MEDIEVAL TRAVEL FACING THE BARBARIANS

Course Objectives:

This course will offer a discussion of the European encounters with “the other” from the 4th century to the 13th century. During this long period Latin Europe met with many peoples (the Goth, Huns, Scandinavians, Irish, Mongols and others), who were categorized as “Barbarians”. However, the term itself changed its meaning and Europeans developed their method of describing other people.

In addition to historical discussion of European encounter with other people, this course will discuss other historical issues, such as the debate over the fall of the Roman Empire, the development of anthropology and ethnography in the Middle Ages, the emergence of racism, and the development of European geographical image of the world.

Course Content:

This course will cover the long period of antiquity and the middle ages and will present the encounters of Latin Europe with “Barbaric” peoples and civilizations, such as the Persian Empire, Carthage, the Germans, Goths, Huns, Vikings, Muslims, the Irish, and the Mongol Empire. In addition, the course will discuss some thematic issues related to those encounters, such as the debate over the fall of the Roman Empire, Christianization of Europe, anthropological thinking and ethnography in the middle ages, the monstrous races and the origins of racism.