MA Ancient History Courses

This is an introductory course on Ancient Greek historical writing, taught in English translation (no knowledge of Ancient Greek language required). In the Classical period prose accounts of the past were a radical new invention; authoritative narratives about the past had previously been in verse form, most obviously Homer. The course will examine how the history of literature changed irrevocably in this period of huge intellectual development. We will read the 2 main historical writers of the Classical period - Herodotus and Thucydides - in literary and cultural context, beginning with poetic accounts of the past and early experiments in prose, and examining the interrelation with other genres such as tragedy and rhetoric. The course will be useful to students coming from a Classics background who have not previously had much opportunity to study Herodotus and Thucydides and want to understand more about literary developments of the Classical period, and to students from an Ancient History background who want to know more about how Classical Greek history writing works. This course can also be taken by students at UCL on other MA programmes as a 15 credit option (CLASGG22).
Assessment: One essay of 5,000 words maximum
Place: UCL: Gordon House G-09

For details on KCL courses and times, please consult the KCL website
For details on RHUL courses and times, please consult the RHUL website