85522 - Byzantine Civilization

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is: to provide a basic knowledge of the history and institutions of the Eastern-Roman, or Byzantine, Empire (IV-XV Century), useful for a better comprehension of the process of formation of the political realities of the modern and contemporary Eastern Europe and of its actual reality.

Course contents

1) A General View.

Lines of study and materials useful for the comprehension of the Eastern Roman Empire and Byzantine Civilisation ( IV-XV Century ).

Periodization, territorial changements, sources, political ideology, with particular attention to the heredity for the study of modern Eastern Europe ( XV-XVI Century )

2) A Monographic Part.

The Rus' of Moscow seen by Venice: relations, geo-political strategies,culture (XV-XVI Centuries).

Readings/Bibliography

Part 1)

A manual of Byzantine Civilisation in the Language the student prefere.

For example, in english, The Cambridge History of the Byzantine Empire, c. 500-1492, eited. by J. Shepard, Cambridge, 2008. In italian: Bisanzio, a cura di A. Carile, A. Ducellier, M. Balard et Alii, Torino, Einaudi, 1988,

Part 2)

G. Vespignani, Bisanzio e l'Europa. La memoria negata, Spoleto, Fondazione CISAM, 2016.

Materials in english or in other languages will be distribuited and discussed during the lessons.

Teaching methods

Themes, texts and bibliography are discussed during the Course.

 

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.

The ability of the student to achieve a coherent and comprehensive understanding of the topics addressed by the course, to critically assess them and to use an appropriate language will be evaluated with the highest grades (A = 27-30 con lode).

A predominantly mnemonic acquisition of the course's contents together with gaps and deficiencies in terms of language, critical and/or logical skills will result in grades ranging from good (B = 24-26) to satisfactory (C = 21-23).
A low level of knowledge of the course’s contents together with gaps and deficienciesin terms of language, critical and/or logical skills will be considered as ‘barely passing' (D = 18-20) or result in a fail grading (F).

Teaching tools

During the course shall be shown images and fournished working material and bibliography.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Vespignani