The Sixth Age: A Medieval History Podcast

The Sixth Age: A Medieval History Podcast

Forget everything you think you know about the "Dark Ages." The Sixth Age is a deep dive into Medieval History that strips away modern myths to reveal the world as it was actually lived.

Why did people in the Middle Ages see the world the way they did? From the fall of Rome to the dawn of the Renaissance, we reconstruct the Medieval worldview using primary sources and period-accurate perspectives. If you’re a fan of European history, historiography, and immersive storytelling, join us as we reject later stereotypes to rediscover the vibrant, complex, and often surprising lives of our ancestors.

Subscribe to The Sixth Age for a fresh, authentic look at the history of the Medieval world.

Listen on:

Episodes

47 minutes ago

The House of Justinian (Justinian and Theodora: Part 1/2)

47 minutes ago

1 hr 3 min

The House of Justinian, led by Emperor Justin the First, became the Imperial Household in 518 AD. Learn about how this house of Illyrican peasants rose through the ranks to lead the mightiest Empire in Europe. I cover Justin's reign, and the first years of Justinian's reign, including his war with Persia and the Nika Riots.
As always, you can contact me at the podcast website.
Keywords: Byzantine, Roman, History, Medieval History, Justinian, Theodora, Eastern Roman, Persia, Christianity, Christian History

47 minutes ago

1 hr 3 min

Oct 12, 2026

Introduction to the Eastern Roman Empire

Oct 12, 2026

1 hr 5 min

Join me for an overview of the Eastern Roman Empire's major institutions, plus an account of the reigns of Emperors Zeno, Basilicus, and Anastasius Dicorus. As always, you can view the bibliography, contact me, or donate at the podcast website.
Keywords: Byzantine, Byzantium, Zeno, Basilicus, Medieval, History, Eastern Roman, Rome, Constantinople, Christianity, Christian History

Oct 12, 2026

1 hr 5 min

Sep 21, 2026

The Balt Dynasty: Ruling the Visigoths From 410-531 AD

Sep 21, 2026

35 min

Today, I cover the rulers of the Visigoths from 410-531 AD, focusing on the Balt dynasty, which led the Visigoths to conquer vast portions of Spain and France before they were defeated by internal squabbling and neighboring tribes. I cover great kings like Alaric I, Theodoric I, and Euric, as well as their less able descendants.
As always, you can leave comments or questions at the podcast website. If you liked this episode, please like, comment, share, and subscribe to support the show.

Sep 21, 2026

35 min

Aug 18, 2026

Peter the Hermit, Anthony, and Pachomius: The Origins of Christian Monasticism

Aug 18, 2026

30 min

In this episode, I cover three of the earliest recorded Christian monks and the origins of Christian monasticism.
Leave comments or questions at https://www.6thagepod.com/contact
Follow the podcast on Tiktok at @6thagepod

Aug 18, 2026

30 min

Aug 7, 2026

VANDALism - Part 2/2

Aug 7, 2026

30 min

In this episode, I cover the waning years of Geiseric's reign, and the reigns of his successors, setting the stage for the ultimate confrontation between the Eastern Romans and the Vandals.
As always, you can review my sources, or leave comments or questions, at https://www.6thagepod.com/

Aug 7, 2026

30 min

Jul 24, 2026

VANDALism - Part 1/2

Jul 24, 2026

1 hr 13 min

Ever wondered where the term "vandalism" came from? Listen to this podcast to find out. I cover the Vandal tribes, from their first appearance in written records through the Vandal Sack of Rome in 455 AD.
If you like this episode, make sure you subscribe so you don't miss part two. As always, you can leave feedback or review the show's bibliography at https://www.6thagepod.com/.

Jul 24, 2026

1 hr 13 min

Jul 14, 2026

The Medieval Marvel Cinematic Universe

Jul 14, 2026

2 hr 1 min

In this episode, we do a deep dive on early Medieval heroic traditions - including Germanic and Celtic legends. Also, there's a brief summary of Beowulf and a little bit of historical and literary analysis you can dive into. Enjoy!
As always, you can review my sources or leave questions and comments at the podcast website, www.6thagepod.com

Jul 14, 2026

2 hr 1 min

Jul 10, 2026

Angles, Saxons, and Jutes - oh my!

Jul 10, 2026

37 min

This episode traces the end of Roman rule in Britain, the withdrawal of imperial protection around 410 AD, and the rise of Germanic settlers (Angles, Saxons, Jutes) who mixed warfare, settlement, and legend with the Romano‑British population.
Learn more at www.6thagepod.com

Jul 10, 2026

37 min

Jun 19, 2026

The Origins of Medieval Serfdom

Jun 19, 2026

1 hr 9 min

This week we're covering the origins of Medieval European Serfdom, through the eyes of an Italian couple. As always, you can leave comments, view bibliographies, and support the show on the podcast website.

Jun 19, 2026

1 hr 9 min

Jun 10, 2026

Goodbye Jin Dynasty, We Hardly Knew You

Jun 10, 2026

30 min

In this episode we trace the Jin Empire’s collapse in the 4th–5th centuries: pressure from nomadic invasions and disastrous internal politics and taxation under the Sima family.

Read the podcast substack at https://6thagepod.substack.com/

Jun 10, 2026

30 min

Works Cited

Episode One: Introduction

Gabriele, Matthew, and David M. Perry. The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe. First Harper Perennial edition. Harper Perennial, 2022.

Jones, Dan. Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages. Viking, 2021.

Landes, Richard. “The Fear of an Apocalyptic Year 1000: Augustinian Historiography, Medieval and Modern.” Speculum 75, no. 1 (2000): 97–145. https://doi.org/10.2307/2887426.

Episode Two: Clovis and Hannah

Becker, Nickolas and Philosophy Documentation Center. “The Beatitudes through the Ages.” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 42, no. 1 (2022): 215–16. https://doi.org/10.5840/jsce202242168.

Bermejo-Rubio, Fernando. “Was Pontius Pilate a Single-Handed Prefect? Roman Intelligence Sources as a Missing Link in the Gospels’ Story.” Klio 101, no. 2 (2019): 505–42. https://doi.org/10.1515/klio-2019-0040.

Eklund, Rebekah Ann. The Beatitudes through the Ages. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co, 2021.

Evans, Craig A. Jesus and His Contemporaries: Comparative Studies. 1st ed. Arbeiten Zur Geschichte Des Antiken Judentums Und Des Urchristentums Series, v. 25. BRILL, 1995.

Gers-Uphaus, Christian. “The Figure of Pontius Pilate in Josephus Compared with Philo and the Gospel of John.” Religions 11, no. 2 (2020): 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11020065.

Hunter, David G. “Helvidius, Jovinian, and the Virginity of Mary in Late Fourth-Century Rome.” Journal of Early Christian Studies 1, no. 1 (1993): 47–71. https://doi.org/10.1353/earl.0.0147.

Mcguckin, John A. “Origen on the Jews.” Studies in Church History 29 (1992): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0424208400011189.

Muessig, Carolyn. “Preaching the Beatitudes in the Late Middle Ages: Some Mendicant Examples.” Studies in Christian Ethics 22, no. 2 (2009): 136–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/0953946809103488.

Pagels, Elaine H. Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus. First edition. Doubleday, 2025.

Reimer, Andy M. Miracle and Magic: A Study in the Acts of the Apostles and the Life of Apollonius of Tyana. Journal for the Study of the New Testament, Supplement series 235. Sheffield Academic Press, 2002.

Soyer, François. Medieval Antisemitism? Past Imperfect. Arc Humanities Press, 2019.

Tredwell, Daniel M. A Sketch of the Life of Apollonius of Tyana: Or the First Ten Decades of Our Era. 1st ed. Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2023.

Willem Van Henten, Jan. “REBELLION UNDER HEROD THE GREAT AND ARCHELAUS: PROMINENT MOTIFS AND NARRATIVE FUNCTION.” In The Jewish Revolt against Rome: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Online-Ausg, edited by Mladen Popović. Supplements to the Journal for the Study of Judaism, Volume 154. Brill, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004216693.

Episode Three: New Rome Who Dis

Alvar, Jaime, and Richard Lindsay Gordon. Romanising Oriental Gods: Myth, Salvation, and Ethics in the Cults of Cybele, Isis, and Mithras. Religions in the Graeco-Roman World 165. Brill, 2008.

Cataldo, Jeremiah W. A Social-Political History of Monotheism: From Judah to the Byzantines. First edition. Routledge, 2018. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315406909.

Cook, William R., William R. Cook, and Ronald B. Herzman. The Medieval World View: An Introduction. 2. ed. Oxford Univ. Press, 2004.

Ermatinger, James W. The Roman Empire: A Historical Encyclopedia. Empires of the World. ABC-CLIO, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, 2018. https://doi.org/10.5040/9798216009771.

Esler, Philip Francis, ed. The Early Christian World. Second edition. Routledge Worlds. Routledge, 2017. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315165837.

Falcasantos, Rebecca Stephens. Constantinople: Ritual, Violence, and Memory in the Making of a Christian Imperial Capital. Christianity in Late Antiquity 9. University of California Press, 2020.

Hagler, Aaron M. Owning Disaster: Coping with Catastrophe in Abrahamic Narrative Traditions. Routledge, 2024. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003377191.

Halsall, Guy. Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West, 376-568. Cambridge Medieval Textbooks. Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Halsberghe, Gaston. Cult of Sol Invictus. Études Préliminaires Aux Religions Orientales Dans l’Empire Romain 23. Brill, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004296251.

Heyob, Sharon Kelly. The Cult of Isis among Women in the Graeco-Roman World. Études Préliminaires Aux Religions Orientales Dans l’Empire Romain 51. Brill, 1975. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004296374.

Oman, Charles William Chadwick. The Byzantine Empire: “Byzantium Could Not Be Deprived of Its Unrivalled Position”’. Copyright Group, 2019.

Robin Darling Young. “The Lady Advances: The Voices of Women in Early Christianity.” Journal of Early Christian Studies (Baltimore) 31, no. 3 (2023): 263–82. 2864246453, pp. 263–82. ProQuest Central; ProQuest One Academic. https://doi.org/10.1353/earl.2023.a904927.

Schott, Jeremy M. Christianity, Empire, and the Making of Religion in Late Antiquity. Divinations. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008.