00996 - Greek History

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be broadly familiar with the development of Greek history, using the basic interpretive categories towards critical analysis of issues pertaining to the Greek world and working from historical and documentary sources read in the original and in translation. Students will have a good knowledge of the main themes, events and phenomena of Greek history in a broader context. They will possess precise spatio-temporal coordinates and know the main tools of information, research and updating. They will read works by historians in at least one language other than Italian and be able to speak in the appropriate technical terminology.

Course contents

• Introduction to the study of the discipline: sources, methods, and research tools (approximately 20 hours).
• Key themes and figures in Greek history, with the reading of selected historiographical and documentary sources relating to the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods (approximately 20 hours).
• An in-depth examination of the life of Demetrios Poliorketes, with particular attention to Plutarch, Life of Demetrios (approximately 20 hours).

The programme will be completed by students’ independent study of the main developments in Greek history, from its origins to the first century BCE, with particular attention to the ancient sources that enable the reconstruction of historical events.

Readings/Bibliography

To ensure more effective attendance from the very beginning of the course and to facilitate the preparation of texts, all students are advised to read before the course begins a first-year high school history textbook, in order to recall knowledge that will help follow the lectures more easily.

Attending students are expected to prepare the following:

1. D. Musti, Storia greca. Linee di sviluppo dall’età micenea all’età romana, Rome-Bari: Laterza, 1990 (second edition and subsequent reprints).

2. M. Giangiulio (edited by), Introduzione alla storia greca, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2021, chapters XII–XV, pp. 159–208.

3. M. Bettalli (edited by), Introduzione alla storiografia greca, 3rd edition, Rome: Carocci, 2021, chapters 2–9, pp. 23–184 (if using the second edition, Rome: Carocci, 2001, chapters 3–8, pp. 37–178).

4. Select passages from Plutarch, Life of Demetrios (the selection will be explicited during the lessons). Suggested edition: Plutarco, Le vite di Demetrio e Antonio, a cura di Luigi Santi Amantini, Carlo Carena e Mario Manfredini, Milano: Mondadori-Valla, 1995. N.B. Other translated editions, even in foreign languages, are acceptable, but the text in class will be read in Italian.

5. Other sources read and commented on during the course (cf. virtuale.unibo.it).

Students unable to attend lectures are expected to prepare:

1. D. Musti, Storia greca. Linee di sviluppo dall’età micenea all’età romana, Rome-Bari: Laterza, 1990 (second edition and subsequent reprints).

2. M. Giangiulio (edited by), Introduzione alla storia greca, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2021, chapters XII–XV, pp. 159–208.

3. M. Bettalli (edited by), Introduzione alla storiografia greca, 3rd edition, Rome: Carocci, 2021, chapters 2–9, pp. 23–184 (if using the 2nd edition, Rome: Carocci, 2001, chapters 3–8, pp. 37–178).

4. Sources for non-attending students (cf. virtuale.unibo.it).

5. Reading of a commented edition of: Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians. N.B. International students can read a translation and commentary in their own language, but they will have to be able to discuss the content of this work in Italian. For a suggested Italian edition, see the Italian version of this page.

6. Reading of a commented edition of: Plutarch, Life of Demetrios. N.B. International students can read a translation and commentary in their own language, but they will have to be able to discuss the content of this work in Italian. For a suggested Italian edition, see the Italian version of this page.

7. Reading of Rita Scuderi, La coppia plutarchea Demetrio – Antonio: un antimodello, in Antonio Gonzales, Maria Teresa Schettino (éds.), L’idéalisation de l’autre. Faire un modèle d’un anti-modèle (Collection « ISTA » 1308), Besançon: Institut des Sciences et Techniques de l'Antiquité, 2014, pp. 285-310 [free download at: https://www.persee.fr/authority/448744]

All bibliographic material is available at the Biblioteca della Sezione di Storia Antica del Dipartimento di Storia Culture Civiltà (Bologna, via Zamboni 38).

Teaching methods

Lessons are held exclusively in person and are not recorded.

This course is reserved for students of the First Cycle /Bachelor’s Degree in History whose surname begins with a letter between M and Z AND for the students of the First Cycle /Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology, Religions, Oriental Civilizations.

The course consists mainly of lectures. During these, several textual sources will be read in the original languages of Greek and Latin, as well as in Italian, English or French translation. Students will participate in lessons and practise studying ancient sources and solving related problems.

Students with no prior knowledge of Greek or Latin are welcome to attend. Students wishing to specialise in Ancient Studies should be aware that they must acquire competence in these ancient languages as soon as possible.

Ancient Greek literacy courses are offered at FICLIT: please see https://corsi.unibo.it/laurea/lettere/greco-zero-alfabetizzazione-al-greco-antico.

Assessment methods

The oral examination, which will take place in a single session, will test your knowledge of the course content, including the individual study texts and sources. This will take place in two stages during the same exam session:

• at least three questions will be asked about the events of the Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods (Readings/Bibliography 1 and 2);
• at least two questions will be asked about ancient historiography and the sources analysed during the course (Readings/Bibliography 3 and 4); for non-attending students, at least two questions will be asked about ancient historiography and the sources (Readings/Bibliography 3, 4, 5 and 6).

There are eleven examination sessions during the academic year: the first six are held once a month from January to June, the seventh is held in September or October, the eighth is held in December, and the last three are held once a month from January to March.

 

Students who demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the topics discussed in class and required for the discipline, provide an effective critical commentary and show mastery of expression and the specific language will obtain an excellent evaluation (28–30 L).

Students who demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the main topics of the subject, basic analytical ability, the ability to synthesise information and a correct command of the language will be given a good mark (25–27).

Students who demonstrate mnemonic (and/or non-exhaustive) knowledge of the subject, with more superficial analytical ability and synthesis, and a correct but not always appropriate command of the language will be given a satisfactory mark (22–24).

Superficial knowledge and understanding of the material and scarce analytical and expressive ability will result in a pass mark (18–21).

A student will fail the exam if they display significant errors in their understanding, fail to grasp the overall outlines of the subject and demonstrate a poor command of the appropriate terminology (under 18).

 

On the use of Artificial Intelligence

The use of AI is prohibited during examinations. In preparing for examinations, however—for instance, in drafting summaries or concept maps—the use of AI is permitted. It should be noted, nonetheless, that the examination will invariably assess the students' knowledge of the bibliography indicated in this syllabus. It shall therefore be the responsibility of those who make use of AI to ensure that this tool has not introduced distortions, excessive simplifications, or inaccuracies into their preparation.

Teaching tools

The original sources will be displayed during the lectures.

The sources that students are required to read will be made available online during the course (virtuale.unibo.it).

Sources for non-attending students will also be made available online at the end of the course.

Ancient Greek literacy courses are offered at FICLIT: please see https://corsi.unibo.it/laurea/lettere/greco-zero-alfabetizzazione-al-greco-antico.

Office hours

See the website of Emilio Rosamilia