Why study this period?
From Roman Empire to barbarian kingdoms: cataclysm or transition?
The dismemberment and survival of the Byzantine Empire
The Arab conquests
The making of peoples
Pagan, Roman, and Christian beliefs about rulers: ideological power
Edicts, taxes, and armies: bureaucratic power
Kings, warriors, and women: personal power
Trade as a driving force?
Cultivating the land: the basis of European society?
Towns and cities: the functions of urban life
Conversion to Christianity
The success of monasticism
The power of bishops and popes.