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/  

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/  

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/

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/  

584 to 612 Part three of a two-part series on the life and times of Queen Brunhilda of Austrasia sees the her emerge fully as a player in Frankish and European politics. Her influence is felt across three generations of leaders, though ultimately she comes to an unpleasant end. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2026/01/27/63-slay-queen/  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/

577 to 587 Part two of Queen Brunhilda’s biography covers the conflict between her husband and his father and strife between the Queen and the nobles around her son. We also talk about her role sponsor of cultural activities, and how those had changed in the hundred years since the end of Empire. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/31/episode-62-widow-and-regent/  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/  

480 CE A pre-Christmas ghost story. Excavation of a fortification on a Swedish island reveals a spasm of violence that wiped out an entire settlement. The finds shed light on life in the fifth century, while the circumstances of its ending is a mystery. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/22/the-sandby-borg-massacre/ 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/ “Nu-Flute” 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/  

567 to 577 Part one of life of Brunhilda, the Visigothic princess who was regent for three generations of Merovingian rulers. Autochthonous : adj. Native to the place it is found, i.e. indigenous. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/12/61-queen-energy/ 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/  

561 to c. 590 We take a look at the utterly baffling fraternal struggles as the descendants of Clovis continue to be unable to get along with each other or their neighbors. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/11/18/60-carry-on-my-wayward-sons/  Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod 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/

547-561 The two remaining Merovingian kings, Chlothar and Childebert, rule the now vast lands of the Franks, while warily eying each other. The question of inheritance hangs over everything, and one son decides to betray his father. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/11/19/59-the-life-and-lusts-of-chlothar-the-first/  Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod 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/