Monash University Handbook 2010 Undergraduate - Unit

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.

Assessment

Written work 90%
Class participation: 10%

Chief examiner(s)

Gillian Bowen

Contact hours

Two 1-hour lectures per week
One 1-hour tutorial for 10 weeks at 2nd level

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

History
Archaeology and ancient history

Prerequisites

AAH first level sequence or permission

Prohibitions

AAH3950