Anthony Kaldellis, "1453: The Conquest and Tragedy of Constantinople" (Oxford UP, 2026)

Anthony Kaldellis — one of the foremost Byzantinists working today — discusses his new Oxford UP book on the 1453 siege and fall of Constantinople. At 1h14m, there's room to get into Mehmed II's siege preparations, the city's defences, and the final assault in detail. Kaldellis is a serious scholar who doesn't just retell the story — he reinterprets it, and his take on the end of the Roman Empire is worth hearing from the source. This is exactly the kind of interview New Books in Military History does well.

Anthony Kaldellis — the foremost English-language Byzantinist working today — discusses his new book on the siege and fall of Constantinople in 1453. This is exactly the kind of episode that hits multiple sweet spots: a major siege, the death of the Roman Empire, Ottoman military capability, and a world-class scholar presenting a fresh narrative. Over an hour long, and the combination of Kaldellis's revisionist approach with the inherent drama of the siege makes this essential for anyone who cares about Byzantine or siege warfare.