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74409-01 - Practical course: Reading Antiquity: for an Analytical Approach to Ancient Sources (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Sara Baldin (sara.baldin@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Did Cleopatra die in the modesty and privacy of her apartments, as a dignified act, as Plutarch informs us? Or was the demise of the great queen a theatrical and staged event, as reported by Dio Cassius? Did Romulus mock the dead body of Remus, declaring it the fate of every future rival of Rome, as Livy suggests? Or did he compassionately bury it with solemn rites, as Dionysius of Halicarnassus describes? These contrasting accounts illustrate the complexities of interpreting ancient sources. Understanding how to critically assess these differences—by ranking the reliability of various source types and analyzing their purpose and audience—is essential for uncovering a fuller picture of the past. The study of antiquity presents a unique challenge due to the sheer variety and multiplicity of available sources. From satire and didactic poetry to political orations and engraved decrees, each source type offers a fragmentary and often biased perspective on historical events. These sources, while fascinating, are not uniform and often require careful contextualization to fully decipher their meaning. Some sources, like public orations, can be highly rhetorical and manipulative, aiming to persuade or inspire, while others, such as decrees, aim for factuality but may also serve propagandistic purposes. Navigating this abundance of material, understanding its peculiarities, and interpreting it critically are the foundations of rigorous historical research. This course is designed to guide students through this process. Each class will focus on a specific type of source, teaching students how to analyze and interpret it within its historical, cultural, and literary context. The course is divided into two parts: in the first, we will examine works by ancient authors, delving into literary genres such as historiography, epic, and drama, as well as the biases and intentions inherent in these works. In the second part, we will shift our attention to material sources, such as inscriptions, coins, and monuments, exploring how they complement and challenge literary accounts. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the tools to critically engage with the diverse and complex sources of the ancient world, laying the groundwork for a nuanced and thorough understanding of antiquity. |
| Learning objectives | -Understand how to utilize different types of ancient sources for historical research -Evaluate the reliability and credibility of ancient sources -Gain foundational knowledge of various disciplines involved in the study of antiquity -Develop the skills to navigate and critically analyze the abundance of information available on the ancient world |
| Bibliography | - M. Crawford (ed.), Sources for Ancient History, Cambridge 1983 - D.M. Schaps, Handbook for Classical Research, Abingdon 2011 - A. Brundage, Going to the Sources. A Guide to Historical Research and Writing, Hoboken 2018 |
| Admission requirements | Knowledge of ancient languages (Latin and/or Greek) is preferred, but not essential |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Tuesday | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 18.02.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 25.02.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 04.03.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 11.03.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Fasnachstferien |
| Tuesday 18.03.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 25.03.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 01.04.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 08.04.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 15.04.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 22.04.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 29.04.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 06.05.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 13.05.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 20.05.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 27.05.2025 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Modules |
Modul: Archive / Medien / Theorien (Bachelor's degree subject: History) Modul: Griechische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Griechische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Griechische Textwissenschaft (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Griechische Textwissenschaft (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: English) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: German Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: French Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Spanish Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Italian Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Nordic Philology (Start of studies before 01.08.2022)) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Nordic Philology) Modul: Praxis (Master's degree subject: History) Modul: Reflexion, Methodik, Praxis (Master's degree program: European History in Global Perspective) Modul: Römische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Römische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) 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) Modul: Vertiefung in Alter Geschichte (Master's degree subject: Ancient History) Modul: Vertiefung in Geschichte und Altertumswissenschaften BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Vertiefung in Geschichte und Altertumswissenschaften BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Vertiefung in Geschichte und Altertumswissenschaften MA (Master's degree subject: Ancient History) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | The course will be assessed based on participation during class sessions and individual/group presentations |
| 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 |