This module will introduce students to a range of themes in ancient Greek and Roman thought, in philosophy, rhetoric, science and politics.
This module surveys seven hundred years of Roman rule in the region between the Euphrates river and the Mediterranean, from its annexation by Pompey the Great in 64 BC to the Muslim conquest in the seventh century AD. We look at the impact of Rome and its administrative systems on local societies and economies, examining many disparate sources of information: from calendars to pottery, from taxation to temple building, and from art and civic architecture to cult activities and codes of dress.
This module surveys seven hundred years of Roman rule in the region between the Euphrates river and the Mediterranean, from its annexation by Pompey the Great in 64 BC to the Muslim conquest in the seventh century AD. We look at the impact of Rome and its administrative systems on local societies and economies, examining many disparate sources of information: from calendars to pottery, from taxation to temple building, and from art and civic architecture to cult activities and codes of dress.
During his 13-year rule, the Macedonian king Alexander led one of the most devastating and successful campaigns of military conquest in human history, creating an empire which stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Himalaya Mountains. Through military brilliance and carefully orchestrated diplomacy Alexander was able to keep his extremely diverse empire together. His sudden death in 323 BC, however, led to a series of wars of succession that resulted in the establishment of a number of kingdoms which were ostensibly connected as a cultural network through shared traditions of Greco-Macedonian institutions and the Greek language.
Much like today, the Hellenistic period was a time of innovation, globalisation and cultural connectivity. This module covers aspects of the history and archaeology of the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East between the reign of Alexander the Great and the death of Cleopatra VII (323-30 BC). Throughout this module we will explore political histories, power structures, cultural developments, economics and shifting ideologies associated with the major Hellenistic kingdoms, ending with the Roman conquest of the eastern Mediterranean region.
This module runs each year.
This module is designed to offer an in-depth study of the age of Augustus and the transformation of Roman society in Rome, Italy, and the provinces between 31 BC and AD 14 in terms of social structure, culture (literature, architecture, visual and material culture), and politics. Over the course of the module, you will be asked to develop your analytical skills by engaging with a range of primary source materials, including ancient texts, epigraphy, numismatics, art, and archaeology, while becoming familiar with a key set of issues related to ancient history and historiography.
Students may take this module as a Latin language option.
