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Hellenistic Culture and Society - History

Module description

This module will explore the history of the Hellenistic world from the late fourth to roughly the first century BCE. It will trace a history of kings, cities and ethnic communities, their development and interaction (also with Rome) and it will assess the public and private life of the people living in this new world. Source material will include a wide range of (often fragmentary) historiography, literary texts, and copious numbers of inscriptions.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module aims:

• To provide a framework for critical discussion of major historical and cultural themes in the post-Classical period, extending from Alexander the Great to a Hellenistic World under Roman dominance.
• To gain critical knowledge of a variety of sources for the Hellenistic world (literature, epigraphy, numismatics and material culture) and how to find them, and to combine analysis of such material for historical analysis and reconstruction

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate an enhanced degree of expertise in interpreting the historical and cultural context of the Hellenistic world
• 2. Demonstrate knowledge of a wide selection of relevant primary material for the Hellenistic world
• 3. Evaluate critically and use a range of sources and theoretical approaches to the Hellenistic world in effective combination as a tool of historical analysis and reconstruction

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Demonstrate expertise in collating and analysing different types of evidence
• 5. Demonstrate critical skills in evaluating scholarly approaches to ancient material, and in developing your own readings and interpretations
• 6. Reflect critically on the origins, development and significance of political structures, ideology, values, religious activity and traditional stories in another culture and to consider critically their bearing on your own life and culture

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Apply key bibliographical skills, the latest forms of information retrieval, as well as word-processing skills
• 8. Demonstrate independent research skills, initiative in seeking out evidence and information, and the ability to think autonomously and analytically on the basis of written and visual sources and secondary literature
• 9. Construct, present, and defend a sustained argument, both in written form and orally
• 10. Work with instructor and peers in an independent, constructive and responsive way

Syllabus plan

The course’s aim is to delve into detailed case-studies and thus to explore this vibrant and changing period in as many of its different facets as possible. Some topics might include life in and between Hellenistic cities, the interaction between rulers and communities, local experiences in regions with strong indigenous cultures and recent transformations due to political changes, as well the impact of the coming of Rome.

These thematic weeks will be interwoven with weeks which focus on specific reading skills, ranging from an introduction to and study of epigraphic and numismatic evidence, literary sources and material culture.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• G. R. Bugh, The Cambridge Companion to the Hellenistic World, (Cambridge, 2006).
• Erskine (ed.)  A Companion to the Hellenistic World, (Malden/Oxford, 2003).
• E.S. Gruen (1984)  The Hellenistic Kingdoms and the Coming of Rome  (Berkeley).
• G. Shipley, The Greek World after Alexander 323-30 BC, (London, 2000).

Main course book:

• M. M. Austin,  The Hellenistic World from Alexander to the Roman Conquest  [sources in translation], second ed, 2006 [The first 1981 edition is excellent, however, since the numbering for the enlarged second edition was changed you really should work with the 2006 texts; there is also a useful concordance at the back of the volume]

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=11158

Key words search

Hellenistic, Rulers, Communities