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Course details
Ancient Persia - The Achaemenid Dynasty (ANHI10016)
Subject Area
Ancient History
Pre-requisites
Visiting students should usually have at least 3 courses in Classics related subject matter(at least 2 of which should be in Ancient History) at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses.
Credits
20
Course level
SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate)
Course description
This course aims to be an introduction to the history of Iran during the Achaemenid period.It will focus on Persian history from two viewpoints: the source materials from Iran and the wider empire itself, and from the Greek conceptions of Persia and its people. The Achaemenid Empire (c. 550-330 BC) was the biggest and earliest Persian empire and under the Achaemenid kings, Persia was the unrivalled ruler of the Near East, occupying an empire that stretched from Ethiopia to Afghanistan.The course will concentrate on the reigns of the Achaemenid monarchs, examining their political, socio-cultural and military achievements and on their life at court.Students will be required to evaluate Near Eastern and Greek sources as evidence for the reigns.Other themes will include the language of the Persians, life in the provinces, women in Persian society, art and architecture, religion, and military techniques. The course will of necessity engage with textual and visual materials.Students will be asked to engage with theoretical approaches to Near Eastern history such as Orientalism and Ornamentalism.
Timetable
View the timetable and assessment information for this course
Course delivered by
College of Humanities and Social Science
School of History, Classics and Archaeology
This article was published on Feb 24, 2012