Literature and Society in the Age of Trajan (U02956)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : HCL-3-TRAJAN

The course aims to promote knowledge of the characteristic aspects of an important period in Latin (and to a lesser extent Greek) literature. Literature will be viewed as a social phenomenon, for which Pliny's letters and Greek writings of the second sophistic will be particularly important, and in its historical context.

Attention will be given to the details of where and how literature was distributed, and why Roman aristocrats and Greek intellectuals alike found writing a means both of self-advancement and of coping with their own inferiority and belatedness. We shall also see how both groups filter their views of the recent and distant past through present experience. The highlight of the course will be a complete reading of Tacitus' Annals.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : Open to all who achieve entry to Honours in a Classical subject.

? Costs : One text (£12 on Amazon).

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Classical Literature in Translation, (School of History and Classics, Schedule E)

Other subject areas

Ancient History, (School of History and Classics, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

? Other Required Attendance : 1 hour(s) 30 minutes per week for 3 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Tuesday	14:00	15:50	Central

? Additional Class Information : In addition to the main class sessions - three separate Seminar meetings of 1.5 hours each.

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

- demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the content of the works read;
- demonstrate an understanding of the political and societal conditions which underlie these works;
- demonstrate an appreciation of the literary qualities of genres which are often read as documentary, such as histories and letters;
- demonstrate skills in close reading of ancient texts.