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Byzantium

The medieval Eastern Roman Empire centered on Constantinople, often called Byzantine by modern historians.

Anthony Kaldellis says Diocletian ended Italy’s tax haven and made taxation the core of the Roman state
Lex Fridman Podcast·Culture

Anthony Kaldellis says Diocletian ended Italy’s tax haven and made taxation the core of the Roman state

The Byzantine historian’s best line on Lex Fridman is not that Diocletian invented the deep state, but that he made the conquerors finally pick up the tab.

Oct 10, 2026
Anthony Kaldellis says the Plague of Justinian probably did not kill half the Roman Empire
Lex Fridman Podcast·Culture

Anthony Kaldellis says the Plague of Justinian probably did not kill half the Roman Empire

The historian's case is brutally practical: if half the empire died, why did Justinian's wars, taxes, and courts keep running?

Jul 8, 2026