For over eleven centuries, the Byzantine Empire played a predominant role in political, ecclesiastical and cultural developments in Southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. The course will offer an overview of the social and cultural history of the empire, the most long-lived in the history of Western civilisation. We will look at the imperial court and its offices, the structure of the society, everyday life, monasticism, education, family life, and public welfare. Throughout, we will use documentary sources and archaeological findings.
Daily Life in Byzantium
This is an In-person course which requires your attendance to the weekly meetings which take place in Oxford.
Overview
Programme details
Course starts: 20 Jan 2025
Week 1: Byzantine Empire: name, geographical definition, chronological definition, peoples who lived in the empire. Survey of documentary and visual sources. Course requirements
Week 2: Social structure: general characteristics, state officials, titles, landlords, farmers, proniarioi, towns and countryside
Week 3: Monasticism: hermits and organised monastic communities, monastic spirituality
Week 4: Commerce and industry
Week 5: Home and family; public buildings and spaces; public amusements
Week 6: Education, literature, philosophy
Week 7: Magic and superstition
Week 8: Women in Byzantium
Week 9: Food and drink
Week 10: Public welfare
Recommended reading
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are welcome to use the Library for reference. More information can be found on the Library website.
There is a Guide for Weekly Class students which will give you further information.
Availability of titles on the reading list (below) can be checked on SOLO, the library catalogue.
Preparatory reading:
- Byzantium and its Image, London 1993 / Cyril MANGO
- Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire, 2007 / HERRIN J.
- Aspects of the mind of Byzantium, London 2001. / Milton ANASTOS
Certification
To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course Fee | £285.00 |
| Take this course for CATS points | £30.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Tutor
Dr Aphrodite Papayianni
Aphrodite Papayianni holds a PhD in Byzantine History and teaches at the University of London and OUDCE. In the last ten years, she has enjoyed spells as a Visiting Professor in Universities in Turkey and China. Through the years, Aphrodite has developed a wide teaching portfolio, from Greek Prehistory to the end of Byzantium, and has published articles in various topics of Byzantine and Crusade History.
Course aims
To provide a comprehensive introduction to various aspects of the Byzantine cultural and social life.
Course objectives:
• to provide an overview of the cultural as well as the everyday life in Byzantium
• to encourage an enquiring and analytical approach to various aspects of Byzantine cultural history and social life
• to identify, use and interpret appropriate primary (documentary and visual) sources
Teaching methods
A range of teaching/learning methods will be employed, including lectures followed by discussion, reading and interpreting documents. Students will be encouraged to undertake assignments.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
• Be able to evaluate aspects of the social and cultural life of the Byzantine empire
• Gain knowledge and understanding of themes and issues concerning certain aspects of the social structure in Byzantium and also the everyday life in the empire
• Be able to identify, interpret and evaluate a range of primary source materials
Assessment methods
Assessment of learning will take place through the evaluation and marking of written assignments (essay; book review).
Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard.
Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form
Application
To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.
Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment Form (Word) or Enrolment Form (Pdf)
Level and demands
The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.
Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)
To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.
Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.