Learning outcomes

Aims of the course and expected results

The final aim of this course is to make student comprehend the complexity of researching in history. This will allow students to acquire part of the useful tools, which will allow them to individually lead their own researches.
Moreover, the aim of this course is also to give students the following knowledge:
- general knowledge of the political and social organization in Europe between 5th and 15th century
- knowledge of the current historical debate on “Societies in transition: urban and rural communities in Italy between the Carolingian and the first Communal period”
Through this course students should acquire the following abilities:
- capability of autonomously analysing recent essays in medieval history written in the mayor modern languages
- capability of autonomously writing “papers” on topics discussed at in class or on topics next to the one discussed during the lectures.

Prerequisites

In order to follow the topics of the course a basic knowledge of the social and political history of the Middle Ages is asked. Even if it not strictly necessary, a basic knowledge of Latin is welcome: this will allow the reading and comprehending of the sources presented and discussed during the lectures. Latin sources will be translated and discussed by the lecturer.

Program

Contents/Programm

SOCIETIES IN TRANSITION: URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES IN ITALY BETWEEN THE CAROLINGIAN AND THE FIRST COMMUNAL PERIOD
The introductory lectures will focus on the historical debate on the topic. After this first stage, in the following lectures the role of communities in Carolingian and post-Carolingian Italy will be analysed. A dossier of sources that will be analysed and discussed during lectures will be also available in PDF format on the Moodle of the University of Verona. A third part of the course will be devoted to the role of aristocracy in the early Middle Ages and its role during the very first stage of the Communal period.

Didactical methods and learning activities asked to students

The course will be organized as a seminar and will be based on the lecture, comment and interpretation of recent historiographical works and on edited sources. After having acquired the historical and historiographical framework, during the lectures students will be asked to autonomously or divided into small groups some of the sources. Once learned the use of printed sources, student will have the opportunity to see original documents during two didactical activities at the Biblioteca Capitolare of Verona and at the Archivio di Stato of Verona. Both activities will be organized together with Prof. Massimiliano Bassetti, who teaches Palaeography and Diplomatic at the University of Verona. Finally, students can write a paper on a topic related to the course; the subject must be chosen together with the lecturer and it must be handed before the final exam.

Examination Methods

Evaluation methods and criteria

Oral exams will be divided into two parts: in the first part students will be asked to answer to general questions on the main topics of the Middle Ages, on the topics discussed during lectures or on topics acquired through books that might substitute the missed lectures. In the second part questions will be asked on the books chosen by students; alternatively, students will present and discuss a paper (max. 10 pages = 20.000 signs) on a topic that will be decided in advance together with the lecturer. The paper must be sent to the lecturer at least three working days before the exam. Depending on the quality and the length of the paper, it will partially or totally substitute the individually chosen books. On the moodle of the University of Verona the lecturer will publish further indications in order to correctly write the paper.

Bibliography

FOR ALL STUDENTS:

The general knowledge of Medieval History is requested; it can be achieved through manuals or introductions to the study of Medieval History. To those who have a poor knowledge of the Middle Ages I suggest G. VITOLO, Medioevo. I caratteri originali di un’età di transizione, Milano, Sansoni, 2000; alternatively students can choose the more recent T. LAZZARI, G. ALBERTONI, Introduzione alla storia medievale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2015. For those who already have a good knowledge I recommend R. BORDONE, G. SERGI, Dieci secoli di medioevo, Torino, Einaudi, 2009. Students will also be asked to individually choose 7 chapters of the volume Storia Medievale, Roma, Donzelli, 1998.

READINGS FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING LECTURES REGULARLY
Students are asked to choose two books among the following titles:
P. BROWN, Il riscatto dell’anima. Aldilà e ricchezza nel primo cristianesimo occidentale, Torino, Einaudi, 2016; S. GASPARRI, C. LA ROCCA, Tempi barbarici. L’Europa occidentale tra antichità e medioevo (300-900), Roma, Carocci, 2012; G. HALSALL, Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West (376-568), Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2007; P.J. GEARY, Il mito delle nazioni. Le origini medievali dell’Europa, Roma, Carocci, 2009; C. WICKHAM, L’eredità di Roma. Storia d’Europa dal 400 al 1000 d.C., Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2014; J.M.H. Smith, L’Europa dopo Roma, Una nuova storia culturale 500-1000, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008; M. MEIER, Giustiniano, Bologna, il Mulino, 2007; S. GASPARRI, Italia longobarda. Il regno, i Franchi, il papato, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2012; S. COSENTINO, Storia dell’Italia bizantina (VI-XI secolo). Da Giustiniano ai Normanni, Bologna, Bononia University Press, 2008; P. CAMMAROSANO, Storia dell’Italia medievale. Dal VI all’XI secolo, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2001; P. CAMMAROSANO, Nobili e re. L’Italia politica dell’alto medioevo, Bari, Laterza, 1999; R. MCKITTERICK, Charlemagne. The formation of a European Identity, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2008; A. BARBERO, Carlo Magno Un padre dell’Europa, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2000; M. COSTAMBEYS, M. INNES, S. MACLEAN, The Carolingian World, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2011; S. PATZOLD, C. van RHIJN (eds.), Men in the Middle. Local Priests in early Medieval Europe, Berlin, De Gruyter, 2016; S. GASPARRI, Voci dai secoli oscuri. Un percorso nelle fonti dell’alto medioevo, Roma, Carocci, 2017; H. KELLER, Gli Ottoni. Una dinastia imperiale fra Europa e Italia (secc. X e XI), Roma, Carocci, 2012; A.A. SETTIA, Castelli medievali, Bologna, il Mulino, 2017; L. PROVERO, L’Italia dei poteri locali. Secoli X-XII, Roma, Carocci, 1998; G. ALBERTONI, L. PROVERO, Il feudalesimo in Italia, Roma, Carocci, 2003; N. D’ACUNTO, ‪L'età dell'obbedienza‬: ‪papato, impero e poteri locali nel secolo XI, Napoli, Liguori, 2007; G. ALBERTONI, Vassalli, feudi, feudalesimo, Roma, Carocci, 2015; C. WICKHAM, Sonnambuli verso un nuovo mondo. L’affermazione dei comuni italiani nel XII secolo, Roma, Viella, 2017; A. AUGENTI, Archeologia dell’Italia medievale, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2016.

DOSSIER OF SOURCES: only for students attending lectures, which will be find it on the Moodle of the University of Verona.

READINGS FOR STUDENTS NOT ATTENDING LECTURES
Students are asked to choose three books among the list of titles.

Further information
The attendance of lectures is welcomed. Students not attending lectures will be asked to write an e-mail or to meet the lecturer before the exam in order to avoid misunderstandings and to choose the topic of the possible paper.