CLS-STDY 122 / HIST 12V: Identity and the Self in the Medieval Greek Tradition

This seminar explores the construction and complexity of identities in the Greek tradition (300-1500).  How did the inhabitants of the Byzantine, or the Eastern Roman, Empire in the Middle Ages, both men and women, Constantinopolitans and provincials, emperors and people of lower social status, define and represent themselves in text? What about dress and visual representations? Readings include fascinating narratives, biographies, and autobiographies. Students will learn how to approach these rich texts from combined historical and literary perspectives, while gaining familiarity with current cutting-edge research. Questions for discussion include political, religious, and ethnic identity in late antiquity and Byzantium, the meaning of being “Roman” and “Greek,” the plasticity of self-representation, and the interpretation of religion, gender, and class as both social and cultural categories. No background knowledge or prerequisites are needed to enroll in this class.