Where does modern Europe begin?
Jacques Le Goff, one of the most important historians of the Middle Ages, traces its origins—the seed of what we now call Europe—from the ruins of the Roman Empire to the discoveries of the fifteenth century. Following its path through the centuries, he brings to light and examines what today’s Europe inherited, what it borrowed, and what it continues to repeat from medieval Europe, which is not our own but represents a decisive moment in its formation: the possibility of unity amid the fundamental diversity of its peoples; the contrasts between North and South, and East and West; the unifying force of agriculture; and the Europe of cities and universities. Combining deep historical knowledge with vivid storytelling, Le Goff draws us into a journey through the past, in the hope that if Europeans better understand their roots, they will be able to build a better future.
“[…] A Europe without history would be an orphaned and unhappy Europe. For the present comes from yesterday, and the future emerges from the past. A past that should not condemn the present to stagnation, but help it reexamine its convictions and renew itself. The Europe of our time, between the Atlantic, Asia, and Africa, has indeed existed for a long time; geography traced its contours, and history shaped it, ever since the ancient Greeks gave it the name it has kept forever. The future must rest on this heritage, thanks to which, from antiquity—and indeed from prehistoric times—Europe emerged as a world of extraordinary richness and creativity, in both its unity and its diversity.”
