AAH3950 - Kleopatra's Egypt

Leader(s): Dr Gillian E. Bowen and Associate Professor Colin Hope

Offered

Clayton Second semester 2009 (Day)

Synopsis

Kleopatra the Great was the last ruler of the most significant of the Hellenistic kingdoms: Egypt; she tried valiantly to save Egypt from Roman annexation. Following her suicide Egypt became a province of Rome. The unit focuses on the world into which Kleopatra was born. Themes include: the nature of Ptolemaic rule; the multicultural nature of the population under the Ptolemies; problems faced by Kleopatra and her forebears with the growing threat of Roman annexation; the heterogeneous culture that developed as a result of Roman occupation, and the way the indigenous culture flourished in spite of the profound changes it experienced. It draws upon and analyses a wide range of sources.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit students will have:

1. A detailed knowledge of the nature of late Ptolemaic and early Roman rule in Egypt.
2. An understanding of the political situation in the Eastern Mediterranean region in the second and first centuries BCE.
3. Detailed understanding of the problems facing Kleopatra VII in her fight to save her kingdom from Roman annexation.
4. An understanding of the complexity and changing nature of Egyptian culture as a result of the introduction of Hellenism and then the Roman occupation upon the traditional culture.
5. The ability to appraise critically ancient and secondary source material, and combine a variety of types of evidence in the analysis of ancient culture.
6. Independent research skills and the ability to undertake individual research projects, which are presented in a clearly expressed and cogent manner.

Assessment

Essay 60% (3000 words)
Test 20% (1 hour)
Tutorial presentation/participation: 20%.

Contact hours

2 x 1 hour lectures per week and one 90 minute tutorial

Prerequisites

A second year sequence in AAH or permission.