History of Ancient Religion and Political Thought
Code: 100325 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2500241 Archaeology | OT | 3 |
| 2500241 Archaeology | OT | 4 |
| 2500501 History | OT | 4 |
Contact
- Name:
- Joan Oller Guzman
- Email:
- joan.oller@uab.cat
Teachers
- Ariadna Guimerà Martínez
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
No specific previous requirement is needed. However, it is recommended to have some knowledge about general History and, especially, about Ancient History and Classic Culture.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The course will focus on the analysis of religious and thought processes, as well as belief systems generated in the Middle Eastern, Egyptian, Greek and Roman worlds. In addition to addressing the elements inherent in cultic practices, religious institutions, and ideas about the afterlife, the divine realm, and the destiny, among others, of Middle Eastern states, as well as of Greeks and Romans, we will also analyze the creation of processes of logical knowledge based on scientific observation, and also other currents of thought (philosophical, geographical, ...), as well as the impact that this knowledge had in the ancient world, dealing with specific case studies.
At the end of the course, the student must achieve a basic knowledge of the main cultural structures related to religion and knowledge of both the Middle Eastern and Greco-Roman world, as well as be able to analyze, process and interpret both primary and secondary sources, demonstrating a first assimilation of the basic principles of historical research methodology.
Competences
- Archaeology
- Contextualizing and analysing historical processes.
- Developing critical thinking and reasoning and communicating them effectively both in your own and other languages.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethic relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
- History
- Contextualizing the historical processes and analysing them from a critical perspective.
- Developing critical thinking and reasoning and communicating them effectively both in your own and other languages.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
Learning Outcomes
- Applying both knowledge and analytical skills to the resolution of problems related to their area of study.
- Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network.
- Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network. Expertly making use of the possibilities of Internet.
- Carrying out oral presentations using an appropriate academic vocabulary and style.
- Carrying out oral presentations using appropriate academic vocabulary and style.
- Critically assessing the models explaining the ancient times.
- Identifying main and supporting ideas and expressing them with linguistic correctness.
- Identifying the characteristic methods of Archaeology and its relationship with the historical analysis.
- Identifying the context of the historical processes.
- Identifying the main and secondary ideas and expressing them with linguistic correctness.
- Identifying the specific methods of History and its relationship with the analysis of particular facts.
- Identifying the specific methods of archaeology and their relationship with the historical analysis.
- Identifying the specific methods of history and their relationship with the analysis of particular facts.
- Interpreting material and documentary sources.
- Knowing the main historiographical debates concerning the Middle Ages.
- Mastering the diachronic structure of the past.
- Mastering the general diachronic structure of the past.
- Organising and planning the search of historical information.
- Recognising the importance of controlling the quality of the work results and their presentation.
- Relating elements and factors involved in the development of historical processes.
- Submitting works in accordance with both individual and small group demands and personal styles.
- Using suitable terminology when drawing up an academic text.
- Using the specific interpretational and technical vocabulary of the discipline.
- Using the specific technical and interpretational vocabulary of the discipline.
Content
The course will focus on the analysis of religious and thought processes, as well as belief systems generated in the Middle Eastern, Egyptian, Greek and Roman worlds. In addition to addressing the elements inherent in cultic practices, religious institutions, and ideas about the afterlife, the divine realm, and the destiny, among others, of Middle Eastern states, as well as of Greeks and Romans, we will also analyze the creation of processes of logical knowledge based on scientific observation, and also other currents of thought (philosophical, geographical, ...), as well as the impact that this knowledge had in the ancient world, dealing with specific case studies.
At the end of the course, the student must achieve a basic knowledge of the main cultural structures related to religion and knowledge of both the Middle Eastern and Greco-Roman world, as well as be able to analyze, process and interpret both primary and secondary sources, demonstrating a first assimilation of the basic principles of historical research methodology.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Història de la Religió a l'Antiguitat | 90 | 3.6 | 1, 6, 2, 3, 15, 16, 17, 5, 4, 22, 9, 8, 12, 11, 13, 7, 10, 14, 18, 21, 19, 20, 23, 24 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Història de la Religió a l'Antiguitat | 30 | 1.2 | 1, 6, 2, 3, 15, 16, 17, 5, 4, 22, 9, 8, 12, 11, 13, 7, 10, 14, 18, 21, 19, 20, 23, 24 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Història de la Religió a l'Antiguitat | 30 | 1.2 | 1, 6, 2, 3, 15, 16, 17, 5, 4, 22, 9, 8, 12, 11, 13, 7, 10, 14, 18, 21, 19, 20, 23, 24 |
The course is structured in two major blocks, Eastern World and Greco-Roman World. Methodologically, the subject will consist of classes in which the various topics raised will be addressed through the accompaniment of PWP. Theoretical explanations will always be accompanied by the commentary of historical texts and discussions / debates on the issues analyzed in the classroom. All materials treated in class will then be uploaded to the Virtual Campus. In the event that, due to force majeure, attendance is not possible, the classes in the classroom will be replaced by recordings made by the teacher and will be uploaded to the Virtual Campus.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final exam | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1, 6, 2, 3, 15, 16, 17, 5, 4, 22, 9, 8, 12, 11, 13, 7, 10, 14, 18, 21, 19, 20, 23, 24 |
The evaluation will be carried out through the continuous monitoring throughout the subject (continuous evaluation) of the cognitive and training processes of the students, together with the realization of an evaluation test at the end of the course. In this sense, 3 evaluation activities are planned:
- Activity 1: will consist of the bibliographic search of 20 scientific articles on religion and religious thought in the ancient world (20%).
- Activity 2: it will be about making an analysis and critical comment of a conference (30%).
- Activity 3: exam type test to be done at the end of the course. It will consist of a question to be developed and a text or image comment. (50%).
The final grade will come from the sum of the respective percentages of the various activities. Likewise, attendance and participation in debates in the classroom will be very much taken into account. However, any of the 3 activities (Work 1, Work 2 and Final Exam) that are suspended, although the average is approved, must be re-evaluated at the end of the course.
Finally, this subject offers the possibility of taking the single avaluation. This option is a single assessment date, but not a single assessment activity. Therefore, the single evaluation of this subject will consist of the same activities and percentages as the continuous evaluation and with the same obligation to pass all three activities so that it averages the subject:
- Activity 1: will consist of the bibliographic search of 20 scientific articles on religion and religious thought in the ancient world (20%).
- Activity 2: it will be about making an analysis and critical comment of a conference (30%).
- Activity 3: exam type test to be done at the end of the course. It will consist of a question to be developed and a text or image comment. (50%).
The delivery of the activities will be the same day as the exam type test (tobe determined by the teacher at the beginning of the course). In case of failing any activity, although the average is approved, the suspended activity must be recovered to pass the subject.
Bibliography
Alvar, J. (ed.), Formas de difusión de las religiones antiguas, Madrid.
Alvar, J. (ed.), Jerarquías religiosas y control social en el mundo antiguo, Valladolid.
Alvar, J., Los misterios: religiones "orientales" en el imperio romano. Alvar, J., Heroes, semidioses y daimones, Madrid. Beck, H. (ed.), A companion to ancient Greek government, Blackwells, Oxford.
Bermejo Barrera, X. C., Introducción a la sociología del mito griego, Akal, Madrid.
Bermejo Barrera, X. C. et al., Los orígenes de la mitología griega, Akal, Madrid.
Borgeaud, M., La Mère des Dieux : de Cybèle à la Vierge Marie, Paris.
Detienne, M., Los jardines de Adonis, Akal, Madrid.
Detienne, M., Apolo con el cuchillo en la mano, Akal Madrid.
Detienne, M., Dionisos a cielo abierto, Madrid.
Farrington, B., Ciencia y filosofía en la antigüedad, Ariel, Barcelona.
Fergushon, J., Le religioni nell'impero romano, Laterza, Roma.
Graf, F., La Magie dans l'Antiquité gréco-romaine: idéologie et pratique, Paris.
Gregory, J. (ed.), A companion to Greek Tragedy, Blackwells, Oxford.
Kallendorf, C. W. (ed.), A companion to the Classical tradition, Blackwells, Oxford.
Loraux, N., Nacido de la tierra. Mito y política en Atenas, El cuenco de plata, Buenos Aires.
Muñoz Delgado, L., Léxico de magia y religión en los papiros mágicos griegos, Madrid.
Naiden, F. S., Ancient Supplication, Oxford.
Ogden, D. (ed.), A companion to Greek Religion, Blackwells, Oxford.
Ogden, D., Magic, witchcraft and ghosts in the Greek world: A sourcebook, Oxford University Press.
Odgen, D., Greek and Roman Necromancy, Princeton University Press.
Parker, R., Miasma: pollution and purification in early Greek religion, Oxford.
Requena, M., El Emperador predestinado: los presagios de poder en época imperial romana, Madrid.
Rey, A., La ciencia en la antigüedad, Mexico.
Vidal-Naquet, P. & Vernant, P., Mito y tragedia en el mundo griego, II vols., Akal, Madrid.
Vidal-Naquet, P., El cazador negro, Akal, Madrid.
VVAA., Pouvoir des hommes, signes des dieux dans le monde antique, Besançon.
Software
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Language list
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |