ATS2268 · Four lost cities of the Ancient World

Overview

This unit will explore the archaeology of four of the most famous cities of the ancient world: Babylon, Amarna, Troy and Pompeii. These cities not only had a profound impact on the cultures that produced them, but their rediscovery in the 19th and 20th centuries left an enduring legacy in the art, literature, and popular culture we enjoy today. This unit will be divided into 4 three-week modules, each focussing on one of these cities. Each module will be led by a specialist in the relevant field. We will examine 3 overall themes for each city: the city’s historical and environmental context, the everyday experience of people living in the city, and the impact on the modern world of the city’s rediscovery by archaeologists. We will address such questions as: Was Babylon the city of luxuriant debauchery that Greek historians describe? How did the memory of Troy live on after its abandonment? How did a slave experience walking down the streets of Pompeii? How did the exhibition of the bust of Nefertiti from Amarna in 1924 influence the fashion and art of the jazz age? Tying these modules together will be an examination of current theoretical models of urbanism, lived experience, and reception of the ancient world. How does archaeology provide context for the myths that have grown up around these iconic cities for the past three millennia?

Areas of study: Archaeology and ancient history

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Identify the historical context of the four cities explored in this unit;
2. Analyse the process of urbanization that led to the development of these cities;
3. Assess the impact of the discovery of these cities on contemporary culture;
4. Apply analytical skills to reconstructing the lived experience of an ancient city;
5. Build written and verbal communication skills in discussions of ancient cities.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.