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HIST 210: The Early Middle Ages, 284-1000

Lecture 08 - Survival in the East. Professor Freedman focuses on the question of how the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire survived, while the West collapsed in the fifth century. He begins with a brief overview of Procopius' Secret History, a work which presents a highly critical account of the reign of the emperor Justinian. The more urbanized, economically stronger, and geographically more stable Eastern Empire was able to survive while the West was dismantled by barbarian tribes. Yet under pressure from its old enemy, Persia, and new threats, the Slavs and Avars in the West and Arabs in the East, the Eastern Empire experienced a decline in the seventh century. Against the background of this political instability, Professor Freedman also discusses the Christological controversies of Nestorianism and Monophysitism which plagued the Church in the East. Beginning in the late seventh century, Iconoclasm also added to the pressures facing the Eastern Church and Empire. (from oyc.yale.edu)

Lecture 08 - Survival in the East

Time Lecture Chapters
[00:00:00] 1. Introduction
[00:05:12] 2. Procopius' Secret History
[00:07:37] 3. Circumstances of the Survival of the East
[00:11:58] 4. Christological Controversies - Nestorianism and Monophysitism
[00:26:49] 5. The Rise of Islam, the Persian Threat, and Barbarian Invasions
[00:39:26] 6. Iconoclasm
[00:45:37] 7. Conclusion

References
Lecture 08 - Survival in the East
Instructor: Professor Paul H. Freedman. Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov].

Go to the Course Home or watch other lectures:

Lecture 01 - Course Introduction: Rome's Greatness and First Crises
Lecture 02 - The Crisis of the Third Century and the Diocletianic Reforms
Lecture 03 - Constantine and the Early Church
Lecture 04 - The Christian Roman Empire
Lecture 05 - St. Augustine's Confessions
Lecture 06 - Transformation of the Roman Empire
Lecture 07 - Barbarian Kingdoms
Lecture 08 - Survival in the East
Lecture 09 - The Reign of Justinian
Lecture 10 - Clovis and the Franks
Lecture 11 - Frankish Society
Lecture 12 - Britain and Ireland
Lecture 13 - Monasticism
Lecture 14 - Mohammed and the Arab Conquests
Lecture 15 - Islamic Conquests and Civil War
Lecture 16 - The Splendor of the Abbasid Period
Lecture 17 - The Crucial Seventh Century
Lecture 18 - The Splendor of Byzantium
Lecture 19 - Charlemagne
Lecture 20 - Intellectuals and the Court of Charlemagne
Lecture 21 - Crisis of the Carolingians
Lecture 22 - Vikings/The European Prospect, 1000