Submission of Assignments: All essays are to be submitted via the iLearn site by their respective due dates and times (which are all listed according to local Sydney time). Answers to discussion questions will either be prepared (i.e., printed out) in the case of internal students, or submitted via the weekly forums on the iLearn page for external students. Access to the internet and the ability to download and/or view unit materials are essential. Ability to work with word processing software is required for written assessments. Any technical issue encountered with accessing unit materials and/or with submitting assignments should be directed to the IT department via ask.mq.edu.au. After lodging a complaint/request with them you must also notify me via email concerning the issue as soon as possible after it is discovered. Contacting me after an assessment's due date to say that you could not submit it on time will not result in an extension for that assessment unless IT provides me with a time-stamped notice.

Assignments will be assessed on their level of completion, coherence, grammar, and comprehension.

Assessment tasks / assignments are compulsory and must be submitted on time. Extensions for assignments can only be granted for medical reasons or on compassionate grounds. Without documentation (medical or counselling certificates) or prior staff approval, late work will not be accepted. If required, applications for extensions should be made to me before the assignment's due date. No assignments will be accepted after assignments have been corrected and feedback has been provided (see also the clause below).

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.

Assignment tasks handed in early will not be marked and returned before the due date.

For Special Consideration Policy see under Policies and Procedures.

Note on Assessment - To complete the unit satisfactorily you will need to achieve an overall mark worth 50% or above. 

IMPORTANT NOTE ON FINAL MARKS: Please note with respect to the marks you receive for work during the session: that the marks given are indicative only; final marks will be determined after moderation. See further the note on Results in the Policies and Procedures section below.

It is highly recommended that you come to all class meetings (internals). Further, you should complete the readings and any other work for any given week before that week's meeting.

This class is offered internally and externally. Internal students will meet in-class on Weeks 1-10 while external students will access course material via the iLearn website. Every student, whether internal or external, will need internet access that allows the downloading of large video files and additional resources in order to pass this course. Additionally, access to a library and/or article database such as Jstor will be necessary to complete multiple of the assigments. If individual access to such databases is not possible, access is possible via the Macquarie Library website, although a proxy server may be necessary (for more see the "IT Help" link under the "Policies and Procedures" tab).

All lectures, assignments, and readings will be posted on the course's iLearn site for external students (lectures will be recorded and will be accessible via the Echo360 tab on the right-hand side of the iLearn page). Additional resources, including weblinks and additional directions will also appear there.

REQUIRED READING

Collins, John J., and Daniel C. Harlow, eds. Early Judaism: A Comprehensive Overview. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2012. [Abbreviated EJ in the readings below]

Meyers, Eric M. and Mark Chancey, Alexander to Constantine: Archaeology of the Land of the Bible, Volume III.  New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012.

García Martínez, Florentino. The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated. 2nd ed.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996. [Abbreviated GM in the readings below]

Optional purchases (we will read passages from each)

Josephus, Flavius. The New Complete Works of Josephus. Translated by William Whiston.  Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1999. [You may use another edition, but you will need both Antiquities and War]

Bible with Apocrypha. Preferably the NRSV or ESV translation.

 The ancient sources can be found online:

 Bible: New Revised Standard Version: http://www.devotions.net/bible/00bible.htm

 Apocrypha: http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/apo/index.htm

 Josephus: http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/JOSEPHUS.HTM

Module 1 (week 1)

     Introduction; Setting the scene, the wars of the Diodache and Ptolemaic Rule of Coele-Syria; From Banias to Modiin; Ancient Sources

Module 2 (week 2)

     Hellenism - Aspects and influence; Literary genres - apocalyptic

Module 3 (week 3)

     The Hasmoneans and the Maccabean Revolt (Archaeology and Geography)

Module 4 (week 4)

     The Hasmoneans and the Maccabean Revolt (Literature)

Module 5 (week 5)

     Qumran and The Dead Sea Scrolls; the Archaeology of Idumea

Module 6 (week 6)

     The Coming of Rome and Herod

Module 7 (week 7)

     Judaism and its Institutions; Sectarianism and Messianism; the archaeology of the everyday

Module 8 (week 8)

     Judea under Roman Rule (4 BC - ca. AD 60)

Module 9 (week 9)

     The First Revolt and its Aftermath

Module 10 (week 10)

     Bar Kochba and the Jewish Heritage