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AHIS8210 – History Writing in Antiquity: Herodotus and Thucydides

2022 – Session 2, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Ian Plant
ian.plant@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MAncHist
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
In antiquity Herodotus was regarded as the father of history. Thucydides is widely acknowledged as the creator of political history. This unit examines a range of historiographical approaches to the reading of these two influential Greek historians. The aim of this unit is both to understand Herodotus and Thucydides as writers and to evaluate the different historiographical approaches taken by the modern scholars who have studied them.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Demonstrate understanding of principal historiographical approaches to the texts of key ancient historians.
  • ULO2: Identify, critically assess and evaluate approaches to the writing of ancient history.
  • ULO3: Research and interpret texts, using appropriate historiographical approaches to analysis.
  • ULO4: Communicate effectively with teaching staff and peers, demonstrating an informed respect for professional (academic) and ethical principles and values.

General Assessment Information

Submission: All assessment tasks are submitted through Turnitin.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty  [Macquarie University Policy]

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.    

 

This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Historiographical Analysis 25% No 23:55, Sunday, 11/09/2022
Critical Evaluation of your weekly posts. 25% No 23:55, Sunday, 30,10/2022
Essay 50% No 23:55, Sunday, 06/11/2022

Historiographical Analysis

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 23:55, Sunday, 11/09/2022
Weighting: 25%

A short written paper that requires historiographical analysis: your word limit is 1500 words. Further details on this task are on the unit's ilearn page.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of principal historiographical approaches to the texts of key ancient historians.
  • Identify, critically assess and evaluate approaches to the writing of ancient history.

Critical Evaluation of your weekly posts.

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 23:55, Sunday, 30,10/2022
Weighting: 25%

Compose a reflective, critical evaluation of your engagement with the unit's topics in your weekly posts: your word limit for this task is 1500 words. Further details on this task are on the unit's ilearn page.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of principal historiographical approaches to the texts of key ancient historians.
  • Identify, critically assess and evaluate approaches to the writing of ancient history.
  • Research and interpret texts, using appropriate historiographical approaches to analysis.

Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 23:55, Sunday, 06/11/2022
Weighting: 50%

This is a longer written assessment task: your word limit is 2500 words. Further details on this task are on the unit's ilearn page.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of principal historiographical approaches to the texts of key ancient historians.
  • Identify, critically assess and evaluate approaches to the writing of ancient history.
  • Research and interpret texts, using appropriate historiographical approaches to analysis.
  • Communicate effectively with teaching staff and peers, demonstrating an informed respect for professional (academic) and ethical principles and values.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

The unit is delivered in external mode through ilearn. Students will need access to the internet. Readings from modern sources will be provided in electronic form through the university library. Students may use their own copies of Herodotus and Thucydides, borrow copies from the library, access electronic copies through the library or elsewhere. No textbook is required.

Unit Schedule

Herodotus and Thucydides: Unit Schedule

Week

Topic

Focus

Week 1.

What is History?

Herodotus and Thucydides

Week 2.

 

Quellenforschung

(the study of sources)

Herodotus

Week 3

 

The Representation of women in Herodotus & the creation of historical characters

Herodotus

Week 4

The God, destiny and the Process of History

Herodotus

Week 5

The Political View of the Historian

Herodotus

Week 6

Literary Techniques and Historical Narrative

Herodotus

Week 7

Layers of Composition

Thucydides

Week 8

Speeches and the historian

Thucydides

Week 9

Thucydides' Archaeology: inventing the past from the present 

Thucydides

Week 10

Narratology and the historian

Thucydides

Week 11

Intratextuality and Intertextuality in historical narrative

Thucydides

Week 12

Review of different approaches to reading history

Thucydides

 

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Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

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Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

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The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

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Unit information based on version 2022.03 of the Handbook