This page will be regularly updated as assignments or due dates change in any ways. Please check it regularly. In addition, the materials for each class will be linked off this page, though most will require a password to view. You will be given your password on the first day of class.

Week I - The Reorganization of the Roman World

• T 3 Jan - Introduction
  • History of the Mediterranean and Rome until 200 or so.
  • Read in class: Gibbon.
• W 4 Jan - Rome and the Barbarian World
  • Reading:
    • Tacitus - Germania (Geary: 69-83),
    • Cameron: 1-46.
  • Assignment: The web is filled with images of Rome. Look around and find an image of a building either constructed or used in Rome between 100 and 400 C.E. Copy the image into a Word document, and write a 250 word essay that discusses what this building tells us about Roman history. Cite your sources.
• Th 5 Jan - Diocletian, the 'Recovery,' and the Persecution
  • Reading:
    • Lactantius - Chapters I to XIII. (Note change)
    • St. Perpetua - The Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas (Geary, 61-68)
  • Assignment - Discussion questions for Lactantius (D-1)
• Fr 6 Jan - NO CLASS
  • Reading:
    • Brown: 1-112

Week II - The Fourth and Fifth Centuries

• M 9 Jan - Constantine, Normative Christianity, and Early Heresies
  • Reading
    • Eusebius - Oration in Praise of Emperor Constantine (Course packet)
    • Cameron, 47-85
  • Paper 1 due - Textual Analysis Exercise on Eusebius
• T 10 Jan - The Creation of the Christian World
  • Reading:
    • Augustine: 29-60 - Writeup for On Christian Doctrine
    • Cameron: 85-98
  • Assignment - Discussion questions for Augustine (D-2)
• W 11 Jan - The Late Fourth Century
  • Reading:
    • Ammianus: 80-150 (Campaigns against the Gauls and Germans), 292-299 (Death of Julian
    Cameron 99-112
  • Assignment - Discussion questions for Ammianus (D-3)
• Th 12 Jan - Disaster - Adrianople and Rome
  • Reading:
    • Ammianus 410-443
    • Procopius of Caesaria - Alaric's sack of Rome, Vandal Conquest of North Africa (Print)
    • Cameron 113-150
  • Assignment - Discussion questions for Ammianus (D-4)
• Fr 13 Jan - The Visigoths and Huns
  • Reading:
    • Letter of Sidonius, Further letters of Sidonius (Print)
    • Priscus - Palace of Atilla the Hun (Print)
    • Leo and Atilla the Hun (Print)
  • Mid-term study guide

Week III - Byzantium and the Successor Kingdoms

• M 16 Jan - Mid-term examination
• T 17 Jan - Theocracy in the East ?
  • Reading:
    • Brown, 137-188
  • Theodosian Code (Geary, 1-28)
  • Murder of Hypatia (Print)
  • Assignment - Discussion questions for the Theodosian Code (D-5)
• W 18 Jan - . Justinian and the West
  • Reading:
    • Procopius - History of the Wars - Handouts
• Th 19 Jan - Justinian at home
  • Reading:
    • Procopius - De Aedificiis (Print)
    • Procopius - Secret History - Skim the whole thing.
      • Also read one chapter as assigned in class and prepare to summarize it briefly.
• Fr 20 Jan - The Ostrogoths and Lombards
  • Reading:
    • Brown, 115-136.
    • Jordanes - The Goths (Geary 83-117), Hildebrandlied (Geary, 118-119)
    • Letters of Theodoric (Print)
  • Assignment - Discussion questions for Jordanes (D-6)

Week IV - The New Latin World

• M 23 Jan - The Franks
  • Reading:
    • Salic Law, 129-136 (Geary)
    • Letters to Clovis, 137-138. (Geary)
    • Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks, 139-161 (Geary)
  • Assignment - Discussion questions for Gregory of Tours(D-7)
• T 24 Jan - Monasticism in the East and the West
  • Reading:
    • St. Daniel the Stylite (Print)
    • Rule of St. Benedict (Geary, 168-198)
  • Paper 2 due - on Ammianus (note new date)
• W 25 Jan - England
  • Reading:
    • Bede - History of the English Church and People (Geary, 224-235)
    • Asser - Life of King Alfred (Geary, 243-252)
  • Assignment - Discussion questions for Bede (D-8)
• Th 26 Jan - Islam
  • Reading:
    • Brown, 185-203
    • Pact of Umar (Print)
• Fr 27 Jan - Holy Roman Empire
  • Reading:
    • Einhard - Life of Charlemagne (Geary, 282-296)
  • Assignment - Discussion questions for Einhard (D-9)
• Sat 28 Jan - Final exam