HISTORY OF BYZANTINE CHRISTIANISM

The course of History of Byzantine Christianity is a teaching of the master's degree of "Sciences of Religions" and the master's degree in "Sciences of antiquity: literatures, history and archaeology". Teaching is also offered for the master's degree course in "History from the Middle Ages to the Contemporary Age" and "History of the arts and conservation of artistic heritage".

The course of History of Byzantine Christianity offers students the training they need to learn how to identify the central themes in the millenary history of Byzantine Christianity, their cultural, literary and artistic stacks and the links with nearby historical realities, the Islamic world and the Latin West.

At the end of the course the students:
will know how to orient themselves in Byzantine religious and ecclesiastical history;
will know the religious and cultural relations between Byzantium and the surrounding worlds;
will be able to identify the central issues in the history of Byzantine Christianity;
know the fundamental terms and concepts of Byzantine Christianity.

Basic knowledge of Byzantine history.

Monastic life and historical realities in late Byzantine hagiography
The late Byzantine age, and especially the 14th century, is characterized by a rich hagiographic production devoted to the lives of holy monks. The course is dedicated to the Life of Romylos of Vidin, a monk in Bulgaria, then on Mount Athos and finally in Albania and Serbia. The study of Life is useful as a presentation and illustration of monasticism in Byzantium, but also is a tool for the study of the major religious centers of the time (Paroria, Lavra on Mount Athos, etc.). The presentation of the biographical events of Romylos and his journeys through the Balkans also provide important information on everyday life in the different regions on the eve of the Ottoman conquest.
For the text of the Life of Romylos is recommended the course of Byzantine Philology.

Topics:
1. Introduction to the history of Byzantine Christianity; periods; instruments.
2. Monasticism and hagiography of the late Byzantine age (13th-15th century).
3. The text: Gregory the monk, The Life of Romylos of Vidin.

For an overview of the intellectual and religious history of the period:
B. Mondrain, La vita intellettuale, in A. Laiou & C. Morisson, Il mondo bizantino, iii. Bisanzio e i suoi vicini (1204-1253), Torino, 2013, p. 256-288
M.-H. Congourdeau, La Chiesa, ivi, p. 203-231
M.-H. Congourdeau, La vita religiosa, ivi, p. 289-318.
For the text of the Life of Romylos: https://moodle.unive.it/

Oral examination, or 70 % Oral examination; 30 % Presentation or short essay (in the form of a book review) agreed with the professor.

Lessons online and short presentations by the students.

Italian

The e-presence is strongly recommended. Students who do not attend classes should prepare an alternative programme agreed with the professor.

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