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| Semester | spring semester 2024 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers |
Elena Luise Hertel (elena.hertel@unibas.ch)
Anne-Sophie Meyer (anne-sophie.meyer@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Crisis is a universal topic that can affect all cultures of the world, at different times and in various contexts. On a socio-political level, a crisis can reveal weaknesses in a system and even lead to the collapse of systems such as forms of government or social organization. At the same, a crisis can enforce quick action and as such act as a catalyst for innovation. As such, the study of crisis reveals the strengths and adaptability of societies and provides an opportunity to gain insight into the stability of their organisational systems. In ancient societies, the study of crisis presents several challenges but also a great potential for understanding cultural developments. The goal of this class is to discuss how we can approach these challenges and make use of the bird’s eye view of a modern observer, which allows us to study societies before, during, and after catastrophic events and extended periods of crisis to gain a better understanding of the dynamic of these societies’ functionality. In order to not only focus on a distant perspective but to take the human experience of crisis into account, we plan to combine this with the topic of trauma, to be discussed both on a collective and – where the sources allow it – on an individual basis. Particular attention will be paid to: • Recognising crisis in ancient cultures: natural disasters and environmental change in the archaeological record; interpreting first-hand accounts of traumatic events. • Crisis management: immediate responses to destabilising situations (e.g. construction activity, increased/decreased religious activity, ...) • Resilience: the ability of a society to absorb shocks without fundamentally changing its structure. • Collective trauma, personal trauma: responses of societies and individuals to deal with the psychological effects of traumatic events, visible in written sources (e.g. crisis literature, philosophy) and material culture (e.g. changes in art). • Collapse or change? How to interpret signs of cultural change according to current methodological models Suggestions for specific topics for discussion: • The volcano eruption of Akrotiri and the collapse of palatial structures in Bronze Age Crete • The volcano eruption of Pompeii and its reception • The 'Sea Peoples' event and its impact on the Bronze Age Aegean • Catastrophic natural events in antiquity (e.g. floods, earthquakes, droughts) • Responses to civil war and social instability in ancient literature (Egyptian, Latin, Greek...) • Ancient theoretical approaches and responses to (natural) disasters (e.g. through religion, philosophy, consolation literature) • Theory: Societal collapse and resilience theory • Theory: The concept of crisis literature • Theory: Changes in art in response to the crisis |
| Learning objectives | The students are able to link the concepts of crisis and trauma with current definitions and theories and to discuss them critically. They will gain an insight into the various directions of research on these concepts and can use an example of their choice to test and present the application of these concepts and theories. |
| Bibliography | Selected bibliography: G. Capriotti Vittozzi (ed), Egyptian Curses 2. A Research of Ancient Catastrophes (Rome 2015). T. F. Cunningham and J. M. Driessen, Crisis to collapse: the archaeology of social breakdown (Aegis 11; Louvain-la-Neuve, 2017). A. A. Long, Natural Catastrophe in Greek and Roman Philosophy, in: U. Coope, B. Sattler (eds.), Ancient Ethics and the Natural World (Cambridge 2021), 50–68. G. D. Middleton (ed.), Collapse and Transformation: The Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age in the Aegean (Philadelphia, 2020). M. R. Salzman, The "Falls" of Rome: crises, resilience, and resurgence in late antiquity. (Cambridge; New York, 2021). H. Sonnabend, Naturkatastrophen in der Antike. Wahrnehmung, Deutung, Management (Stuttgart 2013). |
| Comments | The language of instruction will be German and/or English depending on the group of participants. Unterrichtssprache wird Deutsch und/oder Englisch sein, je nach Teilnehmende. The course will be conducted as a block seminar: March 8: 13.00-16.30 April 12: 13.00 - 16.30 April 16: 10.00-16.30 May 14: 10.00-16.30 May 17: 13.00-16.30 |
| Admission requirements | Advanced knowledge in a field of ancient studies and interest in interdisciplinary work; students from other disciplines are also welcome to participate, please contact the lecturers. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| unregelmässig | See individual dates | ||
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 08.03.2024 | 13.15-16.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Friday 12.04.2024 | 13.15-16.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 16.04.2024 | 10.15-16.45 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 107 |
| Tuesday 14.05.2024 | 10.15-16.45 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 107 |
| Friday 17.05.2024 | 13.15-16.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Modules |
Ancient History: Recommendations (PhD subject: Ancient History) Doktorat Gräzistik: Empfehlungen (PhD subject: Greek Philology) Doktorat Historisch-vergleichende Sprachwissenschaft: Empfehlungen (PhD subject: Comparative and Historic Linguistics) Doktorat Klassische Archäologie: Empfehlungen (PhD subject: Classical Archaeology) Doktorat Latinistik: Empfehlungen (PhD subject: Latin Philology) Egyptology: Recommendations (PhD subject: Egyptology) European Archaeology (Doctoral Studies - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Regular attendance; regular preparation of meetings; presentation on a topic of one's choice. |
| 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 Ägyptologie |