Jerusalem, a History: From Antiquity to the Present

NEC 120 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

Jerusalem is considered one of the world’s holiest cities and is shared by three faiths; Jews, Christians, and Muslims all believe Jerusalem to be sacred, albeit for different reasons. While in some ways the common sacrality invested in Jerusalem by the three major monotheistic religions brings them together, historically speaking it has more often sparked tension and even violence. We will use the history of Jerusalem as a window onto how these three religions have mutually influenced one another from the emergence of Christianity and later Islam up through the present day. We will discuss the ways in which Jews, Christians, and Muslims have interacted historically in Jerusalem—both competing and cooperating in the every-day business of coexisting. The course begins with the arrival of ancient Israelites to Jerusalem, traces the Hellenic and Roman history of the city, discusses the rise of Christianity and the Christianization of the Roman Empire, the rise of Islam and the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem, the Crusades, the Ottoman Empire, the emergence of Zionism, and the beginning of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Throughout, we focus on questions of symbolism, the built environment, empire, law, and memory.