From the Romans to the Anglo-Saxons delves into the rich and compelling world of early medieval Europe. This course explores the final centuries of the later Roman empire and its disintegration in the West, followed by the rise of dynamic new successor kingdoms in its place, in the form of the Ostrogoths in Italy, the Franks in Gaul, the Visigoths in Spain, the Vandals in North Africa and the Anglo-Saxons in Britain. It examines the development of new ideals of Christian kingship, alongside the rise of the medieval church and monastic institutions, and highlights the vital role of royal women in these evolutions. This course investigates the establishment of new ruling dynasties, great military engagements, Viking raids, and diplomatic relations between kingdoms, exploring the world of early medieval Europe through the lives of kings and queens, monks and abbesses, the monumental palaces and churches they erected, and the artefacts, artworks, and writings they left behind.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- understand the historical evolution of western Europe c. 400-1000 CE;
- think critically about political, cultural, and social changes in the early medieval period;
- analyse and evaluate primary historical sources and modern scholarship;
- conduct scholarly research and construct logical arguments based on that research; and
- express ideas and arguments clearly and effectively in both oral and written modes.
Indicative Assessment
- Pictorial Progress Quiz (5) [LO 1,3]
- Tutorial Participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Tutorial Presentation (approx. 8 minutes) (10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Tutorial Paper (2000 words) (35) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Final Examination (2 hours) (40) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 36 hours of contact: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorials.
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Prescribed Texts
No prescribed texts: sources and reading lists to be made available through the ANU Library/Canvas.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $4500 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $5820 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.