Undergraduate Course: Ancient Persia - The Achaemenid Dynasty (ANHI10016)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course aims to be an introduction to the history of Iran during the Achaemenid period. It will focus on Persian history from two viewpoints: the source materials from Iran and the wider empire itself, and from the Greek conceptions of Persia and its people.
The Achaemenid Empire (c. 550-330 BC) was the biggest and earliest Persian empire and under the Achaemenid kings, Persia was the unrivalled ruler of the Near East, occupying an empire that stretched from Ethiopia to Afghanistan. The course will concentrate on the reigns of the Achaemenid monarchs, examining their political, socio-cultural and military achievements and on their life at court. Students will be required to evaluate Near Eastern and Greek sources as evidence for the reigns. Other themes will include the language of the Persians, life in the provinces, women in Persian society, art and architecture, religion, and military techniques.
The course will of necessity engage with textual and visual materials. Students will be asked to engage with theoretical approaches to Near Eastern history such as Orientalism and Ornamentalism. |
| Course description |
Not entered
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should usually have at least 3 courses in Classics related subject matter(at least 2 of which should be in 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. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 24 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
One Essay - 25%;
Logbook/Seminar Work - 25%;
One (2-hour) Degree Examination (50%).
Part-Year Visiting Student (VV1) Variant Assessment:
Continuous assessment, comprising -
One Essay (25%);
a Logbook of work for seminar participation (25%).
A Subject-Area administered Exam/Exercise in lieu of Degree Examination, to take place in Week 12 (see the current course handbook for further details) (50%).
(The Logbook records the work done in preparation for seminar participation. Students' Logbooks are assessed at the end of the course in the same way as Essays. One marked copy is returned to the student. Another copy is retained in the Classics office. A representative selection of these is supplied to the External Examiner, and the rest are available to him/her on request.)
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| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of this course the student will be able to demonstrate in written examination, course work and class discussion:
- an understanding of the complexity of this body of evidence;
- an understanding of Achaemenid history and its importance for the historian;
- an understanding of social structures and their interrelatedness with the source material under investigation;
- the ability to use critically a variety of different methodologies and approaches to this body of source material;
- familiarity with real artefacts (in a museum context);
- bibliographical research skills to enable students to find independently additional information relating to the study of ancient Persia.
Transferable skills:-
- ability to deal independently with a highly complex body of material;
- ability to develop lateral thinking and to view things in a wider perspective;
- analytical skills;
- team work skills;
- ability to concentrate on important aspects, and to make use of these in a meaningful way;
- ability to communicate one's own findings and opinions clearly and lucidly;
- oral presentation skills;
- written communication skills.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Special Arrangements |
In order for a student from outwith Classics to be enrolled, contact must be made with a Classics Secretary on 50 3580 for approval to be obtained. |
| Keywords | Ancient History Iran |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones
Tel: (0131 6)50 3585
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Elaine Hutchison
Tel: (0131 6)50 3582
Email: |
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