Today the nation-state is the accepted form of political organization across the globe. But in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, it was large, multi-ethnic empires rather than nations that dominated the map of the known world. This course explores the nature of empire and imperial rule in the late antique and medieval world through several case studies: the late Roman empire of Constantine the Great, the Byzantine empire of Justinian, the Frankish empire of Charlemagne, the Islamic caliphate of Harun al Rashid, and the German Reich of Otto the Great In examining these premodern world empires, we will investigate the nature of imperial politics, government, ideology, warfare, cultural life, and economic organization, as well as the causes for the rise and fall of empires. Format: seminar/lecture, with audio-visual presentations. Evaluation will be based on several papers and assignments, a final exam, and class participation. No prerequisites. No enrollment limit (expected: 10-30).Preference to History majors. Groups B and D