Newcastle University > Undergraduate > Find a Degree > Module

• Offered for Year: 2021/22

• Module Leader(s): Dr Don Miller

• Owning School: History, Classics and Archaeology
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Aims

To provide an opportunity for students to develop their knowledge and understanding of a range of social, political and cultural issues relating to the history and topography of the city of Athens, from its Bronze Age beginnings to the late Classical period, reading widely and critically in the primary and secondary literature associated with it, and to develop the capacity for independent study.

Outline Of Syllabus

The city of Athens was the political, cultural and economic centre of ancient Greece; consequently its history and heritage have fascinated scholars and tourists alike for centuries. But how did Athens evolve from a small agricultural village to the most powerful city-state in the Greek world? How did its appearance change over time? And what intellectual and architectural legacy have the Athenians bequeathed to the western world?

This module examines the infrastructure of ancient Athens, not only as an administrative, monumental, and religious centre, but also in terms of the social and political life of its diverse inhabitants, thus facilitating a view of Athens as a ‘living’ city rather than a city of decaying monuments. It introduces the ancient and modern sources for ancient Athens, from the city’s earliest history in the Bronze Age through the end of the fourth century BC, adopting both a chronological and thematic approach. Particular emphasis will be placed on the Classical period (479-323 BC).

The topics and issues to be discussed include: Bronze Age Greece, the rise of the city-state; the growth of Athenian democracy; Athenian society and institutions; sanctuaries and religion; the political topography of the city; domestic and social space, the Periclean building programme, and trade and the Athenian economy, and attitudes towards death and burial practice.

The module will be structured around the integration of several diverse types of evidence and materials, ranging from literary accounts of the city and its territory; major works of epic poetry, philosophy and drama; epigraphic and numismatic evidence; the study of archaeological sites; and key aspects of the development of Greek art and architecture.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures and non-synchronous lecture materials impart core knowledge and an outline of knowledge that students are expected to acquire and they stimulate development of independent research and note-taking skills. In-person lectures will provide opportunities for dialogue, while lecture materials can be reviewed at any time across the week and revisited numerous times afterwards. In the event that on-campus sessions need to be reduced, there is the capacity to present recorded materials asynchronously and retain timetabled slots for live discussion of these materials.

Seminars will also consolidate the learning progress from lectures, lecture materials, and weekly readings by enabling students to focus on connected issues and material in greater depth. Seminars will be student-led and facilitated by teaching staff, and will hinge upon group discussion and debate about materials circulated in advance (for example, sets of evidence, scholarship, and questions). In the event that on-campus sessions need to be reduced, there is the capacity to hold live seminar discussions online and retain timetabled slots.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The essay assignments assess the ability to engage in depth with key primary evidence and modern scholarship and construct a reasoned argument on the basis of these. In addition, they test the students’ ability to engage in independent research and communicate effectively in written form.

All of the assessments for this module will be submitted and marked online.

This module can be made available to Erasmus students only with the agreement of the Head of Subject and of the Module Leader. This option must be discussed in person at the beginning of your exchange period. No restrictions apply to study-abroad, exchange and Loyola students.

All Erasmus students at Newcastle University are expected to do the same assessment as students registered for a degree.

Study-abroad, non-Erasmus exchange and Loyola students spending semester 1 only are required to finish their assessment while in Newcastle. This will take the form of an alternative assessment, as outlined in the formats below:

Modules assessed by Coursework and Exam:
The normal alternative form of assessment for all semester 1 non-EU study abroad students will be one essay in addition to the other coursework assessment (the length of the essay should be adjusted in order to comply with the assessment tariff); to be submitted no later than 12pm Friday of week 12. The essays should be set so as to assure coverage of the course content to date.

Modules assessed by Exam only:
The normal alternative form of assessment for all semester 1 non-EU study abroad students will be two 2,000 word written exercises; to be submitted no later than 12pm Friday of week 12. The essays should be set so as to assure coverage of the course content to date.

Modules assessed by Coursework only:
All semester 1 non-EU study abroad students will be expected to complete the standard assessment for the module; to be submitted no later than 12pm Friday of week 12. The essays should be set so as to assure coverage of the course content to date.

Study-abroad, non-Erasmus exchange and Loyola students spending the whole academic year or semester 2 are required to complete the standard assessment as set out in the MOF under all circumstances.

Reading Lists

• CAH3005's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• CAH3005's Timetable