Middle Ages

Overview

Benefits of the Roman Empire

n Roman Empire provided:

n Security

n Communication

n Trade

n Culture

Roman Empire 120 AD

Rome falls 476 A.D.

n Barbarian Invasions

n Destruction of larger social institutions

n Empire Divides into 3 parts:

n Latin Christendom (Western Europe)

n Byzantium (Eastern Europe-Constantinople)

n Arab World

Roman Empire after Breakup

Dark Ages in Latin Christendom
500-1000A.D.

n Loss of Security

n Trade died

n Chaos- roaming bands of thugs

n Disintegration of social Institutions

High Middle Ages
1000-1300 A.D.

n Last invasions (Viking and Magyar) end in 10th Century

n Greater security leads to the resumption of society on a larger scale

n Corporate life begins to grow

Feudalism

n Government developed in the absence of the State

n Decentralized, reciprocal government structure

n Exchange of land for service

n Feudal Pyramid (peasants not in pyramid)

n Mutual obligations

n No Sovereign, No State

Manor

n The Lords Land

n Economic Unit

n Self sufficient

n Provided everything for all residents

n Made up of farm land, Church, blacksmith

n Serfs-peasants tied to land, differ from slaves

Improved farming techniques

n Iron tipped Plow replaces wood

n Harness for Horse

n Three Field system replaces two field

n Leads to increase in food production

n Allows population to grow

n Actually now have a surplus population-not everyone needs to produce food.

Notes from Friday: Continued

Pop Trivia

n Question: I was the Ancient Greek Philosopher most used by the Scholastics in all academic areas, other than religion.

Scholasticism and Universities

n Education in Early Middle Ages

l Society organized for war and defense

l Slight support for education

n Improved Economy and stability led to the possibility for education

n The Scholastic method was the method used to gain knowledge

n Latin was the language use in all Universities

Key Concept:

n Medieval thought began with the existence of God and the truth of his revelation as interpreted by the Church. The Medieval mind rejected the fundamental principle of Greek Philosophy-the autonomy of reason. Without the guidance of revealed truth, reason was seen as feeble.

Scholastic Purpose

n Provide rational explanation for what was believed on faith

n Prove reason and faith were harmonious

n Reconciled traditional Christian teaching and the new body of information recovered from the Ancient Greeks after 12th Century

n Use human reason (Aristotle) to understand the supernatural content of Christian revelation

Key Term: Dogma

n Definition:

l A doctrine or body of doctrines concerning faith or morals formally stated and authoritatively proclaimed by a Church

Influences on Scholasticism

n Aristotle

l Translation of Aristotle into Latin opened up new world of information that could not be ignored

l Aristotle was the Authority on all areas other than religion

Scholastic Philosophy

n Convinced of fundamental harmony between reason and revelation

n When conflicts arose between faith and reason faith was supreme

l Philosophy was the servant to theology

l Theology defined as the intellectual study of religion

l Theology known as the “Queen of the sciences”

Scholastic Method

n Reliance on authority

n Use of precision in language

n Use of Deductive Logic

l From large accepted truth to smaller truths

n Not at all like the scientific method

Scholastic Philosophers

n Peter Abelard 1079-1142

l Wrote Sic et non “Yes and No”

l Utilized systematic doubting

l “By doubting we come to questioning and by questioning we perceive the truth”

l Use of dialectics: Any systematic reasoning that juxtaposes two contradictory ideas and seeks to resolve their conflict

Scholastic Philosophers (cont.)

n St. Thomas Aquinas 1225-1274

n Summa Theologica

n Foremost Scholastic Philosopher

n Created a synthesis of western philosophies and attempted to reconcile to Christian belief

n Drew distinction between faith and reason

l Reason can demonstrate many basic principles such as the existence of God, Trinity can’t be proved by logic

Medieval Architecture

From Romanesque to Gothic

Romanesque Architecture

n Viking invaders had burned wooden Churches in the 9th and 10th Centuries

n After 1000 AD Church building increased dramatically

n Fire proofing was essential

n Stone replaced wood building

n Romanesque-heavy roof, thick walls, little light

Romanesque:
Durham Cathedral
1100 AD

Fontenay- Romanesque

Gothic Architecture

n Pointed arch, flying buttress

n Thinner walls, Stained glass

n Uninterupted light

n Built Cathedrals to glorify God

n Huge time and $ investment

Gothic Architecture cont.

n Main alter faced East, toward Jerusalem

n West faced setting sun-Last judgment

n North-least light; old testament

n South-most light; new testament

Chartres Cathedral 1145-1220

Chartres

Chartres- Flying Buttress

Notre Dame 1163-1250

Notre Dame

Notre Dame

Medieval Art

n Art in the Middle Ages served a religious function which was to lift the mind toward God.

n It depicted a spiritual universe in which the supernatural was the supreme reality

n Left side of painting depicted the damned, right side the saved

Medieval Art