Byzantine Constantinople



Overview

Constantinople was the political and cultural capital of the Byzantine empire, the most long-lived empire in the history of the western civilisation, from 330 to 1453, and also the seat of one of the five patriarchates and the site of many ecumenical and local councils.

This course will trace the development of the city, as well as the momentous events that took place in it, from the time of Emperor Constantine I to its fall to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.

Using contemporary texts and visual aids, the course will also examine the cultural, artistic and everyday life in the Byzantine capital from the fourth to the fifteenth century.

Programme details

Course starts Tuesday 30 September 2025

This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Tuesdays, 11am-1pm.

Week 1: Introduction to the topic; course requirements

Week 2: Topography; walls; water supply

Week 3: Public buildings in Constantinople

Week 4: Palaces and monasteries in Constantinople

Week 5: Churches in Constantinople

Week 6: Cultural and Artistic life in Constantinople

Week 7: Everyday life in Constantinople

Week 8: Constantinople seen through the eyes of the contemporaries; Sieges of Constantinople 

Week 9: The Latin conquest of the city in 1204

Week 10: The fall of the city to the Ottomans in 1453

Certification

Academic credit

Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS Points)

Please note, students who do not register for assessment and accreditation during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun. If you wish to gain credit from completing this course you must register to do so before the course starts.

Only those who have registered for assessment and accreditation will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard. Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail.

Learn more about the Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme.

If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education at the Department you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee for assessment and accreditation.

Digital certificate of completion 

Students who are registered for assessment and accreditation and pass their final assignment will also be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Information on how to access the digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course attended. You will be able to download the certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course fee (with no assessment) £300.00
Assessment and Accreditation fee £60.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. See details of our concessionary fees for short courses.

Tutor

Dr Aphrodite Papayianni

Aphrodite Papayianni holds a PhD in Byzantine History and teaches at the University of London and OUDCE. In the last twelve years, she has enjoyed spells as a Visiting Professor in Universities in Turkey and China. Through the years, Aphrodite has developed a wide teaching portfolio, from Greek Prehistory to the end of Byzantium, and has published articles in various topics of Ancient Greek, Byzantine, post-Byzantine and Crusade History. 

 

Course aims

The course aims to enable students to develop a clear sense of the political, cultural and artistic importance of Byzantine Constantinople.

Course objectives

  • To provide an overview of events and developments in the Byzantine capital.
  • To offer an overview of the cultural life in Byzantine Constantinople.
  • To encourage an enquiring and analytical approach to various aspects of the history of Constantinople.

Teaching methods

A range of teaching/learning methods will be employed, including lectures followed by discussion, and reading and interpreting documents as well as analysing contemporary artefacts.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will have been given the opportunity to have:

  • gained knowledge and understanding of the themes, issues and debates within the study of the history of Byzantine Constantinople.
  • been introduced to critical vocabularies needed to facilitate the study of Byzantine History.
  • been able to think critically and independently about what they have read.

 

Assessment methods

Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation, in advance of the course start date, can submit coursework/assignments for assessment.

Assessment

For their summative assessment, students will be invited to write a 1,500 essay or a book review. Students could also submit a 500-word formative assignment (either an analysis of a source extract or commentary on an artefact).

Application

How to enrol

Please use the 'Book now' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form.

How to register for accreditation and assessment

To be able to submit coursework and to earn credit (CATS points) for this course, if you wish to do so, you will need to register and pay an additional £60 fee. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. 

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun.

If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education at the Department you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Level and demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, ie first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

 

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support