Byzantine historiography and the development of byzantine studies

Pre-requisites: Enrollment in fourth year studies at the history dept. or enrollment in an applicable semester at another dept.

Course objectives: Introducing students to the most important texts on byzantine history, starting with Eusebius of Caesarea to 15th century writers. The second part of this course is devoted to studying major currents in the development of Byzantine studies as a historiographic discipline.

Course description: Knowledge of byzantine history and history of other people groups in the middle ages is founded on the facts and information gleaned from byzantine historical texts, which in some ways functioned as a continuance of greek pragmatic historiography, over a span of two millennia - beginning with Herodotus and Thucydides up until the writings of the 16th century. The second part of the course addresses the development of byzantinology as a science, beginning in the 16th century up until the present day. Byzantine studies experienced rises(17th and 19th centuries) and falls (18th century). The first part of the course encompasses lectures on byzantine historiography and the development of byzantine studies. The practical component of the course is comprised of reading and commenting on selected texts by byzantine authors, namely – historiographers and chroniclers, but others as well. There will also be assignments, papers and a written exam.

Learning Outcomes: Mastering byzantine historiography, which has relevance four our(Serbian) medieval history, and which originally evolved from greek pragmatic historiography. Familiarity with the developments in 5th century of byzantine studies as a specific scientific discipline.

Literature/Reading:

• G. Ostrogorski, Istorija Vizantije, Beograd 1959.
• Vizantijski izvori za istoriju naroda Jugoslavije, I-IV, VI, Beograd 1955-1986.
• G. L. Kurbatov, Istorija Vizantii (Istoriografija), Leningrad 1975.