00996 - Greek History

Learning outcomes

 

Course contents

This is a blended-learning course: 40 hours of class lectures will deal with fundamental notions of Greek history and with the thematic section.

The student will add 20 hours of online study, carried out autonomously and with the assistance of the lecturer, on the institutional IOL (Insegnamenti OnLine) platform of the course

Course structure:

Class lectures (40h):

1. The origins: history and society in archaic and classical Greece: the main events in Greek history between the 8th and the late 4th cent. BC. A chronological and thematic analysis of the politics, ideologies, culture, society, war, and history of the main poleis and protagonists. The political institutions (esp. of Athens and Sparta) will be analyzed within the study of the notions of democracy and oligarchy.
2. Alexander the Great and the conquest of the world: this thematic section explores the life and deeds of Alexander III of Macedonia (Alexander the Great): through his life, military campaigns, personal power, friends and enemies, the course will outline one of the most famous, influential, and fascinating personalities in history.
3. The Hellenism: the world after Alexander: the history of Alexander’s empire after his death and the struggles among his successors; the economic and social dimension of the Hellenic world, until the clash with Rome (323-31 a.C.).

Online activities (20h, IOL):

Database of Greek historiography: fundamental notions and critical outline of the main authors, themes, and works of the historiographical genre in the Greek world, from its origins in the late archaic period to the Imperial period.

Readings/Bibliography

1) One among the following textbooks of Greek history:

• C. Bearzot, Manuale di storia greca, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2015 (3a ed.), chs. 1-4;
• M. Bettalli, A.L. D’Agata, A. Magnetto, Storia Greca, Roma: Carocci, 2013, chs. 1-23;
• L. Breglia, F. Guizzi, R. Raviola, Storia greca, Edises: Napoli, 2015, parts 1 e 2.

2) A.B. Bosworth, Alessandro Magno. L'uomo e il suo impero, Milano: Rizzoli, 2004.

3) F. Muccioli, Storia dell’Ellenismo, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2019, parts 1 e 2.

4) Database of Greek historiography (IOL platform).

5) Class notes and texts discussed in class.

 

Students with specific interests can propose any variation to the bibliography above, as long as it is relevant to the course.

 

Non-attending students

In addition to 1), 2), 3), 4) above, students who do not attend classes will be required to study:

• Plutarch, Parallel Lives: Alexander and Caesar – only the Life of Alexander.

  Plus one of the following:

• V. Azoulay, Pericle. La democrazia ateniese alla prova di un grand’uomo, Torino: Einaudi, 2017;
• M. Bettalli, G. Brizzi (a c. di), Guerre ed eserciti nell'antichità, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2019, pp. 1-151;
  
• L. Braccesi, F. Raviola, La Magna Grecia, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2008 + M. Dreher, La Sicilia antica, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2010;

NB: non-attending students and students from courses attended in previous years are requested to get in touch with the lecturer at least two weeks in advance before signing up for any exam session.

Teaching methods

This is a blended-learning course: traditional class lectures will be supported by online activities as per following:

• Class lectures with PowerPoint and handouts (40 hours)
• Online didactic activities and resources, carried out autonomously by the student and with the assistance of the lecturer, on the institutional e-learning platform of the course (20 hours).

Assessment methods

Oral exam. Normally, the student will be required to answer and discuss:

• 1 question on the archaic period
• 1 question on the classical period
• 1 question on the Hellenistic period
• 1 question on the section on Alexander
• 1 question on the Database of Greek historiography

(for non-attending students, 1 question on the additional readings)

Teaching tools

• Database of Greek historiography
• PowerPoints, PDFs of sources, images and maps.

All materials will be made available to the students during the course through the IOL platform.

Office hours

See the website of Matteo Zaccarini