CX378-15 The Archaeology of Athens and Attica
Introductory description
Athens was undoubtedly the most important city of Classical Greece. Its ideological and material footprints resonate in the modern world through institutions such as democracy, the iconic images of the Parthenon, Greek statues, or vases. This module will explore and consider interpretations of the archaeology of Athens and its surrounding polis of Attica. The main chronological focus of this module will be the Archaic-Hellenistic periods, but we will also delve into the preceding Early Iron age (ca. 1050-750 BCE) to consider the formation of the Greek polis (or city-state) system.
Module aims
This module is intended to provide a material complement to Democracy and Imperialism and a regional complement to City of Rome. We will consider issues such as sacred and technological landscapes, power and display, sustainability, economy and resource management, as well as regionalism and identity among others. This module covers key archaeological material from Athens such as the Acropolis, the Agora and the Kerameikos, as well as sites and material from around Attica such as Eleusis, Brauron, Marathon, Thorikos and Rhamnous. Finally, we will consider material from less well-known sites, such as the quarries on Mts. Pentelikon, the rude Archaic graffiti on Mt. Hymettos, the healing sanctuary of Amphiaraos and the colossal fortress of Agiosthena. By the end of this module, students will have gained skills in reconstructing histories from things, they will have gained experience in synthesising and presenting material remains and will be familiar with the relationship that landscape and ecology have on the development of culture.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
Week 1: Environment and Context.
Week 2: The Polis and Early Attica.
Week 3: Sacred Athens: The Acropolis.
Week 4: Life and Death. Seminar 1 – Historiography
Week 5: Government and Commerce: The Agora
Week 6: Reading Week
Week 7: Industry, Art and Display. Seminar 2 – Reading Artefacts
Week 8: Defence and Military.
Week 9: Resources and Agriculture.
Week 10: Sacred Attica: Extra-urban Cults.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Students will gain a sysematic introduction to, and understanding of, the complex and diverse nature of our evidence for interpreting the ancient city of Athens, and its surrounding region of Attica. They will also gain an appreciation of how the geographic setting, and topography of Athens helped to inform its place in the ancient Greek world.
- Students will gain an ability to analyse and critically assess a range of primary and secondary source material.
- Set their findings into a wider comparative context, drawing in other aspects of the study of the ancient world.
- Show the ability to seek out appropriate secondary literature and show discernment in the types of primary evidence addressed.
Indicative reading list
Barringer, J. 2008. Art, Myth and Ritual in Classical Greece. Cambridge.
Beard, M. 2010. The Parthenon. Profile.
Bintliff, J. 2012. The Complete Archaeology of Greece: From Hunter-Gatherers to the 20th Century A.D. Wiley Blackwell.
Camp, J. 2001. Archaeology of Athens. Yale.
de Polignac, F. 1995. Cults, territory and the origins of the Greek city-state. Translated by J. Lloyd. Chicago.
Goette, H.R. 2008. Athens, Attica and the Megarid. Routledge.
Hamilakis, Y. 2009. The Nation and Its Ruins: Antiquity, Archaeology, and National Imagination in Greece. Oxford.
Lynch, K. 2011. The Symposium in Context : Pottery from a Late Archaic House near the Athenian Agora. Princeton.
Osborne, R. 2000. Classical Greece, 500-323. Oxford.
Vickers, M., and D. Gill. 1996. Artful Crafts: Ancient Silverware and Pottery. Oxford.
Whitley, J. 2001. The Archaeology of Ancient Greece. Cambridge.
Subject specific skills
Upon completion of the module, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the chronology, historical context, geography, and material remains of Athens and Attica.
- Demonstrate skills in the evaluation of primary source material and secondary literature.
- Individually, research, analyse, contextualise and present relevant information and evidence from primary and secondary sources in the form of a structured argument.
Transferable skills
- critical thinking
- problem solving
- active lifelong learning
- communication
- teamwork and working effectively with others
- ICT literacy
- Information literacy
- professionalism
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 9 sessions of 2 hours (90%) |
| Seminars | (0%) |
| Tutorials | 1 session of 1 hour (5%) |
| Practical classes | (0%) |
| Supervised practical classes | 1 session of 1 hour (5%) |
| Total | 20 hours |
Private study description
No private study requirements defined for this module.
Costs
| Category | Description | Funded by | Cost to student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Books and learning materials |
texts approximately £30 |
Student | £30.00 |
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| Assessed Essay | 60% | Yes (extension) | |
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Essay during the Spring term of up to 3,000 words. This essay will be due on Week 1 of Summer Term . |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| 1-hr Slide Test | 40% | No | |
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An in-class slide test will be used as an assessment method. This test will consist of 8 images that will be displayed on a loop during the test, and students will pick 5 images from the 8 (10min per image) to write about. For each slide, students will be expected to identify the image, to assign a date, and to explain its relevance within the module. This assessment method will be discussed in class at the beginning of the module. A pool of 50 slides from which 8 will be selected will be available from Week 5 for study preparation, with the test taking place on Week 10. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Individual tutorials (all) and Tabula feedback sheets (for assignments)
Courses
This module is Optional for:
- Year 3 of UCXA-Q804 Undergraduate Classics (Latin)
This module is Core option list A for:
- Year 3 of UCXA-VV16 Undergraduate Ancient History and Classical Archaeology
- Year 4 of UCXA-VV18 Undergraduate Ancient History and Classical Archaeology with Study in Europe
This module is Option list A for:
- Year 3 of UCXA-Q800 BA in Classics
- Year 3 of UCXA-Q820 Undergraduate Classical Civilisation
- Year 4 of UCXA-Q821 Undergraduate Classical Civilisation with Study in Europe
- Year 4 of UCXA-Q802 Undergraduate Classics (Latin) with Study in Europe