Late Antiquity & the Early Middle Ages
HIST 4043
This course counts toward the Histories of Knowledge, Belief and Vision & Histories of Global Cultures and Societies concentrations
Apse mosaic of S. Vitale, Ravenna
Instructor: Dr. Charles E. Muntz
Time: MWF 10:45-11:35 am
Place: SCEN 203
Dr. Muntz's Office: 408 Old Main
Office Hours: M 1:00-2:30 and by appointment
Phone: (479) 575-5891
Email: cmuntz@uark.edu
Overview
This class examines the critical period of Late Antiquity. The Roman Empire was gradually transformed by the arrivals of new peoples and the conversion to Christianity, culminating in its dissolution in western Europe and rebirth in Constantinople. New kingdoms formed and took up the Roman legacy, while the other power of the period, the Persian Empire, challenged it before the rise of Islam swept Antiquity away forever.
Learning Outcomes (Undergraduates)
Students will be able to evaluate the ancient sources for the late Roman Empire and early Middle Ages
Students will understand the evolution of late Roman Empire and the development of the successor states in Western Europe
Students will understand the development Christianity in the late antique period
Students will be able to describe the connections and interactions between the European World and the Near East during the late antique period
Learning Outcomes (Graduates) - all of the above, plus
Engage with and evaluate modern scholarship on the Late Antique World
Assess historiographic trends on the Late Antique World
Workload
Exams: There will be an in-class midterm on March 8, and a final exam on Monday, May 8 from 10:15-12:15, consisting of essays. Study guides will be made available.
Short Paper: A 1600-1800 word paper comparing two ancient sources of the accession of Julian the Apostate, due February 27 by 5pm. Assignment here (note, I’ve given you a text of Ammianus with the individual sentences numbered for easier citation)
Long Paper (Undergraduates): A 3200-3600 word paper on the History of Gregory of Tours. Detailed instructions here. Due May 4 by 5pm.
Long Paper (Graduates): A 3500-4000 word research paper on a topic of the student's choice, chosen in consultation with the professor. Due May 4 by 5pm.
Class Discussion: Certain class periods are set aside for class discussions. Questions based on the primary sources to get things started can be found here, but feel free to raise other issues or questions on your own.
Grading policies for discussions
Attendance: Regular attendance is important. I will allow each student to miss up to three classes without penalty to cover things like illness and religious observances. However, absences on discussion days or days when graded material is due are not permitted except by prior arrangement or in case of emergencies. Please email me in advance if you are going to miss class. For each absence after the first three, unless there is a serious problem, I will lower the final participation grade by 10 points. If you do have to miss a class, make sure you meet with another student to find out what you missed!
Grade Breakdown:
Participation: 15%
Paper 1: 15%
Paper 2: 30%
Midterm: 15%
Final: 25%
Reading Materials
Required Books
Ammianus Marcellinus, Walter Hamilton (trans). The Later Roman Empire (A.D. 354-378). ISBN 9780140444063
Gregory of Tours, Lewis Thorpe (trans.) The History of the Franks. ISBN 9780140442953
Prokopios, Anthony Kaldellis (trans.) The Secret History and Related Texts. ISBN 9781603841801Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. ISBN 9780393320978
Other texts will be distributed under the syllabus below.
Policies
Academic Integrity: As a core part of its mission, the University of Arkansas provides students with the opportunity to further their educational goals through programs of study and research in an environment that promotes freedom of inquiry and academic responsibility. Accomplishing this mission is only possible when intellectual honesty and individual integrity prevail.
Each University of Arkansas student is required to be familiar with and abide by the University’s ‘Academic Integrity Policy’ which may be found at http://provost.uark.edu/245.php. Students with questions about how these policies apply to a particular course or assignment should immediately contact their instructor.
Equal Access: University of Arkansas Academic Policy Series 1520.10 requires that students with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact me privately at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these through the Center for Educational Access (contact 479-575-3104 or visit http://cea.uark.edu for more information on registration procedures).
Unauthorized Websites or Internet Resources: There are many websites claiming to offer study aids to students, but in using such websites, students could find themselves in violation of our University’s Academic Integrity and Code of Student Life policies. These websites include (but are not limited to) Quizlet, Bartleby, Course Hero, Chegg, and Clutch Prep, as well as AI such as ChatGPT. The U of A does not endorse the use of these products in an unethical manner. These websites may encourage students to upload course materials, such as test questions, individual assignments, and examples of graded material. Such materials are the intellectual property of instructors, the university, or publishers and may not be distributed without prior authorization. Furthermore, paying for academic work to be completed on your behalf and submitting it for academic credit is considered ‘contract cheating’ per the Academic Integrity Policy. Students found responsible for this type of violation face a grading penalty of ‘XF’ and a minimum one-semester academic suspension per the University of Arkansas Sanction Rubric. Please let me know if you are uncertain about the use of a website.
Unauthorized Recording by Student: Recording, or transmission of a recording, of all or any portion of a class is prohibited unless the recording is necessary for educational accommodation as expressly authorized and documented through the Center for Educational Access with proper advance notice to the instructor. Unauthorized recordings may violate federal law, state law, and university policies. Student-made recordings are subject to the same restrictions as instructor- made recordings. Failure to comply with this provision will result in a referral to the Office of Student Standards and Conduct for potential charges under the Code of Student Life. In situations where the recordings are used to gain an academic advantage, it may also be considered a violation of the University of Arkansas' academic integrity policy.
Recording of Class Lectures: By attending this class, student understands the course may be recorded and consents to being recorded for official university educational purposes. Be aware that incidental recording may also occur before and after official class times.
Unauthorized Use and Distribution of Class Notes: Third parties may attempt to connect with you to buy your notes and other course information from this class. I will consider distributing course materials to a third party without my authorization a violation of my intellectual property rights and/or copyright law as well as a violation of the University of Arkansas' academic integrity policy. Continued enrollment in this class signifies your intent to abide by the policy. Any violation will be reported to the Office of Academic Initiatives and Integrity.
Please be aware that such class materials that may have already been given to such third parties may contain errors, which could affect your performance or grade. If a third party should contact you regarding such an offer, I would appreciate your bringing this to my attention. We all play a part in creating a course climate of integrity.
Inclement Weather: If the University cancels in-person classes due to winter weather, I will hold lecture classes via Zoom at the normal time. The link will be distributed by email beforehand. I will record the lecture and make the recording available for a limited time for those who are unable to attend. If it would be a discussion, it will be postponed until the next in-person class, and I will deliver the next lecture by Zoom instead.
Miscellaneous: Please turn off and put away all cell phones and any other non-course related items and finish any food you might be eating before coming into class. Drinks are acceptable. Please remain seated during class - if you need to use the lavatory, do so before or after class.
Daily Topics and Reading Assignments
Week 1
January 18: Introduction
January 20: The Roman World in 235
Week 2
January 23: The Rise of Rival Powers
January 25: No class due to inclement weather
January 27: Religion in the Roman World in the 3rd Century
Lactantius: On the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died, Chapters I-VI
Week 3
January 30: The Age of Anarchy
February 1: Diocletian and the Restoration of Power
Lactantius: On the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died, Chapters VII-XIX
Diocletian’s Decree against Manichaeism
February 3: The Rise of Constantine
Eusebius: The Life of Constantine, Book 1 & Book 2
Week 4
February 6: Discussion: Eusebius & Constantine
Eusebius: The Life of Constantine, Book 3 & Book 4
February 8: The Family of Constantine
Ammianus Marcellinus: 14.5-7, 14.9-11, 15.1-3, 15.7, 15.9, 15.12, 16.1-5, 16.10-12
February 10: The Apostate
Ammianus Marcellinus: 17.3-4, 17.11, 17.13, 18.1, 20.4-5, 21.1-2, 21.5, 21.14-16
Week 5
February 13: Ammianus Discussion 1
Ammianus Marcellinus: 22 (all), 23.1, 23.6, 24.6-8, 25.1-4
February 15: Early Christian Art
Keep reading Ammianus
February 17: The New Barbarians
Ammianus Marcellinus: 25.5-8, 25.10, 26.1-9, 27.5-7, 28.1, 28.4
Week 6
February 20: Ammianus Discussion 2
Ammianus Marcellinus: 29.1-3, 30.5-10, 31.1-8. 31.12-16
February 22: The Triumph of Christianity
Ambrose: On the Death of Theodosius
February 24: The Splintering Empire
Hydatius: Chronicle
Week 7
February 27: Man or God? / Paper 1 due by 5pm
March 1: The Huns
Priscus: The Embassy to Attila
March 3: The “Fall" of the Western Empire
Sidonius Apollinaris: Panegyric to Avitus
Hydatius: Chronicle
Week 8
March 6: Christian Art 2
March 8: Midterm
March 10: The New Kingdoms: Ostrogoths and Vandals
Cassiodorus: Selections from the Variae
Week 9
March 13: The Rise of Justinian
Prokopios: The Secret History - Preface & Part 1, start Part 2
The Nika Riots (pp.136-145 in Prokopios)
March 15: The Empire Strikes Back
Prokopios, The Secret History - Finish Part 2, start Part 3
Related Texts 7-11 in Prokopios (pp. 157-182)
March 17: The Later Reign of Justinian
Prokopios: Finish the Secret History
Spring Break!
Week 10
March 27: Prokopios Discussion
March 29: The New Western Kingdoms: Merovingians
Gregory of Tours: Preface, Book 1 (pp. 63-99)
March 31: The New Western Kingdoms: Visigoths and Lombards
Gregory of Tours: Book 2
Week 11
April 3: The Medieval City
Gregory of Tours: Book 3 Preface, Book 4.21-34, 46-51
April 5: Gregory of Tours Discussion 1
Gregory of Tours: Book 5 Preface, Chapters 6, 11, 14, 17-18, 33-34, 39, 43-44, Book 6.2-5, 29-31, 45-46
April 7: The Rise of the Papacy
Gregory of Tours: Book 7.2-15, 32-38
Week 12
April 10: Monasticism
April 12: Gregory of Tours & Medieval Christianity Discussion
Gregory of Tours: Book 8.15-17, 28-34, Book 9.6, 8-10, 33, Book 10.10, 24-25, 31 (only from p. 601 to the end)
April 14: On the fringes: England
Beowulf, pp. 3-103
Week 13
April 17: Beowulf Discussion
Beowulf, pp. 103-end
April 19: The Jews in Late Antiquity
Severus of Minorca on the Conversion of the Jews
April 21: Kingdoms and Provinces of the East
Week 14
April 24: The Persian Empire in the 6th Century
April 26: The Other Empire Strikes Back
Excerpts from the Chronicle of Theophanes
April 28: The Rise of Islam
Week 15
May 1: Apocalypse Discussion
Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius
May 3: The End of Antiquity
May 4: Final Paper due by 5pm
Final Exam
Monday, May 8 at 10:15-12:15