Postgraduate Course: The Hellenistic City (PGHC11183)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course explores the role of the city, the Greek polis, in the Hellenistic world, both old cities like Athens and new ones like Alexandria. There will be a particular emphasis on the use of epigraphic material. |
| Course description |
This course explores the role of the city, the Greek polis, in the Hellenistic world. Many have thought that the polis ended with Alexander, so the validity of this position will be examined. Key themes will include civic identity, the interaction between cities and with kings, cult and euergetism and the spread of Greek culture, but the selection of themes will also vary according to the interests of those taking the course. Other possible topics would include specific cities such as Athens or Alexandria, education, food supply, diplomacy, philosophers, public buildings, democracy, leagues and federations. An understanding of the Hellenistic world is particularly important for understanding the development of the Roman empire in the East. All taking the course will be expected to do a presentation on a subject of their choice.
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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 | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- a detailed and critical command of the body of knowledge concerning the nature of the Greek polis and its place in the Hellenistic world
- an ability to analyse and reflect critically upon relevant scholarship concerning the development and character of the Hellenistic polis and its place in the Greek East, and relevant primary source materials, especially epigraphy
- the ability to develop and sustain original scholarly arguments in oral and written form by independently formulating appropriate questions and utilising relevant evidence considered in the course
- originality and independence of mind and initiative; intellectual integrity and maturity; an ability to evaluate the work of others, including peers; and a considerable degree of autonomy
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Reading List
Alexandria and Alexandrianism: papers delivered at a symposium organized by the J. Paul Getty Museum, 1996
Austin, M. 2006. The Hellenistic World from Alexander to the Roman Conquest. 2nd ed. Cambridge
Bugh, G. (ed.) 2006. Cambridge Companion to the Hellenistic World. Cambridge
Chaniotis, A. 2005. War in the Hellenistic world: a social and cultural history. Oxford
Erskine, A. 2003 (ed.) A Companion to the Hellenistic World. Oxford
Giovannini, A. 1993. 'Greek Cities and Greek Commonwealth' in A.W. Bulloch etc. (ed.) Images and Ideologies: Self-definition in the Hellenistic World, 265-86
Gruen, E. 1993. 'The Polis in the Hellenistic World' in Nomodeiktes: Greek studies in honor of Martin Ostwald edited by Ralph M. Rosen and Joseph Farrell. 339-54
Hansen, M. H. 2006, Polis; an introduction to the ancient Greek city-state. Oxford
Ma, J. 2013. Statues and Cities. Honorific Portraits and Civic Identity in the Hellenistic World. Oxford
Mackil, E. 2013. Creating a Common Polity: Religion, Economy, and Politics in the Making of the Greek Koinon. Berkeley
Martzavou, P. and Papazarkadas, N. 2013. The Epigraphy of the Post-Classical Polis. Oxford
Shipley, G. 2000. The Greek World After Alexander 323-30 BC. London |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | HellCity Hellenistic |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Andrew Erskine
Tel: (0131 6)50 3591
Email: Andrew.Erskine@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Jonathan Donnelly
Tel: (0131 6)50 3782
Email: Jonathan.Donnelly@ed.ac.uk |
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