Students

ARCX1101 – Archaeology and Society: Greece and Rome

2026 – Session 1, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Susan Lupack
susan.lupack@mq.edu.au
Lecturer, Tutor
Michael Hitches
michael.hitches@mq.edu.au
Contact via email
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Archaeology and Society: Greece and Rome introduces students to the ways archaeology contributes to our understanding of ancient Greek and Roman societies. The unit focuses on how interpretations of material culture from the classical Mediterranean world have evolved, with particular attention to the impact of archaeological fieldwork on our historical narratives. Students will critically examine key archaeological theories and methods and assess the types of information material remains can offer about ancient societies, from everyday domestic life to imperial power structures. Practical engagement is a core component of the unit: students will work directly with artefacts from the University’s teaching collections, learning appropriate handling techniques, and developing skills in identifying, analysing, and interpreting archaeological objects and site plans. By the end of the unit, students will be equipped to extract historical meaning from material evidence and to reflect on the role of archaeology in shaping our understanding of the classical past.

 

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 an understanding of appropriate handling techniques when dealing with ancient artefacts.
  • ULO2: Identify the place of manufacture, time period, and original use of artefacts from the time periods covered in this unit.
  • ULO3: Identify and discuss the relative values of different archaeological theories and methods.
  • ULO4: Extract historical information from ancient remains.

General Assessment Information

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Rubrics and other guidance for the Assessments will be posted on our iLearn site and discussed in class. To complete the unit successfully you need a minimum mark of 50% overall, and all assessment tasks must be attempted. 

Marks awarded are as follows: F / FA: 0-49% P: 50-64% CR: 65-74% D: 75-84% HD: 85-100%

Late Policy and Special Consideration

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 written reports and recordings only. Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Problem sets 30% No Weeks 2-5, 7-12, due Sundays 23:59 Individual No Open
Presentation 35% No Sunday, 12 April, 23:59 Individual No Open
Research essay 35% No Week 13, Sunday 7 June, 23:59 Individual No Open

Problem sets

Assessment Type 1: Problem-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Weeks 2-5, 7-12, due Sundays 23:59
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

Short answer questions that aim to allow students to reflect on and consolidate their learning.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify the place of manufacture, time period, and original use of artefacts from the time periods covered in this unit.
  • Identify and discuss the relative values of different archaeological theories and methods.
  • Extract historical information from ancient remains.

Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Sunday, 12 April, 23:59
Weighting: 35%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

Students will analyse and research an artefact from the Gale History Museum’s collection as an archaeologist would, and then prepare a media presentation on it.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate handling techniques when dealing with ancient artefacts.
  • Identify the place of manufacture, time period, and original use of artefacts from the time periods covered in this unit.
  • Extract historical information from ancient remains.

Research essay

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 13, Sunday 7 June, 23:59
Weighting: 35%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

The students will research an archaeological site or artefact in order to discuss the society of the people associated with the site or artefact.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate handling techniques when dealing with ancient artefacts.
  • Identify the place of manufacture, time period, and original use of artefacts from the time periods covered in this unit.
  • Extract historical information from ancient remains.

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
  • Academic Success 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.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

DELIVERY

Lectures: 

Lectures will be delivered live! There will be interaction during the lecture! Please join in!!  I love to see as many of you there as possible! 

The lectures will also be recorded for the Online/flexible students, so you will be able to access them on the Echo360 platform via our iLearn site. It takes a bit of time for the lectures to be formatted and loaded, so keep in mind that the tutorials build on the lecture -- because the tutorials take place right after the lecture, make sure to come to the lecture in person, or watch it as it is live-streamed so that you are ready for the tutorial.

Tutorials:

Each week in our tutorials we will expand on the knowledge we gather from the lectures and the readings - this is why I ask that you all please make sure that you attend or watch the lecture before the tutorial as very often we will use material from the lecture in the tutorials. 

For many tutorials you will be broken into groups so that you can discuss the main topic of the tutorial together, and then toward the end of the tutorial we will get back together and each group will present what they discussed.

Tutorial Work for Online/Flexible Students – Discussion Forums:

Every week that an internal student tutorial is held, there will be a corresponding online discussion forum that will focus on the same questions as those that are discussed in the internal tutorials. Responses will be expected by the evening of the Sunday following that week's lecture.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

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 connect.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.

Student Support

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

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes from Previous Offering

Ken Sheedy has taught this unit for several years.  Susan Lupack is stepping in as the new convenor.

Unit information based on version 2026.05 of the Handbook