Ancient Greece: History and Archaeology

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The subject concentrates on mainland Greece and the Mediterranean from the Bronze Age to the end of the Classical Period, examining what we know about the history and archaeology of these fascinating periods of ancient Greek history. The main emphases will be on the rise and fall of Bronze Age civilisations such as the Minoans and Mycenaeans, the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, the Archaic and Classical periods of Ancient Greek history, the political, socio-economic and cultural changes within Greek Civilization, and the noteworthy developments in material culture in the light of archaeological evidence. The emergence of the polis system, debates on political systems such as democracy, oligarchy and tyranny, the critical role of religion, the interaction with non-Greeks and the resulting efflorescence of the Greek literary and philosophical tradition will be examined. The art and archaeology of the Greeks in the wider Mediterranean region will also be studied. Furthermore, the political and military history of Archaic and Classical Greece, as well as the extraordinary advances in Greek science, literature and philosophy during the same periods will be explored. There is detailed examination of modern scholarship on ethnicity, politics, warfare, colonisation, migration and acculturation.

Students who successfully complete this subject should:

• Possess knowledge of the material culture of Greece and the Mediterranean world from the Bronze Age to the Classical Period
• Possess knowledge of major developments in Greek history from the Minoan/Mycenaean period to the conquests of Alexander the Great
• Be able to analyse and distinguish the complexities of the historical and archaeological evidence of the different periods
• Be able to apply current scholarly methodologies to the analysis of such key topics as religion, social complexity, ethnicity, etc.

• An outline, tutorial presentation and essay of 2250 words, outline due in week 7 of semester, essay due in week 10 of semester (10% outline, 10% presentation, 30% essay)
• a take-home exam of 1750 words due at the end of the first week of the end of semester examination period (40%)
• tutorial participation throughout the semester (10%)

Hurdle Requirement:

• students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to pass this subject.
• All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. After five working days late assessment will not be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.

Preziosi, D. and Hitchcock, L.A. , Aegean Art and Archaeology, Oxford 1999.

Morris, L. and Powell, B.B. The Greek: History, Culture and Society, Upper Saddle River, NJ 2006

Other subject readings will be available on line

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.