In this episode, we contract from the sweeping dramas that encompassed the migration periods, to focus on a few fundamental things: What was the village life that now encompassed the majority of Inner Europe like? How did these entities structure themselves? What were the rural roles of villagers in the early medieval ages? How had the institution of slavery changed from the Fall of Rome and the Rise of the Caliphate? In addition to these questions, we also attempt to answer some difficult questions about the nature of warfare, and what made a force effective in the Early Medieval Ages, looking at some case studies from our narrative.

New episodes every Monday!

Have a question or comment? Contact me at [email protected]

Sources

Intro: Zachary Wheeler and Nathaniel Scarborough, "Hej, Sokoły" folk tune

Outro: Antonín Dvořák, Serenade for Strings, Op. 22 (London Symphony Orchestra 1960)

Demetrios, John. Translation by Lemerle, Paul. The Miracles of Saint Demetrius, Book 1. 600s. https://www.jassa.org/?p=9987

Rady, Martyn. The Middle Kingdoms. Basic Books, 2023.

Fine, John VA Jr. The Early Medieval Balkans. University of Michigan Press, 1991.