169- Huns and Vandals and Goths, Oh My

In the 430s the Romans dealt with increasingly agressive and confident barbarian tribes living both inside and outside the traditional borders of the Empire. 

169- Huns and Vandals and Goths, Oh My

Comments

[Gregm]

The story becomes less about what the Romans do, and more about what everyone else does.....

[Simon C]

No more Romans left... Just Christians :(

[Jonathan Hirsch]

Since we are coming to the end soon, can anything induce you to do a History of Ancient Greece next?

[Ryan Leonard]

Mike, can you keep on going and just change this into a history of the world?

Going into the Byzantine empire completely seems boring, but what about the history of the developing countries of the west and the Byzantines! Please consider it, ill miss your podcast :(

[Jiachen]

Hi Mike, I would love it if you could go one until at least Justinian. One last great conquest for the Romans,eh?

[Joe]

Seconded for continuing on until Justinian!

I found this podcast early last year, and I've been steadily working my way through the most delightful historical journey its ever been my pleasure to enjoy.

Mike, you're a fascinating lecturer, and I imagine that your attention is in a great deal of demand these days, but I hope that you will consider extending the scope of this podcast, but if not, I wish you the best in all your future endeavors.

[Nick]

I'm dreading the end of the podcast as much as everyone else (I've been listening since around episode 13, long enough to remember the 5-month break in the early 30s), but I also think we should 'let' Mike finish it on his own terms without making him feel like he didn't give us enough. I can imagine that after nearly five (FIVE!) years of doing The History of Rome, he is more than ready to move on to something else.

I think the final decades of the narrative, plus some survey-type episodes, a look back through the centuries, a brief look forward to the lasting impact of Rome, and a final question blow-out might get him to 200 episodes which would be a phenomenal achievement. We should let him enjoy that - at least for a few weeks, and then we can start demanding The History of Baseball...

[Charles]

You said it all Nick. As sad as it is for me to see this coming to its natural conclusion, It's up to Mike. He has taken the weight of this show on his own shoulders and for that me and thousand others, now and still to come, owe a debt of gratitude hardly anyone of us can possibly hope to express in this blog. He is the captain, the leader, the orchestra director. He calls the shots and everybody will abide to hes terms. After five years of history of Rome, he deserves any and all consideration on our part, not to mention our full support. No matter what. Thanks a lot man.

[Carl]

I would love to see a History of Hellas podcast by you, Mike. You help get me through Monday mornings!

[Mike]

Lots of good requests. Mine is a trip through the development of England starting with the Norman invasion and culminating with the triumph of Elizabeth over the Spanish armada. Or maybe you could just explain the ever perplexing (to me) war of the roses. Anyway I have enjoyed this podcast tremendously and will miss it.

[Account Deleted]

I am so excited about whatever comes next.

But please don't do Byzantium~ :)

[Steffen]

Just stumbled upon this truly epic project, and I love it. Thanks for this blog, Mike! (I just finished the punic wars, looking forward to the next ~150 episodes...)

[R. S. C.]

I found this podcast about a month ago. Listened episodes 1 to 168 in about three weeks. Almost non-stop. My wife almost kicked me out of the bed because of that "damn earphones on your head all the time".

I tried a lot of other podcasts but none was really satisfying except maybe The History of Philosophy (without any gaps), by Peter Adamson.

Besides the content being great and well written, there's a few other qualities it's difficult to find around:

1) the pace of the story is easy to follow. I don't get drowned in names and dates. There's enough for each episode to have substance, but not too much.

2) the fluidity and clarity of the reading. There's a couple of famous history podcasts that I just can't follow because the guys read too fast, without adequate punctuation, and not clearly enough for me. As the author himself said: he writes things to be read, and to be read by himself. He really succeeds in this.

The only other history podcast in which I found those qualities is the one I mentioned above.

So, Mike, if you decide to keep podcasting, change the topic at will, and I'll keep listening. Even if you decide to talk about latvian cuisine, raelian creation myths or gardening techniques.

[AJ n TX]

Hey Mike. Love your podcast. Any chance you can visit the army of the 5th century in one of your episodes? In earlier episodes, you explain how the Roman army fights, but how has that changed in the 5th century? Is their armor and weapons different from the army of Augustus? Have tactics changed? Why does it seem that the Roman army is just....inferior to the barbarians? Is an Augustan era soldier better trained and equipped than his 5th century counterpart? Just something to think about.

[Bill]

I found this podcast right after Jan. 1 this year. I got to this episode without realizing that this project was still going on. I'm so grateful I found this, and I just wanted to say thank you, and I look forward to whatever's coming next.

[David]

I thought it might end when Constantine moved the capitol to the East or with the sack of Rome, but the last Western Emperor seems a good place to close the story.
When it ends I plan go back and listen again from ep.1.
Byzantium I know very little about, so a podcast about that would be of interest to me. I read Procopius' Secret history last year as a taster.