ANCIENT GREEK HISTORY

Academic year
2020/2021 Syllabus of previous years
Official course title
STORIA GRECA SP.
Course code
FM0228 (AF:342650 AR:181154)
Modality
On campus classes
ECTS credits
6
Degree level
Master's Degree Programme (DM270)
Educational sector code
L-ANT/02
Period
4th Term
Where
VENEZIA
Moodle
Go to Moodle page
This lecture course is part of the Master's Degree Programme in Ancient Civilisations: Literature, History and Archaeology as a core educational activity in Ancient History (common curriculum), 6 CFU.
It allows students to acquire notions concerning:
- advanced content, methodological and epistemological skills in the field of Greek history;
- an in-depth knowledge of Greek antiquity in its historical expressions, obtained through direct knowledge of the texts, also philologically investigated, and of all the documentary evidence that contributes to the reconstruction of historical processes;
- advanced methodological skills in the description, reading and interpretation of historical sources;
- interest in the history of studies with particular reference to historiographical aspects;
- knowledge of the main traditional and digital tools (indexes, corpora, image archives) for the research and the updating of the discipline;
- the ability to develop an original scientific presentation.
By attending this course students will be able to:
- read, understand and interpret the main Greek historical sources;
- propose an analytical commentary on historical sources (above all literary), frame them in a historical, chronological and historiographical context, proposing appropriate textual and documentary comparisons, finally explaining their relevance as a historical testimony with particular attention to political and institutional aspects ;
- use the paper and digital tools necessary to update the research; access the main databases of literary and epigraphic texts;
- communicate in oral form using the specific terminology of the discipline;
- propose an original scientific presentation.
Compulsory:
- To follow the course it is necessary to have achieved the basic notions of the discipline as indicated in the Syllabus concerning the teaching of Greek History for the BA Degree (FT0252 or FT0253, FT0254). Students who have not acquired the necessary skills must contact the lecturer via email.
- Adequate knowledge of Italian.

Desirable:
- adequate knowledge of ancient Greek (through high school diploma or university exams).
Expressions of "localism" of the Sicilian cities from the fifth century BC to the Punic Wars: legacy and memory of the Greek poleis.

The idea of a "plural" island fits well into the history of Sicily during the Hellenistic and Roman times where the different cultural elements (Greek, Punic, Italic, Roman) have given rise to complex identity processes that have evident repercussions on the forms and means of internal and external political communication. Within this broad topic, Greek and Latin historiographical texts will be considered, as well as four case-studies (Syracuse, Tauromenion, Entella, Segesta) mainly through epigraphic and numismatic sources. Different nuances of the representation and self-representation of the Sicilian poleis will be displayed in a chronological frame full of dramatic events and radical changes for the history of the Mediterranean.

For an in-depth study of the epigraphic documentation of the course, please refer to that of Greek Epigraphy sp., which is strictly interrelated.
Asheri, D. “Identità greche, identità greca”, in S. Settis (a cura di) I Greci. Storia, cultura, arte, società, vol. 2/II: Una Storia greca, Definizione, Torino: Einaudi, 1997, pp. 5-26.
De Vido, S., Le guerre di Sicilia, Roma: Carocci, 2013.
Soraci, C., La Sicilia romana. Secc. III a.C. – V d.C., Roma: Carocci, 2016 (chapters 1-7).
Tribulato, O. (ed.), Language and Linguistic Contact in Ancient Sicily, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012 (esp. the introduction and chapters nos. 6, 11, 12).

Optional works include:
Beck, H., Localism and the ancient Greek City-State, University of Chicago Press, Chicago 2020.
Finely, M.I., Storia della Sicilia antica, Roma-Bari: Laterza, 2003 [settima edizione] (esp. chapters 4-11).
Pfuntner, L., Urbanism and Empire in Roman Sicily, Austin: University of Texas Press, 2019.

Further materials will be uploaded on the University IT platform Moodle before the start of the course and during the course itself. In-depth bibliography will be recommended during the course.

FOR THE STUDENTS WHO CANNOT ATTEND THE LECTURES: it is compulsory to study the books by Finley and Pfuntner listed above among the optional works. The participation at the lectures is highly recommended.
Each student will present a paper of ca. 30 minutes at a seminar concerning a specific topic or document or series of documents. The topic will be decided in accordance with the lecturer before the beginning of the course or in the first week of lectures. The essay based on the paper presented at the seminar will have to be submitted at least 7 days before the oral examination: the length of the text will have to be between 3000 and 4000 words (excluding the final bibliography). The oral exam will concern will involve both the topics presented during the lectures and those discussed during the other students' seminars

The final mark will be the sum of the following aspects:
- paper presented at the seminar: 35%
- essay: 35%
- oral exam: 30%

NON ATTENDING STUDENTS will submit their essay which will take up 50% of the final mark; the remaining 50% will be determined by the oral exam.
The course is structure in a series of lectures (where the main themes will be discussed and some in-depth analysis of specific issues will be considered) and seminar presentations (where the students will present their papers after having agreed upon the topic with the lecturer). Lectures and seminar presentations will be delivered online, and an active participation is required from all those attending the course.
Italian
Students are invited to follow also the courses of Greek historiography sp. and Greek epigraphy sp.

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion
Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments

Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with
mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). If you have a disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.
written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development

Definitive programme.
Last update of the programme: 02/03/2021