Monash University Handbook 2010 Undergraduate - Unit

Synopsis

This unit will focus upon a study of Egypt and her interaction with the major Mediterranean cultures during the Late Bronze Age into Early Iron Age, c. 1550-900 BCE. A key theme will be the study of the so-called Egyptian Empire: the reasons for expansion into the Near East and Nubia, the resultant changes to Egyptian society and the problems involved in maintaining her sphere of influence. The significance of trade and the development of a complex web of international diplomacy will be examined, as will religious innovation and orthodoxy, and urbanism. The surviving sources, from archaeological to textual, will be examined and analysed in a multi-disciplinary study.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this unit students will have:

1. Gained an understanding of the evolution of Egyptian culture during the New Kingdom.

2. Obtained a knowledge of the main phases of the political history of the ancient Near East during the period under study.

3. Obtained an understanding of the significance of international relations during the Late Bronze Age in the Mediterranean.

4. Developed a detailed knowledge of the motivations behind Egyptian foreign policy and the impact this had upon Egyptian society in the period.

5. Developed skills in interpreting the past based upon the critical analysis of documentary and archaeological data.

6. Developed the ability to present a sustained argument based upon a variety of sources.

Assessment

Written work/exam: 85% (3500 words)
tutorial presentation/participation: 15% (1000 words)

Chief examiner(s)

Colin Hope

Contact hours

3 hours (2 x 1 hour lectures and 1 x 1 hour tutorial) per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

History
Archaeology and ancient history

Prohibitions

ARY3230