A.D. History Podcast

The Huns, despite their incredible impact on history, are still a mystery. Where they originated or how they lived are largely lost to time. **Join Odo's ADophyte Army By Contributing to A.D. History on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

Did the U.S. HAVE to use the atomic bombs during the Second World War? How could they have used the atomic bombs differently? As weapons of a potential revolutionary nature - strategically speaking - much was still not understood about the atomic bombs by those who created them. Nor was there initial consensus on how to best use them during the war itself. So what alternatives did they consider, and what factors weighed heaviest in the decision for how, when and where the atomic bombs were eventually used? **Join Odo's ADophyte Army on Patreon and Support the Show!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

Ridley Scott's epic Gladiator (2000) starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix is an era defining film, but as history goes it is totally off the rails. Is it historical fiction? Speculative history? Alternate History? Total bullocks? Does it even matter? As a popcorn epic, Gladiator is only concerned with one question: "Are you not entertained?!" *Join Field Marshal Odo's ADophyte Army by Contributing to A.D. History on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

Saint Nicholas is the main, real life individual upon which the figure of Santa Claus is based - who dies in 343AD. But who was he? What made Nicholas so special that we live with his legacy to this day within the fictional character of Santa Claus? Did he even exist? The real life Nicholas knew the beaches of the Eastern Mediterranean far better than the North Pole. He is credited with what we might call modern miracles, and was second to none when it came to his beard. We look to find the actual saint from the popular fictional character, and find the man in the saint. *DONATE to A.D. History on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

Emperor Constantine has long been called “The Great,” but why? How is it that a Roman Emperor who died 1,700 years ago still has his fingerprints all over our modern world? **DONATE to the A.D. History Podcast on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

The First Council of Nicaea in 325AD is perhaps the ecumenical council many people know best, however due to the work of Dan Brown many have strong misconceptions of what actually happened there. The First Council of Nicaea was a three month show down formally called by the newly converted Emperor Constantine. The most important question wrangled with during that meeting was determining the exact divine nature of Jesus. Was Jesus God? Or was he separate from God? It is a point not all of Christianity even agrees upon today. In our final segment, Patrick discusses with us the first major steps of founding the Gupta Empire on the Indian subcontinent. The Guptas would become an eminent power on the subcontinent for the next three centuries. Moreover, many people consider this Gupta period as the great golden age of Indian civilization. We learn more. **DONATE to the A.D. History Podcast on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

How Roman Emperor Constantine became Christian, and his experience at the Battle of Milvian Bridge is a historical enigma we seek to solve. *DONATE to A.D. History on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

In this first episode of season four of the A.D. History Podcast, we begin laying the foundations for the monumental leap forward Christianity is about to experience under the rule of Constantine. However, Constantine is not in power yet... Indeed before Christianity is to enjoy the fruits of it's most powerful benefactor thus far in our show, much darker times are ahead. Namely in the form of an individual we have become very familiar with in our show, one Emperor Diocletian who undertakes perhaps the most systematic repression against Christianity throughout the history of Rome itself. We also have the opportunity to travel subject wise into a history of a country many of us at least know exists, but in general know very little about. In our final segment for this episode, Patrick discusses the history of the micro state San Marino, whose history in fact initially hails from this very decade in question.

Now wrapping our third season and the Third Century, we dive into some items that we have missed along the way! These items include the founding of the Gupta Empire (circa 240AD-280AD) on the Indian subcontinent, a few of the grittier details regarding the Plague of Cyprian, the rise of the Mayan Civilization's Classical Period, and a few other bits as well. In addition to an excellent and timeless Patreon submitted question, and catching you up on the history titles we have been enjoying on our own time. **DONATE to the A.D. History Podcast on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

Emperor Diocletian went to great lengths to overhaul the entire structure of the Roman Empire, to extricate Rome from the Crisis of the Third Century. As well as to better serve the Roman people themselves who had become largely neglected during the crisis. None of Diocletian’s reforms were perhaps more sweeping than those for the Roman military, and for Roman civilian administration. **Join the A.D. History Podcast on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast

Emperor Diocletian's rule not only proved definitive in extricating Rome from the Crisis of the Third Century, but his sweeping reforms served as the societal framework for numerous great powers in the European Middle Ages. Diocletian did not set out to merely end Rome's third century debacle, his single-minded aim was to do no less than recreate the Roman Empire into his idealized vision. **Join Field Marshal Odo's ADophyte Army on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

The small slew of emperors who followed Aurelian were mostly pieces of work - with one exception - and all but kept the ship afloat before the rise of the immense Diocletian. Indeed we found it important to cover the remaining half of the 270s with our prior focus purely on the five year accomplishments of Aurelian. **Join The A.D. History Podcast On Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

For this premiering episode of A.D. History, it is again one of those special occasions where your hosts Paul and Patrick use their combined intellects to tackle a major topic together. In this decade, they go all in and tell the history of how one Lucius Domitius Aurelianus - better known as Emperor Aurelian - did what no other Roman leader could during the Third Century Crisis... reconquer all prior Roman territory that had splintered from the Empire during this Third Century disaster. We look at why Aurelian succeeded where all of his third century contemporaries and predecessors abjectly failed; discussing what he understood that they did not. Aurelian's achievement amazingly occurred entirely within the first five years of the 270s, serving as the first act of two that would give Rome a new lease on its already vaunted existence. **DONATE to the A.D. History Podcast on Patreon! Become part of Field Marshal Odo's ADophyte Army, and join us in creating the A.D. History you deserve! As well as learn about the many benefits that await for your generous support! Visit https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

In this newest episode of A.D. History, we are taking a little break from the Third Century. Today we are taking this opportunity to delve into the season 3 edition of A.D. History Watches. Paul and Patrick are posing the question, "how historically accurate is The Death of Stalin (2017)?" This comedy seeks to find the foibles and humor in the otherwise tremendous dark era of Joseph Stalin's despotism. **DONATE to the A.D. History Podcast on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/

In our newest episode, we pick up from our previous episode examining the rise - and altogether quick fall - of the splinter state Gallic Empire. Yet during our discussion, there is one very clear oddity about this Gallic Empire - it leads one to question, "exactly how Gallic is this empire, again?" In our second segment, Patrick gives us a look at the other major splinter state from the Third Century Crisis, the Palmyrene Empire. Namely a closer look at it's major contributor, Queen Zenobia. *DONATE to the A.D. History Podcast on Patreon!: https://patreon.com/adhistorypodcast/