Greek Historiography - fakultet w języku angielskim

The aim of the seminar is to present the origins, the early stages, the most important phases of development, the most important methodological problems and selected artistic aspects of early Greek historiography.

The goal of the seminar is to present the origins, early stages, the most important phases of development, and the most important methodological problems, as well as selected artistic aspects of early Greek historiography. The seminar will begin with a discussion of the “predecessors” of Greek historiography, i.e. archaic and early classical poetry dealing with the “mythical” and non-mythical past. As such, they decisively influenced the later development of historiography. The bulk of this class’s reading will be devoted to the works and intellectual background of the two most important (and happily preserved to this day) Greek historians of the classical period: Herodotus and Thucydides. The class will be concluded by interpreting Aristotle’s (anachronistic) interpretation of Greek historiography in his Poetics.

GENERAL WORKS worth reading at some point over the course of the semester:

H.-J. GEHRKE, The Greeks and Their Histories. Myth, History, and Society, Cambridge 2023.

J. MARINCOLA (ed.), Companion to Greek and Roman Historiography, Chichester 2007 [selected chapters].

J. MARINCOLA (ed.), Oxford Readings in Classical Studies: Greek and Roman Historiography, Oxford 2011 (chap. 1 [N. Loraux], 2 [H.-J. Gehrke], 3 [R. Thomas], 4 [G. Schepens], 12 [E. Gabba]).

For individual problems please consult:

S. HORNBLOWER & A. SPAWORTH, The Oxford Classical Dictionary… Third Edition Revised, Oxford 2003.

Upon completion of the seminar the student will be able to:

• Analyze (in translation) ancient literary sources to learn about specific characteristics of Greek historiography.

• Recognize different types of Greek historical writing, specifying differences between them.

• Recognizes diverse literary conventions prevalent in the different types of Greek historical writing and their influence on the techniques and methods individual Greek historians.

• Explain the major cultural and social background of early Greek historiography.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Regular attendance and activity in class.

• Class presentation (45 min.) on one of the following topics: Xenophon of Athens, Biography, Antiquarianism, Geography and History, Atthidography, Historians of Alexander the Great, Documents in Ancient Historians, Polybius, Diodorus of Sicily, Plutarch of Chaeronea. Team work acceptable (2 students per assignment). Due April 4 onwards (please register at https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/dN7RBrme ).

• Research paper (10 pages max., including notes and bibliography) on one of the classical historians of antiquity of the 19th and 20th centuries (intellectual context, major works, and method): Edward Gibbon, Johann Gustav Droysen, Theodor Mommsen, Eduard Schwartz, Mihail Ivanovich Rostovtseff, Felix Jacoby, Moses I. Finley, Arnaldo Momigilano, Pierre Vidal-Naquet, Oswyn Murray. Team work acceptable (2–3 students per assignment). Due May 23.