EARLY MEDIEVAL HISTORY

The course is part of the core educational activities of the Master's degree programme in Storia dal medioevo all'età contemporanea and in Storia delle arti e conservazione dei beni artistici. The teaching is an introduction to the history of generally less studied European regions of the Middle Ages.

By the end of the course, the students will have gained knowledge of the European frontier-societes and of the evidence necessary for their study. They will also learn how to approach complex and fragmentary sources.

No one, in particular, but students are suggested to attend a class in Medieval History first. Some knowledge of English and Latin could also help.

A History of Pagan North, from Saint Patrick to the Fall of Arkona.

I returned to a long strand,
the hammered curve of a bay,
and found only the secular
powers of the Atlantic thundering.

I faced the unmagical
invitations of Iceland,
the pathetic colonies
of Greenland, and suddenly...

Seamus Heaney, 'North'


The course will deal with the barbarian societies at the heart Germany's forests, beyond the coasts of the Ocean and along the Baltic shores. A world beyond the frontiers of the written word, of empires and Christianity that we know very little about, but which, illuminated by very rich and fragmentary testimonies, shines in the dark. 
We will gaze to the conversion of Ireland, to King Rædwald's funeral at Sutton Hoo, to the bitter Saxon resistance to Charlemagne, to the Norman arrival in Greenland and to the fall of the last pagan sanctuary at Cap Arkona in 1168. We will discuss the sources that allow us to access this kaleidoscopic world, in the material, written and thanks to numerous suggestions stemming from the social sciences.

1) The lecture notes, including literature and sources discussed and read in class.

2) Karol Modzelewski, L’Europa dei barbari: Le culture tribali di fronte alla cultura romano-cristiana, Torino: Boringhieri, 2008;
together with:
A. Barbero, L’Europa dei barbari: Barbero legge Modzelewski, "Storica" 43-45 (2009) 433-48
F. Borri, Review of Modzelewski: http://www.sehepunkte.de/2013/06/20716.html (in inglese)

Non attending students, will present:

1) One of the following textes:
Richard Fletcher, La conversione dell’Europa: Dal paganesimo al cristianesimo 371 – 1386 d.C. (rist.) Milano: TEA, 2003 (a long, but easy book)
Peter Heather, L'impero e i barbari: Le grandi migrazioni e la nascita dell’Europa, Milano: Garzanti, 2010 (this is also a very long text, but easy and pleasant to read)
Alternatives could be discussed with the teacher.
I. Barbiera, Memorie sepolte. Tombe e identità nell'alto Medioevo (secoli V-VIII), Roma: Carocci, 2012 (an exellent introduction to material culture).

2) Karol Modzelewski, L’Europa dei barbari: Le culture tribali di fronte alla cultura romano-cristiana, Torino: Boringhieri, 2008 (there is also an English translation);
together with:
A. Barbero, L’Europa dei barbari: Barbero legge Modzelewski, "Storica" 43-45 (2009) 433-48
F. Borri, Review of Modzelewski: http://www.sehepunkte.de/2013/06/20716.html (in inglese)

Oral. The exam will focus on the topics discussed in class and the literature assigned. Students may also write a brief essay (max 3.500 words) to be discussed at the exam.

Lessons will be held as seminars. Students are asked to intervene during the frontal lectures with questions and commentaries as well with the presentation of their homework during the class' final units.

Italian

oral