Universität Wien
Warning! The directory is not yet complete and will be amended until the beginning of the term.

090062 VU Manifestations of Byzantine Culture in Southern Italy: Manuscripts, Texts and Contexts (2025S)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 9 - Altertumswissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 14 participants
Language: German, English

Lecturers

Classes

Currently no class schedule is known.

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Content: Among the territories of the Byzantine Empire, southern Italy is certainly one of the most culturally active, a crossroads of traditions and languages, of which, fortunately, many traces have survived the destruction. Byzantine rule over southern Italy lasted for around 500 years and traces of its presence can still be seen today in the spoken language of some communities, for example in Salento and Calabria (where the so-called Italo-Greek dialects called Griko and Grecanico are spoken), as well as in the continued use of the Byzantine liturgy by such communities.
This course offers an exploration of the impact of the Byzantine presence in southern Italy between the 6th and 11th centuries. After a historical introduction, a number of characteristic aspects of Byzantine culture in southern Italy will be presented through selected case studies: we will talk about locally produced literature, manuscripts, art (mosaics, frescoes, churches), monasticism, liturgy, multilingualism. We will focus on three main areas that were under the control of the Byzantine Empire: Terra d’Otranto, Calabria and Sicily. Our journey will end with the Norman conquest of the 11th and 12th centuries.

Aims, Methods: The aim of the course is to provide an overview on Byzantine cultural heritage in southern Italy, with a special focus on written culture. The topics for the oral presentations will be assigned according to the interests of the participants: e.g. history, literature, manuscript studies, art history, liturgical studies. A visit to the Austrian National Library is planned so that the students can study in person the manuscripts produced in southern Italy and now kept in Vienna, or which contain texts composed in southern Italy.
Classes are held in English, but German may be used as the language of discussion and conversation. The oral presentations and the final written examination may be held in English or German, at the choice of each participant.

Assessment and permitted materials

30% Active participation (max. 2 absences)
30% Oral presentation
40% Written final examination

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

A basic knowledge of Greek is desirable but not essential. Both the oral presentation and the final written examination must be graded at least “genügend/sufficient” in order to complete the course successfully.
As this is a continuous assessment course, attendance is compulsory. No more than two absences will be allowed in order to sit the final examination. Absences must be notified to the course instructor by email in advance.

Examination topics

Topics discussed during the course.

Reading list

The literature will be announced in the course of the semester.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Tu 28.01.2025 15:45