The Dark Ages: An Age of Light

WHAT THE BARBARIANS DID FOR US

PROGRAMME LENGTH1 hour

SCREENING DETAILSMonday 22 August at 9.30am EST/ NZ

This series is a rethink of the Dark Ages. This program is an attempt to resurrect the reputation of various groups from the early Middle Ages that have been labelled as “barbarians” by contemporary and later historians. British art critic and art historian Waldemar Januszczak enthusiastically and engagingly presents an alternative perspective on these cultures.

By highlighting the artistic and literary achievements of the Huns, Vandals and Goths Januszczak puts forward an interesting and plausible alternative perspective to that found in the writing of the mostly Christian historians of the period.

This program would engage and interest students. It would be very useful as part of an overview of the Middle Ages. It could be very useful as an introduction to a study in depth of “Barbarians” or The “Dark Ages”. The perspective presented here is also a good example of how issues of contestability and significance can affect the construction of an historical narrative.

Dr Denis Mootz

DATA CAPTURE.

Stop the video programs at the end of each section. Allow students to share and discuss answers to the questions below.

Introduction.

What image does “art” give us of the Visigoths? Implications?What important “invention” did the Visigoths “give us”? Result?What is this “film” about? Implications?

Part 1.

Note the dating of the “Dark Ages”.Note the intention of this series and this “film”. Implications?Note the origin of the term “barbarian”. Implications?What did the Romans mean by this term? Implications?Note the other words that have been “demonised” and distorted by History. Implications?Note the description of the “poor” Huns. Result? Implications?Why were Christian writers determined to demonise these cultures? Result? Implications/What tells a “different” story?When were Germans first called “Huns”? Why? Implications?Why is the origin of the Huns a “mystery”? Note the events of 376 CE. Result?Note the description of the Hun’s lifestyle. Implications?What was the “default” lifestyle of the Huns?Note the defining Hunnic artifacts. Implications?What do Hunnic graves reveal? Implications?Why did gold have such attraction for people of the ancient past?Note the description of the Hun’s relationship with the natural world. Result? Implications?What animal did the Huns depend upon? Result?How did the Huns “get inside” their enemies heads? Result?Note the use of ritual deformation. Result? Implications/Where did the Huns get their gold? Implications? Result?Note the Hun’s “protection racket”. Result? Implications?Note the extent of the Hunnic Empire under Attila. Implications?Why has the narrator “kept Attila back”? Implications?Why do we know “a lot” about Attila?Note the work of Janos Kocsi and Attila’s palace. Result?Note the description of Attila’s palace and his lifestyle. Implications?Why do Hungarians consider Attila a “hero”? Result? Implications?Note the organisation of the Hunnic Empire. Implications? Result?Note details of the “dinner service” from Rumania. Implications?Note the comment on art “losing its connection to the basic stuff of life”. Implications?Note the fate of Attila. Result?What “job” had the Huns done? Result?

Part 2.

Note the comment on invasion and migration. Implications?Note the dictionary definition of the word “Vandals”. Implications?Who were the Vandals?Note the sequence of events that caused them to move to North Africa. Result? Implications?When did the Vandals arrive in Africa?Note the origin of the word “vandal”. Implications?Note details of the Vandal leader King Genseric.Where did the Vandals arrive in 439 CE?Note the description of the city of Carthage.Why were the Romans dependent on Carthage? Result? Implications?How did Genseric achieve an easy victory at Carthage? Result?Note the description of the impact of the Vandals on Roman Africa. Result Implications?How did the Vandals celebrate their control of Roman Africa? Result? Implications?Note the description of the Julian mosaic. Implications?Note details of the bathhouse built by Antoninus Pius at Carthage. Why did the Vandal King Thrasamund build a new bathhouse? Result?How do we know about these baths? Result? Implications?

Part 3.

Why do the Goths have a special place in the Dark Ages lexicon?Note the description of “real” Goths. Implications?What is peculiar about the Gothic mosaic?Note the origins of the Goths.We did they migrate? Result? Why was this problematic? Result? Implications?Note the difference between Western Goths and Eastern Goths.Note the usual connection between “pagans” and “barbarians”. Result? Implications?When did the barbarians become Christians?Why was their Christianity different? Result? Implications?Note details of Arius and his “heresy”. Result? Implications?Note the Catholic belief. Result?Note details of Ravenna the Ostrogoth capital of Italy.Note details of the Ostrogoth King Theodoric and his conquest of Italy. Result?Note details of the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and its mosaics. Implications?Note details of Theodoric’s palace.Note details of the Ostrogoth “bling”. Implications?Note the attempt by Justinian to remove evidence of Theodoric at Ravenna. Implications?Note details of the Ostrogoth prayer book. Implications?Note details of the mausoleum of Theodoric. Implications?

Part 4.

Note the extent of the Visigoth rule in Spain.Note details of achievements of the Visigoths in Spain.Why have they been labeled the “invisigoths”?What can be found of them if you look?Note details of the church of St John the Baptist at Palencia in Spain. Implications?Note the description of the Visigoth decoration. Implications?Why are “horseshoe” arches special? Implications?Who perfected the horseshoe arch?

EXTENSIONS.Useful, interesting, challenging, materials can be found at the websites below.These will supplement and complement the History presented in the video program.Both the data collected here and above should be used in the notemaking exercise that follows.

Early Middle Ages / Dark Ages: http://www.historyforkids.net/early-middle-ages.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Middle_Ageshttp://history-world.org/middle_ages.htmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Ages_(historiography)http://quatr.us/medieval/history/earlymiddle.htmLater Roman Empire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Roman_Empirehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empirehttp://www.ocla.ox.ac.uk/sect_lre.shtmlhttp://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/BURLAT/home.htmlBarbarian Invasions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migration_Periodhttp://www.penfield.edu/webpages/jgiotto/onlinetextbook.cfm?subpage=1492781http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=marshall&book=sketches&story=barbariansPriscus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priscushttp://faculty.georgetown.edu/jod/texts/priscus.htmlHuns: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunshttp://www.allempires.com/article/index.php?q=hunshttp://quatr.us/medieval/history/earlymiddle/huns.htmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_cranial_deformationAttila: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attilahttp://www.biography.com/people/attila-the-hun-9191831Vandals: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandalshttp://quatr.us/medieval/history/earlymiddle/vandals.htmhttp://www.roman-empire.net/articles/article-016.htmlGenseric: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genserichttp://www.ancient.eu/Gaiseric/Thrasamund: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrasamundhttps://www.geni.com/people/Thrasamund-king-of-the-Vandals/6000000000712707579Goths: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothshttp://www.ancient.eu/Goths/Ostrogoths: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrogothshttp://www.ancient.eu/ostrogoth/Visigoths: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visigothshttp://quatr.us/medieval/history/earlymiddle/visigoths.htmhttp://www.themiddleages.net/visigoths.htmlTheodoric: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theoderic_the_Greathttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legends_about_Theoderic_the_GreatRavenna: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravennahttp://whc.unesco.org/en/list/788http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/ravennaSant’Apollinare Nuovo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Sant%27Apollinare_NuovoJustinian: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justinian_Ihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belisariushttp://quatr.us/medieval/history/byzantine/justinian.htmArius / Arianism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arian_controversy

NOTEMAKING.

This is the collation stage of the activity. Encourage students to compose the suggested summaries and to organise the field of information and begin to explore its context. This activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher direction.

1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events described and discussed in this program.

2. Note details of the Late Roman Empire.

3. Note details of the Early Middle Ages.

4. Note details of the “Barbarian Invasions”.

5. Note details of the Huns and of Attila.

6. Note details of the Goths, both Ostrogoths and Visigoths, and of King Theodoric.

7. Note details of the Vandals and of King Thrasamund.

8. Note details of the Byzantine Empire under Justinian.

9. Note details of Arius and Arianism.

10. Note details of the attempts to remove “barbarian” remains in Europe and elsewhere.

ISSUES & INQUIRY.

Address and discuss the key issues and questions that have been raised by the video at this stage.Some are suggested below. Students will probably raise others.

1. What were the cultural achievements of the Huns, Goths and Vandals?

2. Were the movements of peoples in this period “invasions” or migrations?

PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.

It is necessary always to address questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented in the documentary and other sources. These need to be considered, tested and researched. Some are suggested below. Students will probably raise others.

1. Why did the early Christian commentators label the Huns, Goths and Vandals as “barbarians”?

2. Why did the Emperor Justinian invade and conquer the Germanic kingdoms in Italy?

REPORTING.

Use the key issues and inquiry questions as topics for debate, essay writing, reports, historical recount and explanation.

Be imaginative. A report, or debate notes, could be a digital “essay” of slides and text…or any other IT application available.

1. Write a REPORT on “barbarian” cultural achievements.

2. Prepare notes (both sides) for a DEBATE of the proposition that

“Barbarian” was a convenient label for the enemies of the Christian church.

3. Why was their so much movement of people in the Early Middle Ages?