MB06 Constantinople and its Descriptions

Introduction

Welcome to the Webpage for MB06 Constantinople and its Descriptions. It is taught over two semesters, in one two hour class per week. In 2006-7 the classes will be on Thursday mornings, from 11.00-13.00 pm; from 18 January 2007 it will be taught in Room B3.

The course is devoted to the study and analysis of our sources for the city of Constantinople (324-1453). Some of these sources are archaeological; but for the most part they are literary texts, written by inhabitants and by visitors. The course will be devoted to the careful study of a series of texts from different periods, examining how the image of Constantinople has been presented over many centuries.

This course is taught by

Judith Herrin: webpage Email: judith.herrin@kcl.ac.uk

Charlotte Roueché: webpage Email: charlotte.roueche@kcl.ac.uk

Tassos Papacostas: webpage Email: tassos.papacostas@kcl.ac.uk

During the year all students will be asked to write two essays, on topics to be agreed with the course teachers,and also be asked to make two presentations to the class:

Presentation I: Prepare a description of a place or a monument which you saw on your travels this summer, using words only (no illustrations allowed). This should be presented to the class, in 10-15 minutes, in the second week of the first semester.

Presentation II: In the second semester students will each be expected to make a presentation to the class, describing a monument (or group of monuments) and the material describing it. In this case you may use Powerpoint (training will be provided)

Assessment

MB06. For MA students, assessment will be on the basis of:

(i) a two hour examination, in May, in which students will be required to comment on extracts from among the prescribed texts listed below (total, 50% of mark). See former paper

and

(ii) two long essays(c. 4-5, 000 words each), which may handed in by 28 February and 30 April; the absolutely final date for submission is 1 June (total, 50% of mark)

Prescribed Texts

Procopius, Buildings Book I

Parastaseis syntomai chronikai. Ed. and trans. Averil Cameron and Judith Herrin, Constantinople in the early eighth century (Leiden 1984).

C. Mango, The Art of the Byzantine Empire, 312-1453 (New York 1972, and reprints)

Nicetas Choniates, De Signis

Programme

Week 1: October 5

Judith Herrin

Introduction

Week 2.October 12

Tassos Papacostas

Presentation:s What are the difficulties of describing a building?

Week 3.

Judith Herrin

The Ancient City

Week 4. October 26 No class

Week 5. November 2

Judith Herrin

The Art of Description

Uses of rhetoric and ekphrasis – why doesn’t he say what he can see?

Week 6. November 9

Building the City 1. Constantine

Look at Malalas for foundation stories and look at buildings that can be seriously attributed to Constantine

Week 7. November 16

Karin Schlapbach

Building the City 2. The fifth century: consolidation

Theodosios I is critical for survival after Adrianople, 378, look at the raising of the obelisk and other monuments.

Theodosios II and the walls, erected by prefect

Week 8 November 23

Judith Herrin

Building the City: St Polyeuktos and the Greek Anthology
The verse and the discovery of the church foundations. What was Juliana Anicia trying to do?

Week 9. November 30

Judith Herrin

Building the City 3. Justinian

Read Procopius to get a sense of how much Justinian built in distant places as well as CP. Nika riot and rebuilding the centre. Paul the Silentiary, Procopius and Hagia Sophia, different accounts and the imaginary ones, myths cf Dagron.

Week 10. December 7

Judith Herrin
Constantinople in the early 7th century. Miracles of Artemios and Life of Andrew the Fool.

Week 11 December 14

Judith Herrin

Viewing the City 1. The local view: popular

VACATION
Read the Parastaseis

Semester II

Week 12 January 18

Charlotte Roueché

Discussion of Parastaseis and Patria

Week 13. January 25

Charlotte Roueché