Introduction to the Socio-Economic History of the Ancient World
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
Lessons have the aim of introducing the student in the main structures of Greek, Hellenistic and Roman societies (with some references to ancient Near East), while giving him knowledges about sources, methodological problems, the main interpretative theories of these structures. So in a synthetic way will be presented agriculture and agronomic ancient think, the exploitation of natural products (mines, caves ), the development of bank activities, industrial productions end their organization, and finally commerce (networks, local markets, international markets ).
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledges: the student will acquire a knowledge of the organisation of the main sectors of the economy of classical societies and he /she will consider all this in relation with richness and status parameters of people and social groups. The student will acquire the capacity of creating links between historical events and phaenomena and the economic structures as well as some fundamental cultural elements of Ancient societies. A historiographic, as well as a methodologic approach, is a central objective to obtain, in particular through the analysis of the documents -mainly in Greek and Latin-, but in general of all the sources (papyrological, archaeological, numismatic, epigraphical, literary) and their often apparent contradictions. Competences: the student must obtain a critical capacity of interpretation of documents and ancient sources through which it is possible to reconstruct the social and economic history of the Graeco-Roman world. For this purpose, Graeco-Roman Egypt will be a true "laboratory," being the area from where documentary material mostly comes. The critical method must be applied also to the interpretations of the historiographical thought.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Lessons will be exclusively in presence. Synchron streaming will be available on Teams, just in case of problems of capacity of the class . There will not be recording of lessons: a not-frequenting programm exist
Course syllabus
A+B (6 CFU, 40 hours):
-Introduction: greek thought about oikonomia and birth of structured societies
-personal status and society: Greece, Hellenistic World, Roman world
-cultural and economic bases of classical societies: chronological transformations and local, regional peculiarities.
-Focus on:
1)Familyas the basis of greek and Hellenistic polis
Family in Roman society
2) Woman in greek and hellnistic societies: local peculiarities and structural differencies
Roman Women
3) Priests and priestesses, culture and economy of the sacred in Greece, inside the multicultural hellenistic societies, in the Roman context
4) Army: recruitement and training, social and economic role from greek polis to roman empire
5) Slaves: legal, economic, social aspects of a very hybrid cathegory of people from classical Greece to Roman Empire
C (3 CFU, 20 hours):
Commerce in greco-roman world. cultural aspects and praxis.
Th cultural ideology, and negative prejudice, of Greek and Roman Society against maritime commerce never stopped the developement of these exchanges, also between very far places, making up important and complex networks between Mediterranean, Africa, India, North-Europe.
-Introduction: greek thought about oikonomia and birth of structured societies
-personal status and society: Greece, Hellenistic World, Roman world
-cultural and economic bases of classical societies: chronological transformations and local, regional peculiarities.
-Focus on:
1)Familyas the basis of greek and Hellenistic polis
Family in Roman society
2) Woman in greek and hellnistic societies: local peculiarities and structural differencies
Roman Women
3) Priests and priestesses, culture and economy of the sacred in Greece, inside the multicultural hellenistic societies, in the Roman context
4) Army: recruitement and training, social and economic role from greek polis to roman empire
5) Slaves: legal, economic, social aspects of a very hybrid cathegory of people from classical Greece to Roman Empire
C (3 CFU, 20 hours):
Commerce in greco-roman world. cultural aspects and praxis.
Th cultural ideology, and negative prejudice, of Greek and Roman Society against maritime commerce never stopped the developement of these exchanges, also between very far places, making up important and complex networks between Mediterranean, Africa, India, North-Europe.
Prerequisites for admission
No prerequisites for admission. Better if the student has done exams of Greek and/or Roman History.l
Teaching methods
The course is offered in a lecture format. All the topics will be presented to students, based on interpretative theories as well as sources, which the teacher will read in Italian translation. Attendance is not mandatory but highly recommended.
Teaching Resources
Frequenting students
Notes from the lessons and:
6CFU
-N. Bernard, Donne e società nella Grecia antica, Carocci 2011
or
F. Cenerini, La donna romana, Il Mulino 2013
-G. Brizzi, Il guerriero, l'oplita, il legionario, Il mulino 2008
-J. Andreau, R. Descat, Gli schiavi nel mondo greco-romano, Il Mulino 2014
9 CFU:
-N. Bernard, Donne e società nella Grecia antica, Carocci 2011
Bettalli, Brizzi, Guerre ed eserciti nelle società antiche, Il mulino 2019
- J. Andreau, R. Descat, Gli schiavi nel mondo greco-romano, Il Mulino 2014
-Carlà, Marcone, Economia e finanza a Roma, Il Mulino 2011
Not-frequenting students:
6 CFU:
-N. Bernard, Donne e società nella Grecia antica, Carocci 2011
-F. Cenerini, La donna romana, Il Mulino 2013
Or
L. Capponi, Cleopatra, Laterza 2022
- S. Huebner, The Family in Roman Egypt: a Comparative approach to intergenerational solidarity and conflict, Cambridge 2013
- G. Brizzi, Il guerriero, l'oplita, il legionario, Il mulino 2008
9 CFU:
-N. Bernard, Donne e società nella Grecia antica, Carocci 2011
-F. Cenerini, La donna romana, Il Mulino 2013
Or
L. Capponi, Cleopatra, Laterza 2022
-J. Andreau, R. Descat, Gli schiavi nel mondo greco-romano, Il Mulino 2014
-Demetriou, Negotiating Identity in the Ancient Mediterranean, Cambridge 2012
Notes from the lessons and:
6CFU
-N. Bernard, Donne e società nella Grecia antica, Carocci 2011
or
F. Cenerini, La donna romana, Il Mulino 2013
-G. Brizzi, Il guerriero, l'oplita, il legionario, Il mulino 2008
-J. Andreau, R. Descat, Gli schiavi nel mondo greco-romano, Il Mulino 2014
9 CFU:
-N. Bernard, Donne e società nella Grecia antica, Carocci 2011
Bettalli, Brizzi, Guerre ed eserciti nelle società antiche, Il mulino 2019
- J. Andreau, R. Descat, Gli schiavi nel mondo greco-romano, Il Mulino 2014
-Carlà, Marcone, Economia e finanza a Roma, Il Mulino 2011
Not-frequenting students:
6 CFU:
-N. Bernard, Donne e società nella Grecia antica, Carocci 2011
-F. Cenerini, La donna romana, Il Mulino 2013
Or
L. Capponi, Cleopatra, Laterza 2022
- S. Huebner, The Family in Roman Egypt: a Comparative approach to intergenerational solidarity and conflict, Cambridge 2013
- G. Brizzi, Il guerriero, l'oplita, il legionario, Il mulino 2008
9 CFU:
-N. Bernard, Donne e società nella Grecia antica, Carocci 2011
-F. Cenerini, La donna romana, Il Mulino 2013
Or
L. Capponi, Cleopatra, Laterza 2022
-J. Andreau, R. Descat, Gli schiavi nel mondo greco-romano, Il Mulino 2014
-Demetriou, Negotiating Identity in the Ancient Mediterranean, Cambridge 2012
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam will be oral, an interview, and marks will be out of 30. Students will have to demonstrate to have a clear knowledge of topics treated during the lectures (if attending) and of the bibliography indicated in the programme. Students are expected to organize discourse rationally, with awareness of sources and modern historiography, and to show a critical attitude about topics and sources. Students' presentation must be linguistically accurate with use of the discipline-specific language.
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Professor(s)