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| Semester | spring semester 2019 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Tero Alstola (tero.alstola@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | The Babylonian Exile of Judeans is a watershed in the development of Judaism. Until now, the historical reconstruction of this formative period has been primarily based on biblical sources. The ongoing publication of texts from Yahudu, the “town of Judah” in Babylonia, is changing this picture right now. These cuneiform tablets allow us to study the everyday life of Judeans in Babylonia and learn more about the nature of their exile. At the same time, the publication of new texts has induced fresh interest in the study of other cuneiform sources relating to Judeans. As a result, life in exile and family histories of certain Judeans can be studied in detail. The course invites students to explore these new rich sources. The cuneiform texts and the social world emerging from them will be the focal point of investigation, but this new data will be set in the framework of archaeological work in Judah and biblical sources related to the exile. Students will learn about Babylonian society, the everyday life of Judean exiles, and the dynamics between immigrants, their host society and the imperial administration. Moreover, students will learn how to use primary sources to study the social history of the ancient Near East. The course will also address the methodological questions related to studying ancient societies, using historical sources, and identifying immigrants in cuneiform texts. (The course will be taught in English.) |
| Admission requirements | Knowledge of Akkadian or cuneiform script is not required, and all the sources can be read in English translation. Students who know Akkadian have a chance to familiarize themselves with the Late Babylonian dialect and with the genre of legal texts from the sixth and fifth centuries BCE. |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
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No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Doctoral Studies Theology: Recommendations (Doctoral Studies - Faculty of Theology) Electives Bachelor Theology: Recommendations (Bachelor's degree subject: Theology) Interner Wahlbereich Theologie: Empfehlungen (Master's Studies: Theology) Interner Wahlbereich Theologie: Empfehlungen (Bachelor's Studies: Theology) Interner Wahlbereich Theologie: Empfehlungen (Master's Studies: Theology (Start of studies before 01.08.2018)) Modul: Semitische Philologie (SPh) (Master's Studies: Theology (Start of studies before 01.08.2018)) Modul: Semitische Philologie (SPh) (Master's Studies: Theology) Wahlbereich Master Theologie: Empfehlungen (Master's degree subject: Theology) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: teaching staff |
| Repeat examination | one repetition, best attempt counts |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Theology, studiendekanat-theol@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Departement Theologie |