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.

The course is devoted to the question of the union of the Churches of Constantinople and Rome between the 13th and 15th centuries: from the Council of Lyon to the Council of Ferrara/Florence.
Two case studies: the discussions in Constantinople in 1357 and 1367.

General overview: A. Laiou - C. Morrisson (ed.), Il Mondo bizantino, Bisanzio e i suoi vicini (1204-1453), Torino, 2013, p. 203-318.
Other materials will be uploaded to the moodle.
For the discussions of 1357 and 1367: texts in J. Darrouzès, Conférence sur la primauté du pape à Constantinople en 1357, Revue des études byzantines Année 19, 1961, p. 76-109; J. Meyendorff, Projets de Concile Oecuménique En 1367: Un Dialogue inédit entre Jean Cantacuzène et le légat Paul, Dumbarton Oaks Papers 14, 1960, p. 147-177.

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

Lessons and short presentations by the students.

Italian

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

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