Chris Wickham and the Transformations of Medieval Communities: ICCHS Bulletin 2025

The International Centre for Comparative Historical Studies (ICCHS) traditionally holds an opening lecture series to kick off each academic year. The three-day programme brings renowned historians and art historians to the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana. This year, from 16 to 18 October 2025, they hosted Professor Chris Wickham, a well-renowned historian of the Middle Ages.

Professor Wickham’s research ranges from the social and economic history of Italy to the comparative study of post-Roman and medieval Europe and the Mediterranean. His work has significantly shaped our understanding of the broad processes of social, economic, and institutional transformation between Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages – themes that resonate strongly with the ICCHS’s emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches.

This year’s bulletin focuses on several aspects concerning the transformation of medieval societies and includes reflections presented at the international student debate “From Rags to Riches? The Transformations of Medieval Communities,” held at the Celje Youth Center on 28 May 2025, with participants from the universities of Ljubljana, Padua, Trieste, and Zagreb. The bulletin’s contributions reflect on the major themes explored during the event, including the transition from Antiquity to the Middle Ages, the rise of Italian city communes, and the Mediterranean economy, taking as a shared point of reference three of Chris Wickham’s most influential books.