Identity and the Self in the Medieval Greek Tradition
HIST 1970
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
This seminar explores the construction and complexity of identities in the Greek tradition (300–1500). How did the inhabitants of the Byzantine (or Eastern Roman) Empire in the Middle Ages, both men and women, Constantinopolitans and provincials, elites and people of lower social status, define and represent themselves in texts and images? Readings include fascinating narratives, biographies, and autobiographies. Students will learn how to approach these rich texts from combined historical and literary perspectives, while gaining familiarity with current cutting-edge research. Questions for discussion include political, religious, and ethnic identity in late antiquity and Byzantium, the meaning of being "Roman" and "Greek," the plasticity of self-representation, and the interpretation of religion, gender, and class as both social and cultural categories.
Course Notes
This course is also offered through the Classics Department as Classics 122. Credit may be earned for either Classics 122 or History 1970, but not both.
Available for Harvard Cross Registration
