Undergraduate Course: Hellenistic Egypt: Society, Economy and Culture (332BC - 31BC) (ANHI10051)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course aims to introduce students to theories on, and evidence for, cultural interaction in the Hellenistic period of Egypt's history (332-31 BC), particularly between Greeks and Egyptians. The course encourages you to consider social, economic, political and cultural life in Egypt, using a wide range of documentary, papyrological, literary and archaeological source material. |
| Course description |
This course will explore aspects of society, economy and culture in Hellenistic Egypt (332BC-31BC) from the perspective of interactions between Greeks and Egyptians, using a range of papyrological and archaeological material. It will assess evidence for the size and structure of the Greek population in Egypt and its interaction with, and influence on, various aspects of life in both urban and rural contexts. Particular attention will be paid to: Greek cities such as Naukratis, Alexandria and Memphis, and their economies; political power in the towns and in the countryside; land and power; and law and religion. The course will also consider the nature of Hellenism and identity in this context.
A typical class schedule may look like this:
Class 1: Kings and subjects: the Ptolemies in Egypt
Class 2: Administration: nomes, districts and the state
Class 3: Naukratis and Alexandria, Ptolemais and Memphis
Class 4: Ethnicity and society in the chora
Class 5: Kerkeosiris, the Heracleopolite nome and cavalry cleruchs
Class 6: Economy: Land, power, sacred land, the Greek monetised economy, trade and industry
Class 7: Law, crime and punishment
Class 8: Private lives: Names, family, marriage, inheritance, education, literacy and bilingualism
Class 9: The Army in Ptolemaic Egypt
Class 10: Religion: Priests, temples, cults and ruler cult
Class 11: Hellenism and Hellenistic constructs
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| 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. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- knowledge and understanding of the social, economic and political history of Egypt in the period 332BC - 31BC;
- knowledge and understanding of the size and structure of population groups (Greeks, Egyptians and others) and their cultural interactions in Egypt in the period, with particular emphasis on Hellenistic culture;
- an ability to collect, analyse and compare evidence from a range of material for the period (for instance, papyrological and archaeological);
- ability to evaluate and criticize the work of modern historians;
- skills in the presentation of their ideas and conclusions on this topic.
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Reading List
Austin, M.M. (ed.) (2006 ) The Hellenistic World from Alexander to the Roman Conquest: A Selection of Ancient Sources in Translation Cambridge.
Bagnall, Roger S. & Peter Derow (1981) Greek Historical Documents. The Hellenistic Period. Chico, CA.
Bagnall, Roger S. (1995) Reading papyri, writing ancient history. Approaching the Ancient World London.
Bagnall, Roger S. & Dominic W. Rathbone (eds.) (2005) Egypt from Alexander to the Early Christians. An Archaeological and Historical Guide Los Angeles: Getty Publications.
Bevan, Edwyn (1968) The House of Ptolemy: A History of Egypt Chicago.
Bingen, Jean, (2007) Hellenistic Egypt. Monarchy, Society, Economy, Culture, edited by Bagnall, Roger S., Edinburgh.
Erskine, Andrew (ed.) (2003) A Companion to the Hellenistic World (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Malden, MA.
Bowman, A.K. (1996) Egypt after the pharaohs, 332 BC¿AD 642: From Alexander to the Arab conquest. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Chauveau, Michel (2000) Egypt in the Age of Cleopatra: History and Society Under the Ptolemies New York.
Hall, J.M. (2002) Hellenicity: Between ethnicity and culture. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Hazzard, R.A., (2000) Imagination of a Monarchy: Studies in Ptolemaic Propaganda Toronto.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Special Arrangements |
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. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
The 22 contact teaching hours are made up of 19 Lecture and 3 Seminar hours. |
| Keywords | Hellenistic Egypt |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Ulrike Roth
Tel: (0131 6)50 3586
Email: U.Roth@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Elaine Hutchison
Tel: (0131 6)50 3582
Email: E.Hutchison@ed.ac.uk |
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