Undergraduate Course: Greek and Roman Letters (CLTR10032)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Between 10,000 and 15,000 letters survive from antiquity. That is a mind-boggling number, especially when compared to the relatively small numbers of other, better-known genres (e.g., only c. 40 complete Greek and Roman tragedies survive). In this course, we will familiarise ourselves with this rich and fascinating genre that has a variety of topics and registers to offer like no other. |
| Course description |
This course introduces students to ancient epistolography and its fascinating mixture of mundane everyday communication and high-brow literature. We will read a range of texts that deal with a wide variety of epistolary subjects: these will include Cicero's and Pliny's letters to friends and political allies, the philosophical letters of Plato, Epicurus and Seneca the Younger, the playful verse letters of the poets Horace and Ovid, and the less literary letters written by soldiers in Vindolanda in Northern England. The module will offer a chronological as well as thematic approach to ancient letters. We will discuss ancient epistolary theory and its limits, the authenticity of the material and the strategies of pseudepigraphical literature, parody and paratext, self-representation and biographical elements in letter-writing as well as the role of privacy and friendship. The module will pay particular attention to the organisation of ancient letters in collections and analyse the role that narrative, distance and chronology play in letter collections.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | A pass in Classical Literature 2: Greek and Roman Epic (CLTR08008), or equivalent experience at the discretion of the Course Organiser. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should usually have at least 3 courses in Classics, History or Archaeology (at least 1 of which should be in Classical Literature) at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses.
** as numbers are limited, visiting students should contact the Visiting Student Office directly for admission to this course ** |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
174 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework:
1,000 word Literature Review (20%)
1,500 word Literary Commentary (30%)
3,500 word Essay (50%) |
| Feedback |
Students will receive feedback on their coursework, and will have the opportunity to discuss that feedback further with the Course Organiser during their published office hours for this course or by appointment. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- analyse a wide range of primary texts, placing them in their proper literary and historical context
- reflect critically on the set text(s) and the modern debate on the text(s), showing their ability to take an independent and well-argued stance
- show in research-led, argument-driven coursework their ability to conduct a sustained individual enquiry into a particular aspect of the topic
- engage in active scholarly debate with their peers and express their arguments in written form
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Reading List
Allen, P., Bronwen, N. 2020. Greek and Latin letters in late antiquity: the Christianisation of a literary form. Cambridge.
Altman, J. 1982. Epistolarity: Approaches to a Form. Columbus.
Ceccarelli, P. 2013. Ancient Greek letter writing: A cultural history (600-150 BC). Oxford.
Ebbeler, J. 2010. Letters. In Oxford Companion to Roman Studies. Edited by Barchiesi and Scheidel, 464-476. Oxford.
Gibson, R. 2012. On the Nature of Ancient Letter Collections. Journal of Roman Studies 102, 56-78.
Hodkinson, O., P. A. Rosenmeyer, and E. Bracke, eds. 2013. Epistolary narratives in ancient Greek literature. Leiden.
Morello, R., A.D. Morrison eds. 2007. Ancient Letters. Classical and Late Antique Epistolography. Oxford.
Rosenmeyer, P. 2001. Ancient Epistolary Fictions. The Letter in Greek Literature. Cambridge.
Sarri, A. 2018. Material Aspects of Letter-Writing in the Graeco-Roman World: c. 500 BC - C. A-- 300. Berlin.
Sogno, C., Storin, B., Watts, E. eds. 2017. Late Antique Letter Collections. Oakland.
Trapp, M. ed. 2003. Greek and Latin Letters: An Anthology with Translations. Cambridge.
Zeiner-Carmichel, N. ed. and trans. 2013. Roman Letters: An Anthology. Malden. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- Thorough understanding of the historical development of letter-writing
- Experience in close reading and critical evaluation of demanding texts
- Ability to express an informed opinion and to communicate effectively with audiences of peers and experienced scholars
- Capacity to produce tight, well-evidenced and clearly expressed arguments in written form
- Ability to evaluate and synthesize scholarly debates |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Janja Soldo
Tel: (0131 6)50 3873
Email: janja.soldo@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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