Learning objectives
At the end of the class, students should be able to:
1. Know and remember the main events and issues of the political, social, and economic history of the archaic and classical Greek world and locate them in space and time; understand the content and historical context of the primary sources and the use of basic tools, both critical and methodological, discussed in class (knowledge and understanding).
2. Apply the basic tools, both critical and methodological, which allow us to reconstruct the history of archaic and classical Greece, to the reading and understanding of different categories of primary sources and secondary literature, not necessarily explored in class (applying knowledge and understanding).
3. Know how to analyze and judge autonomously the data provided by primary sources and secondary literature; know how to develop, for the moment at a basic level, a personal critical reflection on the interpretation of the main historical facts of the Greek world (making judgments).
4. Know how to communicate and present with clarity, verbally or in writing, non-specialized contents related to the main events and issues of the history of the Greek world (communication skills).
5. Develop the learning skills necessary for connecting the different topics covered in class with each other and with other similar, basic disciplines, in order to pursue further studies or carry out non-specialized professional activities (learning skills).
Prerequisites
A good general background in ancient historical disciplines as given by the first two years of high schools.
Course unit content
The course is divided into two units: the first unit covers the basics of the discipline (A), while the second unit offers an in-depth analysis of a major topic of the history of the Greek world (B).
A. The first unit (6 cfu = 30 hours), for students enrolled in both the 6 cfu course and the 12 cfu course, is scheduled in the first part of the second semester (February 12th - March 15th 2023). This unit, which consists of a general survey, serves as an introduction to the history of the Greek world from the archaic age to the early Hellenistic age. Through the study of a large selection of literary and epigraphic texts in translation and figurative documents, the instructor will illustrate: 1) the main events and issues of the political, social, and economic history of the archaic and classical Greek world; 2) The basic lines of the history of Greek historiography, and the sources, research tools, and methodologies that allow us to reconstruct the history of archaic and classical Greece.
B. The second unit (6 credits = 30 hours), intended only for students enrolled in the 12 cfu course, is scheduled in the second part of the second semester (April 8th - May 10th 2023) and is titled: "Alexander the Great: life and deeds". The unit intends to offer an in-depth discussion of the life and deeds of Alexander III of Macedon, starting from a close reading of the "Life of Alexander" by Plutarch and through the comparison with other available primary sources (including, in particular, Arrian, Diodorus, Curtius Rufus, and the epigraphic evidence). The units aims to reconstruct not only the most significant episodes of the Macedonian ruler's life and military campaigns, but also to examine the different types of primary sources dealing with them and to critically asses the contribution they can make to the understanding of his figure and historical trajectory.
Full programme
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Bibliography
A. Basic knowledge unit.
Students will prepare this unit on the following material:
1. P.J. Rhodes, "Storia dell'antica grecia", Il Mulino 2016 (up to p. 197 included).
2. The topics dealt with and sources read in class available through the 15 learning units that will be uploaded weekly to the platform Elly.
B. In-depth knowledge unit.
Students will prepare this unit on the following material:
1. Plutarco, "Alessandro e Cesare. Vite parallele", BUR - Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli 1987 (only the part concerning Alexander).
2. R. Lane Fox "Alessandro Magno", Einaudi 2019.
3. The topics dealt with and additional sources read in class, including possible further readings that the instructor will indicate during classes and upload to Elly.
The final program in view of the exams will be made available on Elly at the end of each unit.
Non-attending students are expected to contact the instructor directly for the program of the in-depth knowledge unit (B).
Teaching methods
A. Basic knowledge unit.
The class consists of 30 hours of lectures. The basic knowledge unit is offered also in a blended way on the distance-learning platform Elly, to which the instructor will upload on a weekly basis the 15 learning units containing the topics dealt with and sources read in class. Students are required to study each learning unit before the relevant lecture so that, each time, the content can be analyzed and discussed in class with the instructor.
B. In-depth knowledge unit.
The class consists of 30 hours of lectures, during which, under the guidance of the instructor, students will conduct an in-depth commentary of the "Life of Alexander" by Plutarch and other primary sources. Also for the in-depth knowledge unit, the instructor will upload to Elly on a weekly basis the sources read in class, the bibliography, and possible further material.
Assessment methods and criteria
The learning assessment consists of an oral examination.
Students will be able to pass the exam (18-23/30) if they demonstrate, at least to a sufficient degree, that they know the main events and issues of the political, social, and economic history of the Greek world, are able to locate them in space and time, understand the content of the primary sources and secondary literature discussed in class, orient themselves in the use of basic critical and methodological tools, and communicate such contents in a relatively clear manner, within a reasonably structured discourse, and using a sufficiently appropriate vocabulary.
Students who do not fulfill these basic requirements will fail the exam.
Students will achieve middle-range grades (24-27/30) if they demonstrate to fulfill to a more than sufficient or good degree the requirements listed above.
Students will achieve higher grades (28-30/30 cum laude) if they demonstrate a solid mastery of the main events and issues of Greek history, being able to precisely locate them in space and time, the capacity to fully understand and reflect autonomously on primary sources and secondary literature, a clear familiarity with basic critical and methodological tools, the capacity to operate transversal connections between the topics discussed in class, and the ability to communicate such contents in a clear manner, within a well-structured discourse, and using the appropriate technical vocabulary.
Other information
This Greek history class is aimed at students of the degree course in Humanities who included 6 cfu or 12 cfu of Greek history in their study plan and at students of the degree course in Philosophical studies who included 12 cfu of Greek history in their study plan. Conversely, students of the degree course in Philosophical studies who included 6 cfu of Greek history in their study plan must turn to the Greek history class taught by Professor Luca Iori.
The class is recommended for students of the master degree in Classical and modern philology and literature who wish to include 6 cfu or 12 cfu of Greek History in their study plan without having taken an institutional course in Greek History before.
All students are expected to sign up for the class on Elly before lectures start and to check always on the platform the available material and the indications provided by the instructor. It is equally important that during classes and close to the exams students keep constantly monitored their official e-mail address (@studenti.unipr.it) in order not to miss important announcements and communications sent by the instructor.
