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Justinian and Theodora - Chapter 6: Fighting for Rome
🕑 Added 2015-07-24 11:38:28 +0000 UTC With Rome finally in his grasp, Belisarius must fight to defend his emperor's dream.
Comments
Extra History
There are at least three series already on the docket (First Crusades, Admiral Yi, and now Broad Street Pump) so there will definitely be a break in there, don't worry!
Someone
I'm sure continuing the story will win as soon as it becomes and option... but honestly, I hope they do at least one other series first, break it up a bit. Eager to see how this ends, but I wouldn't mind having a palate cleanser before coming back to it.
Nicholas Kross
I second this question!
Chase Denecke
When are we gonna get to vote on continuing the story of Justinian and Belisarius?
Extra History
Was it you? Were you the last golden spike in the transcontinental railroad that was our milestone?
Extra History
EVERYTHING ON BOATS
Extra History
The two Stephens have the right of it!
Extra History
I don't think James has decided yet. We'll see! I've been tossing around the idea of having an "All Sequels" vote, where the topics are a continuation of the WWI story, or South Sea Bubble, or this... etc. But I wonder if that would be a Sophie's Choice sort of a vote for you patrons. ;)
Extra History
D'awww. We'll bring you more great stories on the First Crusade, and I'm sure we'll return to this one someday! How could we not?
Extra History
It's true. I'm still flattered by you saying so. <3
Extra History
And you'll get to learn a lot more about Theodora when you do!
Evelyn
Bellasarius really was a genus.
Stephen
The food problem was solved, while the grain supplies lasted. But... Grain is a finite resource, unless you have access to farms, which is trickier to come up with temporary solutions for.
Stephen
Though the concept? Still used, to a greater or lesser extent - floating generators in some coastlines and in tidal rivers, the entire concept of hydroelectric damns (Particularly France for those), etc. What we use the power for has changed from milling bread to... Anything we want to use the electricity it generates for.
Stephen Maxwell
They needed the mill to turn their grain into edible food, but they still only had a limited amount of grain.
CarolineHan
Mills on boats? BEST IDEA EVER.
Christian Jensen
I recently found a book on military strategy in a used book-store ('Strategy' by B H Liddell Hart) and it makes some great points about how well he used his often incredibly slender resources. Also, Belisarius was great at adapting tactics and especially strategy to counter not only the composition of the enemy forces but also the way the enemy commanders thought and fought.
Julian Jacob Wilks
Well you can only store so much food within the city. So after a while, stores would diminish.
Dameol
Okay... so I'm confused... I thought Bellasarius had solved the food problem with his floating mills on the river. Why were the people of Rome starving and demanding to at least be able to fight?
Matthew Saunier
We demand more of the glory that was Rome! Actually, the next part would be the tragedy that was Rome, but it'd still be epic. I pushed you up to $12K so you can get some Byzantine lutes polished up (or whatever they had). Let's do this!
Kris Price
I want to see what happens next too!
John Madigan
So will the next vote be to continue this tale of history?
Martin Ockovsky
AMAZING! You guys, are the bestest! AMAZING!
Luna
But it doesn't have the passion, the humanity, that you bring to it.
Jason Youngberg
Point taken. But they do such a great job presenting it.
Tristan Murphy
I couldn't agree more!
Mikkel Kaas
That's fair. As I said, I enjoyed it thoroughly nonetheless :) If there ever comes a followup, that takes us through the either the rest of Justinians time as a ruler or the fall of the East Roman Empire, I'll surely vote on it.
Nessf
Ah - but that's the beauty of it. The story is all out there, if you desire more. Just have to go and read it yourself.
Extra History
Glad we can help him get some of the credit he's due. Poor fellow doesn't get nearly enough attention!
Extra History
And there's more to come!
Extra History
Daniel's been doing an amazing job with the dramatic moments in these narrations!
Extra History
We're trying to make them classroom-friendly, so hopefully students and teachers will be able to enjoy them from now on!
Extra History
Belisarius and his engineering invention (the ship mills) wee my favorite thing this episode. Ship mills turned out to be such a good idea that people just kept using them for centuries, with the last one (that I read about) closing in 1992. 1992!
Extra History
He'll talk about it a bit, but if you do want to know more about the ending, Wikipedia beckons to you!
Extra History
Once we started writing the series and found how much we had to say, we realized that we had a choice: either race through the details to fit the whole story into one six episode series, or go in depth but cut the story short. We picked the second option, and that means we didn't get to many of the moments where Theodora was (originally) supposed to feature. That being said, we still decided to keep the title "Justinian and Theodora" because they considered each other co-rulers.
Jason Youngberg
Do you think that after leaving us at this high mark we don't want to know what happens?! You tease you! Yes, continue the story!
Christian Jensen
Belisarius was a fantastic strategist. Definitely one of the top ten military commanders of all time.
Bahumot
I can't believe this is real history. It feels like a movie. But I guess truth is stranger/more epic than fiction. Disappointed only that my old history classes skipped or just brushed over this time period. This is what, and HOW, we should have been taught.
Zachary Taylor
This is most certainly one of the finest Extra Histories done yet, great work guys!
Jeff DigitalAirAire
I think this episode sets Belisarius to the status of "Magnificent Bastard": 25% engineer, 25% civil leader, 25% improviser, 100% balls... and this series should be called Justinian and Belisarius. I mean, damn.
Michael Jebbett
Moar Justinian plez!
Brian Rose
Ah man, leaving the series on a cliffhanger? That's cold. James is at least going to finish this story during Lies, right?
Mikkel Kaas
Wikipedia here I come! Interesting story, though I feel that calling it "justinian & Theodora" is somewhat misleading, given how the subject was mostly the (re?)rise of Rome. I get that you can't tell the entire tale of their life, but there was very little mention of them in the last couple of episodes - and Theodora especially have almost had no part in the story you ended up telling.
Tristan Murphy
When the Ostrogoth said "Fire on the white faced bay!" it gave me chills :)
Christopher Nau
Make more episodes!
Nicholas Russell
Cool episode! Can't wait to vote on the next series.
Mask
...This must be one of the most epic campaigns/battles in history. Game of Thrones eat your heart out, even Lord of the Rings can scarcely compare to that series of twists. Magnificent job telling this story! In inept hands, it may've seemed uninteresting, or even boring, but you've done it justice.
skyenet
I can't afford to pledge enough to vote, so others- vote to continue this story!
Brian Shao
Yeah I want to know what happens now! Please put it up to a vote this was a great series!
The Brit Git
Farewell to this tale for now, but I'll definitely be voting for it to come back when the time arrives.
Romain
Oooh ! I want to see what comes next ! Okay, I know what comes next, because it's History and I studied that at the Sorbonne... But I want to hear you tell it ! :)
