2024-25

Upon the imposition of the Pax Romana, the Greek world was to enjoy an extraordinary cultural renaissance from the middle of the 1st century AD to the mid 3rd century. This phenomenon was promoted chiefly by the upper classes of the Greek poleis, under the aegis of the Romans, who were enthusiastic admirers of Greek culture, and is associated with many well-known names, such as that of Lucian, Dio Chrysostom and Pausanias. These draw their materials from the glories of the Classical past, to produce a new Greek culture.

The course deals with the palaeobiology of contemporary man and the evolutionary processes that have led to his present form, both phenotypically and genetically. The course examines anatomical and genetic adaptations to the ecological environment of the time and the accompanying socio-political influences.

During the first part of the course, lasting three weeks, the students are introduced, first, to the scholars and their work who have dealt with the history of modern Hellenism from the beginning of the historiography of the Greek nation to the present, second, to the most important scholarly institutions in which the subject is studied and promoted, third, to the academic journals, conferences and symposia that have dealt with the study of the history of modern Hellenism and, fourth, to the types of direct and indirect sources employed by scholars who deal with the subject.

The first part of the course deals with the nature and methodology of ancient Greek history, with emphasis being placed upon the nature and range of coverage provided by the primary sources and thus on the appropriate approach and use of such sources by the ancient historian. The second part of the course offers a survey of ancient history from the Archaic period to Hellenistic times. Here stress will be laid upon how the subject matter of the survey is affected by the nature of the primary sources.