ANCHIST 749 A & B

Themes and Issues in Ancient Culture


Please note: this is archived course information from 2019 for ANCHIST 749.

Description

Overview

The first half of this course will focus on sophists, rhetoric and politics in fifth century BCE Athens through the lens of the early dialogues of Socrates, comedy and tragedy and political figures like Alcibiades and Critias. The second half will then explore the production of the histories and historical narratives written by Herodotus and Thucydides in the latter half of the fifth century BCE to understand the nature and purpose of early Greek historiography.

Course outcomes

Students will learn to interpret ancient evidence including literary texts and evaluate modern scholarship and its analysis. They will conduct independent research for the essay using primary evidence and secondary sources. They will learn presentation skills through seminar delivery. They will learn to analyse and reflect upon ancient texts and general questions in preparing for the two course tests, and through direct engagement with the ancient sources and literary works. 

They will also learn how to overcome biased and partisan source material, and how to use literary evidence appropriately and critically for a clearer understanding of the past, and develop an appreciation of the way that interconnected ideas and concepts influence and affect one another, how historical processes effect society and learn how to explain these ideas and processes coherently in an academic manner.

To complete this course students must enrol in ANCHIST 749 A and B.

Assessment

Coursework only

Availability 2019

Semester 1 and 2 (full year)

Lecturer(s)

TBA

Points

ANCHIST 749A: 15 points

ANCHIST 749B: 15 points