Expand+Academic Year 2021/2022

The great civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean were urban societies that developed complex social and political structures and invested the profits of trade, agriculture, and warfare in the construction of fortificati...

Hide-Academic Year 2021/2022

The great civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean were urban societies that developed complex social and political structures and invested the profits of trade, agriculture, and warfare in the construction of fortifications, temples, palaces, tombs, and other monuments. This module will explore the concept of urbanism through an investigation of the famous cities of the ancient Mediterranean world from their beginnings in the Mesopotamian “cradle of civilization”, through Bronze Age citadels such as Mycenae and Troy, to Classical Athens and later into the Hellenistic and Roman eras. Students will learn about the social forces that shape urban space, as well as understanding the roles of monumental architecture in city-based societies. How urbanisation affected the development of writing and art will also be discussed. Tutorials include a visit to the UCD Classical Museum. Assessment consists of online quizzes, an artefact study and an essay. This module is available as an elective.

What will I learn?
Learning Outcomes:
On completion of this module, students should be able to:

- demonstrate an understanding of the origins and development of urban culture in the Mediterranean world from the Neolithic period to the Roman empire

- evaluate archaeology, art, and texts as sources of information on urban life in antiquity

- identify and analyse key types of buildings and monuments from ancient urban environments

- compare and contrast aspects of the built environment, social organisation, and infrastructure of ancient cities, orally and in writing

Indicative Module Content:
Topics to be covered include some or all of:
Neolithic Near East
Sumer
Egypt
Aegean Bronze Age
Persepolis
Athens
Pergamon
Alexandria
Rome
Ostia
Pompeii
NB - this is an indicative list and topics are subject to change