The Sword, the Cross, and the Crescent: Byzantium and the Near East

Examines Byzantine society and culture, focusing on conflicts and cooperation with the Islamic East until 1453, when Muslim Ottomans captured Constantinople and radically altered life and politics in the eastern Mediterranean. Explores lessons from Byzantine-Muslim relations for the twenty-first century. Effective Fall 2026, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Historical Consciousness.