ATS3350 - From Alexander to Kleopatra: The Hellenistic world and the rise of Rome - 2017

6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Arts

Organisational Unit

Centre for Ancient Cultures

Coordinator(s)

Dr Andrew Connor

Unit guides

Offered

Clayton

  • Second semester 2017 (Day)
  • Second semester 2017 (Flexible)

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 created by Alexander 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.

Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students will have:

  1. A detailed knowledge of the nature of Ptolemaic and early Roman rule in Egypt.
  2. An understanding of the political situation in the Eastern Mediterranean region from the late fourth century BCE to the first centuries CE.
  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

Within semester assessment: 100%

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

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

Prerequisites

Twelve credit points of second-year Arts units.

Prohibitions

ATS2350