| Unit name | Histories of Violence |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CLAS30049 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Hannah-Marie Chidwick |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
N/A |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
N/A |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | Department of Classics & Ancient History |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
How violent was Ancient Rome? With sacrifice, slavery, and sadistic humour all part of everyday life, Rome is often characterised as ‘systemically violent’. This unit will take a critical look at the integral role of violence in Roman society: you will learn about different forms of brutality in culture, religion and politics, physical and psychological violence, and post-human violence. We will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to a wide range of primary sources and receptions of Roman violence: these could include literary sources like Ovid’s Metamorphoses or Seneca’s On Anger; depictions of warfare, slavery and rape in visual culture; bioarchaeological evidence of injury on the Roman frontiers; the popularity of violence in modern cinema and video game receptions of Rome.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Together we will explore ancient sources using theories in modern Violence Studies. You will build on the knowledge of modern theoretical approaches acquired in your first- and second-year units, such as gender theory and (post)colonial theory, to develop theoretical skills to approach violent phenomena critically, wherever you encounter it. You will be able to think in deeper ways about historical phenomena you have already encountered in other units. Studying violence in the Ancient Mediterranean can help us to reflect on and challenge violent phenomena today. Why does violence happen? Was ancient Rome really more violent than Western societies today?
An overview of content:
This unit will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to violent phenomena, ancient and modern, and cover a range of critical, theoretical approaches to violence.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will have a critical vocabulary to discuss violence in both ancient and modern contexts, allowing you to relate your knowledge of the ancient world to modern issues.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this unit students should be able to:
This unit will involve a combination of independent investigative activities and student-centred discussion. Students will be expected to engage with materials and participate in seminar discussion on a weekly basis, applying modern theories to ancient case studies. Each week, the seminars will feature student-led research as the students take turns to prepare a formative presentation, where they will employ modern theory to analyse a source text and present their interpretation to the class. This will practise the analytical skills required for the summative essay, and students will receive feedback on their presentations. The weekly seminars will involve student-centred discussion based on independent investigative activities, allowing students to develop their knowledge and understanding of the unit materials, and practise applying modern theory to ancient sources.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
One 3,000-word essay (summative, 100%), from a list of questions set by the unit tutor. The assessment will be submitted towards the end of the unit to allow students to maximise their understanding and reflection on the unit content in the seminars.
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the format or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are confirmed by the School/Centre shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. CLAS30049).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
