12998 - Ancient Historiography (1)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows the esssential outlines of ancient historiography. He can analyse, explain and contextualise literary texts with historical knowledge of original sources. He is able to read text and to define issues and significant problems in the field of ancient historiography.

Course contents

1. Ancient and modern historiography. Reflections on discipline. Tools for the study of Greek and Latin historiography: sources, Databases, bibliographies.

2.Topics and Problems of Greek Historiography: Reading Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon

3. The essential outlines of Greek and Roman Historiography.

The courses will start Monday November 13, 2017, h.11-13. Laboratorio informatico VI piano. Via Zamboni 38.

Classes will be held:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday h.11-13

 -Students who will not able to follow the course, will contact the teacher for an alternative program. Points 1 and 3 remain unchanged, but about point 2 source's material, texts will be delivered after the end of the classes.

Readings/Bibliography

1. R.Vattuone, Historíe. Lezioni introduttive al corso di Storia greca, Bologna, Pàtron 2006; R.Vattuone, Le fonti letterarie, in G.Poma (a cura di ), Le fonti per la storia antica, Bologna, Il Mulino 2008, 115-139.

2. Lecture notes. The texts to be read, translated and discussed during the course will appear on AMS Campus.

3. Essential outlines of Ancient Historiography will be acquired from basic handbooks of Greek and Roman literature.

Teaching methods

Lectures. Seminar discussions. Essays of translation by students.

Assessment methods

Check of knowledge of essential outilines of the Greek and Roman historiography (orally). Translations and comments of texts read during the course.

In the oral exam questions will be aimed at testing the student's ability in exposing with an appropriate language issues rising from the teaching material, as well as his/her skills in making connections between different texts in order to build an argument.

Proper language and the ability to critically speak about the original texts and books' content will lead to a good/excellent final grade.

Acceptable language and the ability to resume the books' content and class discussion on the original sources will lead to a sufficient/fair grade.

Insufficient linguistic proficiency and fragmentary knowledge of the books' content and class discussion on the original sources will lead to a failure in passing the exam.

Teaching tools

Guide to the use of informatic tools for the study of the discipline. Bibliographic repertories, online databases.
Research's materials will be published in Alma DL.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Vattuone