Category: Narrative episode
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2.03 A tapestry of subjects
As we explore the khaganate in more depth, we take a look at the subject peoples who lived under Avar dominion, their ways of life, and the relationships they negotiated with their overlords to advance their own interests. Transcript Hello and welcome to A history of Romania. Season 2, Episode 3: A tapestry of subjects…
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2.02 The khaganate
In the year 602, the lands north of the Danube were dominated by the Avars, a little-known people from the steppes. In this episode, we take a look at their origins, values, and the khaganate they established to rival the Roman empire. As a reminder, this was the extent of the Avar khaganate in the…
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2.01 The legacy of Antiquity
As we begin season two, I share what you can expect from this next chunk of narrative and then take a look at the story so far to refresh our memories and prepare us for what comes next. You can easily find Romania on a map by looking at where Europe meets the Black Sea.…
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Extra episode: Callidromus’ story
In this standalone episode, we follow an enslaved man who served a Roman general, saw the Dacian capital in its prime, worked in the palace of the Parthian King of Kings, and staged a daring escape to gain his freedom in the midst of war. Transcript Hello and welcome to A history of Romania. Extra…
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1.27 Gentes et regna
In the last narrative episode of season one, the Avars spring out of the Carpathian Basin and into the Balkans, while Slavic tribes roam the lands on either side of the Danube seeking a permanent place to settle. Here’s what the Balkans looked like after the Romans stabilized the Danube frontier in 602 CE. Though…
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1.26 Blood feud
The Gepids reign as the most powerful people north of the Danube, but a new rival supported by the Roman empire threatens to dismantle their kingdom, all while a horrifying illness makes its appearance in the Balkans. Here’s what the region looked like in the 540s after the Lombards settled west of the Gepids at…
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1.25 Free-for-all
The Gepids seek to retake their lost capital at Sirmium, all while dealing with a resurgent Roman empire and ambitious new players on the board. Here’s what the Balkans looked like in 535 CE. Note the key cities on either side of the Danube, as well as the arrival of new peoples on the borders…
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1.24 The board reshuffles
Having led the war of independence against the Huns, the Gepids take the wealth of their former overlords and establish a kingdom on the lands of the original province of Dacia. Their efforts then turn to securing themselves a spot in the new Mediterranean world created by the collapse of half the Roman empire. Below…
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1.23 Dominoes
Attila aims the full force of the Hunnic confederation against the western Roman empire, and the resulting confrontation leads to tectonic changes for the Romans as well as for the peoples beyond the frontiers. Transcript Hello and welcome to A history of Romania. Season 1, Episode 23: Dominoes Before we begin today, I want to…
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1.22 When swords turn to daggers
As Attila scourges the Roman empire and outmanoeuvers its forces, the emperor in Constantinople seeks a way to stop the ongoing ravages, and so a conspiracy is hatched to assassinate the Hunnic ruler. In this episode, we follow a writer named Priscus who was part of a Roman embassy to Attila. Invited to dinner with the…