UB Culture Program - English

Spain and Europe: Origins and Evolution
First-term course:
Spain, crossroad of Mediterranean Cultures
Second-term course: Spain, within the framework of Medieval Europe
OBJECTIVES
The intention is to offer a roadmap of the history of European cultures, the great
transformations and changes, that have taken place since Pre-history until the
consolidation of the European Germanic kingdoms (5th to the 7th century). Special
emphasis will be paid to the Hispanic area, as well as the realm of the classical
civilizations, the Greek and the Roman. Some further explanations will be provided
with the visit to Roman parts of Barcelona. Moreover, the new reality offered by the
Mediterranean world after the Islamic expansion in North Africa, the conquest of
Spain and the domination of part of the Mediterranean. The transformations and
changes that took place within the European framework, including the formation of
the Carolingian empire, the ascent of the papacy, the rise of cities and the appearance
of universities will also be analyzed. The analysis will also include the new mentalities
of the Romance world, the Gothic era and the first phase of Humanism. There will be
visits in Barcelona as an example of a lower medieval city, with its Gothic splendour.
FIRST TERM PROGRAMME
Prehistoric cultures
The first colonies: Phoenicians , Greeks and Carthaginians in
the Mediterranean
The pre-Roman people in the Iberian Peninsula.
The romanization of Spain
The fall of the Roman empire and the rise of the new Germanic
kingdoms. The Visigoths in Spain.
SECOND TERM PROGRAMME
Islam and its expansion in the Mediterranean basin. Alandalus.
Politics, society, economics and urban life during the Andalusi
period of Islam.
Carolingian Europe. Spain: the Christian kingdoms of the north.
The great European expansion (11th to 13th century). The
new monarchies. Spain during its full Medieval splendour: the
Christian kingdoms in the face of Islam.
The crises in the lower period of the Middle Ages. The Iberian
peninsular kingdoms and their tensions.
The results of the crises. The arrival of the first phase of
Humanism.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Geografía e Historia de España y de los Países Hispánicos, IBÉRICA,
(1989), Barcelona, Vicens Vives.
ARIÉ, R., (1982), Historia de España III. La España musulmana (s. VIIIXV),
Barcelona, Labor.
BLÁZQUEZ, J.M., (1974), La romanización, Madrid, Istmo.
CHEJNE, A.G., (1980), Historia de España musulmana, Madrid, Cátedra.
DUFOURCQ, Ch.E. - GAUTIER-DALCHÉ, J., (1983) Historia económica y
social de la España cristiana en la Edad Media, Barcelona, El Albir.
IRADIEL, P. - MORETA, S. - SARASA, E., (1989), Historia Medieval de la
España cristiana, Madrid, Cát
MARTÍN, J. L., (1978), La Península en la Edad Media, Barcelona, Teide.
ORLANDIS, J., (1977), Historia de España. La España Visigótica, Madrid,
Gredos.
SANTOS, J., (1997), Los pueblos de la España Antigua 2 vols., Madrid,
Historia 16.
TARRADELL, M. - MANGAS, J., (1980), Historia de España. Primeras
culturas e Hispania romana, Barcelona, Labor.
THOMPSON, E.A., (1971), Los godos en España, Madrid, Alianza.
TOVAR, A. - BLÁZQUEZ, J.M., (1980), Historia de la Hispania Romana. La
Península Ibérica desde el 218 a.C. hasta el siglo V, Madrid, Alianza.
ASSESSMENT
The assessment is continuous and evaluated through the work carried out
in class. There will be a final test with brief questions.