Universität Wien

090028 VO The beginnings of Byzantine intellectual history (2025W)

From Constantine and Eusebius to the Arab conquest of Alexandria (642)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 9 - Altertumswissenschaften
Moodle

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Details

Language: German

Examination dates

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 07.10. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 14.10. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 21.10. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 28.10. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 04.11. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 11.11. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 18.11. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 25.11. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 02.12. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 09.12. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 16.12. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 13.01. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1
  • Tuesday 20.01. 18:30 - 20:00 Elise Richter-Saal Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 1

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The aim of this lecture is to analyse the main philosophical debates and to present the leading intellectual figures of the early centuries of the long Byzantine history (4th-7th centuries). It will cover the period from the establishment of Constantinople as the new capital of the Roman Empire, traditionally seen as marking the beginning of the Byzantine era, to the Arab conquest of Alexandria, the city that served as the unofficial intellectual capital of the Byzantine Empire. After considering the chronology, we will address the main themes and debates of this period: the conception of the role of a Christian emperor, history as a manifestation of divine providence, but also human nature, the rejection of the mortality of the soul, free will, critiques of various forms of determinism, and debates on the eternity of the world. On these questions related to God, man, and the world, we will study, among other things, the contributions of great figures such as Eusebius of Caesarea, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, Nemesius of Emesa, Synesius of Cyrene, Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Zacharias, John Philoponus, Dionysius the Areopagite, and Maximus the Confessor.

Assessment and permitted materials

Mündliche Prüfung nach Ende des Semesters.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Examination topics

Inhalt der Lehrveranstaltung ergänzt durch eigenständige Lektüre.
Der in der VO behandelte Stoff, wie aus den auf moodle gestellten Unterlagen ersichtlich.

Reading list

Sie finden auf moodle am Anfang des Eintrages zur Vorlesung eine Anzahl von einführender und vertiefender Literatur als pdf.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: We 21.01.2026 16:06