CX109-15 Greek Culture and Society
Introductory description
This module provides an orientation for students of diverse backgrounds across the vast and immensely rich panorama of Greek culture. The module provides an understanding of the cultural contexts in which Greek art, literature, culture and thought flourished.
Module aims
This module is designed to provide a framework from which students can develop their own individual interests, and to offer a ‘taster’ for the various options that will be available in the second and third years. It takes a thematic approach, exploring some key aspects of Greek culture and society from an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together literary and material forms of evidence to inform further study.
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.
Sample Syllabus
- Introduction: Greek Culture and Society in a comparative perspective
2: Varieties of Greekness and the Greek polis - Dining & the Symposium
- Greek Religion and Festivals
- Greek Religion, Myth and iconography: Dionysos
- Greek Sanctuaries
- Women and Gender
- Slavery and Ethnicity
- Death and Burial
3 seminars will explore topics such as
performative learning: understanding the symposium through replica vases; Greek votives in context and Women in Aristophanes' Ekkleziazousae.
A museum trip will be arranged for reading week.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Gained a knowledge of some of the major cultural and social concerns of the Greeks
- Acquired a sense of the changes and developments in Greek culture and society over time
- Developed some ability to discriminate between different types of evidence and critical approaches
- Developed the ability to analyse specific pieces of primary evidence within their cultural and social contexts
Indicative reading list
Generic Reading lists can be found in Talis
Specific reading list for the module can be found on
Subject specific skills
By the end of the module students should have:
- gained a knowledge of some of the major cultural and social concerns of the Greeks
- acquired a sense of the changes and developments in Greek culture and society over time
- developed some ability to discriminate between different types of evidence and critical approaches
Transferable skills
- Critical thinking
- Problem solving
- Active lifelong learning
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- ICT skills
- Professionalism
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 9 sessions of 2 hours (20%) |
| Seminars | 3 sessions of 1 hour (3%) |
| Tutorials | 1 session of 30 minutes (0%) |
| External visits | 1 session of 2 hours (2%) |
| Private study | 66 hours 30 minutes (73%) |
| Total | 90 hours |
Private study description
Reading and independent research required for the module, in preparation for seminars, assessed coursework and exams.
Costs
| Category | Description | Funded by | Cost to student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field trips, placements and study abroad |
shared museum trip in week 6 (joint with CX110 Roman Culture and Society) |
Student | £30.00 |
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A1
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| in class source criticism test | 40% | 20 hours | No |
|
'Gobbets' assignment: critical analysis of two pieces of primary evidence (one literary, one visual) setting them within the social and cultural contexts explored in the module |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Attendance log | 10% | 10 hours | No |
|
% of recorded attendance, across both lectures & seminars |
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Reassessment component |
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| reflective piece | No | ||
Assessment component |
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| Assessed essay | 50% | 30 hours | Yes (extension) |
|
Research essay on an aspect discussed during the module |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Feedback on the coursework will be provided by written feedback published on Tabula as well as \r\na one-to-one personal feedback session offered to the students.
Courses
This module is Core for:
- Year 1 of UCXA-Q820 Undergraduate Classical Civilisation
- Year 1 of UCXA-Q821 Undergraduate Classical Civilisation with Study in Europe
This module is Core optional for:
- Year 1 of UCXA-VV16 Undergraduate Ancient History and Classical Archaeology
- Year 1 of UCXA-VV17 Undergraduate Ancient History and Classical Archaeology (Part-Time)
- Year 1 of UCXA-Q82P Undergraduate Classical Civilisation
- Year 1 of UPHA-VQ52 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of UCXA-VV16 Undergraduate Ancient History and Classical Archaeology
- Year 1 of UCXA-VV18 Undergraduate Ancient History and Classical Archaeology with Study in Europe
- Year 1 of UPHA-VQ52 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics
This module is Core option list A for:
- Year 1 of UCXA-Q800 BA in Classics
- Year 1 of UCXA-Q802 Undergraduate Classics (Latin) with Study in Europe
This module is Core option list B for:
- Year 1 of UCXA-QQ37 Undergraduate Classics and English
- Year 1 of UCXA-QQ39 Undergraduate English and Classical Civilisation
This module is Option list C for:
- Year 1 of UCXA-QQ39 Undergraduate English and Classical Civilisation