Greek History Ma
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The aim of the course is to provide students with secure advanced knowledge of Greek history in its chronological development as well as of the specific research methods and current approaches and perspectives within the discipline by means of an in-depth treatment of a monographic theme and a critical and methodologically sound approach to ancient sources.
Expected learning outcomes
The expected learning outcomes include:
- advanced knowledge of the development of Greek history and especially of the political, institutional, socio-economic and cultural issues investigated during the course;
- ability to analyse, contextualise and critically interpret ancient sources (literary, epigraphic and archaeological) according to their specific characters and the thematic issues they individually pose;
- ability to use research methods and bibliographical resources developed by modern scholarship with a view to investigating the ancient Greek world;
- ability to communicate effectively using appropriate language and proving capable of critical judgment with regard to the topics and issues taken into consideration.
- advanced knowledge of the development of Greek history and especially of the political, institutional, socio-economic and cultural issues investigated during the course;
- ability to analyse, contextualise and critically interpret ancient sources (literary, epigraphic and archaeological) according to their specific characters and the thematic issues they individually pose;
- ability to use research methods and bibliographical resources developed by modern scholarship with a view to investigating the ancient Greek world;
- ability to communicate effectively using appropriate language and proving capable of critical judgment with regard to the topics and issues taken into consideration.
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
Course syllabus
Tyrants, legislators and written law in the Greek world between the archaic age and the early Hellenistic period
The topics dealt with during the course will be as follows:
Part A
Part A will focus on the specific features and the political, social and historical significance of tyranny in the archaic period, both in the Greek motherland and in the Western colonies. Tyranny, whose centrality in Greek political life hardly needs emphasising, will be examined both on a theoretical level in the light of ancient Greek political thought and modern scholarship and on the basis of a number of case studies, such as Corinth, Mytilene, Miletus, Athens, Syracuse, for which the ancient sources are more detailed and substantial.
Part B
Part B in turn will focus, as a part of the modern scholarly debate about orality and literacy in ancient Greece, on the specific features and meanings of written law in polis society, from the earliest legislations to the classical period. The ancient sources that will be taken into consideration include Solon's poetic fragments and legislation, the laws of Gortyn, Sophocles' Antigone (on written and unwritten law), Thucydides' logos epitaphios (on law and democracy) (2.37) and Andocides' speech On the Mysteries.
The topics dealt with during the course will be as follows:
Part A
Part A will focus on the specific features and the political, social and historical significance of tyranny in the archaic period, both in the Greek motherland and in the Western colonies. Tyranny, whose centrality in Greek political life hardly needs emphasising, will be examined both on a theoretical level in the light of ancient Greek political thought and modern scholarship and on the basis of a number of case studies, such as Corinth, Mytilene, Miletus, Athens, Syracuse, for which the ancient sources are more detailed and substantial.
Part B
Part B in turn will focus, as a part of the modern scholarly debate about orality and literacy in ancient Greece, on the specific features and meanings of written law in polis society, from the earliest legislations to the classical period. The ancient sources that will be taken into consideration include Solon's poetic fragments and legislation, the laws of Gortyn, Sophocles' Antigone (on written and unwritten law), Thucydides' logos epitaphios (on law and democracy) (2.37) and Andocides' speech On the Mysteries.
Prerequisites for admission
The course is addressed to students of the Master's programmes in Philology, Literature and History of Antiquity, in the Modern Humanities, in Archaeology and in Historical Sciences who have a secure knowledge of ancient history.
Teaching methods
The course will be offered in a lecture format with an interactive approach. The course takes the students through the different topics with an approach based on a detailed analysis and commentary on the relevant sources and a critical discussion of the interpretative perspectives developed in modern scholarship. All texts and documents analysed during the lectures will be made available in advance for downloading on the course website on the MyAriel platform.
Teaching Resources
Part A
1) ERODOTO, Storie, Book V (recommended edition: G. NENCI (ed.), Milano, Mondadori, 1994);
2) One of the following texts:
- C. CATENACCI, Il tiranno e l'eroe. Per un'archeologia del potere nella Grecia antica, Roma, Carocci, 2012;
- K.A. MORGAN, Popular Tyranny: Sovereignty and its Discontents in Ancient Greece, Austin, University of Texas Press, 2003, pp. 25-144 (chapters by C. Dewald ("Form and Content: The Question of Tyranny in Herodotus", pp. 25-58), K.A. Raaflaub ("Stick and Glue: The Function of Tyranny in Fifth-Century Athenian Democracy", pp. 59-93), R. Seaford ("Tragic Tyranny", pp. 95-115), L. Kallet ("Demos Tyrannos: Wealth, Power, and Economic Patronage", pp. 117-144).
Parte B
1) G. CAMASSA, Scrittura e mutamento delle leggi nel mondo antico. Dal Vicino Oriente alla Grecia di età arcaica e classica, Roma, L'Erma di Bretschneider, 2011;
2) G. ZABREBELSKY, Il diritto di Antigone e la legge di Creonte, in I. DIONIGI (a cura di), La legge sovrana, Milano, BUR, 2006, pp. 21-51.
Bibliography for non-attendants
Part A
1) ERODOTO, Storie, Libro V (recommended edition: G. NENCI (ed.), Milano, Mondadori, 1994);
2) One of the following texts:
- C. CATENACCI, Il tiranno e l'eroe. Per un'archeologia del potere nella Grecia antica, Roma, Carocci, 2012;
- K.A. MORGAN, Popular Tyranny: Sovereignty and its Discontents in Ancient Greece, Austin, University of Texas Press, 2003, pp. 25-144 (chapters by C. Dewald ("Form and Content: The Question of Tyranny in Herodotus", pp. 25-58), K.A. Raaflaub ("Stick and Glue: The Function of Tyranny in Fifth-Century Athenian Democracy", pp. 59-93), R. Seaford ("Tragic Tyranny", pp. 95-115), L. Kallet ("Demos Tyrannos: Wealth, Power, and Economic Patronage", pp. 117-144).
3) L. BRACCESI, I tiranni di Sicilia, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1998.
Part B
1) G. CAMASSA, Scrittura e mutamento delle leggi nel mondo antico. Dal Vicino Oriente alla Grecia di età arcaica e classica, Roma, L'Erma di Bretschneider, 2011;
2) G. ZABREBELSKY, Il diritto di Antigone e la legge di Creonte, in I. DIONIGI (a cura di), La legge sovrana, Milano, BUR, 2006, pp. 21-51.
3) C. BEARZOT, La giustizia nell'antica Grecia, Roma, Carocci, 2008.
1) ERODOTO, Storie, Book V (recommended edition: G. NENCI (ed.), Milano, Mondadori, 1994);
2) One of the following texts:
- C. CATENACCI, Il tiranno e l'eroe. Per un'archeologia del potere nella Grecia antica, Roma, Carocci, 2012;
- K.A. MORGAN, Popular Tyranny: Sovereignty and its Discontents in Ancient Greece, Austin, University of Texas Press, 2003, pp. 25-144 (chapters by C. Dewald ("Form and Content: The Question of Tyranny in Herodotus", pp. 25-58), K.A. Raaflaub ("Stick and Glue: The Function of Tyranny in Fifth-Century Athenian Democracy", pp. 59-93), R. Seaford ("Tragic Tyranny", pp. 95-115), L. Kallet ("Demos Tyrannos: Wealth, Power, and Economic Patronage", pp. 117-144).
Parte B
1) G. CAMASSA, Scrittura e mutamento delle leggi nel mondo antico. Dal Vicino Oriente alla Grecia di età arcaica e classica, Roma, L'Erma di Bretschneider, 2011;
2) G. ZABREBELSKY, Il diritto di Antigone e la legge di Creonte, in I. DIONIGI (a cura di), La legge sovrana, Milano, BUR, 2006, pp. 21-51.
Bibliography for non-attendants
Part A
1) ERODOTO, Storie, Libro V (recommended edition: G. NENCI (ed.), Milano, Mondadori, 1994);
2) One of the following texts:
- C. CATENACCI, Il tiranno e l'eroe. Per un'archeologia del potere nella Grecia antica, Roma, Carocci, 2012;
- K.A. MORGAN, Popular Tyranny: Sovereignty and its Discontents in Ancient Greece, Austin, University of Texas Press, 2003, pp. 25-144 (chapters by C. Dewald ("Form and Content: The Question of Tyranny in Herodotus", pp. 25-58), K.A. Raaflaub ("Stick and Glue: The Function of Tyranny in Fifth-Century Athenian Democracy", pp. 59-93), R. Seaford ("Tragic Tyranny", pp. 95-115), L. Kallet ("Demos Tyrannos: Wealth, Power, and Economic Patronage", pp. 117-144).
3) L. BRACCESI, I tiranni di Sicilia, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1998.
Part B
1) G. CAMASSA, Scrittura e mutamento delle leggi nel mondo antico. Dal Vicino Oriente alla Grecia di età arcaica e classica, Roma, L'Erma di Bretschneider, 2011;
2) G. ZABREBELSKY, Il diritto di Antigone e la legge di Creonte, in I. DIONIGI (a cura di), La legge sovrana, Milano, BUR, 2006, pp. 21-51.
3) C. BEARZOT, La giustizia nell'antica Grecia, Roma, Carocci, 2008.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam is oral and aims at ascertaining knowledge of the topics dealt with during the course, also by means of a critical discussion of ancient sources and modern scholarship.
Assessment criteria are the following: ability to organize knowledge through discourse; ability to reason critically with regard to the topics considered; critical awareness of the problems of method posed by the study of ancient society and by the use of ancient sources; ability to present topics and express oneself with the specialist language appropriate to the discipline.
Marks are out of 30.
Assessment criteria are the following: ability to organize knowledge through discourse; ability to reason critically with regard to the topics considered; critical awareness of the problems of method posed by the study of ancient society and by the use of ancient sources; ability to present topics and express oneself with the specialist language appropriate to the discipline.
Marks are out of 30.
Professor(s)