Goitein’s Vision of A Mediterranean Society Fifty Years Later

Half a century has passed since the publication of the first volume S. D. Goitein’s magnum opus, A Mediterranean Society (Economic Foundations) and twenty-nine years since appearance of the fifth and final volume (The Individual). And it would, by no means, be an exaggeration to say that the impact of this magisterial work has been profound, not merely upon medieval Jewish and Islamic historical studies, medieval studies generally, but in fact upon Jewish and Islamic historical and social scientific studies all the way up to modern times. Although there have been revisions and critiques for some elements within Goitein’s panoramic historical tableau (including by participants in this session – myself included), his holistic vision still stands.

This paper will discuss the foundational strengths of A Mediterranean Society that have made it a lasting work of scholarship and survey its impact which has extended far beyond the temporal and geographical parameters of work’s subject.