Ancient Persia - The Achaemenid Dynasty (VS1) (U04247)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : HCA-3-VS1-PERSI

This course aims to be an introduction to the history of Iran during the Achaemenid period. It will focus on Persian history from two viewpoints: the source materials from Iran and the wider empire itself, and from the Greek conceptions of Persia and its people.
The Achaemenid Empire (c. 550-330 BC) was the biggest and earliest Persian empire and under the Achaemenid kings, Persia was the unrivalled ruler of the Near East, occupying an empire that stretched from Ethiopia to Afghanistan. The course will concentrate on the reigns of the Achaemenid monarchs, examining their political, socio-cultural and military achievements and on their life at court. Students will be required to evaluate Near Eastern and Greek sources as evidence for the reigns. Other themes will include the language of the Persians, life in the provinces, women in Persian society, art and architecture, religion, and military techniques.
The course will of necessity engage with textual and visual materials. Students will be asked to engage with theoretical approaches to Near Eastern history such as Orientalism and Ornamentalism.

? Keywords : Ancient History Iran

Entry Requirements

? This course is only available to part year visiting students.

? This course is a variant of the following course : U02635

? Pre-requisites : Visiting students should usually have at least 3 courses in Classics related subject matter(at least 2 of which should be in Ancient History) at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses.

? Special Arrangements for Entry : This course is only for visiting students in Edinburgh during the 1st Semester but NOT the 2nd Semester. In order for a student to be enrolled, contact must be made with a Course Secretary on 50 3580 in order for approval to be obtained.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Ancient History, (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

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
26/09/2008	09:00	10:50	Room 4.01, David Hume Tower	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Friday	09:00	10:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this course the student will be able to demonstrate in written examination, course work and class discussion:
- an understanding of the complexity of this body of evidence;
- an understanding of Achaemenid history and its importance for the historian;
- an understanding of social structures and their interrelatedness with the source material under investigation;
- the ability to use critically a variety of different methodologies and approaches to this body of source material;
- familiarity with real artefacts (in a museum context);
- bibliographical research skills to enable students to find independently additional information relating to the study of ancient Persia.

Transferable skills:-
- ability to deal independently with a highly complex body of material;
- ability to develop lateral thinking and to view things in a wider perspective;
- analytical skills;
- team work skills;
- ability to concentrate on important aspects, and to make use of these in a meaningful way;
- ability to communicate one's own findings and opinions clearly and lucidly;
- oral presentation skills;
- written communication skills.

Assessment Information

Continuous assessment, comprising:
One Essay of 2500-3000 words (25%);
a Logbook of work for seminar participation (25%).

One Take-Home examination (50%).

(The Logbook records the work done in preparation for seminar participation. Students' Logbooks are assessed at the end of the course in the same way as Essays. One marked copy is returned to the student. Another copy is retained in the Classics office. A representative selection of these is supplied to the External Examiner, and the rest are available to him/her on request.)