12998 - Ancient Historiography (1)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be familiar with the milestones of ancient historiography. They will be able to analyse, explain and contextualize historical literary texts with knowledge of original sources. They will know how to approach texts and data critically and define themes and significant problems of ancient historiography on the basis of a critical reading of the sources and the documentation available. They will communicate orally using registers appropriate to the discipline and be able to draw up and update a bibliography in written form upon scientific standards using the most suitable research tools, including online databases.

Course contents

• Introduction to the study of the discipline: sources, methods, and research tools. Historiography of the Greek world (approximately 14 hours).
• Historiography of the Roman world (approximately 12 hours).
• Seminar activities (approximately 4 hours).

The programme will be completed by students’ independent study of the main lines of development of Greek and Roman historiographical production, on the basis of the textbooks indicated below.

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students are required to prepare the following:

1. M. Bettalli (ed.), Introduzione alla storiografia greca, 3rd edition, Rome: Carocci, 2021 (selected sections to be indicated by the instructor during the course).

2. M. Manca, F. Rohr Vio (eds.), Introduzione alla storiografia romana, 2nd edition, Rome: Carocci, 2021 (selected sections to be indicated by the instructor during the course).

3. Sources read and commented on during the course (cf. virtuale.unibo.it).

Students unable to attend lectures are required to prepare the following:

1. M. Bettalli (ed.), Introduzione alla storiografia greca, 3rd edition, Rome: Carocci, 2021 (complete reading).

2. M. Manca, F. Rohr Vio (eds.), Introduzione alla storiografia romana, 2nd edition, Rome: Carocci, 2021 (complete reading).

3. Reading of the following three chapters from R. Vattuone (ed.), Storici greci d’Occidente, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2002:

   1. N. Luraghi, Antioco di Siracusa, pp. 55–89;
   2. R. Vattuone, Timeo di Tauromenio, pp. 177–232;
   3. D. Ambaglio, Diodoro Siculo, pp. 301–338.

4. In place of the sources read and commented on during the course and the seminar activities, students unable to attend lectures are required to read in full one of the following works, with particular attention to the commentary notes:

   1. Plutarch, Life of Alexander (recommended edition: Plutarco, Vite di Alessandro e Cesare, ed. by D. Magnino, Milan: BUR, 1987);
   2. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities, book I (recommended edition: Dionisio di Alicarnasso, Storia di Roma arcaica, ed. by Floriana Cantarelli, Milan: Rusconi, 1984, pp. 27–136).

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

Classes are held exclusively in person and are not recorded.

The course includes both lecture-based teaching and seminar-style sessions, with the active participation of students. During the classes, numerous textual sources will be read (in the original Greek and Latin, alongside Italian, English, or French translations). Students will be trained to identify and analyse historical problems, as well as to understand the issues raised by ancient historiographical sources.

Although a lack of knowledge of Greek and Latin is in no way an obstacle, students specialising in the ancient field are reminded that they are expected, as soon as possible, to acquire the ability to assess translations critically and to orient themselves within the original texts.

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

Assessment methods

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

The oral examination will assess the student's knowledge on the course's topic. In particular, the examination will include:

• at least one question testing textbook-based knowledge of Greek historiographical production;
• at least one question testing textbook-based knowledge of Roman historiographical production;
• at least one question on texts and topics discussed during the classes.

For attending students, participation in seminar activities contributes to the final assessment.

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).

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).

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