The First Female Historian: The Crusade-Era Epic History of Anna Komnena
COL 350
Fall 2026
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
MDST 350, HIST 328 |
Why did it take until the 11th century for a woman to write a work in the genre of history? What did it take for Anna Komnena -- a renowned student of ancient literature, mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy, and a princess of the East Roman (Byzantine) Empire -- to finally break into this most gendered of genres? And, how has Anna Komnena's accomplishment been received? This course will spend an entire semester delving into this deeply literary history, and its influence from the Middle Ages to the present. Students will engage with The Alexiad through close intertextual readings, critical scholarship in history, relevant work in theory, and digital research methods. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA COL |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
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