About Lars Brownworth

Historian, educator, and pioneer of history podcasting.

Lars Brownworth is an award-winning historian, author, educator, and podcaster specializing in ancient and medieval history. His engaging narrative style and deep scholarly knowledge have made complex historical periods accessible to audiences worldwide.

Career

Lars grew up on the campus of The Stony Brook School in Long Island, New York, where his father became the senior master. After earning his BA in history from Houghton College, he began his teaching career at The Stony Brook School in 1999. He later earned an MA in Humanities from the University of Dallas.

In 2005, while teaching at Stony Brook, Lars launched the pioneering podcast 12 Byzantine Rulers, which became a phenomenon of the podcasting world within 18 months. The podcast's success established Lars as one of the first historians to harness digital media for popular history education, inspiring countless other history podcasts including Mike Duncan's acclaimed "The History of Rome" series.

Writing & Publishing

Lars is the author of five critically acclaimed books exploring medieval and ancient history:

• Lost to the West (2009) - A sweeping history of the Byzantine Empire
• The Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings (2014) - A New York Times bestseller examining Norse exploration and conquest
• In Distant Lands: A Short History of the Crusades (2017) - Two centuries of encounters between East and West
• The Caesars Volume 1: Julius Caesar - Roman Colossus (2021) - The first in an ambitious series on Roman emperors

Media & Press

Lars's expertise and engaging communication style have made him a sought-after voice in media outlets and cultural institutions:

Television & Documentary

• Netflix: Historical consultant and on-screen expert for Rise of Empires: Ottoman (2020) – Six-episode documentary series
• Tubi: On-screen expert for Besieged Fortresses: Battles of Legend – Episode: "Constantinople: The Emperor's Last Stand"

Print & Online Publications

• Wall Street Journal: "A Soap Dish That Changed History" (2009) – Op-ed on Emperor Constans II's assassination
• The New York Times: "History Teacher Becomes Podcast Celebrity" (January 31, 2007)
• Wired Magazine: Profile on pioneering history podcasting (December 2006)
• USA Today: Coverage of 12 Byzantine Rulers phenomenon

Radio & Podcast Interviews

• NPR's Here & Now: Discussion on Byzantine history and podcast's impact (February 19, 2007)
• Featured on numerous history and education podcasts

Public Speaking & Lectures

• TED-Ed: "The City of Walls: Constantinople" (2020) – Exploring the fortifications that protected classical civilization
• Smithsonian Institution: "Byzantium: Rome's Lost Empire" lecture (December 2009)
• Hellenic Society Prometheas: Presentation on Byzantine history's significance (2010)

Teaching & Education

Lars continues to teach history at The Stony Brook School's Upper School, where he returned in 2019 after intermediate positions elsewhere. He is known for bringing the same engaging narrative style from his books and podcasts into the classroom, inspiring students to discover the relevance of ancient and medieval history to the modern world.

His pioneering work in podcasting has been compared to renowned popularizers like James Burke, making complex historical topics accessible without sacrificing scholarly rigor.