Fall 2024 - HUM 460 B100

Themes in Byzantine History (4)

Ancient& ByzantineEconomies

Class Number: 4435

Delivery Method: Blended

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Mon, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

    Oct 15, 2024: Tue, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    45 units.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Familiarizes the student with the core questions in the study of Medieval Roman (Byzantine) social, political, economic and intellectual life. Students will be exposed to the main primary sources available to the Byzantinist and will read articles and books by the most influential scholars in the field. Students may repeat this course once for further credit under a different topic. Students with credit for HS 460 or HIST 460 may take this course for credit only when a different topic is taught. Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

Profits, Prudence, State, and Society: The Ancient and Byzantine Economies 

The Middle Ages are often seen through the lens of underdevelopment and backwardness. The shine of Classical civilization and the refinement of the Renaissance conspire to paint the Middle Ages with dark colours. Yet, this long period was neither sterile nor universally bleak. The break from the traditions of the ancient world was never complete, while the seeds of modernity could also be traced in this same period. 

This course looks at the economic life of the polity we have come to know as the Byzantine Empire in the context of its ancient origins and its medieval surroundings. Our emphasis will be on the continuities and breaks that characterized medieval economies. Our focus will be on the material basis of the medieval economies with a discussion of the technological and social dimensions of economic activity. Students taking this course will familiarize themselves with methodological problems that color the study of ancient and medieval economies. In doing so they will be able to better understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative research, while asking larger questions about the idea of progress, the nature of economic activity, and the ideological implications of the study of antiquity for modern debates on the economy and consequently on politics. 

This class is reading intensive and convenes in seminar form once a week. Students are responsible for all the readings on a weekly basis. Apart from the first two weeks when secondary literature dominates the agenda, each week will see three or more students teaming-up with the instructor for the discussion of the assigned material. Office hours aside, students will consult with the instructor online on set times about the progress of their written work, while also taking biweekly online quizzes.

Grading

  • Informed seminar participation 15%
  • Informed seminar participation 10%
  • In-class material presentations 20%
  • Proposal, Prospectus, Paper Draft 25%
  • Seminar Paper 30%

NOTES:

It is essential that you attend diligently and participate actively. A significant component of your grade results from your presence in class. 

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This course fulfills the Global Humanities requirements for the

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

No books or reading materials need to be purchased for this course. The following two books are assigned, which are available at the SFU Library in online form.

  • Finlay M., The Ancient Economy (California, 1999)

  • Laiou A., & Morrisson C., The Byzantine Economy (Cambridge, 2007) 

The rest of your readings will be available in PDF form on Canvas or may be found on JSTOR, which is also available online at the SFU library.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.