HHIK05311U HIS Papyri, Society, and Culture in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt

Volume 2015/2016
Education

HISTORY
MA-level:
Module I-VI [MA Programme, 2008-Curriculum]
MA-elective:
Module I-VI [MA-elective Programme, 2008-Curriculum]
BA-level [Internal BA-elective for BA students of History]
Module T4 (Subject element HHIB10501E) [BA-elective studies, 2007- and 2013-Curriculum]
Module T5 (Subject element HHIB10511E) [BA-elective studies, 2007- and 2013-Curriculum]

ANCIENT & MEDIAEVAL NEAR EASTERN STUDIES
MA-level:
Module 18, Egyptian History (Subject element HÆGK03391E) [MA Programme, 2008-Curriculum]

ANCIENT & MEDIAEVAL GREEK
MA-level:
Module 10 (Subject element HKGK03511E) [MA Programme, 2008-Curriculum]
Module 10 (Subject element HGMK03101E) [MA Programme, Mediaeval Greek, 2008-Curriculum]
Module 2B (Subject element HKGK03731E) [MA-elective Programme, 2008-Curriculum]

LATIN & MEDIAEVAL LATIN
MA-level:
Module 10 (Subject element HLKK03101E) [MA Programme, 2008-Curriculum]
Module 10 (Subject element HLMK03101E) [MA Programme, Mediaeval Latin, 2008-Curriculum]
Module 2B (Subject element HLKK03341E) [MA-elective Programme, 2008-Curriculum]

Content

Papyri, Society, and Culture in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt
After providing an introduction to the rudiments of Greek papyrology, the course will present topics of interest to investigate various aspects of the complex history, society, and culture of Egypt from the death of Alexander The Great (323 BC) to the Tetrarchic reform by Emperor Diocletian (AD 293). The topics covered by the course will include: administration and taxes, army, ethnicity and multilingualism, religion and cults, gender and family, education, scholarship, and culture. The stories, concerns, accidents, and cultural interests of some selected families will be investigated through the analysis of their papers (so-called ‘archives’). Students will be given the tools to the use of papyrological sources in Greek (with particular attention to online resources) for historical and philological research, which they can also employ independently for future academic endeavours. Depending on the makeup and interest of the students, the course may focus more on historical or literary issues. Most of the course will be taught in translation. However, if there is interest and language ability, some work with texts in Greek may be included (with possible classes on the palaeography of Greek papyri). Visits to the papyri collections housed at the University of Copenhagen will constitute integral part of the course.

Course objectives (by the end of the course, the students will have acquired):
• knowledge of the basic tools of Greek Papyrology
• acquaintance with the resources for the use of Greek papyri in broader historical and philological research
• knowledge of the problematics of Egypt’s complex society under the Ptolemies and the Romans
• familiarity with the characteristics of textual tradition and scribal practices
• skills in undertaking analytical studies from primary sources

Selected bibliography will be provided and a compendium of sources may be made available.

Group instruction / Seminar
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 56
  • Total
  • 56
Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Other under invigilation
Criteria for exam assesment

History: See all current curricula for History &  Uddannelseshåndbog for Historie [BA-tv, 2005-ordningen + KA, 2008-ordningen] &  Uddannelseshåndbog for Historie [BA-tv, 2013-ordningen].

Ancient & Mediaeval Near Eastern Studies [2008-Curriculum]

Ancient and Mediaeval Greek: See all current curricula

Latin and Mediaeval Latin: See all current curricula