Byzantine Empire: A.d. 632-1453

3 units

Online version of U02 325. This course examines the rise of a distinctly Byzantine phase of Roman history, a development that began in the seventh century C.E. with Arab conquests of the Levant, Egypt, and North Africa on the one hand and Slavic invasions and installations in the Balkans on the other. Moreover, it will identify the forces driving Byzantium's success while paradoxically facilitating its ultimate demise. Our primary focus will be on whether Byzantium should be seen as a continuation of the Roman experiment or the beginning of a medieval Greek state that was Roman only in name. Topics include: fate of the classical patrimony, Arab invasions, iconoclast controversies conversion of the Slavs, crusades, Seljuk and Ottoman Turks.