Late Antiquity

Late Antiquity is a confusing period in history, despite also being one of the most transformative. Since the Roman Empire’s third century crises, history witnessed the emergence of three different monotheistic religions, the impact of barbaric invasions, the fall of Rome and the traditional Western Empire, the rise of the Eastern Empire, the destruction of the Persian Sassanid world, and the expansion of the Islamic world.

In The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon characterized the years after the Empire as the Dark Ages, a period of decay and stagnation. However, recent discoveries have changed our understanding of this age to one of great transformations with consequences that continue to influence today’s issues. This course will study the continuity, rather than discontinuities, of the transformation of Roman culture into Hellenistic Byzantium culture. Each weekly lecture will be followed by questions and discussion.

Class Recordings:

Class 1 - October 6, 2022

Class 2 - Ocotber 13, 2022

Class 3 - October 20, 2022

Class 4 - October 27, 2022

Class 5 - November 3, 2022

Class 6 - November 10, 2022

Class 7 - November 17, 2022

Class 8 - December 1, 2022

 


Group Leader: GEORGE THEODOSIOU
Venue: online
Meets on: Thursdays 3:30 to 5:30 pm
Starting: 10/6/2022
Sessions: 8
Class Size: 20
Teaching Style: Lecture with questions
Weekly Preparation: 3 hours
Group Leader Biography:

George Theodosiou is a political refugee from behind the Iron Curtain.  He was an academic cardiologist during his professional life in the U.S.  After retirement, George immersed himself in the study of history and has led over 30 study groups at Beacon Hill Seminars, Harvard's Institute for Learning in Retirement, and other educational non-profits. This will be George's eighth  course for BHS.