In addition to the interdisciplinary and archival courses offered by our institute, a full schedule of medieval courses is offered in other participating academic departments. Approximately 65 medieval courses are offered here each year, not including the many courses in language instruction and independent research that student medievalists frequently take. Many students participate in medieval studies courses without enrolling in our formal degree programs. For students pursuing a medieval studies minor or certificate, questions about courses not listed here can be directed to mest@iu.edu
Courses
Spring 2025 Courses
Ancient and Medieval Art
ARTH-A 101 with George Yfantidis
A survey of major styles and monuments in art and architecture from prehistoric times to the end of the Middle Ages.
Arabian Nights and the West
MELC-M 306 12187 with Asaad Alsaleh
This course covers selected topics in Middle Eastern Studies, from prehistory to the present day. In this case, the topic is the Arabian Nights (also known as The Thousand and One Nights) and its impact, influence, and representation in the West.
Byzantium
MELC-M 348 with Daniel Caner
This course explores the history, society, economy and culture of the Byzantine Roman Empire ("Byzantium"), ca. 330-1453 CE. Focuses on its imperial and Christian ideology, urban and frontier life, military ventures and diplomatic strategies for survival while situated between Western Christendom and Islamic Caliphates in the medieval Middle East.
Byzantine History
HIST-B 348 with Daniel Caner
This course introduces the history and civilization of the Byzantine Empire (A.D. 330-1453). It also explores the survival of the eastern Roman empire after the fall of its western half; how it developed a distinctive culture and ideology; and how it changed in response to economic, political, and military challenges.
Early Medieval China (Studies in East Asian History)
EALC-E 352 with Nick Vogt
Selected issues and problems of importance to the understanding of East Asian history.
King Arthur of Britain (Critical Approaches to the Arts and Humanities)
COLL-C 103 with Rosemarie McGerr
Who was King Arthur? Does historical evidence for such a king exist, or is his story pure legend? When and where do the narratives about him first appear? How did he become king? Is he a conquering hero or a tragic victim of internal conflict? What does King Arthur have to do with magical swords or the quest for the Holy Grail? What mythological, literary, and political forces have shaped representations of King Arthur in the past and in our own times? This course examines major narratives about King Arthur from the medieval era to the post-modern era, comparing them in terms of both content and reflection of cultural context in order to understand his role as a hero in different times and places.
Notre Dame de Paris (Culture and Society in French Studies)
FRIT-F 450 with Elizabeth Hebbard
On April 15, 2019, Notre-Dame de Paris caught fire. The world watched in horror as flames slowly demolished the entire wood-beam framework under the roof of the nave, toppling the spire, and smoke poured from the stained glass rose windows. Late that night, after the fire was tamed, French President Macron announced intentions to restore the cathedral and in less than a week, over ¿1 billion were pledged for its reconstruction. The enormous success of this fundraising campaign, the incredible feats of its five-and-a-half year intensive restoration, and the festivities around the re-opening scheduled for December 7, 2024 raise questions about what exactly this building means (and why, and to whom) in the twenty-first century. This interdisciplinary course uses literature, music, and painting to study the life of, in, and around this stone and timber giant, witness to more than 850 years of Parisian history: as a perfect example of medieval high gothic architecture and sculpture and as a contemporary tourist destination; as the site of musical, liturgical, and theological innovation and the heart of the medieval University of Paris, and as a focus of violent anticlerical sentiment during the Revolution; as a muse for painters, poets, and writers, and as a work of art that has undergone numerous restoration projects; as a symbol¿of the church, of empire, of the past, of Paris, and perhaps, as we saw during the fire, of Western culture writ large. We will use Notre-Dame de Paris to think about buildings (aesthetics, function, and monumentalism) and their cultural importance (social, political, religious).
The Black Death
HIST-H 213 with Kalani Craig
This course examines Europe in the age of bubonic plague, 1348-1715, with emphasis on changes in climate, population, food supplies, public health.
The Gothic Cathedral
ARTH-A 224 with Diane J. Reilly
This course will survey the development of one of the most important cultural institutions of the Medieval era, the Gothic Cathedral. Starting in the Ile-de-France around 1140, the cathedral became the most important innovating force in Europe, leading the way in the development of architecture and the visual arts, as well as education and music. The centrality of the cathedral in the later medieval world reflects a fundamental change in the structure of medieval society, which changed from being primarily rural to urban in the course of only a century. A study of the Gothic cathedral therefore provides an ideal jumping off point to examine the most important trends of the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries. These include the use of complex stone vaulting and stained glass, the primacy of the university school and the acceptance of secular learning, and the conflict between ecclesiastical and secular authority in the newly empowered medieval city.
The Medieval City
ARTH-A 426 with Diane J. Reilly
This course will examine the cities of Western Europe and the Islamic and Byzantine worlds from the perspective of the institutions of the city, and the art and architecture they generated, including house, fortifications, churches, town halls, guild halls, and markets. Medieval representations of the city will also be explored.
The Mongol Century
CEUS-R 393 with TBA
In-depth exploration of Chinggis Khan's Mongol Empire from its origins in the twelfth century in the continent-wide breakdown of the 1330s-1370s. Primary sources (Mongolian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and European) in translation, including many of the medieval era's greatest histories and travelogues.
Vikings and Sagas
GER-E 361 with Lane Sorensen
Course description: Who were the Vikings? Do the images of Vikings in your head match up with the facts, and is their portrayal in popular culture at all rooted in reality? This course is designed to answer these and other questions regarding the history, literature, language, and culture of those whom we refer to as "Vikings." In addition to reading several full sagas from The Sagas of the Icelanders (Thorsson et al: 2000), we will look at excerpts from the prose and poetic Edda and turn to historical data and archeological evidence to fill in the gaps, corroborate the tales, and debunk myths (especially those myths that have fueled and been fed by the misappropriation of this material by white supremacist movements). The Vikings (Roesdahl: 1998) and multiple scholarly articles, provided on Canvas, will serve as secondary literature. There is no mid-term or final examination, but you will be expected to discuss both the primary and secondary literature every class period, write two position papers, contribute at times to the Canvas discussion board, give a presentation, and complete a final project in which you have the choice to write a research paper or craft your very own saga befitting the style and format of the sagas you read in this course. In the end, you will be able to wield the tools to separate fact from fiction and sail your way to a more rigorous understanding of Vikings and the sagas that keep their stories alive.
I took Professor Diane Reilly's "The Medieval City" course through the Art History department in the fall of 2016, and I absolutely loved it. Though I was just taking the course as part of my major requirements, I completed the class with a love for everything medieval. I credit this to Professor Reilly's enthusiasm for and superior knowledge of anything and everything medieval; it was such a pleasure to learn from her, and I suggest that students from any field of study take this class with her if the opportunity arises.
Amelia Berry (Art History, class of 2018)
The College of Arts