Cities and Countryside

Goals for this week

Our goal this week is to explore medieval demographic patterns - focussing on the relationship between urban centres and the surrounding countryside in the early Middle Ages. In the eastern Mediterranean, important urban centres, such as Cordoba, Constantinople and Baghdad were founded and thrived as administrative centers in the early Middle Ages. In the West, however, power became decentralized and only in already-existing Roman cities did urban life continue (now dominated by the power of bishops). We will seek to discuss new cities founded in Sub-Saharan Africa and the powerful empires that nurtured them.

Online Time

On Tuesday, November 24th, we will discuss the relative historical changes in urban/rural populations in Europe, Byzantium and the Caliphates and what impact this has on the nature of their societies, as well as the organization of government and the economy.

Read/Watch/Listen

Required:

• the chapter in Wickham's Inheritance of Rome

Optional:

• • Golvin images

  • maps

Practice

Are there practical activities (tasks, labs, fieldwork), which students must do this week? If so, what are they and what specifically do they need to do, bearing in mind social-distancing?

Discuss

The Romans defined cities as a fundamental aspect of their culture. Their term for city (ciuitas) provided the root for citizen (ciuis) and for the idea of "civilization". What distinguished, they thought, the civilized from barbarians was dwelling in cities. Western society has accepted this valuation of urban space and one of the ways in which the medieval West seem 'barbaric' is the sense that city life declines during this time period.

• in your readings this week, try to discern evidence for the nature of urban life in the Middle Ages

• try to understand why there were demographic differences between Western Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean

Do

What quizzes (if any) or other activities should students complete this week to evaluate their own progress? How will they know they are “on track”?

Assess

Is there a graded assignment this week? If so, what is the assignment and when does it need to be submitted?

Going Further

If students want to do more to ensure success, what materials and resources (e.g. reading, video, audio simulations, games) do you recommend?

• Watch: Africa's Great Civilizations - a documentary series which traces the spread of western religion into Africa and the development of educational institutions as a result. Episode 4

Help

If a student is struggling, how should they seek help?