90093 - Byzantine History

Learning outcomes

The aim of the Course of Byzantine History consist in developing the lines - geographicals, territorials and institutionals - of the Millennial history of the Western Roman Empire, e.g., the Byzantine Empire (IV-XV Century).

In a particular way, focusing the importance of the byzantine domination in Italy, between IV-V to XII Century, and his influence for the culture and institutions of Humanism and Renaissance Italy.

Course contents

The Course consist in:

Part One. Developing geography, territory, institutions, peiodization continuity and changing of Western Roman Empire (IV-XV Century).

Part Two. focusing a particular aspect of relations between Italy (Italy of the Signorie and of the particular political entities) and Byzantium: the days of the Ecumenical Council of the churches of Florence (1439) and the artistic pieces connected.

Readings/Bibliography

For Part One: a manual of Byzantine History among that of Ostrogorsky, Mango, Kahzdan, Ducellier, Lilie. Is particulary recommended the use of a good historical Atlas.

For Part Two. See: A. CARILE, Materiali di Storia bizantina, Bologna, Lo Scarabeo, 1994; ID., Immagine e realtà del mondo bizantino, Bologna, Lo Scarabeo, 2000, S. COSENTINO, Storia dell'Italia bizantina, Bologna, BUP, 2009, texts for the new university courses byi G. RAVEGNANI, published by  Il Mulino, Bologna, in particular Andare per l'Italia bizantina, 2016. In particular way: G. VESPIGNANI, Bisanzio e Firenze, Spoleto, Fondazione CISAM, 2022.

Teaching methods

During lessions will be cited and discussed material, books and historiography.

Assessment methods

Assessment methods consists in an oral verify 1) about basic knowledge of the institutional programme and of the themes developed during lessons; 2) about capacities of connecting severals arguments developed during the lessons; 3) about knowledge of all thousand years of Byzantine civilization in their connections with an historical development; 4) about discussing capacities and critical methods of the student; 5) and, finally, about oral capacity of argumenting logically and methodologically of the student.

Final assessment depend by following notes: 1) negative valuation: low knoledge and capacity of understanding problems and their connections; 2) sufficient evaluation: sufficient basic knoledge, but low capacity of connecting each others the historical problems; 3) good evaluation: good capacity to understand historical problmes and knoledge of institutional program; 4) excelent evaluation: complete knowledge of the institutional program, capacity od connecting historical problems properly and methodology of using several matherial received during lessons.

Teaching tools

Teaching tools will be images, materials, bibliograpphy.

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Vespignani