Rephonic
Artwork for Byzantium & Friends

Byzantium & Friends

Byzantium & Friends
Byzantium
Byzantine Empire
Roman Empire
Christianity
Late Antiquity
Constantinople
Ottoman Empire
Eastern Roman Empire
Byzantine Studies
Food Culture
Roman History
Greek Literature
Masculinity
Orthodoxy
Ali Pasha
Islam
Early Rus
City Of Rome
Crises and Resilience
Africa and Byzantium

Conversations with experts in the history of Byzantium and surrounding fields, hosted by Anthony Kaldellis.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes160Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryCoursesEducation

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Byzantium & Friends

Latest Episodes

A conversation with Derek Krueger (University of North Carolina at Greensboro) on homoerotic language and imagery in the works of Symeon the New Theologian (eleventh century). These passages are unusual enough that earlier editors and scholars were m... more

YouTube

A conversation with Naomi Pitamber (Clark University) about the art and architecture of the empire of Nicaea (Nikaia), the convention name of the Roman state that emerged in Asia Minor after the disaster of 1204. This art is often overlooked by schol... more

YouTube

A conversation with Christopher Bonura (Mount St. Mary's University) about the apocalyptic tradition of identifying the Four Kingdoms prophesied in the Book of Daniel. Which one was the Roman empire? The fourth, scheduled to fall with the others, or ... more

YouTube

A conversation with Jeremy Swist (Michigan State University) on the emperor Julian (361-363 AD) and how he tried to combine his love of philosophy with ruling the Roman empire. We talk about why Julian continues to excite such passions, how in some w... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Hellenistic Age Podcast
The Hellenistic Age PodcastThe Hellenistic Age Podcast
History of Persia
History of PersiaTrevor Culley and HoPful Media
The Medieval Podcast
The Medieval PodcastDanièle Cybulskie

Recent Guests

Derek Krueger
Medievalist; author of Monastic Desires, Homoeroticism, Homophobia, and the Love of God in Medieval Constantinople
University/Scholarly affiliation not explicitly stated in transcript
Episode: 160. Symeon the New Theologian: Queer desire in devotional poetry, with Derek Krueger
Naomi Pitamber
Author of Byzantium and Landscapes of Loss
University of Cambridge (author affiliation mentioned)
Episode: 159. The art of the empire of Nicaea, with Naomi Pitamber
Chris Bonura
Historian, author of A Prophecy of Empire
Episode: 158. The Book of Daniel, the Four Kingdoms, and imperial eschatology, with Chris Bonura
Jeremy Swist
Medievalist; expert on the reception of Rome and Byzantium in heavy metal music; author of Julian Augustus, Platonism, Myth, and the Refounding of Rome
Oxford University Press/academic
Episode: 157. Julian Augustus and the dream of a Platonic Roman empire, with Jeremy Swist
Charlie Kuper
Professor in the Department of Classics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Episode: 156. The Menologion of Basil II, with Charlie Kuper
Nicole Eddy
Managing Editor of the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library
Dumbarton Oaks
Episode: 155. The Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, with Nicole Eddy
Beth Digeser
Professor at University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
Episode: 154. How and why we teach Roman history, with Beth Digeser
Niccolò Zorzi
Professor of Byzantine studies at the University of Padua
University of Padua
Episode: 153. Three heresiologists of the twelfth century: Zigabenos, Kamateros, and Choniates, with Alessandra Buccosi, Niccolò Zorzi, Marco Fanelli, and Ottavia Mazzon
Alessandra Bucossi
Scholar at Ca' Foscari University, Venice, Italy
Ca' Foscari University, Venice
Episode: 152. Heresiology in the twelfth century, with Alessandra Bucossi

Host

Anthony Kaldellis
Host of Byzantium & Friends

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 636 ratings
  • Great podcast!

    Excellent podcast! I always learn a lot from its thoughtful and thought-provoking interviews. Thanks so much!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    zagobago
    United States4 months ago
  • Zeer inspirerend

    Uitermate bekwame en zeer vriendelijke gastheer. De keuze van de gasten is excellent. Verschillende aspecten van de Oost-Romeinse geschiedenis komen aan bod en worden grondig en begrijpelijk uitgediept. Moge deze serie nog lang verdergaan!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LucVdC
    Belgium7 months ago
  • Opens Late Rome to anyone

    This is a fantastic public service. It makes cutting edge academic research on Late Roman topics available to anyone who cares to listen. Fascinating podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Vince Able
    United States8 months ago
  • Highly recommend

    I’ve been listening for years now although I’m neither an academic nor particularly interested in Byzantium compared to other cultures. But this is so good to listen to, I’ve been a regular for years

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    GunnarLondon
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Almost Great

    I have personally met with Professor Kaldellis, and I really respect him for his contributions to the field. His expansion of Byzantine studies to wider audiences through new mediums has greatly influenced both me and countless others interested in the subject. As a result, I predictably became invested in Byzantium and Friends and have been listening for quite a while now.

    Unfortunately, I have come to realize that Kaldellis’ podcast represents a larger issue present in contemporary academia. ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Ioannes K
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Content is broad, covering manuscript studies, archaeology, and pedagogy with rigorous analysis.
Guests are consistently top-tier experts from universities and research institutes.
Listeners praise the depth and accessibility of scholarly discussions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#28
Chile/History
Apple Podcasts
#145
Israel/History
Apple Podcasts
#145
Hong Kong/History
Apple Podcasts
#240
Russia/History
Apple Podcasts
#241
Philippines/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

160. Symeon the New Theologian: Queer desire in devotional poetry, with Derek Krueger
Q: What makes Symeon's portrayal of desire distinct from Western monastic traditions?
Symeon's writings frequently confound the boundary between erotic love and divine love, depicting male-monastic relationships in bodily, sometimes homoerotic terms, which contrasts with the Western tradition that tends to frame such language as the transmission of soul imagery rather than bodily sexuality.
160. Symeon the New Theologian: Queer desire in devotional poetry, with Derek Krueger
Q: Could you first tell us a little bit about who Symeon the New Theologian was?
Symeon was an abbot in Constantinople in the late 10th century who pursued intense, mystically infused monastic practice, emphasizing union with God in ways that often used erotic language as metaphor for spiritual ascent.
158. The Book of Daniel, the Four Kingdoms, and imperial eschatology, with Chris Bonura
Q: What role does Pseudomethodius play in shaping later medieval and early modern apocalypticism?
Pseudomethodius becomes a foundational text that reframes the fourth kingdom as a positive precursor to the Second Coming, with the final emperor surrendering to Christ; it travels widely and influences later prophecies and visualizations about Constantinople and the end of days.
158. The Book of Daniel, the Four Kingdoms, and imperial eschatology, with Chris Bonura
Q: How has the interpretation of the fourth kingdom evolved after Constantine and through the Byzantine period?
After Constantine, some thinkers read the empire as a reflection of the kingdom of heaven, while others resist equating empire with eschatology; medieval texts like Pseudomethodius reinterpret Daniel to fit ongoing political realities, sometimes portraying the empire as a force in end-times prophecy rather than just political power.
158. The Book of Daniel, the Four Kingdoms, and imperial eschatology, with Chris Bonura
Q: What is Eusebius's position on imperial eschatology, and why is his Panegyric controversial in this debate?
Eusebius is often cited as a linchpin for imperial eschatology, but close readings show that his broader writings align with mainstream Christian eschatology; the Panegyric's line about the saints taking the kingdom from the fourth kingdom is selective and not representative of his general eschatological writings.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Byzantium & Friends

What is Byzantium & Friends about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Academic-focused conversations featuring experts in the Byzantine world and late antique studies, with a strong emphasis on methodology, source cultures, and manuscript culture. Episodes span topics from imperial eschatology and heresiology to archaeology, pedagogy, and editorial practices in medieval texts, often pairing the host with multiple scholarly guests. The show is likely to appeal to listeners who enjoy rigorous, book-length discussions led by a charismatic historian, with guests ranging from university professors to editors and archaeologists. It seems particularly valuable for researchers, graduate students, and educators seeking deeper context for Byzantium, the Eastern Roman world, and related fields, while remaining accessibl... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Byzantium & Friends?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Byzantium & Friends. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Byzantium & Friends and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Byzantium & Friends get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Byzantium & Friends, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Byzantium & Friends?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Byzantium & Friends, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Byzantium & Friends have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Byzantium & Friends has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Byzantium & Friends?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Byzantium & Friends:

1. The Hellenistic Age Podcast
2. History of Persia
3. The Medieval Podcast
4. The Ancient World
5. Literature and History

How many episodes of Byzantium & Friends are there?

Byzantium & Friends launched 7 years ago and published 160 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Byzantium & Friends?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Byzantium & Friends?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Byzantium & Friends from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Byzantium & Friends?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Byzantium & Friends. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Byzantium & Friends?

Recent guests on Byzantium & Friends include:

1. Derek Krueger
2. Naomi Pitamber
3. Chris Bonura
4. Jeremy Swist
5. Charlie Kuper
6. Nicole Eddy
7. Beth Digeser
8. Niccolò Zorzi

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days