AR1EMP-Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt & Rome

Module Provider: Archaeology
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:4
Terms in which taught: Spring / Summer term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Roger Matthews
Email: r.j.matthews@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module introduces the archaeology and historical context of the world’s early empires, dating from 2500 BC to AD 395. We focus on the great empires of ancient Mesopotamia (Akkad, Babylonia and Assyria), Egypt, the Persian Achaemenid Empire and the Roman Empire. We will review other imperial entities of the world, including examples from China and the Far East, and the Americas. We will examine special themes relevant to the topic of empires, including ideology, imperial cult, trade, urbanisation, warfare, agriculture and the everyday lives of imperial subjects. You will study the rise and fall of some of the greatest, and the most fearsome, socio-political entities to have existed on our planet.

Aims:

• To provide an introduction to the archaeology and history of early empires of the world, with a focus on key regions and periods.


• To consider the nature and interpretation of archaeological and historical sources in approaching empires of the ancient world.


• To consider major issues in the development of early empires, including the origins and evolution of imperial cities, agriculture, trade, literacy and religion.


• To introduce students to a sample of contemporary field projects in the archaeology of empires of the ancient world.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this module a student should:

• Have a broad overview of the archaeology and history of empires of the ancient world.


• Appreciate the significance of the archaeology of the ancient empires within the context of the development of human society, and its relevance to issues of contemporary global concern.


• Appreciate the importance of critical approaches to archaeological and textual sources within the context of empires of the ancient world.

Additional outcomes:

By the end of the module students should be able to demonstrate:

• Understanding and critical awareness of a range of primary and secondary sources.


• Written skills in analysis and presentation.


• Appreciation of, and ability to apply, methods and theories of archaeological and historical analysis.


• Appreciation of artefacts and museum displays as elements of past societies of the ancient world.

Outline content:

The module will provide a review and analysis of empires of the ancient world. We will begin with a consideration of ‘what is an empire?’, examining theories of the concept of empire as a valid historical and archaeological term. We will present and discuss the nature of the evidence for ancient empires – how do we learn about empires of the past? The core of the module will focus on case-studies of ancient empires, commencing with the earliest empires of the Middle East and Mesopotamia (Iraq), including the Akkadian, Ur III, Babylonian and Assyrian empires. We will also investigate ancient Egypt, the Persian Achaemenid Empire and finally the Roman Empire in its Mediterranean context. As comparative case-studies we will also consider empires from other regions of the world, including the Americas and the Far East.

Building on a basic understanding of the historical framework, the module will include detailed review of specific themes, including: imperial urbanisation; bureaucracy and literacy; death, burial and cult; trade and economic interaction; identity and mobility in imperial populations; imperial rise and collapse.

Students will gain an intellectual appreciation of important past societies as well as an understanding of how contemporary archaeology in the Middle East, Egypt and the Roman world is situated within complex social and political settings.

Global context:

Teaching of this module will strongly situate the past of the Middle East, Egypt, Iran and the Roman world within current issues of global concern, including migration, identity, ethnicity, diversity and the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Teaching will be through well-illustrated lectures with student participation. There will   also be structured seminars in which students will debate selected major issues, and a Roman pottery workshop. There will be a field trip to the Ancient Near East, Egypt and Roman sections of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, for which students will be assigned specific tasks related to the museum’s collections. Engagement with online resources, such as Google Earth, will form a key compone nt of the module.

Reading list:

Bard, K. A. (2015) An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Liverani, M. (2014) The Ancient Near East. History, Society and Economy. London: Routledge.

Potter, D. S. (2006) A Companion to the Roman Empire. London: Blackwells

Revell, L. (2009) Roman Imperiali sm and Local Identities. Cambridge: CUP.

Scarre, C. (ed.) (2018) The Human Past. World Prehistory and the Development of Human Societies. (Fourth edition). London: Thames and Hudson.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		20
Seminars		3
Practicals classes and workshops		1
External visits		6
Guided independent study:		160	10
Total hours by term	0	190	10
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	80
Report	20

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Essay, 2500 words (80% of mark)

Object report 1000 words (20% of mark)

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A mark of 40% overall.

Reassessment arrangements:

Re-assessment in August.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:  None

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  None

4) Printing and binding:  None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  None

Last updated: 13 December 2023