HIST 4013 / Spring 2013
The Battle of the Issus. Alexander is on the far left, Darius is right of center. Mosaic from Pompeii, 1st century CE
Instructor: Dr. Charles E. Muntz
Time: MWF 8:30 - 9:20 am
Place: 147 J. B. Hunt
Dr. Muntz's Office: 407 Old Main
Office Hours: Tu 10:30-11:30am, W 1:00-2:00 pm, and by appointment
Phone: (479) 575-5891
Email: cmuntz@uark.edu
Overview
The class will examine one of the most famous figures of the ancient world, Alexander the Great, and the new political and social order that he helped create. We begin with Alexander’s early life and the political situation that caused his father Philip II to plan an invasion of Persia. After Philip’s death we will follow Alexander as he fulfills his father’s goals, and then moves well beyond them as he takes his army as far as India. We will conclude our study of Alexander by looking at his legacy and influence both in the ancient world and the modern. In the second part of the course we will examine the Diadochoi, the successors of Alexander the Great. But we will look at not only the political and military history of this period, but also the intellectual and artistic achievements that helped to spread Hellenistic culture all over the Mediterranean and Near East. Finally we will look at the coming of Rome, and the role that Hellenistic culture and society played in the formation of the Roman Empire.
Workload
Quiz: There will be a short (5 minute) map quiz on January 30. The list of places to know is here, and a blank map for practice is here. A labeled map can be found following page xiv of the Errington textbook / at this link.
Exams: There will be an in-class midterm on February 25, and a final exam on Monday, May 6, at 8:00 am. Both will consist of identification and essay questions. NB - Students are again responsible for providing their own blue books at exams.
Paper 1: The first paper (5 pages) will evaluate two accounts of the same event which both drew on the same original, due February 8.
Paper 2: The second paper (5 pages) will be comparing and contrasting biographies written by Nepos and Plutarch (follow links for the texts) of the Greek general Eumenes, due March 15.
Paper 3: The third paper (5 pages) will be composing a memo from the fictitious city of Poseidonia describing the preparations for the visit of a Hellenistic king, due April 26.
Formatting guidelines
Grading policies
Participation: Certain class periods are set aside for class discussions. Questions based on the primary sources to get things started can be found here, but feel free to raise other issues or questions on your own. Grading policies for discussions can be found here.
Attendance: Regular attendance is important. I will allow each student to miss up to three classes without penalty to cover things such as illness or religious observances. Please email me in advance if you are going to miss class. For each absence after the first three I will lower the final participation grade by 10 points, except in cases of a serious long-term issue. If you do have to miss a class, make sure you meet with another student to find out what you missed!
Grading Breakdown:
Map Quiz: 3%
Paper 1: 15%
Paper 2: 15%
Paper 3: 15%
Midterm: 15%
Participation: 12%
Final: 25%
Reading Materials
Information on Transliterating Greek text
Required Texts:
Errington, R. Malcolm. A History of the Hellenistic World 323-30 BC. Blackwell Publishing, 2008. ISBN 0631233881
Austin, Michel. The Hellenistic World from Alexander to the Roman Conquest. 2nd ed. Cambridge UP, 2006. ISBN 0521535611
Romm, James, ed. The Landmark Arrian: The Campaigns of Alexander. ISBN 1400079675
Fowler, Barbara. Hellenistic Poetry: An Anthology. Wisconsin, 1990. ISBN 0299125343
Texts on Reserve in Mullins:
Important studies and biographies of Alexander the Great:
Bosworth, A. B. Conquest and Empire : the reign of Alexander the Great. 1988
Cartledge, P. Alexander the Great : the hunt for a new past. 2004
Green, P. Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C.; a historical biography. 1971
Heckel, Waldemar. Who's who in the age of Alexander the Great. 2004
O’Brien, John. Alexander the Great : the invisible enemy. 1992.
General books on the Hellenistic World:
Bugh, G. R. The Cambridge companion to the Hellenistic world. 2006
Erskine, A. A companion to the Hellenistic world. 2005
Green, P. Alexander to Actium. 1990.
Shipley, G. The Greek world after Alexander, 323-30 B.C. 2000
Online translations of Alexander sources:
Plutarch: Life of Alexander
Diodorus Siculus Book 17: Chapters 1-16 Chapters 17-39 Chapters 40-63 Chapters 64-83 Chapters 84-103 Chapters 104-118
Justin’s Epitome of Pompeius Trogus: Book 11 Book 12
Policies
Academic Integrity: As a core part of its mission, the University of Arkansas provides students with the opportunity to further their educational goals through programs of study and research in an environment that promotes freedom of inquiry and academic responsibility. Accomplishing this mission is only possible when intellectual honesty and individual integrity prevail.
Each University of Arkansas student is required to be familiar with and abide by the University’s ‘Academic Integrity Policy’ which may be found at http://provost.uark.edu/245.php. Students with questions about how these policies apply to a particular course or assignment should immediately contact their instructor.
Equal Access: University of Arkansas Academic Policy Series 1520.10 requires that students with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact me privately at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these through the Center for Educational Access (contact 479-575-3104 or visit http://cea.uark.edu for more information on registration procedures).
Inclement Weather: If the University stops running the Razorback Bus System because of snow or bad weather, there will be no class. Otherwise, class is on!
Miscellaneous: Please turn off and put away all cell phones and any other non-course related items and finish any food you might be eating before coming into class. Drinks are acceptable. Please remain seated during class - if you need to use the lavatory, do so before or after class.
Daily Topics and Reading Assignments
Week 1
January 14 - Introduction
January 16 - Persia and the Greeks
January 18 - The Sources for Alexander
Week 2
January 21 - MLK Day, no class
January 23 - Discussion: The Sources and the Youth of Alexander
Diodorus 1.1-5
Arrian, Book 1 preface
Plutarch, Alexander 1-14
January 25 - The Accession to the Throne
Arrian 1.1-11
Week 3
January 28 - Invasion of Persia
Arrian 1.12 (p. 23-28)
January 30 - The Battle of the Granicus / Map Quiz
Arrian 1.13-1.29
Diodorus 17.17-21
February 1 - The Battle of the Issus
Arrian Book 2
Week 4
February 4 - Alexander in Egypt
Arrian 3.1-7
February 6 - Gaugamela
Arrian 3.8-3.30
February 8 - The New King? / First Paper Due
Finish Arrian Book 3
Week 5
February 11 - Discussion: Alexander and Orientalism
Arrian 4.1-15
Curtius 8.1-8
February 13 - The Invasion of India
Arrian 4.16-5.19
February 15 - To the End of the World…
Arrian 5.20-6.19
Week 6
February 18 - The Return Home
Arrian 6.20-6.30, start Book 7
February 20 - Discussion: The Death of Alexander
Arrian Book 7 remainder
Plutarch, Alexander 70-77
Diodorus Siculus 17.104-118
February 22 - The Legacy of Alexander
Week 7
February 25 - Midterm
February 27 - The Sources for the Hellenistic World
March 1 - Alexander’s Funeral Games
Errington 11-35
Austin #26-28, 30-31, 34-39
Week 8
March 4 - The Wars of the Diadochoi
Errington 36-76
Austin #47-59
March 6 - Hellenistic Literature 1
Select works of Callimachus (Fowler p. 41-69)
Sections from Aratus (Fowler p. 251-258)
March 8 - Macedon and the Greek states 1
Errington 79-110
Austin #60-77
Week 9
March 11 - Macedon and the Greek states 2
Austin #101-105, 107-113, 115, 117-118, 122-124, 129-130, 132, 135, 136-138, 142-143, 148, 150, 156
March 13 - Hellenistic Art 1
March 15 - Hellenistic Science / Paper 2 Due - Plutarch's Life of Eumenes - Nepos' Life of Eumenes
Spring Break!
Week 10
March 25 - Seleucids 1
Errington 111-119
Austin #158-164, 166-184
March 27 - Seleucids 2 and the Kingdom of Pergamum
Errington 119-142
Austin #185-194, 224-233
March 29 - Hellenistic Art 2
Apollonius: The Argonautica, Book 1 (in Fowler)
Week 11
April 1 - Discussion: Hellenistic Literature 2
Apollonius: The Argonautica, Book 3 (in Fowler), Summary of Books 2 & 4
April 3 - Ptolemies 1
Errington 143-164
Austin #254, 256-260, 262-268, 271, 274-277, 283-284, 292-294
April 5 - Ptolemies 2
Errington 165-180
Austin #296-299, 301-308, 312-315, 317, 319, 326
Week 12
April 8 - Discussion: Ptolemies 3
Selections from the Diophanes Archive (Enteuxeis Papyri)
April 10 - Hellenistic Religion
Austin #42-46, 258, 295
April 12 - Discussion: Hellenistic Literature 3
Select poems of Theocritus (Fowler p. 3-37)
Select mimes of Herodas (Fowler p. 235-248)
Moschus, Europa (Fowler p. 261-265)
Week 13
April 15 - The Coming of Rome
Errington 181-246
Austin #77-100
April 17 - Rome and Hellenistic Culture
Errington 249-255
Plutarch, Life of Cato the Elder
April 19 - No class, Dr. Muntz will be at a conference
Week 14
April 22 - The Decline of the East
Errington 256-278
Austin #195-210, 218-223
April 24 - Discussion: Hellenism and the Jews
1 Maccabees
Austin #214-217
April 26 - Hellenistic Art 3 / Final Paper Due
Week 15
April 29 - End of the Hellenistic World
Errington 290-308
Austin #222-223, 286-291
May 1 - Epilogue