1. Introduction. Overview of the Course. Exams. Assignments. Essay. Readings. The Mediterranean Sea.
2. Ships and Shipbuilding: Basic Concepts I.
3. Ships and Shipbuilding: Basic Concepts II.
4. History: The Mediterranean Sea. Late Antiquity and the East-West split: from Diocletian to Theodosius (284-395
5. Case-studies: Roman Ships I - Mortise and tenon joints. The shipwreck of the Madrague de Giens (c. 60 BC).
6. Roman Ships II - The wreck of the Bourse de Marseilles (c. AD 200). Trade in the late Roman period.
7. History: Security in the seas. The Mediterranean in the 3rd to 5th centuries. Notitia Dignitatum.
8. History: Piracy. Roman Biremes. Liburnians: warships from the 1st to the 5th century AD.
9. History: From Theodosius to Heraclius (379-641 AD). The merchant world in the Mediterranean.
10. History: Army's needs, 2nd to 5th centuries. Roads, canals and harbors.
11. History: Urban demands, 3rd to 7th centuries. Bulk cargoes: grain and building materials. Amphoras: wine, oil,
and fish sauce. Luxury cargoes.
12. Case studies: The Skerki Bank Shipwrecks, 1st century BC to 4th century AD. Trade routes and ship sizes through
13. History: The Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 AD).
14. Exam 1
The Dark Ages (30 min) CB351.D37 1995. Case studies: Transition from shell to skeleton: Yass?ada II, Tantura A,
and Yass?ada I.
16. History: Charlemagne (AD 742-814). The ships of the Franks.
17. Case studies: Lateen Rigging. The Bozburun shipwreck.
(first half of): Cities of Light: The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain (DP101.C585 2007).
19. History: East and West. The Mediterranean during the Abbasid Period (750-1258 AD). The Mediterranean World
in the 8th and 9th centuries. Western Europe. Eastern Europe. Northern Europe. The Muslim World.
20. Case studies: The "Saracen" wrecks: Estéou, Agay A and B, Batéguier. Tantura B shipwreck.
21. History: The Vikings arrive!
22: Clinker built ships.
23. History: The time of the cathedrals. The Mediterranean World in the 10th and 11th centuries.
24. Case studies: Dromons; prepared fire; Logistics of War. Leo's (866-912) Tactica. Prepared Fire. Galleys and
25. History: The Crusading Era (1095-1291).
: Villard de Honnecourt (15 min) NC248.V52 V55 1986. Case studies: Ships of the time of the cathedrals: Serçe
Liman? and Tantura F. http://classes.bnf.fr/villard/index.htm
The Renaissance (55 min) CB361.R25 2007.
28. History: Italy and the Renaissance, 1025-1453. The commercial
29. Case studies: The origin of the 3-masted ship. The Iberian Discoveries.
30. History: Guns and war at sea. The Ottomans and the End of the Middle Ages.