30109 - Greek Institutions (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

Students will learn how to arrange and update knowledge concerning some of the most important public and private Greek institutions. They will learn how to use different historical sources (literary, documentary, archaeological, iconographic) and how to select the most appropriate methodologies for the explanation and the interpretation of data.

Course contents

1. Institutions of the Hellenistic age: cities and kingdoms.

2. Selected inscriptions concerning the institutions of the Hellenistic age.

It should be noted that knowledge of ancient Greek language (understanding a text with the dictionary or at least understanding the correspondence with the translations offered), if not already acquired, must be reached before the oral examination. 

Lessons: MON TUE WED 11-13, Aula Celio, via Zamboni 38, from November 13th, 2017

Readings/Bibliography

Students who have no prior knowledge of the discipline are invited to read G. Camassa, Forme della vita politica dei Greci in età arcaica e classica, Monduzzi, Bologna 2007. A useful introduction to the history of the hellenistic age is F. Landucci Gattinoni, L'ellenismo, Il Mulino, Bologna 2010.

Students are required to study:

1. Individual study text: M.H. Hansen, La democrazia ateniese nel IV secolo a.C. (trad. it.), LED, Milano 2003.

2. One of the followings:

- J. Ma, Peer Polity Interaction in the Hellenistic Age, «Past & Present» 180 (2003), pp. 9-39;

- I. Savalli-Lestrade, Les Rois hellénistiques, maître du temps, «Des Rois au Prince», I. Savalli-Lestrade, I. Cogitore, eds., Grenoble 2010, pp. 55-83;

- I. Savalli-Lestrade, Collections de citoyennetés et internationalisation des élites civiques dans l'Asie Mineure hellénistique, «Patrie d'origine et patrie élective: les citoyennetés multiple dans le monde grec d'époque romaine», A. Heller, A.-V. Pont, eds., Bordeaux 2012, pp. 39-59;

- J. Ma, The Attalids: A Military History, «Attalid Asia Minor», P. Thonemann ed., Oxford 2013, pp. 49-82;

- B. Virgilio, Forme e linguaggi della comunicazione fra re ellenistici e città, «Parole in movimento. Linguaggio politico e lessico storiografico nel mondo ellenistico», M. Mari, J. Thornton, eds., «Studi ellenistici» 27, Pisa - Roma 2013, pp. 243-261;

- A. Erskine, Ruler Cult and the Early Hellenistic City, «The Age of the Successors and the Creation of the Hellenistic Kingdoms (323-276 B.C.)», H. Hauben, A. Meeus, eds., Leuven 2014, pp. 579-597.

Students who won't be able to attend lessons must talk with the teacher to define specific course contents. In addition to texts listed above (1. and 2.), they will study J. Ma, Antiochos III and the Cities of Western Asia Minor, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1999 and selected inscriptions chosen in accordance with the teacher's advise.

Teaching methods

The course consists mainly of workshops: students will take part in lessons and practise studying institutions and solving related problems. 

Those who never studied ancient Greek language and alphabet before are strongly recommended to start immediately. The knowledge of ancient Greek will be strengthened through the reading of selected inscriptions.

Assessment methods

The oral examination will test the knowledge of the course contents (including selected inscriptions) and of the individual study texts. It will take place in three steps: 1. a question about the text by Hansen with discussion of related problems; 2. students will be required to read, translate and explain one of the Greek inscriptions studied during the course and to answer a question about the lessons' contents; 3. a question about the chosen text.

If the student achieves a complete vision of the topics discussed in class and required for the discipline, provides an effective critical commentary, shows mastery of expression and of the specific language, both written and oral, he obtains excellence in the evaluation.

Average marks will be awarded to a student who has memorized the main points of the material and is able to summarise them satisfactorily and provide an effective critical commentary, while failing to display a complete command of the appropriate terminology.

A student will be deemed to have failed the exam if he displays significant errors in his understanding and failure to grasp the overall outlines of the subject, together with a poor command of the appropriate terminology.

Teaching tools

Original sources will be shown during lectures with the aid of video projector. Sources to be read will be supplied online (cf. Teaching material).

Office hours

See the website of Alice Bencivenni