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Module

CAH2208 : Issues in Ancient History

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Don Miller
  • Lecturer: Professor Federico Santangelo, Dr Micaela Langellotti, Dr John Holton, Dr Joseph Skinner
  • Owning School: History, Classics and Archaeology
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 2 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

The purpose of this module is to introduce students in the BA with Honours in Ancient History to more detailed work on particular aspects and problems of ancient history. It is designed to illustrate the ways of approaching and researching problems in ancient history. The problems chosen are from the general areas of the lecturers' research interests. In particular the aim is to concentrate on methods and the ways of exploiting different kinds of evidence. The essays which form the assessment enable you to carry out your own research in these areas.

This module aims to provide an opportunity of investigating in some depth selected problems, including the appraisal of selected source material and the critical examination of current historiography.

Outline Of Syllabus

In a typical year the module might be based around the exploration of such key issues as:

Inscriptions (e.g. approaches to the interpretation of epigraphic evidence)

Written records, such as papyri and writing tablets (eg documents on Roman history, Vindolanda Tablets)

Religion and Roman History (e.g. The trial and execution of Jesus, Judea as a Roman province)

Greeks and non-Greeks (e.g. Herodotus and the 'Other'; Greeks and Barbarians)

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture221:0022:002 lectures per week
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion641:0064:00For two assessment components
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading331:0033:003 hours reading per week
Structured Guided LearningStructured research and reading activities102:0020:002 hours preparation tasks per seminar
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching101:0010:001 seminar per week (except first week)
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study501:0050:00General consolidation activities
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesModule talk11:001:00Introduction to Module
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The introductory lecture is designed to provide students with an overview of the structure and assessment requirements for this team-taught module, which is organised differently from other modules the students will have taken previously.

The lectures impart core knowledge via expert orientation and exposition of a broad range of themes and issues, with opportunities for dialogue, while also stimulating development of independent research and note-taking skills.

Seminars allow students to develop their grasp of specific aspects of the historical themes and issues and to practice and improve their communication skills.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Essay2M50Essay of 1,500 words
Essay2A50Essay of 1,500 words
Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Description Semester When Set Comment
Prob solv exercises2MThe formative assessment will take the form of weekly MCQ quizzes.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Submitted work tests intended knowledge and skills outcomes, develops key skills in research, reading and writing. The assessment methods used test intended knowledge and skills outcomes, and are appropriate for assessing students' skills in research, reading and writing, which are developed during the course of the module. They are designed to support the achievement of the intended aims and learning outcomes.

All of the assessments for this module will be submitted and marked online.

Reading Lists

Timetable