This course studies the literature, history and politics of classical Athens.

Lectures: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 1pm; weekly seminars as scheduled in MyCampus

CLASSIC2010

None

(Formative peer review)

Reflection on the feedback received in peer review and to what extent it has been adopted in the final essay (to be submitted with essay), 300 words: 10%

Essay, 2000 words: 60%

Take-home commentary exercise, 1200 words: 30%

This course aims to:

■ study political organisation in the Greek world;

■ explore dissent, debate and dialogue within the Athenian radical democracy;

■ examine ideology and propaganda within the polis;

■ relate the physical environment of Athens to its political processes;

■ set approaches to Greek drama in their historical and cultural context.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

■ identify the formal and structural elements of Athenian drama, oratory, monuments and space

■ relate the textual and visual evidence of the period to its social, political, cultural and material context

■ analyse arguments made in oratorical, dramatic, historical or philosophical texts

■ explain the processes by which Greek political discourse developed

■ evaluate modern approaches to politics and ideology in democratic Athens

■ develop, individually and in groups, their own interpretations of the textual and material evidence in relation to the politics of the period, and evaluate those of peers

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.