DSMB04 Late Ancient and Early Medieval Barbaric States I

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/2/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Jarmila Bednaříková, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Jarmila Bednaříková, CSc.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
! DSMgrB04 Barbaric States I
At least basic knowledge of Latin (for the seminar).
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Gaining a complex overview of the complicated development of Western Europe in the period of the transition between Antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Acquiring the competency of independent methodological thinking about early medieval states
Learning outcomes
- Understanding of the complicated period of the transition between Antiquity and the Middlee Ages;
- acquiring the methodology for the historical cathegory "barbarian kingdoms";
- the ability to assess the degree of destructive and constructive effects of the "barbarians" in the period of the great migration of nations.
Syllabus
  • 1) Basic definition of barbarian states, their general characteristics.
  • 2) Development of the rule and society of the Germans from the time of Tacitus to the time of the great migration of nations.
  • 3) Old Germanic religion.
  • 4) Main sources for the development of "barbarian kingdoms".
  • 5) The settlement of the Visigoths according to the principle of hospitality.
  • 6) The kingdom of Toulouse; the kingdom of Toledo in the 6th c.
  • 7) The kingdom of Toledo in the 7th c.
  • 8) The Ostrogoths from the year 488, the society of the kingdom of Theoderic the Great, the ancient legacy in this kingdom. Its international policy.
  • 9) The development of the Ostrogothic Kingdom until the death of Theoderic the Great.
  • 10) The Vandals and Romans in North Africa.
  • 11) The degree of romanization of the Vandals.
  • 12) The empire of Attila as a "barbarian" kingdom?
Literature
    required literature
  • BEDNAŘÍKOVÁ, Jarmila. Bič boží-sakrální král (The Scourge of God - Sacral King). In Bořivoj, Marek. Visuque et auditu iuxta venerabilis adrogantiam effugerat. Vyd. 1. Praha: Jednota klasických filologů. p. 195-204. ISBN 978-80-904945-2-7. 2013. info
  • BEDNAŘÍKOVÁ, Jarmila. Stěhování národů. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad. 413 s. ISBN 8070215062. 2003. info
  • HEATHER, P. J. Gótové. Translated by Lubomír Košnar - Jiří Ohlídal - Petr Prokeš. Praha: Lidové noviny. 408 s. ISBN 8071061999. 2002. info
    recommended literature
  • B. BYSTRICKÝ. Sťahovanie národov (454-568). Bratislava: Pro historia 2009.
  • JOnes, A. H. M.- Martindale J. R. Prosopography of the Late Roman Empire I a II. Cambridge 1980..
  • Wolfram, Herwig. Die Goten. München: C. H. Beck 1980
  • BEDNAŘÍKOVÁ, Jarmila. Patroni Evropy a vizigótský biskup Vulfila (The Patron Saints of Europe and the bishop Vulfila, the Visigoth). In Anton Lisnik, Katarína Greňová, Marián Ambrozy, Iveta Franzenová. Sociálne posolstvo Jána Pavla II. pre dnešný svět 2013. I. Ružomberok: Katolícka univerzita v Ružomberku. p. 38-45. ISBN 978-80-561-0030-1. 2013. info
  • BABIC, Marek. Od antiky k stredoveku : dejiny neskorého rímskeho cisárstva medzi rokmi 284-476. 1. vyd. Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury (CDK). 331 s. ISBN 9788073252021. 2010. info
  • Die Völkerwanderung : Europa zwischen Antike und Mittelalter. Edited by Matthias Knaut - Dieter Quast. Stuttgart: Theiss. 104 s. ISBN 380621574X. 2005. info
  • Vandals, Romans and Berbers : new perspectives on late antique North Africa. Edited by A. H. Merrills. Hants: Ashgate. xv, 347. ISBN 9780754641452. 2004. info
  • POHL, Walter. Die Völkerwanderung : Eroberung und Integration. Stuttgart: Verlag W. Kohlhammer. 266 s. ISBN 3170155660. 2002. info
  • EBEL-ZEPEZAUER, Wolfgang. Studien zur Archäologie der Westgoten vom 5.-7. Jh. n. Chr. Mainz am Rhein: Philipp von Zabern. vii, 365. ISBN 3805324693. 2000. info
  • KADEČKOVÁ, Helena. Soumrak bohů : severské mýty a báje. Illustrated by Klára Folvarská-Roseová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Aurora. 234 s. ISBN 8085974983. 1998. info
  • PALOL, Pedro de and Gisela RIPOLL. Die Goten : Geschichte und Kunst in Westeuropa. Stuttgart: Belser. 302 stran. ISBN 3763017429. 1990. info
  • DIESNER, Hans-Joachim. The great migration. Translated by C. S. V. Salt - B. A. Hons. Leipzig: Edition Leipzig. 255 s. 1978. info
  • MAENCHEN-HELFEN, J. Otto. The world of the Huns : studies in their history and culture. Edited by Max Knight. Berkeley: University of California press. xxvii, 602. ISBN 520015967. 1973. info
  • DIESNER, Hans-Joachim. Das Vandalenreich : Aufstieg und Untergang. Leipzig: Koehler & Amelang. 167 s. 1966. info
  • WERNER, Joachim. Beiträge zur Archäologie des Attila-Reiches. München: Verlag der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. 75 s. 1956. info
  • TACITUS, Publius Cornelius. Germania. Edited by Eugen Fehrle. vierte, erweiterte Auflage. München: J.F. Lehmanns Verlag. xvi, 132. 1944. info
  • Vulfila, oder, Die gotische Bibel : mit dem entsprechenden griechischen text und mit kritischem und erklärendem Commentar nebst dem Kalender, der Skeireins und den gotischen Urkunden. Edited by Ernst Bernhardt. Halle: Verlag der Buchhandlung des Waisenhauses. lxix, 654. 1875. info
    not specified
  • Bloockley, R. C. East Roman foreign Policy. New York 1992.
  • Von Augustus bis Attila : Leben am ungarischen Donaulimes. Stuttgart: Theiss. 131 stran. ISBN 3806215413. 2000. info
Teaching methods
Lectures; reading and analyzing texts.
Assessment methods
active participation in class, handing in an essay, written test
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
The course is taught once in three years.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/DSMB04