29685 - Greek Historiography (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student gets an appropriate training to scientific research in the field of classical and Hellenistic Greek historiography. (S)he knows the essential lines of ancient historiography. (S)he knows and can use research methods and tools. (S)he is able to communicate verbally using the registers and techniques appropriate to the context. (S)he can highlight critically different cultures. (S)he can update his knowledge in the field using the tools developed by the scientific community.

Course contents

 Truth, Verisimilitude and Local Traditions: historiographical approaches

During this course we will look at Herodotus, Thucydides, Plutarch, Pausanias, and local historiography, in relation to specific elements of the historiographical method and to specific sections concerning the construction and reconstruction by some poleis of their own past.

Pre-requisite

General knowledge of Greek historiography (from its origins to the imperial age)

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students will study

1. M. Bettalli (ed.), Introduzione alla storiografia greca, Carocci, Roma 2009 (second edition).
2. D. Amendola - A. Magnetto - E. Rosamilia - J. Thornton, Le fonti per lo studio della storia ellenistica, in M. Mari (ed.), L’età ellenistica. Società, politica, cultura, Roma 2019, 211-236.
3. F. Muccioli, La storia attraverso gli esempi. Protagonisti e interpretazioni del mondo greco in Plutarco, Mimesis, Milano-Udine 2012, pp. 193-253.
   
4. F. Muccioli (a cura di), Plutarco, Arato, Milano 2020 or C. Pelling (a cura di), Filopemene, Milano 2016
5. R. Thomas, Local history, polis history and the politics of place, in G. Parmeggiani, Between Thucydides and Polybius: the Golden Age of Greek Historiography, Washington 2014, pp. 239-262

During the course, the teacher will illustrate the salient elements of the literature relevant about the topic. These points will be studied by the students, together with the sources examined

The volumes from which they are drawn will be available for consultation in the Department’s library or on line.

Students who are not going to attend the classes will agree on a program with the teacher during reception hours

Teaching methods

The course is mainly taught through lectures, with discussions on the sources and the teaching material.

Assessment methods

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

The final exam is oral and develops through the knowledge assessment of the handbook firstly, and of the monograph secondly – the latter through questions about both the lectures topics and the textbooks. Also, the Greek original texts knowledge will be examined

If the student achieves a complete vision of the topics discussed in class and required for the discipline, a good knowledge of the texts of scholarship, shows mastery of expression and of the specific language, both written (if required) and oral, he will obtain excellence in the evaluation.

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

PDF documents and research material from specialised websites will be provided

Office hours

See the website of Maria Elena De Luna