Contesting the Middle Ages: Debates that are Changing our Narrative of Medieval History

by John Aberth

Contesting the Middle Ages is a thorough exploration of recent arguments surrounding nine hotly debated the decline and fall of Rome, the Viking invasions, the Crusades, the persecution of minorities, sexuality in the Middle Ages, women within medieval society, intellectual and environmental history, the Black Death, and, lastly, the waning of the Middle Ages.



The historiography of the Middle Ages, a term in itself controversial amongst medieval historians, has been continuously debated and rewritten for centuries. In each chapter, John Aberth sets out key historiographical debates in an engaging and informative way, encouraging students to consider the process of writing about history and prompting them to ask questions even of already thoroughly debated subjects, such as why the Roman Empire fell, or what significance the Black Death had both in the late Middle Ages and beyond.



Sparking discussion and inspiring examination of the past and its ongoing significance in modern life, Contesting the Middle Ages is essential reading for students of medieval history and historiography.

Genres: Nonfiction

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

John Aberth serves as associate academic dean at Castleton State College, where he teaches history.

Reviews

[DJ Cashen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main text is an accessible and a hugely enjoyable read for someone who is very new to most of this. It makes me want to spend a few years exploring the footnotes, which are extremely thorough.

Aberth brings rigour and clarity to the debates; and he shares with us not a small amount of annoyance on some topics.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contesting the Middle Ages by John Aberth is a rich, provocative, and intellectually rigorous journey through the shifting debates that continue to redefine how we understand medieval history. Rather than presenting the Middle Ages as a fixed period, Aberth opens the door to constant reevaluation challenging readers to engage with the complexities behind the narratives of decline, faith, power, and survival.

By addressing topics such as the fall of Rome, the Crusades, the persecution of minorities, and the role of women and sexuality in medieval society, Aberth reframes the discussion of the era as one of ongoing dialogue rather than settled history. His ability to connect these medieval debates to modern cultural and ideological questions makes the book both relevant and thought-provoking.

Contesting the Middle Ages isn’t just a study of history, it’s an invitation to reimagine it. For students, educators, and enthusiasts of historiography, Aberth’s work serves as both a guide and a challenge, reminding readers that history remains a living discourse, continually shaped by our interpretations.

[Carlos Wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

還蠻有意思的一本書。主要是介紹學界對中世紀的九個爭議命題的看法，資料都蠻新的，很有參考性。
第一個命題講羅馬是「衰亡」還是「轉型」，這其實我有點厭煩了。反正不管如何，五世紀以後，西歐基本上就不存在帝國，又或者是說，已經喪失了半部領土，剩下的部分，為了生存，也持續的變化。你說衰亡，轉型，基本上都是符合事實的解釋。真的沒必要在這上面多費唇舌了。
最後一個主題談黑死病究竟是不是鼠疫，作者說經過科學的驗證(古微生物學驗DNA)後，加上留下來的史料述說的症狀，基本上已經百分百肯定了。但還是有些人抵死不從，只能說是生物多樣性。

總之，對中世紀史有進一步興趣的朋友可以看看，不過本書大多數主題比較偏社會文化就是。