HIST 5280 - Jewish History to 1492

Explores the emergence of the ancient Hebrews, the first monotheistic people, whose religion fundamentally transformed life in the ancient near east. We will compare and contrast the Jewish encounter with the great civilizations of the pre-modern era, including the Roman Empire, the world of Islam, and Catholic Europe. As the Jewish people migrated to distant lands ¿ to Persia, to North Africa, to Spain, and to Poland ¿ their customs and values evolved to meet the needs of their new environments. Jewish life before modernity was characterized by its great diversity. Yet amidst this great diversity the Jews always possessed a sense of unity, sustained by their religion and by the cherished memory of their mythic origins in the Biblical days of the Patriarchs and the Prophets.

Requisites

Credit Hours: 4.0
Repeat/Retake Information: May not be retaken.

Lecture/Lab Hours: 3.0 lecture

Eligible grades: A-F,PR,WP,WF,FN,FS,AU,I