Discussions
Islamic Art/Architecture:
Like early Christianity, early Islamic art was a melting pot of ideas that carried specific meaning (political, religious, cultural etc.). Identify 2 examples of early Islamic art/architecture and discuss the messages that are embedded in these.
Justinian and Theodora's writings
History frequently presents a variety of different images of historical figures. For example, there are the images that an individual wants the world to see and those that are perceived by those living at the same time as these historical figures. We see these two worlds in the readings that you examined for this section. Discuss the different versions of Justinian and Theodora that are expressed through the writings of Procopius and in the constructions commissioned during the reign of Justinian. How do these two versions of historical documents (literature and architecture) inform our understanding of this period and the emperor and empress that are at the heart of the developments of this age?