Major developments in the political, social, and religious history of Western Europe from the accession of Diocletian to the feudal transformation. Topics include the conversion of Europe to Christianity, the fall of the Roman Empire, the rise of Islam and the Arabs, the "Dark Ages," Charlemagne and the Carolingian renaissance, and the Viking and Hungarian invasions.

Mythology is a powerful vehicle for teaching students about symbols and the ways people have sought to explain their relationships to nature and to each other. Teachers can use this lesson to introduce or examine the role of myths in explaining human customs, mysteries about nature, or the reasons why things exist in the world. Students will discuss works of art that illustrate ancient Greco-Roman myths and various symbols used in them. So students do not judge the "truthfulness" of another culture's belief systems, they should understand that myth is not something imaginary, unfounded, or false, but rather something that illustrates the world view of a people.
In this lesson students will: Learn about myths that explain the world; Recognize some characters of Greco-Roman mythology and their symbols; Apply critical thinking skills to consider why artists chose to depict certain episodes in a story; Make personal connections to the theme by writing and drawing a myth of their own.

This course will explore the rise and decline of Greek and Roman civilizations between the first millennium BCE and the first millennium CE. Specifically, it will focus on the political, economic, and social factors that shaped the development and maturation of these two Mediterranean civilizations during the period of classical antiquity and examine how they influenced the social and cultural development of later generations of Europeans. By the end of the course, the student will understand how these ancient Mediterranean civilizations developed and recognize their lasting influences on European culture. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: think critically about the development, maturation, and decline of Greek and Roman cultures during the first millennium BCE and the first millennium CE; identify the cultural origins of Greek civilization in the Mediterranean basin; compare and contrast the political and social organization of Greek city-states; evaluate the impact of the Persian War and the Peloponnesian Wars on the city-states of Greece; assess the political, social, and cultural legacies of Alexander the GreatŐs military conquests in the Mediterranean basin and Southwest Asia; identify the origins of the Roman Republic and evaluate the impact of political and economic expansion on Roman society; assess the political, social, and economic factors that led to the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire; compare and contrast the accomplishments of Roman emperors during the first three centuries CE; identify factors that destabilized the Roman Empire during the third century CE; assess how Roman leaders responded to destabilizing forces and restructured the Roman Empire in the fourth and fifth centuries CE; evaluate the political, social, and cultural legacies of the Greek and Roman civilizations for the nations and peoples of Europe; analyze and interpret primary source documents from the period of classical antiquity using historical research methods. (History 301)

Examines the development of the western intellectual tradition from the fall of the Roman Empire through the High Middle Ages. Basic premise is that the triumph of Christianity in Europe was not the inevitable outcome it appears from hindsight. Attention is therefore focused not only on the development of Christian thought and practice, but on its challengers as well. Particular emphasis devoted to Nordic paganism, the rise of Islam, Byzantine orthodoxy, indigenous heretical movements, and the ambiguous position of Jews in European society.

This course will introduce the student to the history of the European Middle Ages and Renaissance. The student will learn about the major political, economic, and social changes that took place between the fourth century and 1500 CE. By the end of the course, the student will understand how Europe transformed from a collection of barbarian kingdoms into a continent with a sophisticated cultural and economic life that would later come to dominate the globe. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: think analytically about the history of the European Middle Ages from the fourth century to approximately 1500; identify and describe the causes for the dissolution of the Roman Empire and the end of antiquity; identify and describe the rise and fall of the Byzantine Empire as well as the creation of Germanic kingdoms in the former western Roman Empire; identify and describe the impact of Christianity on Byzantium and the Germanic tribes; identify and describe the causes of the rise of the Carolingian Empire and its impact on Europe; identify and analyze the causes for the rising power of feudal medieval kingdoms; identify and describe the role of the medieval Church as well as the causes and effects of the Crusades; analyze and describe the system of feudalism in medieval Europe; identify the medieval roots of the Renaissance and analyze its impact on European society; identify the major cultural, scientific, and economic achievements of medieval civilization; analyze and interpret primary source documents from the fourth century to 1500, and demonstrate an understanding of the difference between primary and secondary sources. (History 302)

Examines cultural developments within European literature from different societies at different time-periods throughout the Middle Ages (500-1500). Considers--from a variety of political, historical, and anthropological perspectives--the growth of institutions (civic, religious, educational, and economic) which shaped the personal experiences of individuals in ways that remain quite distinct from those of modern Western societies. Texts mostly taught in translation. Topics vary and include: Courtly Literature of the High and Late Middle Ages, Medieval Women Writers, Chaucer and the 14th Century, and the Crusades.

Perseus is an evolving digital library, engineering interactions through time, space, and language. Our primary goal is to bring a wide range of source materials to as large an audience as possible. We anticipate that greater accessibility to the sources for the study of the humanities will strengthen the quality of questions, lead to new avenues of research, and connect more people through the connection of ideas.

This unit will define basic concepts and terms that are essential for an understanding of the culture and identity of the Roman empire. Terms such as ‘Roman empire’ and ‘imperium’ will be introduced in the context of the formation and expansion of the empire, and the unit will provide you with the background for further study of the Roman empire.