Brownsworth's book being largely a book version of his podcast.

* TheWarToEndAllWars: The episode detailing the conclusion of the almost 30-year long war between the Romans and Sassanid Persians is called "The Final War". It is actually the final war between the two empires, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Muslim_conquests but only because they'd have a new enemy to worry about rather shortly]].

* GreekFire: As expected, it makes it's appearance though later than would expect going off traditional dating. Pierson actually leans more towards the growing viewpoint Greek Fire was first used during the 717-18 Siege of Constantinople and later histories retroactively inserted it into the earlier Siege of Constantinople of the 670s.

* TheSiege: Episode 69, "Lost to the West", is an hour plus episode going over the pivotal, year long, Siege of Constantinople from 717-718.

* GenreShift: Episode 89, "The House of War", takes a break from the traditional narrative-focused structure of the episodes and is more of an AudioDrama from the perspective of a nameless Byzantine frontier soldier taking part in a defense against an Arab raid into Anatolia.

* UnreliableNarrator: Pierson makes note this is a challenge with just about all of the available primary sources on the Byzantines (and even the early history of Islam). Special mention goes to Procobius, the chief historian under Justinian and aide to Belisarius. He wrote many of the state-approved histories of Justinian's reign and then his own personal time, he secret history for him and his friends' amusement which skewered Justinian, Empress Theodora, and Belisarius.

* BitterSweetEnding: How one could describe the ending of Heraclius' reign. He managed to ensure the survival of the Byzantine state from both the Sassanids and then the Arabs but saw the permanent loss of Egypt and Syrian provinces.

* EndOfAnEra: The episodes dealing with the end of Heraclius' reign and the rise of the Arabs can be considered this. The wealthy provinces of Egypt and Syria have been forever lost, the old Sassanid Persian rivals have been conquered by the Arabs, and for the first time in centuries the Roman state (be it republic or empire) is no longer the dominant power in the Mediterranean.

* UnreliableNarrator: Pierson makes note this is a challenge with just about all of the available primary sources on the Byzantines (and even the early history of Islam). Special mention goes to Procobius, the chief historian under Justinian and aide to Belisarius. He wrote many of the state-approved histories of Justinian's reign and then his own secret history for him and his friends' amusement which skewered Justinian, Empress Theodora, and Belisarius.

* SequelEscalation: When compared to ''Podcast/TheHistoryOfRome'' in terms of number of episodes and running time of the average episode. Pierson also goes more into Byzantine society and culture in his end-of-the-century retrospective miniseries that was only done intermittently on [=THoR=].

Having started in 2012 and having a catalogue of over 250 episodes (in addition to bonus and exclusive episodes behind paywalls) and still an ongoing endeavor, the podcast has long surpassed the five year run and total number of episodes of ''The History of Rome''.

* SequelEscalation: When compared to ''Podcast/TheHistoryOfRome'' in terms of number of episodes and running time of the average episode. Pierson also goes more into Byzantine society and culture in his end-of-the-century retrospective miniseries that was only done intermittently on THoR.