The Transformation of the Roman World, c.200-c.850 charts the shift from the world of imperial Rome to the collapse of the West Roman Empire and the rise of the Byzantine empire in the east Mediterranean. The period covered by the course – c.200-c. 850 – was one of the most tumultuous in history, and saw the establishment of the Christian church, the great migrations of the northern tribes into Europe, the rise of Islam, and Iconoclasm. All of these issues are covered in weekly lectures.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of key historical developments in Europe and the Mediterranean c.200-c.850;
Demonstrate an understanding of the factors that contributed to the breakdown of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century and the seventh-century ‘crisis’ in the East;
Situate Late Antiquity within the broader historical framework of Classical Greece and Rome and ‘Byzantium’ in the context of the Muslim Caliphate, the Frankish Empire and Al-Andalus;
Identify the main changes to patterns of urban living, cult practice and trade in the Late Roman world c.200-c.850.