History 505.01
Early
Byzantine Empire, A.D. 330-843
Autumn Quarter
2001
Instructor: Professor Timothy E.
Gregory, 365 Dulles Hall. Office Hours:
Monday 11:00-12:00, Monday and Wednesday 2:00-3:00, and by appointment at other
times. Telephone 292-1949 (office),
292-2674 (department), 291-4015 (home).
E-mail: gregory.4@osu.edu
Web Site for the
Course: http://www.acs.ohio-state.edu/history/isthmia/teg/hist50501
Required Texts:
Averil Cameron The Mediterranean
World in Late Antiquity (London, Routledge 1993) ISBN: 0415014212
Mark Whittow, The Making of
Byzantium 600-1025. (University of California Press, 1996) ISBN: 0520204972
George Ostrogorsky, History of
the Byzantine State, reprint edition (New Burnswick, NJ: Rutgers University
Press, 1982) ISBN: 0813511984 (recommended but not required)
Procopius, Secret History,
G.A. Williamson, trans. (NY: Viking 1982) ISBN: 0140441824
Readings in Early Byzantine
History (a book of readings, available only at Cop-Ez
in
the Tuttle Park parking structure)
A Chronology of Early Byzantine History (outline history of the
period,
available
only at Cop-Ez in the Tuttle Park parking structure)
The four books are available only at SBX.
Course Description:
This course is designed as an
introduction to early Byzantine civilization and history, A.D. 330-843. In it we will trace the transformation of
the ancient world and the emergence of a distinctly medieval Byzantine
civilization. We will observe the
growth and triumph of Christianity and its transformation into a world
religion. We will examine critically
the myths concerning the "fall of the Roman empire" and the typical
evaluation of Byzantium. We will
attempt to understand Byzantine civilization through the eyes of the Byzantines
themselves, examining their values and comparing them with those of our
own. In this regard, we will seek to
gain insight into the religious sensitivities of the Byzantines and how
Byzantine Christianity expressed important transcendent ideas. We will also investigate relations between
Byzantium and its neighbors and pay special attention to the military
developments that influenced the course of history in this crucial period. The Byzantine Empire represents a
fascinating, although little-known chapter in human history. This course is designed to explore some
aspects of that civilization and to expose you to challenging new ideas. An understanding of Byzantine history has
special importance in today’s world since it was played out in the vortex that
gave rise to the current disputes between Arabs, Jews, and Christians and it
represents the cultural heritage of many Americans with heritage in the Middle
East, the Mediterranean area, and Eastern Europe.
Class: Class will normally meet
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 9:30 to 10:48AM.
Class
Schedule and Reading Assignments
(Note
that for best results readings should be completed at the beginning of each
week; that will allow us to make best use of class time. Students should regularly consult the class
Web Site, since it will contain announcements, links to further information,
and hints for studying.)
September
19 INTRODUCTION
Ostrogorsky,
pp. 1-21
Whittow,
pp. 1-37
September
24 THE AGE OF CONSTANTINE
THE GREAT
Ostrogorsky,
pp. 22-50
Readings,
1-3
October
1 THE FOURTH
CENTURY
Cameron,
pp.12-56
Readings
4-6
October
8 THE FIFTH
CENTURY
Ostrogorsky,
pp. 51-68
Cameron, pp. 57-103
October
15 THE AGE OF JUSTINIAN
Ostrogorsky,
pp. 68-78
Cameron
104-151
Procopius,
Secret History
Readings
7-11
October
22 COLLAPSE OF THE EARLY
BYZANTINE SYNTHESIS
Ostrogorsky,
pp. 78-86
Cameron,
pp. 152-200
Whittow,
pp. 38-68
Readings
13
October
29 HERACLIUS AND THE RISE
OF ISLAM
Ostrogorsky,
pp. 87-109
Whittow,
pp. 69-133
Readings
12, 14-16
November
5 THE DARK AGES
Ostrogorsky,
pp. 110-146
Whittow, pp. 134-138
Readings
6: 85-105
November
12 ICONOCLASM
Ostrogorsky,
pp. 147-175
Whittow,
pp. 139-193
Readings 17-18
November
19 CHALLENGE FROM THE WEST
Ostrogorsky,
pp. 175-186
Whittow,
pp. 194-309
Readings
19
November
26 TOWARD A NEW SYNTHESIS
Ostrogorsky,
pp. 186-209
Student
Responsibilities
Examinations: There will be one Mid-Term Examination,
on October 22, and a Final Examination.
Details on both of these will be provided well in advance.
Class Project: All students will be expected to complete a class project that
involves some outside research and critical thought. Note that you will have to consult books, articles, and websites
outside those assigned for the course.
The project should take the form of a paper on one of the following two topics:
A.
Write
a critical analysis of one of the passages in the Readings in Early Byzantine
History. Your analysis should be
basically historiographical, that is, you should provide information about the
author and his background and discuss how this particular passage fits into the
broader scope of Byzantine history and historiography.
B. Local history in the early Byzantine period. Write a paper in which you discuss the
situation, problems, and living conditions in one of the following
places within the Byzantine Empire—in the period ca. AD 500-600: a) Alexandria,
b) the villages of the Egyptian desert; c) the villages of the Syrian high
plain; d) Cappadocia; e) the western coast of Asia Minor; f) Corinth; g)
Athens; h) the island of Kythera; i) southern Italy.
Class
projects are due at class time on November 26.
Late projects will be subject to a considerable reduction in grade. To maximize your success, consult with the
instructor at an early date and make sure the project is a viable one. Papers should have a bibliography and should
be documented with footnotes, where appropriate. Undergraduates should expect to prepare papers of 6-8 pages;
graduate students 20-30 pages. Projects
will be graded on the basis of a) imagination, b) accuracy, c) insight, and d)
care and effectiveness of preparation.
Grades:
Grading will be at the discretion of
the instructor, but the following provides a rough indication of the values
assigned to the various parts of the course:
Mid-Term Examination
25%
Class Project 30%
Final Examination 30%
Participation 15%
Grades
in this course are not mechanically
curved. Everyone can get an A and
everyone can fail.
All students should be aware that plagiarism, or any other kind of academic dishonesty, is a serious offense and can result in penalties, including failure in the course and dismissal from the University. All work in this course must be your own, and dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated.
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revised 18 Sept. 2001