In this episode the distinguished historian Professor Judith Herrin takes us back to the year 500 AD. We visit Constantinople in the east, the old crumbliing capital at Rome and then we head to the enchanting city of Ravenna.

As Rome's importance waned, Ravenna's was set on a steep upward trajectory. By the year 500 the Ostrogoth King Theoderic had made it his capital and had employed hundreds of specialist craftsmen to build churches that glorified his Arian Christian faith.

The characters and scenes that feature in this episode are described in much more detail in Judith Herrin's acclaimed new book: Ravenna, Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe

For much, much more, including a series of fabulous images of Ravenna, head to our website: tttpodcast.com

Show notes

Scene One: Constantinople. The Emperor Anastasius rules over a large and expanding capital city. 

Scene Two: Rome. Theoderic arrives in Rome, his first and only visit to the city. 

Scene Three: Ravenna: Theoderic returns to his capital city, now the most important centre of government in Italy from which he rules a much larger kingdom. 

Memento: A leaf of the Gothic Bible, written in silver and gold ink on special purple dyed parchment

People/Social

Presenter: Violet Moller

Guest: Professor Judith Herrin

Production: Maria Nolan

Podcast partner: Colorgraph

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