Late Latin: Autobiographical Narratives from the 4th and 5th Centuries AD (U03633)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : HCA-3-LATELATIN

The course is centred on three of the best writers of Late Antiquity. It will focus on passages of first person narrative. Ammianus Marcellinus, one of the greatest Roman historians, tells with striking vividness of the astonishing dangers he experienced as a young army officer during the Persian invasion of AD 359; Augustine of Hippo, a brilliant rhetorician, recalls the events which led to his baptism in Milan cathedral by Ambrose in AD 387 and which therefore changed the history of Christian thought; and Rutilius Claudius Namatianus, a distinguished pagan courtier and ex-Prefect of Rome, interweaves an elegant poem describing his sea-journey home to Gaul in the autumn of AD 417 with musings on Rome's eternity and her recovery from Gothic attacks. The approach will be an interdisciplinary one, aiming to compensate for the neglect of these texts by literary Latinists but also looking at the wider historical context and implications.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : A pass in Latin 2A and Latin 2B, with an average of 50% or above in the two courses combined.

? Special Arrangements for Entry : In order for a student from outwith Classics to be enrolled on this course, contact must be made with a Course Secretary on 50 3580 in order for approval to be obtained.

? Costs : Minor printing expenses: the texts with some commentary will be included in a photocopied booklet.

Variants

? This course has variants for part year visiting students, as follows

Late Latin: Autobiographical Narratives from the 4th and 5th Centuries AD (VS1) (Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2))

Subject Areas

Home subject area

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

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Tuesday	14:00	14:50	Central
Lecture	Friday	14:00	14:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to demonstrate in coursework and written examination, as well as in class discussion:

- that they have read Rutilius Namatianus and selections from Ammianus and Augustine in Latin, and have a thorough knowledge of the language, styles and content of the texts;
- that they are acquainted with the social, political and religious background;
- that they are aware of the particular problems with reading autobiography;
- and that they are aware of various modes of representing thoughts formulated in the context of one language and culture through the medium of another language in a different cultural context.