The Dark Ages Podcast

By Herbert F. Bushman

The history of Europe from 376 and beyond the Fall of Rome.

Barbarian invasions, kings, queens, and saints, myths and legends.

It’s the history they skipped.... more

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How many episodes does The Dark Ages Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 72 episodes available.

Best of The Dark Ages Podcast

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: 67. Totila and the Ostrogothic Resurgence
542-543 In Belisarius’ absence, the Byzantine’s greed and incompetence create a space for the Ostrogoths to launch a comeback. Under their new leader, Totila, they enjoy stunning success in a series of battles and sieges that carries them to the walls of Naples, and all the way to the very southern corners of Italy. There’s merch now: darkagespod-shop.fourthwall.com Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/05/18/67-totila-and-the-ostrogothic-resurgence/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
May 18, 202629min
Number 2: 66. When the General's Away...
540 to 541 We return to Italy, where Belisarius had the Ostrogoths on the ropes… until he didn’t. Leadership failures on both sides result in a renewal of conflict and the appearance of a new power among the Ostrogoths. There’s merch now: darkagespod-shop.fourthwall.com Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/03/06/66-when-the-generals-away/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
March 06, 202622min
Number 3: 65. Church and People
90% of the population of Europe was made up of rural peasants. By the end of Roman rule in the West, only some of those peasants had been fully Christianized. This episode is about the efforts by the Church to spread its message to the peasantry, and how it changed in the process. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/02/18/65-church-and-people/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional music by Ensemble Organum Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
February 19, 202635min
Number 4: 64. Church and State
The process of fragmentation that followed the fall of the west affected the Church just as much as it did other parts of society, and there was a process of remaking. What emerged was not the behemoth we may imagine when we think of the medieval church, all under the control of the pope. All the bishops and priests recognized that they were brothers in the same family, they would have been horrified at the idea of there being separate churches; but they would have equally been nonplussed at the idea that they were all subject to the central authority of the pope. This episode takes a stab at describing how the popes saw their role, and how very differently the church functioned in actual practice. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/02/11/64a-church-and-state/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
February 13, 202631min
Number 5: 14. More Serpent than Dove
The Vandals Part III 439 to 455 CE “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be therefore as wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Matthew, 10:16 Gaiseric weathers Roman attempts to recover the African provinces, and begins to set his house in order. Marriage deals are made and broken, and an ancient version of gunboat diplomacy is used by the new king. Meanwhile, jealousy and paranoia lead to big changes in the Roman government, and the consequences are severe. The Vandals play their most famous role in Roman history in this episode. Sources Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incomptech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com and zapsplat.com
April 04, 202239min