 |
History 3141
|
3141 Home | 3141 Course Information | William Lundell Home |
Incipit
for Gospel of Matthew, Lindesfarne Gospels, 8h c,
British Library Cotton MS Nero D.iv, f.27r
Instructions for document analysis, due
Wednesday 12. October
Instructions for research essay, due
Wednesday 23. November
N.B. Because consideration of original documents is an key component of the course, please bring to class as appropriate Geary's Readings in medieval history, the course reader, and copies of web documents.
7. September,
Introduction to the course and historiographical starting points
12. Septembe, The classical legacy to mediaeval civilization
Brown, preface and chapter I
14. September, Third-century crisis; Diocletian's reform of Roman government and society
Brown, chapter II
Collins, chapter 1CR #1: 'The reforms of Diocletian'
Cassius Dio, Account of career of Caracalla [Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus] (r.211-217)—read ¶1-11
Vopiscus describesAurelian's conquest of Palmyra (273)
Diocletian, Decrees against Christians
19. September, Constantine and his successors: the restoration of stability
Brown, chapter III
Collins, chapters 2-3Eusebius describes the conversion of Constantine
Galerius and Constantine, Edicts of Toleration (311, 313)
Codex theodosianus, On outlawing of religions other than Christianity
21. September, Roman religion and the emergence of Christianity
Brown, chapters IV-V
Lucius Apuleius (c. 123-c. 170) recounts his initiation into the mysteries of the cult of Isis
Pliny and Trajan correspond about Christians (c.112)
Charge of ritual cannibalism made against Christians
Certificate of having sacrificed to the gods
Interested? Recommended websites: Villa of the Mysteries, Pompei; Traditions of Magic in Late Antiquity, Exhibit at U. Michigan Library, 1996
26. September, The ancient heritage of Christianity
Brown, chapters VI-VIII
Collins, chapter 5: 61-67, 75-78Geary, 28-45, Augustine, extracts from On Christian doctrine
Constantine, Laws for Christians
Nicene creed (325)
Codex theodosianus, Laws on religion
Ambrose, Letter to Theodosius I (390)
28. September, Beyond the Roman frontiers: Germanic, Gothic, Celtic, and Altaic peoples
Collins, chapter 4
CR #2: P. Geary, 'Barbarians and ethnicity'Geary, 78-87, Jordanes, History of the Goths, chapters IV-XXIII
3. October, The disintegration of Roman political authority in the west
Brown, chapter IX
Collins, chapter 6Geary, 46–57, Augustine, extracts from The city of God
Geary, 87-104, Jordanes, History of the Goths, chapters XXIV-LI
Sidonius Apollinaris, extracts from two letters
Interested? Walter Goffart's book, Barbarians and Romans, A.D. 418-584: techniques of accomodation, Princeton, 1980 [DG 319 G63 c.1], presents closely-reasoned, revisionist take on the subject. Contrast with Ferdinand Lot, The end of the ancient world and the beginnings of the middle ages, 1931; rpnt. New York, 1961.
5. October, Germanic kingdoms and the beginnings of mediaeval polity-i: Italy and Spain
Collins, chapter 7: 99-109; chapter 10: 151-160; chapter 12
CR #3: Miscellaneous documents pertaining to Visigothic Spain
CR #4: extract from Paul the Deacon's History of the Lombards
10. October, Thanksgiving holiday
12.October, Germanic kingdoms and the beginnings of mediaeval polity-ii: England and Gaul
Collins, chapter 7: 109-113; chapter 10: 160-172
Geary, 129-130, Bishops Remigius of Reims and Avitus of Vienne, Letters to Clovis
Chronicle of St. Denis, extract recounting the conversion of Clovis
17. October, Frankish society
CR #5: Janet Nelson, 'Queens as Jezebels. The careers of Brunhild and Balthild in Merovingian history'
Geary, 5-23, Codex theodosianus, extracts on marriage law[nb. editor's introduction]
Geary, 122-128, Salic law, extracts
Geary, 153-158, Life of St. Balthild
19. October, The Rome that didn't 'fall': the early history of the Byzantine empire
Brown, chapters XI-XII
Collins, chapter 8Geary, 104-110, Jordanes, History of the Goths, chapters LII-LX
Procopius, History of the Wars, describes the Nika Revolt (532)
Procopius, History of the Wars, describes the reconquest of Africa (534)
Procopius, Secret history, describes Justinian
Corpus iuris civilis, extracts
Interested? Recommended websites: Byzantine studies page; Byzantine art and architecture; Constantinople, the queen of cities [including images of Haiga Sofia]; Monuments of Ravenna [including mosaic representations of Justinian and Theodora]
24. October, Islam
Brown, chapters XIII, XV
Collins, chapter 9CR # 6: Miscellaneous documents pertaining to the Muslim conquest of Spain
The Sunnah, extracts
Accounts of the Arab conquest of Egypt (642)
Interested? Recommended websites: Internet Islamic studies page; Islamic art and architecture
THE FORMATION OF CHRISTENDOM
26. October, The development of the Roman church
Collins, chapter 5: 67-74, chapter 13: 220-225
Council of Sardica (343): Canon on the primacy of the Roman See
Valentinian III, Edict on papal authority (445)
Pope Leo I (r. 440-461) preaches the petrine doctrine
Pope Gregory I (r. 590-04), extracts from letters demonstrating Gregory's vigorous attempts to project papal authority; extracts from Gregory's Book of Pastoral Ruler
Pope Gregory I issues instructions for the administration of the Papal Estates (c. 600)
31. October, Monks, missionaries, and the conversion of Europe
Collins, chapter 11: 173-187; chapter 14
Geary, 212-222, Bede, extracts from History of the English church and people
CR #7: Anonymous, Life of St. Sturmi, extract
Rule of St. Columba (6h c)
Rule of St. Benedict (c. 530), extracts [full text may be read at Geary, 159-188]
Texts concerning St. Boniface
2. November, The Frankish kingdom: the Carolingian coup d'etat
Collins, chapter 13: 225-235; chapter 15
CR #8: Pope Gregory II, Letter to Emperor Leo III (726/727)
CR #9: Documents pertaining to Frankish-papal relations
Three brief accounts of the Battle of Tours (732)
Pope Gregory II, Letter to Charles Martel (739)
Annals of Lorsch, Pepin the Short crowned king of the Franks (754)
Definition of the iconoclastic conciliabulum of Constantinople (754)
Interested? Read 'Closing the frontier: Frisia and Germany' in Peter R.L. Brown, The Rise of western Christendom: triumph and diversity, A.D. 200-1000, 2e, Oxford; Blackwell, 2003 [on reserve]
7. November, Film: The
Book of Kells: the work of angels
9. November, Charlemagne: the administrative and military construction of an empire
Collins, chapter 16; chapter 17: 300-307
Geary, 266-273, Einhard, Life of Charlemagne, preface-chapter 18
Geary, 280-285, 296-301, various capitularies
CR #10: Documents pertaining to the imperial coronation of Charlemage (800)
CR #11: Selected letters and poems of Alcuin of York, Letters #4–9
Charlemagne, Summons to his army (c.804-811)
14. November, Charlemagne: religious and cultural patronage
Collins, chapter 17: 307-317
CR #12: Christopher Dawson, 'The restoration of the western empire and Carolingian Renaissance'Geary, 286-290, Synod of Frankfort (794) and Letter to Abbot Baugulf
CR #11: Selected letters and poems of Alcuin of York, Letters #2-3
16. November, Deterioration of the Carolingian empire
Collins, chapter 18
CR #13: Anonymous, Life of Louis the Pious, extracts
Angobard of Lyons, On the division of the empire (c.830)
21. November, Invasions from north, south, and east
Collins, chapter 19
CR #14: Regino of Prüm, Chronica, extracts
Three sources describing Viking raiding of Frankish territories
23. November, No class
28. November, The England of Alfred the Great
Collins, chapter 11: 188-197
CR #15: C. Warren Hollister, et al. on England under Alfred the GreatGeary, 230-239, Asser, Life of Alfred, extracts
Geary, 239-246, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, extracts
30. November, The Ottonian era
Collins, chapter 21
Geary, 315-322, Liudprand of Cremona, A chronicle of Otto's reign
Geary, 323-329, Cluniac charters
5. December, Catching
up, discussion, and review
N.B. Final to be scheduled during examination period beginning Wednesday, 7. December.
3141 Home | 3141 Course Information | William Lundell Home |
Maintained by wlundell@mta.ca