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49889-01 - Proseminar: Trade, Finances, and Economy in the Hellenistic Period (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2017 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Irene Soto Marin (irene.sotomarin@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course explores the continuities and innovations in trade, commerce, and communication that occurred in the Mediterranean and beyond during the Hellenistic period, following Alexander the Great’s conquest and untimely death. How did the different Hellenistic kingdoms address their territories from a financial point of view? What sorts of commercial relationships existed and what kind of goods were exchanged between the state and private individuals? What trends were new economic innovations and what was inherited from Achaemenid and Greek economic and political systems? These larger historical questions will be addressed by looking closely at the material and textual record from various regions of the Ancient World. The class will explore the archaeological and numismatic evidence from Egypt, the Near East, Central Asia, and India. We will also analyze texts such as papyri from Egypt, contracts on leather from Bactria, and classical Greek historical and philosophical texts. While the class focuses on commerce and trade, it will also touch upon other historical themes such as political institutions, administrative reforms, diplomatic relations, and cultural and material exchange. |
| Bibliography | Aperghis, G. G. 2004. The Seleukid Royal Economy. The Finances and Financial Administration of the Seleukid Empire, Cambridge. Bagnall and Derow. 2004. The Hellenistic Period: Historical Sources in Translation. Oxford. Briant, Pierre. 2002. From Cyrus to Alexander. A History of the Persian Empire. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns. Chaveau. 2000. Egypt in the Age of Cleopatra: History and society under the Ptolemies. Translated by David Lorton. Ithaca. NY Hiebert, Friedrik and Pierre Cambon. 2008. Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul. National Geographic, Washington, D.C. Hölbl. 2001. A history of the Ptolemaic Empire. Translated by Tina Saavedra. New York Manning, J. G. 2011. “At the limits: Long-Distance Trade in the Time of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Kings,” in Victor Mair and Jane Hickman (eds.) Reconfiguring the Silk Road: New Research on East-West Exchange in Antiquity, pp 5-14. Thonemann, Peter. 2016. The Hellenistic Age. Oxford: Oxford University Press. |
| Admission requirements | Beschränkung der Teilnehmerzahl: 35 Erfolgreich abgeschlossenes PS zur Einführung in die Alte Geschichte (BSF/BSG Altertumswissenschaften), erfolgreich abgeschlossener Einführungskurs in die Geschichtswissenschaft ( BSF Geschichte) Andere Studierende nur in Absprache mit der Dozentin. |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|
No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Ergänzungsmodul Alte Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Ergänzungsmodul Alte Geschichte (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Grundmodul Alte Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: History (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Modul Basis Alte Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: History) Modul Griechische Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Modul Griechische Geschichte (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Modul Griechische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul Griechische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul Grundstudium Schwerpunkt Alte Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul Grundstudium Schwerpunkt Alte Geschichte (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul Theorie und Methoden (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Modul Theorie und Methoden (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Modul Theorie und Methoden der Alten Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul Theorie und Methoden der Alten Geschichte (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Alte Geschichte |