The Roman Origins of the East and West; From Augustus to Charlemagne

Overview

This course focuses on one of the most exciting periods in the formation of the East and West, namely, the transition between the ancient and medieval worlds. Invasions of ‘barbarian’ hordes across the Rhine and Danube frontiers in the fifth and sixth centuries ended a stable system; in the seventh and eighth centuries, the invasions came from the south, as the forces of Islam exploded from Arabia and changed the Mediterranean Sea from a Roman lake to a contested frontier. In response to these political changes, individuals such as Augustine, Jerome, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory Nazianzos, Basil of Nyssa and John Chrysostom sought to incorporate the Classical heritage into the Christian life. Beginning with the Emperor Augustus, this course charts the development of the Roman empire and surveys its major institutions and culture, from the mechanics of autocracy to the character of polytheism. The success of Christianity within this empire is examined, particularly in relation to persecution and the ways in which the triumphant Christian church shaped ‘late antiquity’ are explored. This world, however, became subject to forces of change that transformed it dramatically. The course proceeds to highlight the significance of Theoderic, King of the Ostrogoths, who strove to unify Roman and barbarian cultures. It also examines Justinian the Great, the Byzantine emperor, whose attempt to reunite the Roman world ultimately failed. This course looks at Rome’s successor states in the East and West, namely medieval Byzantium, Frankish Gaul, Ostrogothic Italy and Visigothic Spain. The emphasis is on the theme of continuity and change. We look at how the Franks, having conquered Gaul, drew on Roman imperial and Christian ideology to legitimise their authority; how the Visigoths, having established their authority in Spain, produced a remarkably rich Roman-based culture; how the Romans of Byzantium, under hammer blows of Gothic, Hunnic and Muslim invasions, forged an enduring Byzantine culture combining Roman polity, Greek civilisation and Christian religion.

Learning Objectives

• Help students think critically, reason logically and evaluate evidence.
• Develop students’ written and communication skills.
• Encourage critical appraisal of historical sources.
• Enable students make effective use of electronic sources

Skills

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Late Roman and early medieval history.
• Make conceptual links between different historical periods and places.
• Trace concepts and ideas over time.
• Critically evaluate historical issues and problems in this field.
• Write essays and develop arguments, making extensive use of both primary and secondary literature in the field

Assessment

None