Monsters, Murder and Mayhem: Biography in the Ancient World (VS1) (U04246)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : HCA-3-VS1-BIOG

This course will look at biography from the Greek world through to late antiquity in order to reconstruct the lives of prominent Greeks and Romans. We will also attempt to understand the historical circumstances under which these works were written. Authors to be studied include Xenophon, Nepos, the Gospels, Suetonius, Plutarch, and the Historia Augusta. Discussion will centre on the question of what constitutes biography, the way in which biography was used by individual authors and what it can reveal about the period in which it was composed.

Entry Requirements

? This course is only available to part year visiting students.

? This course is a variant of the following course : U03379

? Pre-requisites : Visiting students should usually have at least 3 courses in Classics related subject matter(at least 2 of which should be in Classical Literature or Ancient History) at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses.

? Special Arrangements for Entry : This course is only for visiting students in Edinburgh during the 1st Semester but NOT the 2nd Semester. In order for a student to be enrolled, contact must be made with a Course Secretary on 50 3580 in order for approval to be obtained.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

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

Other subject areas

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

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

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

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
22/09/2008	14:00	14:50	Room G.04, William Robertson Building	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	14:00	14:50	Central
Lecture	Thursday	14:00	14:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate in written examination and course work as well as in class discussion:
- an understanding of the ancient genre of biography;
- an understanding of the relationship between Greek and Latin biographical and historical writing;
- an understanding of how the writing of biography reflects the time in which it was written;
- an understanding of how these writers represented character, either fictional or real;
- an ability to use critically a variety of different methodologies and approaches to assess this body of material;
- bibliographical research skills to enable students to find independently additional information relating to the study of ancient biography.

Transferable skills: students will be able to demonstrate an ability
? to gather material independently on a given topic and organise it into a coherent data set.
? to compare differing sets of data from varying situations and draw conclusions from them.
? to evaluate different approaches to and explanations of material, and make critical choices between them.
? to express clearly ideas and arguments, both orally and in writing.
? to organise complex and lengthy sets of arguments and draw these together into a coherent conclusion.
? to organise their own learning, manage their workload and work to a timetable.