27179 - Medieval Antiquities and Institutions (1)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students acquire the tools to critically analyze sources and texts related to the sudy of medieval society. The students know and are able to frame in the historiographical debate a specific case study. Students will be able to discuss it using the specific terminology of the discipline, and through autonomous analysis of iconographic documents and passages of historical authors, through verification of translations on the original. Students will demonstrate the ability to approach texts and data critically.

Course contents

The monographic topic of the course is 'Preaching and society in the Middle Ages'. Preaching was an essential component of several medieval societies, capable to help set in motion main historical events (e.g. the rise of Islam, the 'crusades', the Hussite reformation) as well as to shape long-lasting phenomena and a widely shared cultural horizon. Approaching different types of sources, the course investigates how the action of preachers interacted (as official expression or antagonistic voice) with the ecclesiastical and political institutions of the time and how the words of these professionals of communication had an impact on the lives of women and men in different social contexts.

The course is structured in two modules.

Students that have in their study plan only a module of 6 cfu (e.g. cod. 27179) are suggested to follow the second module.

The first module is on 'The power of the word from Augustine to the Mendicant Orders'. The module discusses some key moments in the development of European medieval societies, focusing on political and religious institutions. Within a broad chronological framework, some of the following topics will be discussed:

- Facing the 'barbarians': the bishop’s voice

- Gregory the Great and the relief of the poor

- Muhammad: preacher and prophet of Islam

- Itinerant preachers, visionaries, abbesses: into Bede’s world

- Why us? Wulfstan on the Vikings’ attacks

- Urban II in Clermont-Ferrand: preaching the 'crusade’

- Monastic preaching (Bernard and Hildegard)

- Francis of Assisi preacher/peacemaker

- Bologna, 1233: Dominic's canonisation process

- Giordano da Pisa and the Florentine merchants 

 

The second module, 'The fire and the halo: preaching in the fifteenth century', focuses on the socio-political dimension of late medieval preaching. The module investigates some of the key preaching topics of the time (penitence, sexuality, political struggles), focuses on four main preachers, two proclaimed saints (Vicent Ferrer and Bernardine of Siena) and two burned at the stake (Jan Hus and Girolamo Savonarola), and studies their collaboration and conflict with political/ecclesiastical institutions. The lectures frame the historical context in which these preachers acted (e.g. schisms, councils, wars) and discuss a plurality of sources (sermons, chronicles, images, legends, canonical and inquisitorial trials) in order to give students the ability to critically interpret them and the phenomenon of late medieval preaching.

Readings/Bibliography

FIRST MODULE

For attending students:

C. Wickham, Medieval Europe, New Haven, Yale University Press, 2016 - available also in Italian) 
During the lectures, a reader will be progressively composed with essays and sources presented and discussed in the classroom. These materials will be made available online (as much as possible)  during the module and will constitute the basis for the preparation of the exam. At the end of the module, the lecturer will provide the exact list of these sources and texts.

For non-attending students:

C. Wickham, Medieval Europe, New Haven, Yale University Press, 2016 - available also in Italian) and one of the following books:

• La predicazione dei frati dalla metà del ‘200 alla fine del ‘300 (Spoleto: CISAM, 1995), pp. 19-188 e pp. 301-450.
• A. Francone, La predicazione latina e volgare di Bertoldo di Ratisbona (1210 ca-1272) (Roma: Istituto storico dei Cappuccini, 2020) [it requires the knowledge of Latin]
• C. Muessig, Preacher, Sermon and Audience in the Middle Ages (Leiden: Brill, 2002), pp. 1-124 and 255-315 (ebook available thorough the University library system)
• N. Bériou, Religion et communication: Un autre regard sur la predication au Moyen-Age (Ginevra: Droz, 2018), pp. 1-263 e pp. 435-453

SECOND MODULE

For attending students:

One book from the following list and the reader progressively composed during the lectures, with essays and sources presented and discussed in the classroom. These materials will be made available online (as much as possible) during the module and will constitute the basis for the preparation of the exam. At the end of the module, the lecturer will provide the exact list of these sources and texts.

For non-attending students:

Two books from the following list:

- I frati osservanti e la società in Italia nel secolo XV (Spoleto: CISAM, 2013), cap. 1-2, 4, 6-9, 11
- M. Benedetti e T. Danelli (eds), Contro frate Bernardino da Siena. Processi al maestro Amedeo Landi (Milano 1437-1447) (Milano: Unicopli, 2021; open access) [it requires the knowledge of Latin]

- L. Bolzoni, La rete delle immagini: Predicazione in volgare dalle origini a Bernardino da Siena (Torino: Einuadi, 2007/2009) (available also in English)

- P. Delcorno, Lazzaro e il ricco epulone: metamorfosi di una parabola tra Quattro e Cinquecento (Bologna: Il Mulino, 2014) (ebook available thorough the University library system)
- M. Lodone, I segni della fine: Storia di un predicatore nell’Italia del Rinascimento (Roma, Viella, 2021) (available online: link)
-M.G. Muzzarelli, Pescatori di uomini: predicatori e piazze alla fine del Medioevo (Bologna: Il Mulino, 2005)
- R. Rusconi, Immagini dei predicatori e della predicazione in Italia alla fine del medioevo (Spoleto: CISAM, 2016), cap. 1-4, 6-9, 12-13
- D. Weinstein, Savonarola: Ascesa e caduta di un profeta del Rinascimento (Bologna: Il Mulino, 2016) (available also in English)

Teaching methods

Frontal lecture + PowerPoint slides

Reading and discussion of a selection of primary sources.

Assessment methods

For attending students: Oral exam, on the topics presented in the lectures (corresponding to the selection of essays and sources available online) with the discussion of the relevant sources and the handbook and the book selected from the proposed bibliography. By asking in advance, the exam can be done also in English.

For non-attending students, the oral exam will focus on the themes discussed in the handbook (Wickham) and the books selected from the proposed bibliography (1 book for the first module; 2 books for the second). By asking in advance, the exam can be done also in English.

The assessment will concentrate particularly on the skills displayed by the student in handling the sources and the secondary literature in the exam bibliography and his/her ability to find and use information and examples to explain and connect the various themes and problems addressed in the course.

The assessment will thus examine the student's:

- factual knowledge of the topics;
- ability to summarise and analyse themes and concepts;
- familiarity with the terminology associated with the topics and the ability to use it effectively.

Top marks will be awarded to a student displaying an overall understanding of the topics discussed during the lectures, combined with a critical approach to the material and a confident and effective use of the appropriate terminology.

Average marks will be awarded to a student who has memorized the main points of the course and is able to summarise them satisfactorily, while failing to display a complete command of the appropriate terminology.

Minimal and correct knowledge of the contents of the module, yet with lack of significant details and deficiencies in the use of the appropriate terminology will lead to barely sufficient marks.

A student will be deemed to have failed the exam if he/she displays significant errors in his/her understanding and fails to present the overall outlines of the subject, together with a poor command of the appropriate terminology.

Teaching tools

Usually lectures will be supported by a PowerPoint.

For what is possible, the materials (sources, essays, and PowerPoint) will be accessible on virtuale.unibo.it.

Resources of the library.

Office hours

See the website of Pietro Delcorno