The Dark Ages Podcast

One host show! Great research & presentation! Come back host-you are missed!

Overview: A really nice bridge between Mike Duncan’s “History of Rome” and Robin Pierson’s “History of Byzantium”. After finishing The History of Rome and The History of Byzantium, I was looking for something to bridge the gap between the fall of the Western Empire and the rise of medieval Europe. The Dark Ages Podcast by Herbert F. Bushman fills that role perfectly. It picks up around the crisis of the 3rd century, revisiting the events leading up to 476 CE and exploring how Western Europe evolved in the centuries that followed. Pros: • Narrative flow: The podcast feels like being told a story rather than taught one. Bushman’s tone is conversational and easy to follow. • Historical scope: Beginning in the late 3rd century provides a solid refresher on Rome’s decline while setting up the transition to the so-called “Dark Ages.” • Perspective: The commentary often carries a subtle, almost weary tone — a kind of “of course they did…” when describing late imperial decisions — which resonated with me as I, too, wonder how leaders could make choices so obviously damaging to the empire. Cons: • Audio quality: The early episodes suffer from rough sound and noticeable editing errors that occasionally break immersion. • Inconsistent production: The pacing and sound levels vary across episodes, which may become more noticeable as I move through the catalog. Overall Impression: While The Dark Ages Podcast isn’t a polished professional production, it has all the bones of a great historical series. The storytelling and content more than make up for the technical shortcomings. If Bushman tightens the editing and maintains consistency in later episodes, this could easily become one of the best narrative companions to The History of Rome.

A different style (love the dry humor) but definitely on par with history of Rome and Byzantium.

Do you like Mike Duncan’s “The History of Rome”? Do you like Robin Pearson’s “The History of Byzantium”? If you said no, I question your taste. If you said yes then Herbert Bushman’s “The Dark Ages Podcast” is for you. He has a good sense of humor, and Herbert does a fine job picking up where THOR left off in 476, with a lot of crossover with Robin Peasron’s early narrative. The DAP is my newest favorite podcast.