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| Semester | fall semester 2024 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Lisa Brunet (lisa.brunet@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | In this course, we delve into the lives of intriguing individuals such as Dorcas, Livia’s trusted hairdresser, the courageous Roman knight Asclepiades and a runaway slave once in the service of slave master Zoninus. These three individuals (like countless others from Antiquity) are known to us solely through epigraphic evidence. There are no surviving literary poems or anecdotes about them nor do historians mention them in their writings. Yet, their often-overlooked stories provide valuable insights into everyday life within the Roman Empire, supplementing the conventional literary texts that tend to prioritize the privileged few. This course introduces participants to the historical information gleaned from inscriptional texts and the methodologies employed in their analysis. From political structures to topics like religion, death and slavery, inscriptions offer insights into a broad spectrum of Roman daily life. Specifically, through selected examples, we explore Latin inscriptions not just as static artifacts but rather as dynamic tools of communication. |
| Learning objectives | Participants will gain practical skills in analyzing inscriptional texts, understanding their socio-cultural context and interpreting their historical significance. The course will also critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of inscriptions as historical sources, comparing them to other forms of evidence such as literary texts and archaeological findings |
| Bibliography | Bodel, J. (2001) Epigraphic Evidence. Ancient History from Inscriptions, London. Bodel, J. (2015) “Epigraphy and Literacy” in C. Bruun and J. Edmondson (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Roman Epigraphy (New York), 747-763. Cooley, A. (2001) The Cambridge Manual of Latin Epigraphy, Cambridge. Manfred G. Schmidt (2011), Einführung in die lateinische Epigraphik (2. Aufl.), Darmstadt. |
| Comments | A rudimentary understanding of Latin is sufficient. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 14.15-15.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Sitzungsraum S 181 |
| Modules |
Modul: Archive / Medien / Theorien (Bachelor's degree subject: History) Modul: Griechische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Griechische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) 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 program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Theorie und Methoden der Alten Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Vertiefung in Altertumswissenschaften (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Vertiefung in Altertumswissenschaften (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) 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) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Alte Geschichte |