Épisodes

  • Space Opera and Byzantine History with Arkady Martine

    Space Opera and Byzantine History with Arkady Martine
    Jan 21 2026
    We go on a journey in this episode. Arkady Martine (AnnaLinden Weller) and Prof. Gabriele talk here about telling stories, about getting at complicated lives, and about the allure of empires (even when viewed from the margins). History and fiction? Thicker than thieves, those two. GuestArkady Martine is the author of the Teixcalaan series, a multitude of short stories, and various other science fiction, fantasy, & horror. She is also Dr. AnnaLinden Weller, who is a Byzantinist, a climate & energy policy analyst, and a city planner. She is not bored, but she is often tired. See more at her website, https://www.arkadymartine.net/ or find her on Bluesky: @byzantienne.bsky.social.CreditsHost & Executive Producer: Matthew Gabriele. Find him on Bluesky @profgabriele.com or his homepage profgabriele.com Editor: Julia SchifiniMusic: “Sleeping Bags” by OTEArt: Ulysses GabrieleMultitude: https://multitude.productions Find American Medieval OnlineWebsite: AmericanMedieval.com Patreon: patreon.com/AmericanMedieval Insta: instagram.com/americanmedieval TikTok: tiktok.com/@americanmedieval YouTube: youtube.com/@AmericanMedieval Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/americanmedieval.bsky.social About UsAmerican Medieval is a podcast about the Middle Ages, but with an American twist. Each week, joined by expert guests, we’ll explore either some fascinating part of the medieval world, or some way Americans have used this period to help them understand themselves. After all, if America has never been modern, it’s because we’ve always been slightly medieval.Want to become a sponsor of American Medieval? Head over to https://multitude.productions/ads SponsorsJoin the Party is an actual play podcast with tangible worlds, genre pushing storytelling and collaborators who make each other laugh at each week. Game Master Eric along with Amanda, Brandon and Julia welcome everyone to the table. The current campaign is about a superhero high school. Hop in now and join the campaign or head back into the archive to listen to campaigns about bug and plant pirates, weird summer camps, other superheroes or high fantasy. Those are all separate by the way, not like all in one together. See more at jointhepartypod.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    52 min
  • Medieval Africa and K12 Education with John Terry

    Medieval Africa and K12 Education with John Terry
    Jan 14 2026
    John and Matt talk about not liking time machines (generally) but also about how the “medieval” can mean more than Europe, and why we should always talk about Africa. Plus a lot on teaching the Middle Ages, and how K-12 teaching compares with college. GuestJohn Terry is an award-winning world history teacher at the Paideia School in Atlanta, and has taught history from the ancient world to the present at both college and high school levels for over 15 years and his writing has appeared in Slate and The Washington Post as well as academic journals. John has worked in consulting roles with the Medieval Academy of America, the American Historical Association, and the National Humanities Center to produce educational opportunities and curriculum for both teachers and students. As an Arkansan with a PhD in medieval history, he hopes he's uniquely positioned to comment on the joy and weirdness of teaching the middle ages in twenty-first century America. CreditsHost & Executive Producer: Matthew Gabriele. Find him on Bluesky @profgabriele.com or his homepage profgabriele.com Editor: Julia SchifiniMusic: “Sleeping Bags” by OTEArt: Ulysses GabrieleMultitude: https://multitude.productions Find American Medieval OnlineWebsite: AmericanMedieval.com Patreon: patreon.com/AmericanMedieval Insta: instagram.com/americanmedieval TikTok: tiktok.com/@americanmedieval YouTube: youtube.com/@AmericanMedieval Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/americanmedieval.bsky.social About UsAmerican Medieval is a podcast about the Middle Ages, but with an American twist. Each week, joined by expert guests, we’ll explore either some fascinating part of the medieval world, or some way Americans have used this period to help them understand themselves. After all, if America has never been modern, it’s because we’ve always been slightly medieval.Want to become a sponsor of American Medieval? Head over to https://multitude.productions/ads Sponsors“Simple and Clean” is a podcast about the video game franchise Kingdom Hearts, hosted by Misha Stanton and Mayanna Baron, and friends. They talk about the plot, course, characters, world building, music, fashion, the fan base, and societal impact of a thing that by all means probably shouldn't even exist. Never heard of Kingdom Hearts? That's fine. They're here to break it down for you, explain why they love it, and hopefully convince you that this weird little story deserves a place in your heart. Be a weirdo along with us and listen to new episodes every Sunday.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    53 min
  • Medieval Penguins with Ellen Arnold

    Medieval Penguins with Ellen Arnold
    Jan 7 2026
    In this episode there are dead mules, dead asses, and penguins. These are all sort of related to one another in the conversation Prof. Gabriele has with Ellen Arnold, but mostly we talk about how the Middle Ages had much more science than the 0% they supposedly did. People really cared about the natural world! They investigated it! It’s neat! GuestEllen Arnold is a senior lecturer at Ohio State University where she teaches medieval and environmental history courses. Her research has focused on the ways that pre-modern people understood the natural world around them and how they told stories about why nature mattered. See more at her website.CreditsHost & Executive Producer: Matthew Gabriele. Find him on Bluesky @profgabriele.com or his homepage profgabriele.com Editor: Julia SchifiniMusic: “Sleeping Bags” by OTEArt: Ulysses GabrieleMultitude: https://multitude.productions Find American Medieval OnlineWebsite: AmericanMedieval.com Patreon: patreon.com/AmericanMedieval Insta: instagram.com/americanmedieval TikTok: tiktok.com/@americanmedieval YouTube: youtube.com/@AmericanMedieval Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/americanmedieval.bsky.social About UsAmerican Medieval is a podcast about the Middle Ages, but with an American twist. Each week, joined by expert guests, we’ll explore either some fascinating part of the medieval world, or some way Americans have used this period to help them understand themselves. After all, if America has never been modern, it’s because we’ve always been slightly medieval.Want to become a sponsor of American Medieval? Head over to https://multitude.productions/ads SponsorsSpirits is a history and comedy podcast focused on everything folklore, mythology, and the occult, told through the lens of feminism, queerness, and modern adulthood. Every week mythology buff Julia and her childhood best friend Amanda get together to learn about a different story from mythology and folklore over drinks. That's everything from the mythological origins of major franchises like Lord of the Rings and Wonder Woman, to modern urban legends, to a roundup of werewolf stories from around the world. Dive in at spiritspodcast.com, or search for Spirits wherever you download your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    1 h et 1 min
  • Dirtbag Medievalism with Megan L. Cook

    Dirtbag Medievalism with Megan L. Cook
    Dec 31 2025

    Everybody loves Wheatus, right? Wait, you don’t know who Wheatus is? Nevermind, we’ll get there in this episode. Megan and Prof. Gabriele talk about book history, how medieval people could indeed read - and engage with books in all sorts of interesting ways. Plus, we talk about dirtbag medievalism, a grungy vibes-based way of thinking about the Middle Ages.



    Guest

    Megan L. Cook is the Arthur Jeremiah Roberts Associate Professor of Literature and Co-Chair of the Department of English at Colby College. She is interested in the ways that language, poetry, and politics combine in the stories we tell ourselves about shared pasts and collective presents. Learn more about Prof. Cook at https://www.colby.edu/people/people-directory/megan-cook/.


    Credits

    • Host & Executive Producer: Matthew Gabriele. Find him on Bluesky @profgabriele.com or his homepage profgabriele.com
    • Editor: Julia Schifini
    • Music: “Sleeping Bags” by OTE
    • Art: Ulysses Gabriele
    • Multitude: https://multitude.productions



    Find American Medieval Online

    • Website: AmericanMedieval.com
    • Patreon: patreon.com/AmericanMedieval
    • Insta: instagram.com/americanmedieval
    • TikTok: tiktok.com/@americanmedieval
    • YouTube: youtube.com/@AmericanMedieval
    • Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/americanmedieval.bsky.social



    About Us

    American Medieval is a podcast about the Middle Ages, but with an American twist. Each week, joined by expert guests, we’ll explore either some fascinating part of the medieval world, or some way Americans have used this period to help them understand themselves.

    After all, if America has never been modern, it’s because we’ve always been slightly medieval.

    Want to become a sponsor of American Medieval? Head over to https://multitude.productions/ads

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    53 min
  • St. Nicholas (Santa?) with Rutger Kramer

    St. Nicholas (Santa?) with Rutger Kramer
    Dec 17 2025
    Prof. Gabriele and Rutger Kramer talk about jolly old St. Nicholas - who, in part, became a saint because he was a rich guy who was also nice. Then he became Santa Claus.GuestRutger Kramer is assistant professor of Medieval History at Utrecht University (The Netherlands). He works mostly on Carolingian history, monasticism, and hagiographies – topics which are tied together by his interest in the stories people tell about themselves, the way they justify their actions, and the construction of power and authority that flows from these choices. Find more about him at https://www.uu.nl/staff/RDKramer. He’s also visible on BlueSky as @anotheraspirin.bsky.social. CreditsHost & Executive Producer: Matthew Gabriele. Find him on Bluesky @profgabriele.com or his homepage profgabriele.com Editor: Julia SchifiniMusic: “Sleeping Bags” by OTEArt: Ulysses GabrieleMultitude: https://multitude.productions Find American Medieval OnlineWebsite: AmericanMedieval.com Patreon: patreon.com/AmericanMedieval Insta: instagram.com/americanmedieval TikTok: tiktok.com/@americanmedieval YouTube: youtube.com/@AmericanMedieval Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/americanmedieval.bsky.social About UsAmerican Medieval is a podcast about the Middle Ages, but with an American twist. Each week, joined by expert guests, we’ll explore either some fascinating part of the medieval world, or some way Americans have used this period to help them understand themselves. After all, if America has never been modern, it’s because we’ve always been slightly medieval.Want to become a sponsor of American Medieval? Head over to https://multitude.productions/ads Sponsors“Wow if True” is your one-stop internet culture shop podcast, explaining how what's happening online shapes the world. And the hosts, the internet experts and real-life besties, are the ones to unravel it. Tech culture journalist Amanda Silberling and science fiction author/ attorney, Isabel J. Kim, Esq.. Amanda and Isabel ask the burning questions on everyone's minds. Like in one of their most recent episodes, why does chat GPT suck so much? Because it does. Find out with new episodes every other Wednesday. Add it to your playlist now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    1 h et 1 min
  • Carolingian Oathbreakers with David M. Perry

    Carolingian Oathbreakers with David M. Perry
    Dec 10 2025
    Prof. Gabriele and David Perry talk about their recent book, Oathbreakers, about an early medieval civil war that remade Europe. Plus we talk about how we can understand what happened in the past when the sources want to stay silent.GuestDavid M. Perry is a journalist and historian, who currently works as the associate director of Undergraduate Studies at the University of Minnesota. He’s the co-author (with Matthew Gabriele) of the books Oathbreakers and The Bright Ages, both from HarperCollins. Publishers Weekly called Oathbreakers “An enlightening portrait of the medieval mindset” while The Boston Globe said The Bright Ages was “incandescent and ultimately intoxicating.” Over the last few years, Perry’s work on history, parenting, disability, and politics has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, The Daily Beast, Smithsonian Magazine, Slate, CNN, and many others. His website is davidmperry.com, and he can be found on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/lollardfish.bsky.social. CreditsHost & Executive Producer: Matthew Gabriele. Find him on Bluesky @profgabriele.com or his homepage profgabriele.com Editor: Brandon GrugleMusic: “Sleeping Bags” by OTEArt: Ulysses GabrieleMultitude: https://multitude.productions Find American Medieval OnlineWebsite: AmericanMedieval.com Patreon: patreon.com/AmericanMedieval Insta: instagram.com/americanmedieval TikTok: tiktok.com/@americanmedieval YouTube: youtube.com/@AmericanMedieval Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/americanmedieval.bsky.social About UsAmerican Medieval is a podcast about the Middle Ages, but with an American twist. Each week, joined by expert guests, we’ll explore either some fascinating part of the medieval world, or some way Americans have used this period to help them understand themselves. After all, if America has never been modern, it’s because we’ve always been slightly medieval.Want to become a sponsor of American Medieval? Head over to https://multitude.productions/ads Sponsors“Pale Blue Pod” is a sister show on Multitude, an astronomy podcast for people who are overwhelmed by the universe but want to be its friend. Hosted by astrophysicist Dr. Moya McTeer and her best friend, Constar, together they demystify space one topic at a time. Hopefully, by the end of each episode, the cosmos will be a little less scary and a lot more freaking cool. New episodes drop every Monday. Who's ready for hot Jupiter… winter? You definitely are, so check the show out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    54 min
  • Medieval Jesus with Brett Whalen

    Medieval Jesus with Brett Whalen
    Dec 3 2025

    In this episode, Prof. Gabriele and Brett talk about Jesus through the years. Defying our assumptions, that Christian figure hasn’t stayed the same and his image was very different through the Middle Ages. Plus we talk a bit about Led Zeppelin.



    Guest

    Brett Whalen is the Zachary Smith Distinguished Term Professor of History at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He generally researches Christian intellectual and cultural history during the European Middle Ages, including topics such as the crusades, apocalyptic thought, pilgrimage, and the history of the papacy. His current project is a book tentatively called Jesus: A Cultural History. Learn more about him at https://history.unc.edu/person/brett-e-whalen/.



    Credits

    • Host & Executive Producer: Matthew Gabriele. Find him on Bluesky @profgabriele.com or his homepage profgabriele.com
    • Editor: Julia Schifini
    • Music: “Sleeping Bags” by OTE
    • Art: Ulysses Gabriele
    • Multitude: https://multitude.productions



    Find American Medieval Online

    • Website: AmericanMedieval.com
    • Patreon: patreon.com/AmericanMedieval
    • Insta: instagram.com/americanmedieval
    • TikTok: tiktok.com/@americanmedieval
    • YouTube: youtube.com/@AmericanMedieval
    • Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/americanmedieval.bsky.social



    About Us

    American Medieval is a podcast about the Middle Ages, but with an American twist. Each week, joined by expert guests, we’ll explore either some fascinating part of the medieval world, or some way Americans have used this period to help them understand themselves.

    After all, if America has never been modern, it’s because we’ve always been slightly medieval.

    Want to become a sponsor of American Medieval? Head over to https://multitude.productions/ads

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    53 min
  • Disney and Byzantium with Roland Betancourt

    Disney and Byzantium with Roland Betancourt
    Nov 26 2025
    In this episode, Roland and Matt talk about Disney and the Byzantine Empire (not in that order). Plus we talk about how the process of studying the past can lead you down interesting rabbit holes and connect, for example, the Byzantine Empire and Disney.GuestRoland Betancourt is currently the Andrew W Mellon Professor in the Center for the Advanced Study of the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art, and is also a Chancellor’s Professor of Art History at the University of California, Irvine. He’s the author of four books, broadly on the histories of science and technology, intellectual history, and the history of art in the Byzantine Empire. His new book is Disneyland and the Rise of Automation (to be released in April 2026). You can find more about him online at his faculty website - https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6060. CreditsHost & Executive Producer: Matthew Gabriele. Find him on Bluesky @profgabriele.com or his homepage profgabriele.com Editor: Julia SchifiniMusic: “Sleeping Bags” by OTEArt: Ulysses GabrieleMultitude: https://multitude.productions Find American Medieval OnlineWebsite: AmericanMedieval.com Patreon: patreon.com/AmericanMedieval Insta: instagram.com/americanmedieval TikTok: tiktok.com/@americanmedieval YouTube: youtube.com/@AmericanMedieval Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/americanmedieval.bsky.social About UsAmerican Medieval is a podcast about the Middle Ages, but with an American twist. Each week, joined by expert guests, we’ll explore either some fascinating part of the medieval world, or some way Americans have used this period to help them understand themselves. After all, if America has never been modern, it’s because we’ve always been slightly medieval.Want to become a sponsor of American Medieval? Head over to https://multitude.productions/ads SponsorsFor the rest of November, our podcast and all of our sister shows at Multitude are offering 30% off annual Patreon and MultiCrew memberships! It’s our Black (Death) Friday sale. That’s right, each week you’ll get ad-free episodes of “American Medieval” (or any other Multitude show!) at a discount. Money's tight, consumerism is at an all-time high, and corporations are pressuring small businesses to juice their sales around the holidays. But we, like so many other businesses, need your support all year round. So, if you can, sign up for an annual membership. You can get 30% off 12 whole months of support now through the end of November! Head over to patreon.com/AmericanMedieval to see more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    1 h