131-297 The Graeco-Roman City in Antiquity

Note

Available as 131-397 at 3rd-year level.

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Subject Description

This is to be an intensive subject designed to examine ancient Greek and Roman societies and cities in Greece, Italy and Turkey. We will be based at three locations from where we will visit ancient cities, palaces and shrines: i) Athens, with day trips to Mycenae, Delphi and Olympia; ii) the Hellenistic cities on the west coast of Turkey: Priene, Ephesus, and Aphrodisias; iii) Rome, with day trips to Ostia, Hadrian's Villa and Pompeii. The aim of the subject will be to benefit from the opportunity of being on location on archaeological sites that stand as they did in antiquity (Ostia, Pompeii, the ancient cities in Turkey), in contemporary cities (Athens, Rome) that still reflect the ancient presence; and to examine material culture in some of the world's pre-eminent museums (e.g. National Archaeological Museum of Athens, Museo Nationale Romano, Villa Giulia). Visits to sites and museums will be based around thematic issues that will build up a picture of the physical, economic, political and cultural evolution of ancient cities, and social life in these cities. The themes to be investigated include: the origins of cities; the city as a physical site; the city as seat of rank, authority and power; the economy and the marketplace; religion and myth; the individual in society; citizenship, the family, the individual and the state, work, sport, leisure and entertainment, gender and sexuality.

Assessment

Written work not totalling more than 5000 words, comprising a journal kept during the subject (35%) and a research essay (65%).