This module will explore Mediterranean life in the period 283-650, from the time of Diocletian and Constantine to the Arab Conquests covering the world of major figures such as Julian, Augustine, Justinian, and Mohammed. It will separate the complex changes of this period, which have often been lumped together in a single misleading model of 'decline'. Long-term phenomena, such as the centralisation of imperial power, the emergence of a Christian state, the collapse of the Eastern Empire, and the rise of Islam, remain legitimate topics of interest.
Different aspects of society will be explored, using textual, archaeological and iconographic evidence, covering such themes as the emperor and court, war, cities, the countryside, the economy, the end of paganism, and the rise of Christianity. These portraits will draw on the extraordinary preservation of sites and landscapes in North Africa and the East Mediterranean, where cities, villages and monasteries often stand as if they had only recently been abandoned. Rich stratigraphic evidence, from earthquake and abandonment deposits, also makes it possible to perceive the everyday life of the period in a way that is only true of Pompeii in earlier centuries. Students taking this course will develop an understanding of both the last flowering of Greek culture and the cultural foundations of the Middle Ages (in Europe, Byzantium and Islam), revealing an important chapter in our history, which is often ignored but is vital to grasp, to understand the legacy of Antiquity.
Total Contact Hours: 30
Also available at Level 5 under code CL640
Report (2,000 words) – 20%
Essay 1 (3,000 words) – 30%
Essay 2 (3,000 words) – 40%
Seminar Handouts – 10%
The University is committed to ensuring that core reading materials are in accessible electronic format in line with the Kent Inclusive Practices.
The most up to date reading list for each module can be found on the university's reading list pages: https://kent.rl.talis.com/index.html
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
On successfully completing the module, Level 6 students will be able to:
Demonstrate extensive knowledge of the development of the city in Europe and the Mediterranean between A.D. 300 and 750;
Critically discuss different kinds of evidence appropriate to the study of the city in this period;
Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of and challenge concepts related to the study of cities in the ancient and medieval world;
Demonstrate coherent and detailed knowledge of many aspects of the European urban form.
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