The first section will discuss the “destruction” of the library of Alexandria; the cultural impact of the Christianisation of the Roman Empire and the barbarian invasions; the role of early medieval monasticism in cultural preservation; the Carolingian and 12th-century “renaissances”; the role of Sicily and Spain in the recovery of Greek and Arabic sources in the 12th-13th centuries; cardinal Bessarion’s role as the bridge between doomed Byzantium and the West in the 15th century; and the impact of the printing press in the 16th century.
Second, the paper will shed light on fundamental questions of history-writing. Few historical narratives have suffered from “received wisdoms” more than the story of European culture, as the controversial term “Renaissance” itself indicates. Indeed, most of the events outlined above are now the subject of intense historical debate, because most are documented by inadequate sources.
Finally, this overview will lead to contemporary cultural issues. It will discuss the processes by which 16th-century European culture was transplanted to the Americas on alleged tabulae rasae, thereby contributing to define the cultural identities and contradictions of the United States and Latin America. The paper will also assess how the EU preserves vs. creates a pan-European culture in the context of European integration.
