Norman Cohn and Early Religions

Marduk, representing order, predictability, wealth, health, and success,
destroyed the Dragon-Mother Tiamat to both bring order out of chaos AND
to create the physical universe.

One of the earliest representations of the battle between order and disorder, cosmos and chaos occurred in the mythology of early Babylon. Read the following brief description at:
Battle Against Tiamat and Chaos
Read a review of Cohn's "Cosmos, Chaos and the World to Come" at:
Chaos Book Review
The late historian, Norman Cohn, developed the notions of "Chaos and Cosmos" we refer to several times in the early part of the semester. Read his obit from the New York Times:
Cohn obit

Medieval Architecture Documentaries

The ubiquitous Michael Woods on the Romanesque, Pilgrimmage, Monastaries, and the Gothic:

Medieval Documentary

Although a little "sensational" in tone, view these brief clips with the notion of "decline" in mind. Also note the roles of Clovis, Monastaries, and St. Benedict.

Fourth Crusade Documentaries

Black Death Documentary

Islam: Empire of Faith Documentary

View these two well-balanced links on the origins and spread of Islam.

Byzantium and the Hagia Sophia