Introduction to the Medieval Mediterranean World

Catalog description

This class addresses the many transformations of the medieval west from late antiquity until the dawn of modernity. Our study will center on the Mediterranean Sea as a focal point of spiritual, intellectual, artistic, diplomatic, and economic exchange. Moreover, the Mediterranean world's influence reached far beyond its shorelands, at times helping to shape societies in sub-Saharan Africa, the British Isles, even Scandinavia and the Baltic states, and whose routes serviced pilgrims, conquerors, and tricksters alike. We will emphasize the role played by peoples and cultures of three interconnected continents in an age when Christians, Muslims, and Jews of various denominations, along with communities of other faiths, engaged one another in both conflict and collaboration. Our selected readings will reflect a variety of genres, including but not limited to sacred scriptures, local chronicles, travelogues, personal memoirs, fables, poetry, and courtly music, and we will also cover a myriad of art and architecture relevant to the period 600-1600 C.E. Course assessments will include active participation in classroom discussions, short thematic essays, and three unit quizzes.