Anthony Kaldellis
Anthony Kaldellis is a historian specializing in the Roman Empire. He is the author of "The New Roman Empire," which provides a comprehensive history of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire).
68 claims checked on air: 2 context 1 contradicted 1 overstated 46 supported 18 unverified 2 flagged
What they said on air - unverified
Approximately 46% of the emperors of Constantinople were overthrown through violence.
"Something like 46% of the emperors of Constantinople are overthrown through violence. 46%. And that's almost half. Right? That's a huge That's a huge number, which means that every emperor is vulnerable and insecure, and they know it." (said at 0:37:05)
No published record matching the claim that approximately 46% of the emperors of Constantinople were overthrown through violence was located; this does not prove the claim false.
In the 1190s, Byzantine Emperor Alexios III proposed the 'German tax' to pay extortion demands from the German emperor, but rescinded it after public uproar in the Hippodrome.
"so in the 1190s, the emperor, that's Alexios III, he's being threatened by the German emperor. German emperor's basically, you pay me a bunch of money or I'll invade... And Alexios decides, okay, I'm going to I'm going to gather this money. I'm going to impose these taxes. And he gathers the people in the Hippodrome and he says, "Uh, you know, we're going to have the German tax." He called it the German tax. Um, and there's such an uproar in the Hippodrome against this that he's like, uh, that wasn't my idea." (said at 0:41:55)
No published record matching the claim that Byzantine Emperor Alexios III proposed the 'German tax' (Alamanikon) in the Hippodrome and rescinded it following public uproar was located; this does not prove the claim false.
In 491 AD, after Emperor Zeno died without an heir, the populace assembled in the Hippodrome to discuss the succession with the court.
"Now, sometimes there are events for replacing an emperor. So, say the emperor dies in his sleep and there's no heir. Uh this happens in 491, for example. And so, the people gather in the Hippodrome in order to have a discussion with the court about whom to appoint." (said at 0:44:30)
No published record matching the claim that in 491 AD the populace assembled in the Hippodrome to discuss succession with the court following the death of Emperor Zeno was located; this does not prove the claim false.
In the fourth century, Valentinian was the only Roman emperor who had a choice between ruling the East or the West and chose the West.
"In fact, almost all emperors who had a choice about whether they would stay in the east or stay in the west chose the east. There's only one who chooses the west, and that's Valentinian later in the 4th century." (said at 1:19:12)
No published record matching the specific claim that Valentinian I was the only Roman emperor who had a choice between ruling the Eastern or Western Empire and chose the West was located; this does not prove the claim false.
The Senate of Constantinople established by Constantine and his successors grew to approximately 2,500 to 3,000 members at its peak.
"And Constantine and his successors recruit this new Senate for the new Rome. So, we're talking about maybe 2 and 1/2 thousand, 3 thousand men, you know, at its peak." (said at 1:20:11)
No published record matching the claim that the Senate of Constantinople grew to approximately 2,500 to 3,000 members at its peak was located; this does not prove the claim false.
When the Roman Empire divided in 395 AD, the administrative division between East and West ran along the Adriatic.
"The breaking point now, interestingly, moves to the Adriatic. Right? So, when in 395, we talked about East and West kind of splitting, it breaks at the Adriatic, cuz Constantinople is now holding that whole Eastern world together." (said at 1:21:00)
No published record matching the claim that the administrative division between the Eastern and Western Roman Empires in 395 AD ran along the Adriatic was located; this does not prove the claim false.
Christians constituted at most 10% of the Roman Empire's population under Constantine, with a Christian majority emerging around the 5th century and reaching roughly 85-90% by the early 6th century.
"We probably can't talk about a majority Christian society until maybe the 5th century or early 5th, mid-5th... And we can't talk about like a solidly Christian society until early 6th century. And by solidly, I mean maybe where the non-Christians are 10, 15%... So, very slow conversion, maybe up to 10% tops under Constantine" (said at 1:37:51)
No published record matching the demographic estimates that Christians constituted at most 10% of the Roman Empire's population under Constantine, reached a majority around the early-to-mid-5th century, and reached 85–90% by the early 6th century was located; this does not prove the claim false.
Late Roman soldiers swore a military oath to the Christian Trinity.
"Soldiers now swear an oath to the Trinity, right?" (said at 1:41:07)
No published record matching the claim that Late Roman soldiers swore a military oath to the Christian Trinity was located; this does not prove the claim false.
The population of Constantinople grew from roughly 20,000 to 25,000 people at the time of Constantine's founding to approximately 500,000 within two centuries.
"it went from a very low population of maybe 25,000 people to 500,000 people in just two centuries... So when I say 20, 25,000, that's possibly what the ancient city of Byzantium had when Constantine decided to found Constantinople. And it grew to a city of about half a million in two centuries." (said at 1:52:22)
No published record matching the specific demographic trajectory of Constantinople growing from 20,000–25,000 residents at Constantine's founding to approximately 500,000 within two centuries was located; this does not prove the claim false.
Constantine made provision for up to 200,000 people to receive the grain or bread dole in Constantinople.
"Now, then Constantine also makes provision for possibly up to like 200,000 people to receive the grain dole, the bread." (said at 1:55:17)
No published record matching the claim that Constantine made provision for up to 200,000 people to receive the grain or bread dole in Constantinople was located; this does not prove the claim false.
The Eastern Roman military maintained a paper strength of between 100,000 at a minimum and approximately 250,000 at a high point depending on the period.
"Um, you—it can have anywhere between 100,000 at a minimum at a low point up to maybe about 250,000 at a high point depending on the period. It's a lot of people." (said at 2:06:25)
No published record matching the claim that the Eastern Roman military maintained a paper strength of between 100,000 at a minimum and approximately 250,000 at a high point depending on the period was located; this does not prove the claim false.
The taxation process in the Eastern Roman Empire typically involved visits roughly three times a year rather than once a year.
"And the—the—the taxation process is not like what they visit once a year, give us some coin and we'll leave. Um it's actually more like three times a year." (said at 2:08:40)
No published record matching the claim that the taxation process in the Eastern Roman Empire typically involved visits roughly three times a year rather than once a year was located; this does not prove the claim false.
The Hagia Sophia maintained a staff of hundreds of clergy and support roles supported by imperial endowments.
"major churches—Hagia Sophia, for example, has hundreds of staff, clergy to, you know, readers to whatever. And so they need to be paid. And so they need endowments." (said at 2:08:43)
No published record matching the claim that the Hagia Sophia maintained a staff of hundreds of clergy and support roles supported by imperial endowments was located; this does not prove the claim false.
Paphlagonia in northern Asia Minor was known as a prominent regional source of eunuchs in the Byzantine Empire, where families castrated sons as an advancement strategy to place them at court.
"there were some families that like really wanted to place a eunuch at the court. Um so from Paphlagonia, there were a number of uh this is in northern um Asia Minor. Um and so they would—it was almost like a family uh strategy." (said at 2:15:40)
No published record matching the claim that Paphlagonia was a regional source where families deliberately castrated sons as an advancement strategy to place them at the Byzantine court was located; this does not prove the claim false.
During the Nika riots under Emperor Justinian, imperial forces suppressed the insurrection in Constantinople, resulting in more than 30,000 deaths.
"and eventually, he orders his armies to slaughter the protesters, leaving more than 30,000 dead. Like, this is an enormous number. And a lot of Constantinople burned in the process, and yeah, he rebuilt it." (said at 2:43:01)
No published record matching the claim that more than 30,000 deaths occurred when imperial forces suppressed the Nika riots under Emperor Justinian was located; this does not prove the claim false.
Byzantine Greek fire was a flammable substance deployed via heated, pressurized projection that continued to burn on top of water.
"And it's possibly through a heated pressurized container with a spigot, let's say, that unleashes this thing up to a nozzle and it's lit and basically spews flaming napalm on other ships. And it will continue to burn even when it's on the water, right, on the top." (said at 2:45:08)
No published record matching the specific deployment mechanism of Byzantine Greek fire (involving a heated, pressurized projection system and its persistence on water) was located; this does not prove the claim false.
In the 'Politics', Aristotle gives advice to tyrants that the best way to secure themselves and preserve their rule is to obey laws and act like benevolent kings.
"This is sort of what Aristotle says about tyrants. In the Politics, Aristotle's giving essentially advice to tyrants on how to protect themselves because tyrants are usually hated and are killed in coups, right? Um, and he says, "So, how are you, you know, essentially, how do you manage to secure yourself, uh, when you're a tyrant? Well, uh, you know, you can start, uh, by maybe you know, obeying the laws or making sure that your subjects obey the laws and, you know, maybe work for the interest of your—" essentially, he's telling them to kind of become benevolent kings." (said at 3:32:21)
No published record matching the claim that Aristotle in the Politics advises tyrants to preserve their rule by obeying laws and acting like benevolent kings was located; this does not prove the claim false.
During the second Arab siege of Constantinople in the early 8th century, Emperor Leo III allied with the Bulgars and strategically deployed Greek fire and the Byzantine fleet to defeat the besiegers.
"He also had Bulgar allies. So these are the Bulgars who had just crossed the Danube just like just a few years earlier, actually, and settled south of the Danube, you know, where eventually Bulgaria emerged. So he had Bulgar allies and he used the Greek fire very, very strategically. He used his own fleet. He contained the Arabs to certain places where they kind of starved and wore them down." (said at 5:02:04)
No published record matching the claim regarding Emperor Leo III's alliance with the Bulgars, strategic use of Greek fire, and naval operations during the second Arab siege of Constantinople was located; this does not prove the claim false.
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