CLAS1601: INTRODUCTION TO THE GREEK WORLD

• None.

• None.

• None.

• This module is designed as an interdisciplinary introduction to ancient Greek history, society, and thought.
• It is a companion module to the plenary Monuments and memory in the Age of Augustus (CLAS1301).
• It introduces all students in the department to the central themes, topics and terminology in the study of Archaic and Classical Greece, and equips them to use the basic intellectual resources available to assist that study.

• The module consists of the study of ancient Greek society, with a particular focus on Athens and its public discourses.
• The subject-matter includes a wide variety of different types of source material and evidence, including selected passages from ancient Greek poets, historians, orators, dramatists and philosophers, together with selected inscriptions, vase-paintings, sculptures, and buildings.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• The student should have a knowledge of the basic topography and chronology of Archaic and Classical Greece, be familiar with main the sources for this subject, and have an understanding of the fundamental issues in scholarship in the field.

Subject-specific Skills:

• The student should be able to access, discuss, and evaluate critically the different types of source material, and use basic reference tools and bibliography. They should have acquired some understanding of the different scholarly methodologies that have been developed for understanding evidence, and a basic grasp of the problems inherent in handling translated texts.

Key Skills:

• The student should be able to appreciate the problems associated with evaluating evidence from other cultures, develop the ability to think independently, and acquire the skills needed to analyse, evaluate, and synthesise into a coherent argument a wide range of evidence. They should have acquired an ability to organise their workload and timetable in an efficient manner and to fulfil assignments promptly and efficiently.
• The student should be able to research topics using the library catalogue and databases and to organise, structure and present academic work in a professional manner.

• Lectures will provide an evaluation of the literary, historical and visual evidence, and seminars will allow students to develop skills in interpretation of the evidence.
• The formative assessments will allow students to develop their academic study skills, and to develop their essay-writing competence.
• The summative assessment will assess the students' overall knowledge of the topic, and their organizational skills.

If you have a question about Durham's modular degree programmes, please visit our FAQ webpages, Help page or our glossary of terms. If you have a question about modular programmes that is not covered by the FAQ, or a query about the on-line Undergraduate Module Handbook, please contact us.

Prospective Students: If you have a query about a specific module or degree programme, please Ask Us.

Current Students: Please contact your department.