Here's my conversation with Anthony Kaldellis about the deep history of the Roman Empire in the west and the east (the Byzantine Empire). This was a truly fascinating conversation with a lot of wisdom for the modern world and for the future of human civilization. The Roman state lasted over 2,200 years. If we want to understand human nature, the modern world, and how humanity can flourish, it is valuable to study history, especially the history of why societies survive and why they collapse.
It's here on X in full and is up everywhere else (see comment).
Timestamps:
0:00 - Episode highlight
1:24 - Introduction
1:51 - The Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire
5:49 - 2,200 Years of Roman History
26:12 - Power, violence, and civil war
47:27 - Edict of Caracalla
1:00:23 - Crisis of the Third Century
1:14:52 - Constantine and the new Roman Empire
1:26:53 - Christianity in the Roman Empire
1:52:21 - Fall of the Western Roman Empire
2:05:17 - Eunuchs, Taxes, and Power
2:30:24 - Emperor Justinian and wars of conquest
2:47:26 - The Arab conquests
3:07:01 - Why the Roman empire survived so long
3:33:08 - Lessons from history
Jun 30, 2026 · 10:10 PM UTC
Here's the links for my conversation with Anthony Kaldellis:
YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=pv1TUJSE…
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2MAi0B…
Podcast: lexfridman.com/podcast
Lex Fridman (≈1:28:50):
So let’s talk about the conversion to Christianity. I think this is a pivotal moment in the history of the Roman Empire, and especially the East Roman Empire. So what was Constantine’s conversion like? Was it genuine? Was it political? What do we know about it?
Anthony Kaldellis (≈1:29:10):
So Constantine’s conversion is a fascinating story, and it’s one of those things that’s been debated endlessly. But let’s start with what we know. In 312 AD, he’s about to fight this major battle at the Milvian Bridge against Maxentius, who controls Rome. And according to the main source, which is the historian Lactantius, Constantine has a vision. He sees a cross of light in the sky with the words “In this sign, you will conquer.” And he’s told to put a Christian symbol on his soldiers’ shields. Now, whether this was a genuine religious experience or a political calculation, we don’t know for sure. But after the battle, which he wins decisively, he credits the Christian God. He starts favoring Christians, lifts persecutions, and eventually gets baptized on his deathbed in 337.
Good stuff. Also, there's so much daily talk in the U.S. about sl@very that I wish you would interview an expert in the historical sl@ve trade so they can reveal how it was black African kings and queens who sold their fellow Africans into slavery to fuel the worldwide surge of black sl@ves around the globe.
This is THE greatest novel on the subject ever made:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Da…
Clinging to old diplomatic formats based purely on raw power politics is a path to self-annihilation. True PEACE requires an ethico-evolutionary shift toward a world of values, a paradigm established in my Tractatus Politico-Philosophicus (Routledge 2017). My blueprint for a value-based global order, a demilitarized New Palestine, and a secure New Israel is live. I invite you to read my comprehensive REALISM and human EVOLUTION articles directly on my profile @polishthought and explore my peer-reviewed books (Routledge 2017 & 2026). Frameworks: bit.ly/Realism2026 & bit.ly/Tractatus2017
