Course Syllabus

Course Information

Course Description

The main goal of this course is to provide you with an introduction to a major period of transition in the Mediterranean world. We will examine the collapse of Roman imperial authority in the West and the emergence of four different groups of successors: Byzantium, Islam, the Catholic Church, and the Germanic successor kingdoms. In each case, we will discuss continuities and change, explanations for their successes and failures, and interactions with each other. The secondary goal is to develop your ability to interpret different sources of evidence and then use them to provide as full a picture of the period as possible.

Required Texts

Purchase the following texts from the bookstore immediately.

  • Brown, P. The World of Late Antiquity
  • Cameron, A. The Later Roman Empire
  • Ammianus Marcellinus. The Later Roman Empire
  • Geary, P. Readings in Medieval History, Volume I.
  • You will also be asked to purchase Eusebius, Oration in Praise of Constantine, as a photocopy.
  • Numerous reading assignments are on the web. Print them out for the day they are due in class.

The Grade

  • First Paper - 10%
  • Second Paper - 20%
  • Midterm Exam - 20%
  • Final Exam - 30%
  • Discussion Questions - 8%
  • Participation (and Attendance) - 12%

Course Requirements and Assignments

  • First Paper - 10%
    • This 1000 word essay (about 4 pages) will be on Eusebius, Oration in Praise of Constantine, and will take the form of a textual analysis exercise. More information will be provided in class. Due Monday, 9 January
  • Second Paper - 20%
    • This 1500 word essay (about 6 pages) will discuss the late Roman history of Ammianus Marcellinus. More information forthcoming. Due Monday, 23 January
  • Mid-Term Exam - 20%
    • Short answer questions and identifications. Will test completion and comprehension of the reading for the first two weeks of class. A study guide will be provided for you on the Friday before the exam. Monday, 16 January
  • Final Exam - 30%
    • An exam in two parts. The first part will examine the material from the second half of class. The second part will ask one or more essay questions on the entirety of the course. Saturday, 28 January
  • Discussion Questions - 8%
    • On nine different days, you will be required to write three discussion questions and one paragraph answers for each question. You will be graded pass/fail (S = satisfactory, U = unsatisfactory) on whether you have completed the assignment to a sufficient degree (we will talk about it in class).
    • You need to turn in eight of these assignments for 1% of your grade, each.
    • Over the course of the semester, you will be called upon at least once to read your questions to the class and lead a brief discussion. This will count towards your class participation grade.
  • Participation (and attendance) - 12%
    • Participation is more than just showing up, but it starts with just showing up. You cannot participate if you are not here. I will take attendance every day. Unexcused absences will weigh heavily against your participation grade.
      • Excused absences - severe illness with doctor's note, death in the family, acts of God, or legitimate St. Olaf activities (i.e., choir tour, concert, sports event) will obviously not incur any direct penalty. However, if you aren't here, you cannot participate, so you will need to work hard to make up for any classes missed legitimately. You are responsible for catching up on material missed by consulting both me and your peers.
    • But participation is about more than just showing up. It's about doing the reading, being prepared to talk about it, volunteering your input, being involved in your group work, preparing for the debates and other discussions, and generally being an asset to the class as a whole. We will have a variety of ways in which you can participate, but none matter more than being an active member in our small-group and full-class discussions.
    • Your participation is a large percent of your grade. You will need to earn it. Take initiative. Do not expect to speak only when directly called upon and ace this section of the class.
    • Finally, being late consistently may be counted as being absent. It will certainly lower your participation grade.

Course Policies

  1. Follow the St. Olaf Code of Student Conduct. If you are unsure about whether something is plagiarism or cheating, ask first.
  2. No assignment, under any circumstances, will be accepted by fax or email.
  3. Students must bring readings to class on the day they are assigned. Print out online materials.
  4. Informal writing assignments will not be accepted late as they exist to stimulate your pre-class thought and to aid in discussion.
  5. Formal writing assignments and examinations are due at the beginning of class. DO NOT EVER SKIP CLASS TO TRY AND FINISH YOUR PAPER. Printing errors and lost data are a fact of the computer age. If you wait until the last minute and encounter technical difficulties, your paper may still be counted as late.
  6. For every day a paper or project is late, you lose one full grade per day (A to B, B to C, etc.). Do not test this system. Turn your work in on time. Stapled. With your name on every page. Typed. Double-spaced. In a reasonable font.

Calendar of readings and assignments

Please see the calendar page on the website for the most up to date assignments. Anything on that page should be considered the final word on what is due. Everything on the syllabus is subject to change.

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

Week III - Byzantium and the Successor Kingdoms

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
  • W 25 Jan - Spread of Christianity into the West
    • 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

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This site last updated: 1/1/06
Comments to: David Perry
Homepage URL: http://www.stolaf.edu/courses/2005int/Classics/128/
© 2006 by David Perry and St. Olaf College. All rights reserved.