Agricultural Slavery in the Graeco-Roman World (P01256)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : HCA-P-AgSlGRW

Greek and Roman societies depended largely on the exploitation of slave and un-free labour, of which the forced extraction of agricultural labour formed a major part. The study of agricultural slavery and related forms of exploitation thus provides a key to the study of slavery in antiquity as a whole. It provides also a key to the study and interpretation of ancient societies AND of slavery as a universal system for the extraction of forced labour. In view of the active use of knowledge of ancient slave systems by slave owners in the New World, the study of ancient texts and materials also bears directly on the study of the exploitation of slave and un-free agricultural labour in more recent periods. In this course, students will study the key texts and materials for agricultural slavery in the Graeco-Roman World (agricultural manuals, archaeological remains, epigraphic records). In doing so, they will be introduced to the major issues of modern debate and the various approaches and methodologies adopted by modern scholars, which should equip them to formulate their own questions in the field.

The course will explore:
The potential and limitations of the ancient evidence for agricultural slavery;
The range of approaches and attitudes to (agricultural) slave labour in antiquity;
The range of forms and types of agricultural slave and un-free labour;
The relationship between free and unfree labour in an ancient agricultural context; Definitions and concepts of slave labour;
Methodologies and approaches taken by modern scholars to the topic;
Comparatist potential and limitations; The role of slavery studies within labour studies

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate (School of History and Classics), (School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 1 hour(s) 50 minutes per week for 9 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete the course will have acquired an in-depth knowledge and understanding of crucial aspects of the study of agricultural slavery in the Graeco-Roman World. In particular, they will:
-Be able to analyse independently ancient materials relating to agricultural slavery in antiquity;
-Have acquired a sound and wide-reaching understanding of key issues and themes in ancient slavery studies;
-Have an advanced understanding of the impact of historiographical issues on the study of ancient slavery;
-Have an advanced understanding of the interrelatedness of ancient and modern slavery studies.

Further, they will also be able to:
-Engage in historical arguments in relation to slavery studies;
-Develop an appreciation of how the study of a period-overarching topic can widen their historical horizon and research agenda;
-Set their own historical research agenda in relation to slave and forced labour studies;
-Prepare and present their own work for seminars and workshops;
-Actively participate in group discussion;
-Be able to efficiently access library and IT resources.