'He wanted to be closer to Rome and Rome wanted him to not be closer to Rome. So he decided to compromise and raised an army...to march on Rome'. These animations are giving me life.

@ThatSlowTypingGuy

4 жыл бұрын

2:50 This is what I think of whenever I remember this video.

@aiiv7839

4 жыл бұрын

Why do I get Bill Wurtz vibes when I hear him say that?

@HyddenYT

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah lol Al

@jepjep7716

3 жыл бұрын

K

@zes3813

3 жыл бұрын

wrrr

"He died… of being murdered" Rome in a nuttshell

@Iason29

5 жыл бұрын

And you walk one morning on the Via Appia past the tombstones on the city outskirts and suddenly see a huge crowd in the cemetery. You ask a bystander what's the big special occasion all about and he tells you "Someone died from natural causes"

@iapetusmccool

5 жыл бұрын

But it's natural to die when you're murdered. If you got murdered and didn't die, that would be unnatural.

@romanic7468

5 жыл бұрын

Important Romans in a nutshell.

@philipglover3295

5 жыл бұрын

Also promptly celebrated by dying was a good line

@Sami-ep2jg

5 жыл бұрын

@@Iason29 he was asassinated more like that

If only James Bizonette was on Rome’s side, they wouldn’t have financial problems

@Peppermynt.

2 жыл бұрын

So would kelly moneymaker

@susanlowy3947

2 жыл бұрын

@@Peppermynt. History M. said James Bizonette was sponsoring the channel: 9:40 Not Kelly Moneymaker, only our GREAT James Bizonette.

@HenryMidfields

2 жыл бұрын

No...this is it. It's beyond fucked. Even James Bizonette wouldn't be able to salvage this...

@user-io3ph5ll6w

2 жыл бұрын

@@HenryMidfields you underestimate the lord's power

@tiberiusbrain

2 жыл бұрын

@@HenryMidfields he would indeed need kelly's help. And possibly gefilte oink oink as well

I cant finish the video, its still painful after 1600 years

@bumsmeller7950

4 жыл бұрын

Aralan he crapped on Aetius way to much, he was the greatest late Roman general.

@user-lq1jc6wf5m

4 жыл бұрын

As an Italian I actually nearly broke into tears. We aren't even a shadow of what we used to be.

@sigeberhtmercia767

4 жыл бұрын

And yet Italy has now achieved a resurgence not as an empire but as a vanguard for other nations to follow. May God bless your nation and may she be a blessing to other nations around her.

@sigeberhtmercia767

4 жыл бұрын

One caveat I would mention is that not only should Italy's borders be protected but also the people within especially the working class as well as those who through unfortunate circumstances are liable to fall prey to those who are both powerful and unscrupulous such as the 'widow and orphan'.

@rafaelalexie2417

4 жыл бұрын

Exactly!!!!!! Anything related to the fall of Rome is painful to me. I'm glad I'm not alone in this

My favorite part is whenever someone holds a Soon sign.

@weerribben47

5 жыл бұрын

Mine is when someone dies. *dud*

@nikolaytsankov9066

5 жыл бұрын

Mine is when they take a walk through the flowers

@francherogamer5187

5 жыл бұрын

Same

@animatedhistory8305

5 жыл бұрын

Mama mia!

@axelandersson6314

5 жыл бұрын

Linc Let's plays Atilla

It wouldn't be a 10 minute history video if at least one guy runs from left to right on fire. I also love the new touch of horses running from left to right while facing forward.

@miguelpadeiro762

5 жыл бұрын

9.59*

@kevinreyes6633

3 жыл бұрын

Close enough

@gamingwithpapaandfriends

Жыл бұрын

9:59 / 9:59 (edit third)

@hotspot131638837

Жыл бұрын

If at least one guy “doesn’t”

Whats amazing is that Stilicho at the time of his proclaimed execution had several gothic Federati within Rome and could have easily revolted and seized the capitol but chose not to because he didn’t want to plunge the empire into further chaos, effectively sacrificing himself for the stability of the empire. A true unsung hero of the waning days of Rome

@scotandiamapping4549

2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately though it didn't work and Western Rome fell apart anyway

@gunter6377

2 жыл бұрын

I'd rather have another third century crisis than honorius

@igorsmihailovs52

2 жыл бұрын

@@gunter6377 oh man, that's like a 4th-century comment section of a news media 😁 No offense, it's just the association..

@johnpatrickcosta52

Жыл бұрын

@@gunter6377 Preach brother preach!

@TheThing274

Жыл бұрын

Honorius is the easiest pick when it comes to F Tier Roman Emperors lol I agree

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

@Sami-ep2jg

5 жыл бұрын

I will do so

@ssiipp7848

3 жыл бұрын

We are very lucky that Rome lasted for so long... Most Empires with large territory usually splits or falls.

@aureavita8653

3 жыл бұрын

@@ssiipp7848 flashback to mongol empire

@ssiipp7848

3 жыл бұрын

@@aureavita8653 Or Alexander

@uncledave5690

3 жыл бұрын

SSIIPP or Britain

Moral of the story: Outsourcing soldiers is a terrible idea

@SirMattomaton

5 жыл бұрын

Outsourcing soldiers AND citizens.... is a terrible idea.

@dyasion

5 жыл бұрын

Only if you can't afford them.

@MultiAlpha11

5 жыл бұрын

In the long run it worked a lot better for the eastern romans...

@Isildun9

5 жыл бұрын

Always pay your mercenaries.

@rovsea-3761

5 жыл бұрын

@@SirMattomaton Well, to be fair if the Romans had tried to meaningfully integrate the peoples who wanted to settle in their land, the fate of the empire may well have changed. They didn't, however, and the rest is history.

I love the dry humor. It's how I talk about history too. 'Everyone died, and there was finally peace.' 'No. That was a lie.' Also... HORSES! Whew hoooooo!

@WG55

5 жыл бұрын

4:40 "In 411, after failing to secure Gaul and defeat the barbarians, Constantine decided this emperor business was not for him, and he abdicated, soon after which, he died. Of being murdered." 🤣

@robertrichard6107

3 жыл бұрын

He died of murder and saw the end of war.

@zes3813

3 жыл бұрын

wrgg

@BadDayLp

2 жыл бұрын

Fun fact: No.

@RR18475

Жыл бұрын

how is that even funny

I can imagine a Roman living in this time watching this. “After stilicos death, things were only getting better for the western empire” “Phew” ‘That was a lie, sorry”

@atriox7221

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, stilico got pretty close to rejoining the empire, resolving most of its problems, but was murdered, then barbarians living in Rome suffered a genocide and the barbarian Roman soldiers turned on their leaders and sacked Rome. Stilico was the last great general of the empire, and in my eyes Rome basically died with him.

@theemperor-wh40k18

3 жыл бұрын

@@atriox7221 idk man, you had some pretty great ones after that like Bellasarius.

@luispereira2735

3 жыл бұрын

@@theemperor-wh40k18 Flavius Aetius?

@luispereira2735

3 жыл бұрын

@@atriox7221 are you forgeting Aetius?

@madhurawat155

2 жыл бұрын

If Stilicho and Aetius had ruled instead of Honorius and Valentinian the 3rd, things might have been different. And also Majorian tried his best to restore Rome. By the time of Belisarius, full restoration simply became impossible.

404 date not found. That's great

@centraltendency5343

3 жыл бұрын

LOL I saw that too @1:11

@stutavagrippa8690

3 жыл бұрын

404 likes

@diederick76

3 жыл бұрын

I can't find it.

@lawrencedoliveiro9104

3 жыл бұрын

Was waiting for 5:16 when 418 comes up. That means “I’m a teapot”.

@edwardblair4096

3 жыл бұрын

@@diederick76 it comes at 1:13 for me. The message appears at the bottom, very briefly. I had to go back a few times to pause it right so I could read it.

"Xeno would of course have other plans" Xeno: I have other plans The best

@firefox3249

5 жыл бұрын

Zeno*

@marcus4046

4 жыл бұрын

*GASP*

@fuzzydunlop7928

4 жыл бұрын

Zeno was a surprisingly competent emperor who was dealt a bad hand, tried as best he could to hold the empire together after the fuck-ups of his precursors, even made some progress in the realm of foreign policy, but nevertheless was shit on by subsequent Byzantine historians because he wasn't Roman/Hellenic - he was an Isaurian who married into the empire, and the Byzantines considered him a barbarian. Despite this, he wasn't a dumpster fire of an emperor and as far as Byzantine history goes that's a high compliment.

@tefky7964

3 жыл бұрын

WHERE ARE XENOS?! FOR THE EMPEROR!!!

@JohnnyFalstaff

3 жыл бұрын

@@fuzzydunlop7928 Sorry to chime in so late, but those historians surely were just Zenophobes.

Seems like whenever Rome might finally find its footing, someone murders another and ruins it. Rome in a nutshell I guess

@CrashB111

3 жыл бұрын

"A house divided against itself, cannot stand." They just couldn't stop fighting amongst themselves long enough to fix their huge problems, so they disintegrated.

@Christopher_TG

3 жыл бұрын

There's a reason that Edward Gibbon, famed British historian who studied the Roman Empire's fall, said that the real question we should ask is not "how did the Roman Empire fall?" It's "how did the Empire survive as long as it did?"

@blauwbeer556

2 жыл бұрын

the most impressive thing about the roman empire is that they have so many great men to kill in the first place.

@ericbrown1101

Жыл бұрын

@@Christopher_TG honestly an excellent question

I meet a lot of people who dislike and dont know history because throughout school they had bad teachers. And although you do a lot of name dropping for a ten minute video I firmly believe that everyone who is a "noob" in history would remmeber something from the video. It is done in a professional and entertaining manner and graphics fit perfectly with style of the story telling. Hats off to you sir

@pilkpog7952

3 жыл бұрын

Nebojsa Kmezic yes

@KineticManiac

2 жыл бұрын

This might apply more or less to all school lessons, not just history. For example, there are great math channels out there that would really make you question the way math is taught in school. 3Blue1Brown comes to mind.

@Theire1

8 ай бұрын

My history teacher was also the high school football coach , he sucked at both jobs

I love how the fall of the Roman Empire signifies the end of Ancient Times and Medieval Times

@wizzya9966

4 жыл бұрын

I dont think so,medival times ends with the fall of the greek empire, byzantium.not rome

@alsiyonealternate

4 жыл бұрын

wizzy A The Byzantine Empire is the Roman Empire. The empire is ethnically greek, but officially and legally Roman.

@TheDAWinz

4 жыл бұрын

@@wizzya9966 Rome was a nationality, made up of people from many ethnicity.

@wizzya9966

4 жыл бұрын

@@TheDAWinz At the beggining

@wizzya9966

4 жыл бұрын

@@alsiyonealternate No They spoke greek Called themselves greeks They were greeks

3:54 "that was a lie, I'm sorry" was the first time I've heard him not sound like a monotonous robot lol

I don’t have very many good things in my life right now but whenever I see a notification for one of your videos I know for at least a few minutes I have a reason to smile.

@nikolaytsankov9066

5 жыл бұрын

Until it has to be reuploaded :(

@francherogamer5187

5 жыл бұрын

I wish you to have good things in your life

@JohnnyLodge2

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Things will eventually get better unfortunately I don't have any control over the when.

@trentmurphy7231

5 жыл бұрын

JohnnyLodge2 30% of life is what happens to you, 70% of life is how you react to it. I’ve been at rock bottom as well but the first step is to look inward at your egoic problems, such as the victim role, judging others, letting your own emotions overtake you, learning to recognize your emotions and their source, finding your life purpose/talents, and on the other hand eating healthily and exercising help profoundly as well.

@michaelmcghee6594

5 жыл бұрын

Don't worry my dude life is what you make of it happiness is always under your control you just got to make a perspective shift.

The very moment they killed Stilico The West Roman Empire shot themselves in the foot (Italian Peninsula).

@Gabriel-ip6me

5 жыл бұрын

They did that a lot, actually

@noodlecoffee193

3 жыл бұрын

Their fate was sealed when Majorian was killed

@ZephLodwick

3 жыл бұрын

It's only more painful after watching the Unbiased History episode about him.

@raymondespera5161

3 жыл бұрын

@@ZephLodwick ave stilicho

@Sandderad

3 жыл бұрын

@@noodlecoffee193 Their fate was sealed when Caesar was killed.

This guys funny af. “He died... of being murdered” lmao

@DISTurbedwaffle918

4 жыл бұрын

Hmm yes, this death is made of kill 🤔

@dovidsokol380

3 жыл бұрын

@@DISTurbedwaffle918 yeah

@dovidsokol380

3 жыл бұрын

Whennur killed u die. Its True. ASK UR FAMILY DOCTOR.

I think it's worth mentioning now and then that Theodosius didn't come up with the idea of dividing the Empire. During the 4th century, the periods when the Empire was _not_ divided were the exception (326-337 under Constantine, 353-364 under Constantius II, Julian, and Jovian, and only 392-394 under Theodosius), usually along very similar lines. The division between Arcadius and Honorius just happened to be the last one.

@aminfaka8986

5 жыл бұрын

Bla bla bla?

@zylen3167

4 жыл бұрын

No. It’s important because it was the only lasting one. Tetrarchy, for example, just lasted from 284 to 312

@dantecaputo2629

4 жыл бұрын

Fair point, but while the Empire was divided by Constantinius II and Julian (355-360) under Julian’s sole rule, and then that of Jovian (360-364) the Empire was politically one unit.

@respublica4373

4 жыл бұрын

@@zylen3167 It was not really too different from any previous divisions of the empire, the only reason why we consider it important now is that it just happened to be the last one. Actually, that is not even true, since the Western throne became vacant and so the empire became "unified" under one emperor again.

@fuzzydunlop7928

4 жыл бұрын

Halvdan Carved This Comment

"He retired and by that I mean he died"

@aceofr3ap3r21

2 жыл бұрын

By being murdered

@stevemc01

2 жыл бұрын

I mean, he left his job…

Poor Justinian. “The East would see an Economic Boom that’s piled last until the 6th century (553)” He truly was One of the best emperors of the (Eastern) Romans, yet history had to be so cruel to his leadership.

@selfdo

7 ай бұрын

@@jackjones4824 The effects of volcanic eruptions in the 530s also can't be underestimated. Due to a paucity of accurate historical records, no one's sure if it was Tambora or Krakatoa in Indonesia, or Popocatépetl in Mexico, or Niryagongo in East Africa, or even Lassen in Northern California! There are accounts of lowered temperatures, darkened skies, and other effects commonly associated with large volcanic eruptions, such as Tambora did in 1815, causing the following year to be the "Year Without a Summer".

@justingiossi2695

6 ай бұрын

He did massacre 10s of thousands of his people while half of Constantinople was burned to the ground

@WhydoIsuddenlyhaveahandle

20 күн бұрын

He reclaimed most of the western empire. Without the plague, I bet Rome would have been completely restored

This is the saddest thing I’ve ever watched. But at the same time it made things more interesting

Another book recommendation, "The Fall of Rome" by Adrian Goldsworthy. Basically a detailed history of the Roman Empire from the death of Marcus Aurelius to the death of Justinian I.

@alessandrogini5283

2 жыл бұрын

What he said about last severan emperor?

"With Stilicho a bit on the dead side." LOL

Really wish you would do more episodes on Rome.I just find their history so fascinating and interesting!

i love your jam-packed key points in a short single video. you end up walking away with a good understanding of the big picture and how one event caused other events.

Caesar Augustus looking at a ruined Rome in 476: YOU MANIACS! YOU BLEW IT UP! AH, DAMN YOU! GOD DAMN YOU ALL TO TARTARUS!!!

@firefox3249

5 жыл бұрын

Too bad Christians don't believe in Tartarus...

@ultra_epic_guy5966

5 жыл бұрын

Commander Shepard they believe in hell XD

@firefox3249

5 жыл бұрын

@@ultra_epic_guy5966 Aye, not Tartarus.

@Usammityduzntafraidofanythin

5 жыл бұрын

I mean, by 395 it was already nothing like how it woul've been in 117

@PASTRAMIKick

5 жыл бұрын

They were christians by then

My life is enriched by the sarcasm and laconic humour in these videos.

These are such concise, informative, thoroughly researched and well produced videos and your sense of humor is just brilliant

I really enjoy your peculiar style of humour, it truly brings something fresh to the video without distracting from the content. Props to you!

7:52 "Oh no how sad" 😂😂😂

I liked the first version more

@dr.vikyll7466

5 жыл бұрын

same

@nikolaytsankov9066

5 жыл бұрын

Why did he take it down again

@superstructure23

5 жыл бұрын

I think because at the final screen it said "special thanks to: special thanks to:" and there was only one person mentioned instead of the 2 in this one

I have to say how much I enjoy these little snippets. I reckon a lot of work goes into them, belied by their brevity.

There needs to be more movies or books based on the eastern roman empire. Way too underappreciated.

well Aetius was actually a fairly good leader, he just had an impossible task. He couldn't use the armies much because they were spread too thin and he couldn't afford to lose any troops. However he was able to delay the fall of rome for a bit by clever diplomacy and troop maneuvers to deter invasion.

If you are worried about the age of "The World of Late Antiquity" I highly recommend Brown's latest publication on the subject: "Through the Eye of a Needle: Wealth, the Fall of Rome, and the Making of Christianity in the West 350-550 AD" It contains some important updates, chief among those being the notion that the barbarian invasions were a scapegoat conjured by Roman writers. The barbarian proto-kingdoms did play a part in Rome's downfall of course, but more through drawing talented romans away from Imperial courts to their own and thus becoming a valid alternative to the Respublica.

@Sophiesmakeupbag

5 жыл бұрын

HaveBeardWillTravel I second this! It’s a fantastic book and gives late imperial culture a good treatment.

@ave789

5 жыл бұрын

Sounds perfect for what I've been looking for! One of the few times where KZread comments have been productive 😉

@Martinos1991

5 жыл бұрын

Glad to have been of assistance. The book is mainly concerned with contemporary views on wealth though, just so you know. It provides an overview of more general developments (like the so called barbarian invasions) only in as far as they serve to contextualize the discourse on wealth. Would still recommend it to anyone interested in late western Roman culture.

@ave789

5 жыл бұрын

@@Martinos1991 Will be heading to uni next week to study, the Fall of Rome is one of my modules, so it genuinely does help a ton - thank you!

@Sophiesmakeupbag

5 жыл бұрын

Shododdydoddy you should also check out Chris Wickham and Peter Heather, if that’s one of your modules. I’ve just finished my MA in medieval history and have been taught by the latter of the two. He’s brilliant and gives a good insight into what happened next... good luck at Uni!

I binge watch your programs at times. I love the sarcasm. Your programming is excellent

Okay, have to take a second and give a shout out on the casual humourous approach to an excellent informative video. Well done lad. Cheers from Canada.

Rome was also used as a basis for many of our modern laws and legal system.Their Architecture was also influential and can still be seen to this day.I'm a carpenter who worked in the trades my whole life and I doubt any of the big projects I worked on will still be here or be admired 100 years from now let alone several thousand years from now.

I cry every time I watch this video. Top ten saddest moments in history.

@elitemangudai1016

4 жыл бұрын

Shouldn't have split up rly

Your narrations are so funny! The speed at which you speak, the dry wit, the way you say "died" and the thud of a block shaped human. I love it all!

Nice - quick, packed with the most important facts !!! Loved it

"Surely after this the Romams would learn to uphold their bargains... Fun Fact: No"

3:34 oh boy here we go with the Britain France rivalry

Great done video. Lots of information in short time. Really enjoyed it.

Thank you so much for uploading this video. It is helping me get through the pandemic!

404 'date not found' Bloody hell 😂😂

Barbarians really looked at civilized society and said, “no”

@matiaslopez5492

3 жыл бұрын

"civilized" the people were poor af and not free. The barbarian were free

@eden4279

3 жыл бұрын

@@matiaslopez5492 free to die at age 30 because he drank from a weird water puddle

@katrinegadegaard1241

3 жыл бұрын

@@matiaslopez5492 and uncivilised.

@coneinggaming6285

3 жыл бұрын

@@katrinegadegaard1241 “tosses blaster away” So uncivilized.

@reidparker1848

3 жыл бұрын

The best thing that happened to Europe was Rome collapsing.

I love the humour in the videos without even changing the tone of voice.

This channel is so calming Whenever I’m annoyed I binge 15 or so of these and feel better

I don't know why but the way you drew the huns eyes creeps me out

@ChevyChase301

5 жыл бұрын

Ozer Harry the Huns actually looked like aliens to the romans as they had molded heads and asiatic features which were unknown to them.

@davidking6242

5 жыл бұрын

Even so. The eyes were really eiree looking idk why

@kingt0295

3 жыл бұрын

They look like they’re staring straight at me

My favorite history channel!

The first video of yours I was your second video and I don't think I can get enough of your channel it's actually one of my favourite history channels out here.

The influence of the Roman Empire on Europe is very understated but a great video all the same, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

The fall of Rome makes me shed a tear every time. :’(

To think that the fall of the Western Rome was the start of the dark ages of Europe is interesting, their fall also had a huge effect on the Eastern counterpart to have enemies on all sides.

Love your videos.... the dry humor is great.

I love this episode!!! p.s. You guys should do an episode on the Third Century Crisis.

2:58 I just love the humor this channel has to offer 😂

This episode is above-average hilarious xD .

The humor here is a thing of beauty! Thank You!

Thank you. These History Digestives (Histgestives?) are excellent. Nice one!

“He celebrated...by dying”

Man I love this guy's teaching style. If I'd had a professor like this in college I might have become a historian.

Educational and entertaining as usual. Thanks.

I think about the Roman Empire everyday

“With Stilico still a bit on the dead side” 😂

I like anyone who hold signs, so I can understand it. Nice videos Ten Minute History👍 Second comment: When is the Mongol Empire video releasing?

Great summary and commentary!

Great video... Again Great video

him: but after 404..... also him: date not found✋

Why do I feel as though there’s a higher than usual amount of sarcasm in this video? 😂

Fantastic as always.

Another great video 😀

I really love the “things were bound to get better” “oh wait it’s worse nobody learned anything”

I love this guy's animation style.

These are so good!

Man, History Matters, you are epic. Thank you!

Something interesting which is often forgotten is the status of the "barbarian" kings relative to the empire. The late Western Roman Empire effectively invented feudalism in the sense that for a long time the barbarian kings swore allegiance to the Emperor while being very autonomous in their rule. Also it's interesting to see that while we remember 476 as the date of the fall of the WRE, at the time it really wasn't seen as that. When Odoacer deposed Romulus Augustus, he actually sent his crown and scepter to the Eastern Roman Emperor saying "the Empire is now restored". It's later and only gradually that it became clear that the barbarian kings were happy to do things on their own and started ignoring the Emperor.

@TheRatOnFire_

Жыл бұрын

Actually, Diocletian invented serfdom, so he basically invented feudalism

"This was part of the 'Bread and Circuses' mantra whereby feeding and entertaining people meant they would shut up and not riot." Hahaha! I laughed long and hard at this because it's true!

This and oversimplified are my favorite history channels

I like your art style, simple yet elegant :)

The channel releases videos regularly, with an easy to understand and interesting historical recap. Hope the channel produces more interesting historical videos☺☺

+1 for the hopping horses. Can't wait for the Mongol Empire episode.

Dude your thumbnails are seriously great.

The Roman Empire crumbling for 10 minutes straight

I love how James Bissonette is the sole sponsor of this one. It all started here...

"fun fact: no" has to be the most predictable yet continuously funny thing on this channel.

This is easily the best historical site on utube . More reality/facts in 10mins than others manage in an hour . No nonsense or BS 👍⚔

The humour around deaths are brilliant.

I love those little *plop* noises when they die 5:00

Im disappointed that Attilla didnt die with a horse

@acebalistic1358

5 жыл бұрын

John Green-Trujillo your right He died of a nose bleed while he slept

@thesenate5913

5 жыл бұрын

its better than dying while pissing yourself, and shitting yourself (stalin)

@aminfaka8986

5 жыл бұрын

Well I bet caligalus did

@jordan_roadhouse4798

4 жыл бұрын

@@aminfaka8986 He died IN a horse. The dirty bastard!

I love it when he makes jokes with a serious voice.

Saves me a semester-long course.

"now a bit on the dead side" "Later died, of being murdered" He promptly celebrated,by dying" Bruh.

You forgot to mention about the rump state of soissons up north? The piece of normandy around 476 AD

@aminfaka8986

5 жыл бұрын

Bla bla bla!

@dantecaputo2629

4 жыл бұрын

amin faka This is the second time you have said this. What does it mean?

@reinatr4848

4 жыл бұрын

10 minutes

Excellent video :)

I really like all of these videos! Three years might be too long to say this, but a similar video about the eventual dissolution of the Eastern Roman Empire could be interesting. There's a video about the actual fall of Constantinople, but learning how the eastern half went from "fine, really" to seemingly little more than Constantinople, and surrounded by Ottomans, since today there is NO Roman Empire left, could be a fun tale.