History 302: The Birth of Europe, ca. 250-1050
Fall Semester 2005: Tues/Thurs 11-12:20am
Instructor: Katherine Smith
Email: kasmith2@ups.edu
Office Wyatt 142 / Hours:
Description: This course will introduce students to a period
of history that was, until recently, commonly referred to as
the “Dark Ages.” We will use historical, literary, and
archaeological evidence from a variety of early medieval
cultures to shed light on what was actually a time of exciting
changes, a period which saw the transformation of the
Mediterranean-centered Roman world and the rise of vibrant new
cultures throughout Europe and the East. Topics will include
the “barbarization” of the Roman world, the Carolingian
Renaissance, the role of women in various early medieval
societies, the rise of Islamic civilizations in the East and
Iberia, and the political, economic, and spiritual reordering
of the medieval world during the tenth and early eleventh
centuries. In the course of our explorations we will meet
martyrs and missionaries, pagan chieftains and Muslim pirates,
Carolingian princesses and Viking raiders, and follow the
development of early medieval culture up to the eve of the
High Middle Ages.
Course Objectives: All students in the class will have the
opportunity to
 acquire an in-depth understanding of the development
of the cultural traditions that shaped Western Europe
and its neighbors in the early medieval period
 become acquainted with the variety of primary sources
available for the study of the early Middle Ages:
these will include narrative and non-narrative written
sources, art, and material culture
 engage with and evaluate major historiographical
debates concerning this period, both in class
discussions and through written assignments
Course Format: Students are expected to keep up with assigned
readings and come to class prepared to participate in
discussions. Classes will generally begin with a brief
lecture designed to give an overview of the day’s topic and
clear up any areas of confusion, but the bulk of class time
will be devoted to discussion, in which all members of the
class will be expected to participate.
Requirements and Grading: Students are required to attend
class meetings and to keep up with all reading assignments.
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From time to time I will ask you to bring in a short, informal
written reaction to the readings that will not be turned in but
will be used in class activities and discussions. In addition
to a mid-term and a regularly scheduled final exam, all members
of the class will be expected to complete three short paper
assignments based on assigned readings. Grades will be based
on the following: attendance and participation: 15%; three
papers: 30% (10% each); mid-term: 25%; regularly scheduled
final exam: 30%.
Grading Scale: Written assignments, exams and class
participation will all be graded on a scale from A to F. For
the numerical equivalents of each grade, see the list below.
A:
B:
C:
D:
93-96
83-86
73-76
63-66
A-:
B-:
C-:
D-:
90-92
80-82
70-72
60-62
F:
B+: 87-89
C+: 77-79
D+: 67-69
below 60
Texts: Students should purchase the five books listed below
from the campus bookstore. There is no comprehensive primary
source reader on the early Middle Ages available for purchase;
therefore we will make extensive use of the Internet Medieval
Sourcebook, and many reading assignments will be found on the
web (urls noted in the syllabus). It is not necessary to print
out the web readings and bring them to class, though you are
welcome to do so; however, you should plan to take careful
notes on all web readings, and to bring your notes to class as
the basis for your participation in discussions.
- Peter Brown, The World of Late Antiquity, 2nd ed. (W.W.
Norton & Co., 1989) $23
- Roger Collins, Early Medieval Europe, ca. 300-1000, 2nd ed.
(Palgrave, 1999) $33
- Procopius, The Secret History, tr. G. A.
Williamson (Penguin, 1982) $14
- Paul Dutton, ed., Carolingian Civilization: A Reader
(Broadview, 1993) $30
Schedule of Classes
Tues Aug 30: Introduction. Problems, Sources, and Approaches
Thurs Sept 1: The Culture of Pagan Rome
Reading: Ammianus Marcellinus, “On the Luxury of the Rich
at Rome” (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/ammianushistory14.html) and Texts on Slavery in the Roman World
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/slavery-romrep1.html)
- Brown, The World of Late Antiquity, pp. 11-48.
Tues Sept 6: Early Christian Communities throughout the Empire
Reading: Tertullian, “On Pagan Learning”
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/200Tertullian2
pagan.html) and Pliny, Letter on the Christians
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/pliny1.html)
Thurs Sept 8: Persecution and the Ideal of Martyrdom
Reading: “The Persecution and Marytrdoms in Lyons, 177”
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/177lyonsmartyrs.html) and The Passion of Saints Perpetua &
Felicity (http://faculty.juniata.edu/tuten/perpetua.html)
- Brown, The World of Late Antiquity, pp. 49-81.
Tues Sept 13: Constantine and the Unexpected Triumph of
Christianity
Reading: Eusebius, “The Conversion of Constantine”
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/conv-const.html)
and Constantine’s Laws for Christians
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/const1-laws2.html)
- Brown, The World of Late Antiquity, pp. 82-95.
Thurs Sept 15: “Barbarians” and the Transformation of the
Roman World
Reading: Tacitus, Excerpts from The Germania
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/tacitusgermanygord.html) and Sidonius Apollinaris, Letters
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/sidonius1.html)
- Collins, Early Medieval Europe, chapter 6
Tues Sept 20: Early Byzantine Culture
Reading: Procopius, The Secret History, chapters 3-5, 810, and 12, and Justinian, Corpus Iuris Civilis, book I:
chapters 1-3 and 10
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/535institutes.html)
*Note: You may go directly to the relevant chapters using
the shortcuts at the top of the page
Thurs Sept 22: Life in a Sixth-Century Eastern City:
Constantinople
Reading: Procopius, The Secret History, chapters 6-30
- Brown, World of Late Antiquity, pp.137-59
Tues Sept 27: Germanic Culture on the Borders of the Old
Empire: the Franks
Reading: The Salic Law
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/salic-law.html) and
Ordeal Formulas: “Judgment of the Glowing Iron,” “Ordeal of
the Cold Water”
(http://faculty.cua.edu/pennington/Law508/Germanic%20Law/or
deals.htm)
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Thurs Sept 29: Missionaries and Pagans
Reading: Gregory of Tours, “The Conversion of Clovis”
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/496clovis.html) and
Letters of Saint Boniface, in Carolingian Reader (no. 2)
- Collins, Early Medieval Europe, chapter 7
**Paper 1 Due in Class**
Tues Oct 4: Early Anglo-Saxon England
Reading: Bede, History of the English Church and People,
Book I: ch. 23-27 and Book IV: ch. 19- 23
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-book1.html)
*Note: You can navigate through Bede’s History by using
the shortcuts to books I and IV at the top of the site.
Thurs Oct 6: The Rise of Islam
Reading: The Qu’ran, surahs 1 and 47
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/koran-sel.html)
and Ibn Ishaq, Life of Muhammad
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/muhammadisira.html)
- Brown, World of Late Antiquity, pp. 189-203.
Tues Oct 11: al-Andalus: Muslim Spain
Reading: Ibn Abd-el-Hakem, “Account of the Conquest of
Spain”
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/conqspain.html),
and the “Chronicle of 754” and “Treaty of Tudmir,” in
Olivia Constable, Medieval Iberia: Readings from Muslim,
Christian, and Jewish Sources (handout)
Thurs Oct 13: Mid-Term Examination
Tues Oct 18: Early Monasticism, East and West
Reading: Palladius, “On the Lausiac Monks:” preface and
chapters 1, 7, 18, 28, 32 63; Excerpts from the Rule of
Saint Benedict
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/rul-benedict.html)
- Brown, World of Late Antiquity, pp. 96-114
Thurs Oct 20: Monks, Nuns, and Society
Reading: Life of Benedict of Aniane, Letters of Alcuin,
and Einhard’s Holy Relics in Carolingian Civilization
(nos. 17-21, 34)
Tues Oct 25: The Rise of the Carolingian Empire
Reading: Accounts of the Imperial Coronation of
Charlemagne; Charlemagne and Pope Leo, in Carolingian
Reader (no. 12)
- Collins, Early Medieval Europe, chapter 15, and “the
ideological program” in chapt. 16
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Thurs Oct 27: Charlemagne and the Reform of Law, Government,
and the Church
Reading: General Capitulary for the Missi, and excerpts
from Einhard’s Life of Charlemagne, in Carolingian Reader
(nos. 7 and 13)
Tues Nov 1: Women in Carolingian Society
Reading: Dhuoda, "Letter to her Son," Carolingian
Civilization (no. 47) and The Life of Saint Liutberga
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/liutberga.html)
- Lisa Bitel, Women in Early Medieval Europe (Cambridge,
2002), chap. 4 (Read on Reserve: HQ1587 .B58)
**Paper 2 Due in Class**
Thurs Nov 3: Islam on the Borders of Christendom
Reading: A Muslim Account of the Battle of Tours
(Poiters), 732
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/arabpoitiers732.html) and Christian accounts of the same
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/732tours.html)
Tues Nov 8: The Anglo-Saxon World of King Alfred
Reading: Asser’s Life of King Alfred in Alfred the Great
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/asser.html) and
“Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians” in New Readings on
Women in Old English Literature, ed. Helen Damico and
Alexandra Hennessy (1980) (handout)
- Collins, Early Medieval Europe, chapter 11
Thurs Nov 10: Isle of the Saints: Early Medieval Ireland
Reading: St Patrick, “Confession”
(http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/p01.html) and The
Life of St Brigit
(http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T201002/index.html)
Tues Nov 15: Vikings!
Reading: Accounts of Viking Raids, in Carolingian
Civilization (nos. 69-71)
- Collins, Early Medieval Europe, chapter 18
Thurs Nov 17: Norse Culture in the Early Middle Ages
Reading: “Initiation of a Warrior: Going Berserk” from
the Volsunga Saga
(http://alexm.here.ru/mirrors/www.enteract.com/jwalz/Elia
de/145.html)
and Ibn Fadlan, The Risala
(http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/ibn_fdln.htm#Risala)
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Tues Nov 22: New Power Structures: Ottonians, Capetians, and
Normans
Reading: The Election of Hugh Capet
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/987capet.html),
Liutprand of Cremona on Emperor Otto I
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/liudprand-embassyexcerpts.html) and Charles the Simple cedes Normandy to
the Viking Rollo (handout)
- Collins, Early Medieval Europe, chapter 19
Thurs Nov 24 – Thanksgiving Break
Tues Nov 29: Monks, Knights, and the Peace of God Movement
Reading: Letaldus of Micy, “Journey of the Relics of
Saint Junianus to Charroux”
(http://urban.hunter.cuny.edu/~thead/charroux.htm) and
Andrew of Fleury, “The Peace League of Bourges”
(http://urban.hunter.cuny.edu/~thead/bourges.htm)
Thurs Dec 1: The First Millennium as Historical Problem
Reading: Ralph Glaber, “On the First Millennium”
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/glaber-1000.html)
- Richard Landes, “What’s Time to a Bat? On the Meaning
of 1000 A.D., Then and Now”
(http://www.mille.org/people/rlpages/time_to_a_bat.html)
**Paper 3 Due in Class**
Tues Dec 6: Conclusions and Review for the Final Exam
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