BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The main objective of the course will be to provide students with the ability to grasp the coordinates of time and space essential for understanding the historical phenomenon. At the end of the course, the student will have the tools to interpret the signs of antiquity still present in the surrounding landscape, to understand the historiographical language, and to contextualize within ad adequate spatio-temporal frame cross-referencing cultural and environmental data.
Course Prerequisites
Previous experience in ancient history studies is not required. However, some skills will be helpful for students: thinking critically, having and knowing how to preserve an attitude of curiosity towards historical knowledge.
Teaching Methods
Lectures with projection, reading, and exegesis of sources of various types. The material will be progressively uploaded in the Moodle section devoted to the course.
Assessment Methods
The examination will take place in oral form only and will be marked in thirtieths. The questioning will be structured in the form of a dialogue and will focus on a series of questions relating to the entire programme (including the materials included in the course moodle), to test the ability to carry out a critical analysis of the cultural-historical period. For non-frequent students, preparation will also be required on further specialist contributions, which will be indicated in the bibliography as appropriate.
Contents
The course will be divided into two interconnected parts: the first dedicated to Greek civilisation and a second on the Roman world, with introductory elements on the methodology of historiographical investigation. The key themes in the development of Greek history will then be analysed, from its origins to the Hellenistic age, will then be indicated, considering focal points such as the birth of the polis, the first forms of colonisation and the evolution of legislation, internal and external wars, the Athenian thalassocracy, Spartan and Theban hegemony, and the life and myth of Alexander the Great.
We will then move on to illustrating the salient historical moments from the origins of Roma to the Late Antiquity, with a focus on the birth and development of Roman institutions, on the social and civil conflicts that arose in tandem with the expansion of Roman power over the Mediterranean, on the contacts therefore between the Roman world and the Hellenistic kingdoms, on the Principate and the principle of succession of power, on the translatio imperii and the significance of the Late Antique transformation period.
Online Resources
More information
It is recommended to pay attention to the indications regarding the bibliography indicated for exam preparation: the texts indicated for “non-attending” students will be required for students who fail to attend at least three-quarters of the course and are to be prepared in addition to those indicated for “attending” students. All documentation uploaded to the course Moodle is an integral part of exam preparation and will be required during the exam. The teacher will be available during office hours to answer any specific questions and to prepare any targeted in-depth study to introduce the oral exam. For all students with SLDs or similar issues, please refer to the specific University regulations; however, we suggest contacting the teacher by email to arrange ad hoc office hours.