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School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics · ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
The democratic Athens of the 5th century BC has seemed to many the high point of Greek history, a period in which Athens became both one of the world's first democratic states and the most powerful state in the Greek world. It was also a time of a tremendous flowering in art and literature. This course will centre around a reading of Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, one of the greatest historical works ever written. Thucydides describes Athens' acquisition of its empire, followed by the descent of the Greek world into a long, destructive, brutalising war between Athens and Sparta. The course will also examine Athenian social and cultural history, using inscriptions, works by Euripides and Aristophanes, and law-court speeches.
Source exercise 750 words (5%)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3
Tutorial participation (10%)
Learning outcomes 1, 3, 4, 5
In-class seminar presentation (20 minutes) (15%)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 4, 5
One 3,000 word essay (40%)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
One three-hour exam in the examination period (30%)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
130 hours of total student learning time made up from: a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of workshop and workshop-like activities (tutorials). b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing
Thucydides, Peloponnesian War [edition to be prescribed] Aristophanes, Acharnians, Clouds, Lysistrata [edition to be prescribed] Other texts (Euripides, law-court speeches, etc. will be supplied.