ANTH 418
Dr. Katie Custer Bojakowski
Office hours: By appointment
Location: ANTH 312D
Email: katie.bojakowski@tamu.edu
Course Catalog Information
Examination of seafaring, maritime commerce, naval affairs, and shipbuilding in the Mediterranean from the late Roman Period until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Junior or Senior classification.
Course Description
This course is an introduction to the history and archaeology of seafaring in the medieval period, from the 5th to the 15th centuries. It covers topics such as the evolution of ship design and construction, the development of maritime trade and navigation, the role of naval warfare and piracy, and the impact of seafaring on the interactions and exchanges between different regions and civilizations. The course draws on a variety of sources, including archaeological, historical, literary, and artistic evidence, to provide a comprehensive and multidisciplinary perspective on the medieval maritime world. The course also explores the significance of seafaring in shaping the political, economic, social, and religious aspects of medieval society, as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by medieval seafarers and maritime communities. The course is divided into four main sections:
- The first section provides an overview of the ancient maritime practices and experiences that influenced the medieval seafaring.
- The second section focuses on the seafaring in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas, and the interactions between the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Franks, and the Italians.
- The third section examines the seafaring in the northern waters and the Western Approaches, and the influence of the Vikings, the Hanseatic League, and the Crusades.
- The fourth section discusses the seafaring in the late medieval period and the emergence of the Renaissance, the Iberian discoveries, and the origin of the three-masted ship.
Course Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, learners will be able:
- Apply the methods and sources of historical and archaeological inquiry to analyze the political, economic, social, and religious developments in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe from the Late Roman Period to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.
- Describe the main features and events of the late Roman and early Byzantine empires, and how they influenced the Mediterranean world.
- Compare and contrast the different civilizations and cultures that interacted in the Mediterranean.
- Demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the importance of seafaring, maritime commerce, naval affairs, and shipbuilding in the Mediterranean world.
- Evaluate the significance of the major historical events that occurred in the Mediterranean world.
Textbook
There is no textbook in this class. All readings are accessible on Canvas via Perusall.
Grading Policy
All Assignments must be completed individually and represent your own original work unless specifically indicated as part of the team project.
Grade Calculation
Course Grade: A= 90-100%, B= 80-89%, C= 70-79%, D=60-69%, F= 0-60%
| Assignment | Deadline | Points | % Final Grade |
| PERUSALL Weekly Reading | By Class on Mondays | 100 points | 10% |
| Case Study Presentations (2) | As assigned | 200 points | 20% |
| Roman Transportation Project | Week 5 | 100 points | 10% |
| Exam #1 | Week 8 | 250 points | 25% |
| Exam #2 | Week 16 | 250 points | 25% |
| Participation Exit Tickets (25) | Weekly | 100 points | 10% |
Assignments
PERUSALL Reading Assignments (13)
As a community of scholars, you will review the assigned readings together in Perusall asking questions, adding comments, additional information or insights, and providing critical feedback. This task will help you to participate effectively in our class discussion. Readings are due before class starts on the date indicated on the class schedule. Specific instructions, guiding questions, and the grading rubric for Perusal readings are in Canvas. It is important you use the link from Canvas so that your work is linked back to Canvas and our grade book. As a community of scholars, you will review the module materials together in Perusall asking questions, adding comments, additional information or insights, and providing critical feedback. This task will help you to participate effectively in our class discussion.
Case Study Presentations (2)
Students will be assigned a case study topic on the first day of class. Students are responsible for creating a conference-style presentation (15-minute oral presentation followed by a 5-minute discussion period) using PowerPoint or another suitable software. Presentations will be given throughout the semester and must include a one-to-two-page handout for each member of the class that provides a concise summary of the research and references. Students will submit a copy of their PowerPoint presentation and handout in Canvas.
Participation (Exit Tickets)
Your participation is a critical element to the success of everyone in the class. To promote participation in the exchange of ideas and a critical appreciation for other people’s thoughts and concepts, you will be required to submit an Exit Ticket in most of the class meetings using Poll Everywhere.
Think of this as a scholarly journal entry where you are reflecting upon what we learned in class and the course topics. The writing prompt for the ET will be provided in class.
ETs will be assigned a completion grade — do it and get 4 points, don’t do it, and get no points. To get full credit for the participation grade (100 points or 10% of your grade), you need to submit 22 of 25 total Exit Tickets. The lowest three grades will be dropped allowing for excused absences throughout the semester.
Roman Transportation Network Essay
To complete this assignment, students will visit the website ORBIS: The Stanford Geospatial Network Model of the Roman World and explore the interactive map of the Roman Empire’s transportation network. ORBIS reconstructs the time cost and financial expense associated with a wide range of different types of travel in antiquity. While it broadly reflects conditions around 200CE, this assignment highlights the costs (time and money) associated with land and maritime trade routes in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and coastal Atlantic. Using ORBIS, students will analyze a transportation route between two cities or ports in the Roman Empire and the corresponding travel costs in terms of time and expense.
ALL COURSES
- ANTH 313 – Historical Archaeology
- ANTH 316 – Nautical Archaeology
- ANTH 317 – Introduction To Biblical Archaeology
- ANTH 318 – Nautical Archaeology of the Americas
- ANTH 323 – Nautical Archaeology Of The Ancient Mediterranean
- ANTH 353 – Archaeology Of Ancient Greece
- ANTH 354 – Archaeology of Ancient Italy
- ANTH 402 – Archaeological Artifact Conservation
- ANTH 417 – Naval Warfare & Warships In Ancient Greece And Rome
- ANTH 418 – Romans, Arabs, and Vikings
- ANTH 420 – History and Archaeology of Pirates, Privateers, and Sea Raiders
- ANTH 436 – Ancient Egypt
- ANTH 438 – Ancient Egypt II
- ANTH 464-664 – Cultural Heritage and Resource Management
- ANTH 603 – Seafaring Life and Maritime Communities 1450-1950
- ANTH 605 – Conservation of Archaeological Materials I
- ANTH 606 – Conservation of Archaeological Materials II
- ANTH 608 – Skills in Maritime Archaeology
- ANTH 610 – Outfitting And Sailing The Wooden Ship 1400-1900
- ANTH 611 – Introduction To Nautical Archaeology
- ANTH 612 – Preclassical Seafaring
- ANTH 613 – Classical Seafaring
- ANTH 615 – History Of Wooden Shipbuilding Technology
- ANTH 616 – Research and Reconstruction of Ships
- ANTH 617 – Conservation of Archaeological Materials III
- ANTH 628 – New World Seafaring Anthropology
- ANTH 629 – Post-Medieval Seafaring Anthropology
- ANTH 663 – Analytical Methods in Archaeology and Conservation
- ANTH 685 – Archaeological Diving: Skills and Methods
Course Schedule:
(The schedule is a subject to change, revisions, and refinements which will be posted)
| Week | Description |
| Week 1 |
Introduction
|
| Week 2 |
Late Roman and Early Byzantine Empires Readings due in Perusall:
Recommended Readings (PDF in Canvas):
|
| Week 3 |
Byzantine and Arabs
Readings due in Perusall:
Recommended Readings (PDF in Canvas):
|
| Week 4 |
Byzantines, Arabs, and the French (8th and 9th Centuries) Charlemagne (AD 742-814) and the ships of the Franks. Case Study Presentations (3):
Recommended Readings (PDF in Canvas):
|
| Week 5 |
Week 5: East and West
Assignments due in Canvas:
Recommended Readings (PDF in Canvas):
|
| Week 6 |
The Emergence of Vikings Case Study Presentations (3): Viking Ships
Readings due in Perusall:
|
| Week 7 |
Viking Raids, Conquest, and Settlemen
Recommended Readings (PDF in Canvas):
|
| Week 8 |
Exam Review |
| Week 9 | Spring Break |
| Week 10 |
Mediterranean World (10th and 11th centuries)
|
| Week 11 |
Mediterranean World (10th and 11th centuries) History: The Mediterranean World in the 10th and 11th centuries.
Recommended Readings (PDF in Canvas):
|
| Week 12 |
Invasions – the Crusaders History: The Crusading Era (1095-1291). Recommended Readings (PDF in Canvas):
|
| Week 13 |
Northern European Commercial Centers (1200-1399) The Hanseatic League and Northern European Commercial Centers
Readings due in Perusall:
Recommended Readings (PDF in Canvas):
|
| Week 14 |
The Late Medieval Revolution (1025-1453)
Readings due in Perusall:
|
| Week 15 |
Sailing in all Directions
Recommended Readings (PDF in Canvas):
|
| Week 16 |
Class Wrap-Up |
Be Prepared.
To succeed, you must work through assigned materials carefully before each class meeting, pay attention, and actively contribute to class discussions. If you have questions…. ASK! Remember, if you are thinking it, it is more than likely that someone else is also thinking it. Be the fearless one!
Active Participation.
In this interactive seminar, all members of the class share responsibility for teaching and learning. This means that students are expected to actively engage in class discussions, ask questions, and contribute to the learning experience of their peers through case study presentations. By actively participating in this course, students will not only deepen their understanding of the course material but also develop important skills that will be valuable in their future academic and professional endeavors.
Learn to Think Critically.
In this class, you are encouraged to think critically about the course materials. In other words, think about what you are reading and learning in class and learn to ask the following questions:
- What is being said? What is the argument being put forward?
- Who is conveying the message? What is their cultural position and background?
- When was it written? Is the argument shaped by a particular historical moment? How would the argument differ if written during a different time?
- Why is the message being conveyed? Does the author have an agenda? If so, what is it?
- What is the evidence? What kinds of evidence and data are used to make an argument? Does the evidence support the argument? Is the evidence sufficient?
- Is the argument sound?
Utilize office hours.
Office hours provide a regular time when you can expect your professors and teaching assistants to be available for discussion of individual concerns. If you are having problems understanding the material or would like to talk about the course assignments, please come and visit me.
Diversity in the Anthropology Classroom
Respect for cultural and human biological diversity are core concepts of Anthropology. Anthropological research provides perspectives and data that can be used to examine many current social issues that may be appropriate to discuss in this class. Students and faculty should expect to both defend and critique diverse points of view in a respectful manner. Please respect the different experiences, beliefs and values expressed by your fellow students and instructor, and refrain from derogatory comments about other individuals, cultures, groups, or viewpoints. There is no justification for discrimination or hateful speech or behavior in any form. The Anthropology Department supports the Texas A&M University commitment to diversity, and welcomes all individuals regardless of all age, background, citizenship, disability, education, ethnicity, family status, gender, gender identity, geographical origin, language, military experience, political view, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and work experience (See https://diversity.tamu.edu/).
