| CODE | ARC3101 | ||||||||
| TITLE | An Introduction to the Port Cities of the Ancient Mediterranean | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Classics and Archaeology | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Degrees of regional and interregional connectivity have been found in the Mediterranean throughout prehistoric and ancient times. This study-unit is intended to explore the role played by port cities in defining the degree of connectivity between areas of the Mediterranean. We shall start off by exploring the impact of the sail in altering the patterns of exchange and human intercourse established in prehistory and protohistory, and study how the geomorphology of a coastline often defines the historical trajectory of a coastal enclave and surrounding region. Through a number of case studies, the study-unit will study the physical appearance, spatial layout, economic mechanism, population dynamics, class structure, political aspirations and cultural life of the port city. Study-unit Aims 1. To introduce students to a multidisciplinary research approach involving coastal geomorphology, archaeology and ancient economic history; 2. To propound the importance of inter-regional studies for the definition of the Mediterranean as a region; 3. To allow students to question the significance of port cities as individual urban centres as well as nodal points within much broader political, social and economic networks. Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. identify distinct archaeological features that make up Mediterranean port cities; 2. integrate the material evidence from port cities into the broader context of the archaeology of the Mediterranean; 3. define the role of port cities in the historiography of the ancient Mediterranean. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. recognise the importance of interdisciplinary research for the archaeology of the Mediterranean; 2. use evidence from a variety of disciplines to define the connectedness of a region. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings Main texts Broodbank, C. 2010. 'Ships-a-sail over the rim of the sea: voyages, sailing and the making of Mediterranean societies, in A. Anderson, J. Barret and K. Boyle (eds), The Global Origins and Development of Seafaring (McDonald Institute Monographs), pp. 249-64. Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. Horden, P. and Purcell, N. 2000. The Corrupting Sea. Oxford: Blackwell. Supplementary Readings Gallina Zevi A. and Turchetti R. (eds.) 2004. Le strutture dei porti e degli approdi antichi, II Seminario ANSER, 16-17 aprile 2004, Roma-Ostia Antica. Rome: Rubbettino Editore. Gates, C. 2011. The Ancient Cities: The Archaeology of Urban Life in the Ancient Near East, Egypt, Greece and Rome. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. Harris, W. V. and Iara, K. (eds) 2011. Maritime Technology in the Ancient Economy: Ship-Design and Navigation. Journal of Roman Archaeology Supplement Series. Portsmouth RI: Journal of Roman Archaeology. Marriner, N. and Morhange, C. 2007. Geoscience of ancient Mediterranean harbours, Earth Science Reviews 80: 137-94. [Downloadable from Science Direct] Meijer, F. and Van Nijf, O. 1992. Trade, Transport and Society in the Ancient World: A sourcebook. London: Routledge. Morton, J. 2001. The Role of the Environment in Ancient Greek Seafaring. Leiden: Brill. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Timothy Gambin |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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