Postgraduate Course: A Topic in Ancient History 2 (PGHC11433)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course aims to introduce students to the study of a particular topic in Ancient History, focussing especially on methodological and source-oriented issues. The topic is chosen by the courser organiser for each outing of the course. Topics may include (but are not restricted to) larger areas of study, such as 'The Roman economy', 'Diet in the ancient world', or 'Ancient imperialism'. |
| Course description |
The core aim of the course is to teach students how to approach the study of a defined topic, how to access the relevant sources and the modern debate, and how to identify important questions and understudied areas within the study of the relevant topic. Students will also learn how the studied topic relates to other areas of ancient and modern history, as well as the study of the ancient world more generally. Specific thematic information for each outing of this course will be provided during the course selection process.
There is no predetermined contextual syllabus because the teaching schedule will change with each outing of the course depending on the chosen course topic. The schedule given here is indicative of the methodological and source-based issues covered in this course:
W1: Introduction: evidence and models in ancient history
W2: Approaching the topic: the modern historiography
W3: The evidence: literary sources
W4: The evidence: epigraphic evidence
W5: The evidence: archaeological evidence
W6: Viewpoints: geography
W7: Viewpoints: chronology
W8: Viewpoints: gender
W9: Viewpoints: class
W10: Beyond ancient history: the topic in other periods
W11: Conclusion: looking at the wider context
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate in coursework and class discussion a familiarity with a range of evidence - esp. literary, epigraphic, archaeological - for the study of the course topic
- Demonstrate in coursework and class discussion the ability to engage critically with the both the relevant ancient evidence and the modern debate
- Demonstrate in coursework and class discussion an understanding of the different modern approaches to the study of the course topic and the topic's interrelatedness with the study of other topics in ancient history
- Demonstrate in coursework and class discussion the ability to conduct a sustained individual inquiry into a particular aspect of the course topic (in the coursework essay)
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Reading List
There is no predetermined reading list because the bibliography will change with each outing of the course depending on the chosen course topic. A number of seminal methodological and source-oriented studies will be employed for each outing of the course though:
R.S. Bagnall, Reading Papyri, Writing Ancient History. London and NY, 1995
J. Bodel, Epigraphic Evidence: Ancient History from Inscriptions. London, NY 2001.
M.H. Crawford (ed.), Sources for Ancient History. Cambridge, 1984
C. W. Hedrick, Ancient History: Monuments and Documents. Oxford, 2006.
K. Hopkins, 'Rules of evidence', JRS 68 (1978), 178-86
C. Howgego, Ancient History from Coins. London and NY. 1995
M.I. Finley, Ancient History: Evidence and Models. London, 1985.
C. Pelling, Literary Texts and the Greek Historian. London and NY, 1999
D.S. Potter, Literary Texts and the Roman Historian. London and New York, 1999.
O.F. Robinson, The Sources of Roman Law: Problems and Method for Ancient Historians. London and NY, 1996.
D.M. Schaps, Handbook for Classical Research (Routledge, 2010)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Handbook-Classical-Research-David-Schaps/dp/0415425239 |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Topic,Ancient History,2 |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Lucy Grig
Tel: (0131 6)50 3579
Email: |
Course secretary | Mr Gordon Littlejohn
Tel: (0131 6)50 3782
Email: |
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