85522 - Byzantine Civilization

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is: to furnish a basic knowledge of 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 his 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.

Interests of the rising Russia at the Council of the Churches in Florence (1439).

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)

J. Gill, Il Concilio di Firenze, Firenze, Sansoni, whatelse edition. Exist also the english transation.

materials distribuited and discussed during the lessons.

Teaching methods

Themes, texts and bibliography are discussed during the Course.

 

Assessment methods

Assessment method consists in an oral proof, when the student must demonstrate his level of capacity in discuss the themes choosed, and critically assimilated texts and bibliography.

Naturally, the student can proposed to discuss themes, materials and bibliography differents from that of lessions.

Teaching tools

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

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Vespignani