When Justinian Met Theodora – Part 4

Conflicted: A History Podcast

Zach Cornwell

Society & Culture, Education, History

4.8 • 610 Ratings

🗓️ 19 June 2025

⏱️ 92 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the conclusion of the series, Justinian and Theodora face a cascade of setbacks and disasters. The Empress hatches a plan to destroy John the Cappadocian. Belisarius learns of Antonina’s serial infidelity. A deadly Plague threatens to bring the Byzantine empire to its knees. SOURCES: Bridge, Antony. Theodora: Portrait in a Byzantine Landscape. 1978. Potter, David. Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint. 2015. Parnell, David Alan. Belisarius & Antonina: Love and War in the Age of Justinian. 2023. Hughes, Bettany. Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities. 2017. Sarris, Peter. Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint. 2023. Kaldellis, Anthony. The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium. 2023. Cesaretti, Paolo. Theodora: Empress of Byzantium. 2003. Procopius. The Secret History. Procopius. The Wars of Justinian. Phillips, Robin. West, Jeff. Who in the World Was The Acrobatic Empress? 2006. Norwich, John Julius. Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy. 2011. Evans, James Allan. The Empress Theodora: Partner of Justinian. 2002. Holmes, Nick. Justinian’s Empire: Triumph and Tragedy. 2024. Charles Rivers Editors. Justinian the Great: The Life and Legacy of the Byzantine Emperor. 2014. Captivating History. The Byzantine Empire. 2018 Captivating History. The Vandals. 2018 Dahm, Murray. Combat: Byzantine Cavalryman vs Vandal Warrior. 2023. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/01/03/gods-librarians Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:57.4	Hello and welcome to conflicted. The history podcast where we talk about the struggles that shaped us, the tough questions that they pose and why we should care about any of it.
1:06.0	Conflicted is a member of the Evergreen podcast network. And as always, I'm your host, Zach Cornwell. You are listening to the fourth and final, yes, final installment of a series on the life and times of Justinian and Theodora, rulers of the Byzantine Empire in the mid-sixth century AD. As some of you may recall me saying in an earlier episode that this would be a three-part series. Well, despite my best
1:28.2	efforts, that did not happen. And after some self-reflection and a little self-flagellation,
1:32.9	I think I figured out the reason for that. The reason I stretched this series out is because,
1:37.0	on some subconscious level, I did not want to say goodbye to these characters. Justinian, Theodora,
1:43.9	and all their furtive friends are some
1:45.4	of the most captivating historical figures I've come across in the course of this podcast. And frankly,
1:50.2	I am very sad to leave them behind. But alas, it is time to bid farewell to this fascinating power
1:56.0	couple and confront the climax of their story. And what a story it's been. War, politics, romance, religion, all the hallmarks of a Hollywood epic.
2:05.0	But despite the battles, betrayals, and grand sweeping plots, at its core, this is the story
	...

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