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CL3UL-Urban Life: The Archaeology and Anthropology of Roman Cities
Module Provider: Classics
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2019/0
Email: j.w.hanson@reading.ac.uk
Type of module:
Summary module description:
This module asks a seemingly simple question: why did so many people live in ancient cities and what were their lives like? To answer this, we will begin by considering what a city is, what approaches should be used to understand them, and whether it is legitimate to think about all cities the same way. We will explore a range of topics, including demography, textual descriptions, urban form, inequality, social networks, mobility, life-ways, migration, and the environment. In doing so, we will try to think more like anthropologists, distinguishing between what is common to all human experience and what unique challenges and opportunities were faced by people of the past.
This module is delivered at the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼.
Aims:
This module aims to:
- Introduce students to the latest thinking about what urban life was like in ancient cities
- Use a range of approaches to understand urban life, drawn from both more familiar fields, such as classical archaeology and ancient history, and related disciplines such as anthropology, geography, and economics
- Look at a wide variety of ancient cities and examine the similarities and differences between them
- Use a combination of textual sources and archaeological material to understand urban life, thinking about the unique contribution each form of evidence has to offer
- Set their understanding within a broader comparative framework
Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module it is expected that the student will be able to:
- Display familiarity with various ancient sites
- Draw inferences from textual and visual material
- Understand different kinds of evidence and how to use them
- Think critically about different scholarly approaches and interpretations
- Embed their discussion within wider debates
- Organize information and articulate coherent and cogent arguments in writing
Additional outcomes:
The module also aims to encourage students to:
- Develop their oral communication skills and ability to collaborate with others through participation in group discussions and activities.
- Develop their ability to interpret both textual and visual material and comment on its wider significance
- Extend their understanding of ancient life by drawing on a range of theoretical and methodological material from related disciplines
- Gain a more nuanced understanding of the rewards and hazards of interdisciplinarity
Outline content:
This module examines one of the most important aspects of ancient life: the concentration of large numbers of individuals in cities. It will begin by asking what cities are and why we need a ‘science of cities.’ It will then focus on various themes: how large cities were; what ancient sources tell us about them; whether all cities looked and felt the same; what the costs and benefits of urban life were; how people moved around; what they did for a living; how dangerous urban life was; and what the effect of cities on the environment was. The module concludes by asking how unique ancient cities were from a cross-cultural perspective.
Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
This module will be taught by lectures and seminars.
Ìý | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Lectures | 10 | ||
Seminars | 10 | ||
Guided independent study: | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Ìý Ìý Wider reading (independent) | 50 | ||
Ìý Ìý Wider reading (directed) | 50 | ||
Ìý Ìý Advance preparation for classes | 20 | ||
Ìý Ìý Preparation for presentations | 10 | ||
Ìý Ìý Group study tasks | 10 | ||
Ìý Ìý Essay preparation | 30 | ||
Ìý Ìý Reflection | 10 | ||
Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Total hours by term | 200 | 0 | 0 |
Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Total hours for module | 200 |
Method | Percentage |
Written assignment including essay | 100 |
Summative assessment- Examinations:
Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:
The module will be assessed by one 1,500 response to three pieces of text or image (due in on the first day of week 7) and one 2,500 word essay (due in on the last day of term).
Formative assessment methods:
Penalties for late submission:
The Module Convener will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:
The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at:
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.
Assessment requirements for a pass:
An overall mark of 40%.
Reassessment arrangements:
Re-submission of coursework over the summer. ÌýÌýAn individual piece of coursework will be carried forward if it has a grade of 40% or more.
Additional Costs (specified where applicable):
Last updated: 12 August 2019
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MODULE DESCRIPTION DOES NOT FORM ANY PART OF A STUDENT'S CONTRACT.