During the 11th century, the Byzantine Empire was more or less at zenith, the height of culture.

But there was one place in the world that had still yet to be touched by man.

A land of prehistoric beasts and in the 1250s would become home to Tunga Tha Fennua, the people of the land, Maldi.

Kia ora and g'day, my name is Thomas the fella behind the history of Altairdua New Zealand podcast.

Having listened to Robin for a couple of years now, he inspired and helped me to start my own podcast

about my small island nation. If you're an avid listener of the history of Byzantium,

you will feel right at home. We are a narrative podcast going from before the arrival of humans

and going into the 20th century. At the moment we are talking about the various aspects of pre-European

Maldi culture, things like social structure, carving, tattooing, religion, food and war, including

the Haka. Tereo Maldi, the Maldi language is a large component of the show, so you'll learn some

key words, like mana, tapu, ranga tere tanga, fano and many others. We also do dramatic retellings

of Maldi myths and legends inspired by Robin's fantastic House of War episode. Although the stories

of Constantinople and Altairdua never really intersect until the Gallipoli landings of World War I,

I hope you'll join us to learn something new and exciting about the land of the long white cloud.

You can find us on most podcast services, Facebook, Twitter and historyaltairdua.com,

Altairdua is about AOTA-R-O-A. Until then, get your tardingers, ears ready for some history of

Byzantium, Haritua to Hockey to my, go well and return in good health.

Hello everyone and welcome to the history of Byzantium, episode 190, the end of the Macedonian dynasty.

Last time, we brought act two of this century of narrative to a close with the death of Constantine

IX Monomachos. Act one of our centuries saw a parade of unlikely amperes come and go with no

serious consequences for the empire. The strong position that Basil II had left the state in

meant that a few incompetent or inexperienced rulers wouldn't ruin the whole enterprise.

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