Ethan Spanier

Office: Dugan 205-Q

Room:  Coburn Hall 100

Office Hours: Mon and Wed 10-Noon

or by appointment

Lecture: M-W-F 1:00-1:50 PM

Office Phone: 978-934-4428

The Byzantine Empire (324-1453) was among the most enduring and influential empires in world history. Yet courses in Byzantine history are relatively rare at American universities. This course will explore the political, cultural, and social history of the Byzantine Empire between the fourth and fifteenth centuries. Lectures, readings, and assignments will introduce students to a variety of sources and methods for interpreting the Byzantine world. Themes of the course will include the political and cultural development of the Byzantine state and the Eastern Orthodox Church. This includes topics such as warfare, diplomacy, literacy, monasticism, the reception of Classical literature; icons and iconoclasm; spiritual art and church architecture; and the legacy of Byzantine civilization in Russia, the Islamic world, and Europe.