Subject details

At the completion of this subject students will:

  1. have basic knowledge of the key events which occurred from the reign of Constantine to the reign of Justinian
  2. have gained an understanding of the way in which imperial patronage of the Church changed the nature of Church and State
  3. have an understanding of the most significant theological debates to emerge from this period and how these debates were harnessed by bishops and emperors for the sake of power
  4. have a strong understanding of Christian and Pagan Historiography
  5. be introduced to the analysis of papyrological, epigraphic, archaeological and numismatic evidence for this period.

  • Topics

    • General introduction to the 3rd C background
    • Tetrarchy and the rise to power of Constantine
    • Constantine as sole emperor: AD 324-337
    • The sons of Constantine
    • The Emperor Julian
    • Papyrological evidence for life in 4th C Numismatics
    • From Valentinian to Theodosius I
    • Church/state relations in the fifth century
    • 'Romanitas' and the barbarians Rome
    • The development of monasticism
    • The Emperor Justinian
    • Empresses, church and state

  • Study resources

    • Instructional Methods

      • Disscusion forum/Discussion Board
      • Online assignment submission
      • Standard Media

    • Online Materials

      • Resources and Links

Entry Requirements

Equivalent Subjects

You cannot enrol in this unit if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:

  • MAQ-AHIX221
  • MAQ-HST255

Special requirements

No special requirements

This subject was previously known as AHIX221 From Constantine to Justinian: Church and State in Late Antiquity.

The age of Constantine was a watershed in European and Near Eastern History; this subject traces developments in politics, religion and literature from the fourth to the mid-sixth centuries in the Eastern and Western Empires. Major themes include historiography, church/state relations and the investigation of a variety of source categories for this period. Upon completion, you will have a knowledge of the key events which occurred from the reign of Constantine to the reign of Justinian. You will also have gained an understanding of how imperial patronage of the Church changed the nature of Church and State, the most significant theological debates of this period and how these debates were harnessed by bishops and emperors for the sake of power.

  • Assignment 1 - Essay 1 — Short Essay (30%)
  • Assignment 2 - Essay 2 — Long Essay (50%)
  • Assignment 3 - Online Discussion (20%)

Textbooks are subject to change within the academic year. Students are advised to purchase their books no earlier than one to two months before the start of a subject.

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Related degrees

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Arts