Undergraduate Course: Studying Ancient History 2 (ANHI10068)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| 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 introduce students to the study of a particular topic in Ancient History. 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 indicatory 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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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
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate a familiarity with a range of evidence - esp. literary, epigraphic, archaeological - for the study of the course topic;
- demonstrate the ability to engage critically with the both the relevant ancient evidence and the modern debate;
- demonstrate 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 the ability to conduct a sustained individual inquiry into a particular aspect of the course topic (in the coursework essay);
- demonstrate an ability to relate the studied topic to its occurrence in different periods and geographies.
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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 utilised on a regular basis, but they are not a good reflection of the thematic course bibliography:
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.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
In addition to the ILOs listed above that contain already some transferable skills (such as the capacity to compare cognate yet complex materials), students who successfully complete the course will also gain:
- an enhancement of critical skills in reading and debate through engagement with alternative approaches and ideas;
- an improvement of skills in conducting research and writing essays;
- an ability to work in and with a team;
- verbal communication skills, esp. through class discussion and oral presentations/contributions. |
| Keywords | Studying Ancient History 2 |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Rory Nutter
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Ksenia Gorlatova
Tel: (0131 6)50 8349
Email: |
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