Course Details in 2024/25 Session

Module Title	Understanding Ancient Societies
School	History and Cultures
Department	Classics, AH and Archaeology
Module Code	09 27278
Module Lead	Dr Gareth Sears
Level	Intermediate Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Exclusions
Description	This module examines literary and non-‘literary’ texts to understand ancient societies beyond the carefully constructed outputs of canonical elite writers. It will consider approaches to a range of writing types potentially including: epigraphy of all types; numismatics; seals; clay tablets; ostraca and papyri. It will look at the relatively un-mediated presentations of powerholders on monumental inscriptions, coins and political documents. It will look at state organisation through inscribed laws and organisational texts. It will consider non-elites through such texts as funerary stele, altars and devotional objects. It will look at everyday writing on material culture and in the street – vases, paintings and graffiti and in doing so will consider literacy and who could read these texts.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Understand the problems of using inscriptions and literary texts to answer questions about the ancient world; Research on a variety of types of written material and what they can tell us about the social, religious and political structures of the ancient world; Synthesise their reading of primary material with academic arguments about the source types and ancient cultures; Present their research and knowledge in a coherent way.
Assessment	27278-01 : 1,500 word essay : Coursework (33%) 27278-02 : 2,500 word essay : Coursework (67%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: 1 x 1500 word essay (33%) and 1x 2500 word essay (67%) Reassessment: Resubmission of failed element(s)
Other	None
Reading List