THE LATE ROMAN  /  EARLY MEDIEVAL  SHOW   ( i.e,  MEDIEVAL SHOW: PART  I )

MANY PEOPLE ARE SUPRISED TO LEARN  MY SCHEDUALE FREQUENTLY  STARTS  FILLING UP AS EARLY AS  OCTOBER...FOR  THE FOLLOWING YEAR'S SPRINGS SHOWS.   TO ACCOUNT FOR THE GREAT NUMBER OF SCHOOLS AND CENTERS THAT MISS THEIR CHANCE TO SET UP A SHOW IN THE LATE SPRING,  I REALIZED THE NEED AND OPPORTUNITY  TO CREATE  A PROGRAM THAT, IN EFFECT,  MIRRORS THE  POINT IN THE CIRRICULUM  ( LATE ANTIQUITY / EARLY MIDDLE AGES )  THAT MANY SCHOOLS ARE COVERING DURING THE WINTER AND VERY EARLY SPRING.   

  

I WILL THUS BE LAUNCHING A  LATE ROMAN /  EARLY   MEDIEVAL  PROGRAM   WHICH  WILL   COVER  THE INCREDIBLY NEGLECTED YET CRITICAL  TRANSITION  PERIOD  FROM  ANTIQUITY  TO  THE  MIDDLE  AGES.     THIS PROGRAM WILL FEATURE  MID TO LATE ROMAN  OBJECTS  AND  ARTIFACTS  AS  WELL  AS  EARLY  MEDIEVAL  ONES TO THE  9TH CENTURY.    THEMES   WILL  INCLUDE  HOW THE ROMAN IMPERIAL  STRUCTURE  EVOLVED INTO  MEDIEVAL  GOVERNANCE  (WHICH  IS  QUITE  FASCINATING) ,  THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EARLY CHURCH IN INCORPORATING AND PRESERVING ANCIENT CULTURES,    FEUDALISM AS A STRANGE  BI-PRODUCT OF BOTH BARBARIAN AND ROMAN  PRACTICES.    THIS PROGRAM WILL ALSO  COVER AREAS OFTEN SHROUDED IN MYSTERY:   CASE IN POINT:     WHY DID THE ROMAN EMPIRE  DISAPPEAR....AND HOW DID THE MIDDLE AGES BEGIN?    WHATS UP WITH THAT  BYZANTIUM PLACE?   WAS  KING ARTHUR WAS BASED ON A REAL GUY!     WHERE DID THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE BEGIN?      WHO WERE THE ANCIENT CELTS....AND WHY DO WE HEAR ABOUT THEM IN MUSIC AND SEE THEM IN MOVIES....YET RARELY READ ABOUT THEM IN TEXTBOOKS?     WHAT WERE BARBARIANS REALLY LIKE ?         WHO WERE THE VIKINGS?--AND WHY DO THEY GET SUCH A BAD RAP?!     DID THE VIKINGS HELP KICK OFF.... THE CRUDADES???    WAS THERE REALLY SUCH A THING AS THE  "DARK AGES"     

ALL ALONG, OBJECTS FROM CLOTHING TO ARMOUR,  JEWLERY TO POTTERY, FURNITURE TO COINS WILL BE DISPLAYED THAT ARE APPROPRIATE TO THE LATE ROMAN AND EARLY MEDIEVAL PERIODS.  

    

THE  ANCIENT  PROGRAM:   in development

Egypt, Sumeria, Greece,  Rome.....

THIS  PROGRAM  OBVIOUSLY  COVERS  A HUGE  TIMELINE  FROM APPROXIMATELY   7000 BC  to  300  AD.    CLEARLY  ONE  COULD NEVER  COVER  THIS  VAST  PERIOD  IN  AN  HOUR  OR  TWO.     I   MAY   CONCENTRATE  ON   MORE   STRONGLY  ON   A   COSTUME  THEMED  PROGRAM:   DISCUSSING  BASIC  COSTUMES,  ARMOUR STYLES,   AND  INTERESTING  FACTS  THAT  HELP  EXPAND THE  THINKING OF YOUR  STUDENTS.    SUMERIA,   EGYPT,   GREECE,  ROME,  AFRICA  AND EUROPEAN  THEMES   WILL BE  INCORPORATED.   LIKE THE MEDIEVAL SHOW, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO GET A INTRODUCTORY SENSE OR  FLAVOR SAMPLING  FOR ANCIENT CULTURES LIVING IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND EUROPE.