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

The course will be structured in three parts:

1. Introduction (3 hours):

1.1. Discipline’s object and methods (sources, databases, bibliographies)

1.2. Interactions between Greek and Roman historiography: models and innovations; historical convergences and historiographical analysis.

2. Contents and methodological choices in Greek and Roman historiography (from the origins to the 2^nd century AD), through the following select authors:

2.1. Hecataeus of Miletus and the origins of Greek historiography; Herodotus; Thucydides; Xenophon; Polybius; Diodor; Dionysius of Halicarnassus; Plutarch; Pausanias (10 hours)

2.2. Quintus Fabius Pictor and the origins of Roman historiography; Sallust; Caesar; Livy; Tacitus; Suetonius (7 hours)

3. Seminar «Greeks, Romans, and the other “foreign” peoples»: reading and analysis of the ethnographic “digressions” (customs, traditional accounts, languages, and forms of communication) in Herodotus, in Xenophon’s Anabasis, and in Tacitus’ De origine et situ Germanorum (10 hours)

 

Readings/Bibliography

1. For the problems and sources discussed in class: the lesson notes and documents distributed by the teacher
2. M. Manca, F. Rohr Vio, Introduzione alla storiografia romana, Carocci 2010 (select chapters assigned by the teacher at first lesson)
3. Select chapters (assigned by the teacher at first lesson) from D. Ambaglio, Storia della storiografia greca, Bologna, Monduzzi, 2009, or M. Bettalli (ed.), Introduzione alla storiografia greca, new edition, Roma, Carocci 2009
4. R. Vattuone, Le fonti letterarie, in G. Poma (ed.), Le fonti per la storia antica, Bologna, Il Mulino 2008, 115-139
5. P. Tuci, Le fonti letterarie greche, in La storia antica. Metodi e fonti per lo studio, Bologna, Il Mulino 2016, 131-156

All texts are available for consulting in the Library in the Library of Ancient History, 38 Zamboni st., 2nd floor, section “ESAMI CONS”.

Teaching methods

Lectures. Seminar discussions.

Assessment methods

Oral examination will check the student’s knowledge and understanding of:

a) the topics and texts discussed in class; b) the parts of the handbooks of Greek and Latin Historiography indicated by the teacher (see above); c) the studies listed above.

Attending students will be requested to answer five questions:

1. A question on the handbook of Greek historiography cited above (n. 3);
2. A question on the handbook of Latin historiography (n. 2);
3. A question on one of the two papers cited above (nn. 4 and 5);
4. Two question on the seminar part.

Non-attending students will contact the teacher for an alternative program

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 indicated in class and onpublished in Alma DL.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Elena De Luna