CL1SO: Ancient Song

Module code: CL1SO

Module provider: Classics; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Ian Rutherford, email: i.c.rutherford@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module introduces students to the lyric poetry of ancient Greece and Rome, studying authors from both civilisations and considering a range of thematic approaches to the surviving corpus of poetry. It is intended to be suitable for beginners and for those who have studied some ancient literature before; there is no language requirement, but there will be an opportunity for students who do have relevant skills to employ them in their coursework and exams.  

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• To equip students with knowledge and understanding of key ancient lyrical texts. 
• To introduce students to the world of ancient song and music. 
• To offer a broad discussion of the context and significance of song and musical performance in ancient societies. 
• To gain an understanding of key trends in past scholarship on the subject. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the authors, sub-genres, and major themes of the lyric poetry of ancient Greece and Rome; 
2. complement the evidence and arguments presented in the lectures and seminars with additional information assembled by their own research; 
3. analyse in detail selected passages of ancient writing, articulating their arguments effectively and illustrate them with relevant evidence; 
4. recognise and criticise key arguments made in recent scholarship.

Module content

The course covers provides an introduction to ancient song, considering the major themes attendant on the study of lyric (oral performance/written text; personal/public; social context; music and rhythm; sources) and looks at some of the principal authors in Greek and Latin: Alcman, Tyrtaeus, Sappho, Alcaeus, Stesichorus, Simonides, Bacchylides, Pindar, Catullus, Horace, and the Hadrianic poets. This material is covered in broad chronological order as well as thematically in lectures, with seminars to reinforce and develop this material with a selection of relevant ancient texts and related sources. The course represents current thinking and research on the various subjects covered, introducing even those students with prior experience of classical studies to new areas and methods. No specific knowledge is expected as a prerequisite for this module, but readiness to do significant preparatory reading is presupposed. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will be taught by lectures and seminars with at least two contact hours per week. 

Study hours

At least 24 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs