90397 - History and Culture of Ancient Mesopotamia (1)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will have a basic knowledge of the historical and cultural development of Mesopotamia before the Persians; will be familiar with the key issues of historiographic research in this field, its distinctive sources and methodology; will be able to place the main historical events and phenomena in their proper geographical and chronological setting; will have learnt to recognize the distinguishing cultural features of the various successive peoples and civilizations in that region over three millennia, and the points of continuity and discontinuity in time and space, as well as specific instances and degrees of cultural encounter. They will be able to describe the original features of Mesopotamian civilization as a whole, along with its cultural legacy. They will also know how to listen, understand and debate respectfully with different cultures and viewpoints, spotting the tie-ups among different disciplines.

Course contents

The course is an introduction to the ancient Mesopotamian civilizations (Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians) that flourished in Iraq from the 4th millennium BC until the Persian conquest in 539 BC, with particular attention to history and various aspects of culture and thought (literature, religion, ideology, philosophy).

Readings/Bibliography

L. Milano (ed.), Il Vicino Oriente antico dalle origini ad Alessandro Magno, 2nd edition, EncycloMedia, Milano 2022:

Introduzione;

1.5;

2.2-2.4;

3.1-3.6;

4.1-4.5;

5.1; 5.3; 5.5;

6.2;

7.1-7.5;

8.1-8.2.

Non-attending students must additionally bring four chapters of their choice from J. Bottero's book: Mesopotamia: La scrittura, la mentalità e gli dei (Einaudi).

Teaching methods

Lectures.

Assessment methods

Oral examination. Students must show their knowledge of the basic elements of the history of Mesopotamia before the Persian conquest (see the section Readings/Bibliography). For the assessment, the strength of the preparation, speaking ability, and command of the appropriate terminology will be considered. In addition, students must demonstrate their ability to to make historical comparisons between different periods and situations.

To obtain an excellent mark, students must show excellent preparation and be able to present their arguments with clarity and authority, showing mastery of terminology and critical thinking in dealing with historical topics.

Students showing lesser preparation and ability but who have a good knowledge of the history of Mesopotamia will receive a good mark.

Students who do not show adequate knowledge of the history of Mesopotamia will not pass the exam.

Exam sessions are scheduled for the following months: November 2025, January, March/April, June, July, September 2026.

Teaching tools

Learning materials made available through https://virtuale.unibo.it/.

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Gianni Marchesi