HIST 43.01 European Intellectual and Cultural History, 400-1300

A course on the intellectual and cultural origins of European civilization, from the fall of Rome to the advent of the Renaissance. After a review of the Judeo-Christian, Greco-Roman, Celtic, and Germanic components of medieval culture, we will examine the rise of the Christian Church and its impact on values and behavior of Europeans during the middle ages. Of special interest will be the relationship between medieval thinkers and the society in which they lived, the role of ritual, ceremony, and magic, and the persistence of heresy. Along with the products of high culture associated with such intellectuals as Augustine, Peter Abelard, Hildegard of Bingen, and Thomas Aquinas, we will thus review the fundamental values of medieval society at large and explore ways in which popular and elite culture converged or contrasted. Open to all classes.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:TMV; WCult:W

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

Class of 2023 and Before Major Dist: EUR, pre-1700/pre-1800; Class of 2024 and Beyond Major Dist: EUR, premodern.