| Unit name | Beyond the Mediterranean: the Neo-Assyrian Empire |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CLAS20072 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Knippschild |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None. |
| School/department | Department of Classics & Ancient History |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
This unit focuses on cultures at the periphery of what is traditionally considered the core of the Classical world, specifically the Neo-Assyrian Empire (ca 911-609 BCE). This empire stretched widely across the Near Eastern world from Egypt to Mesopotamia, and formed a significant part of the wider Mediterranean world: however, like the other cultures of the Ancient Near East, it is rarely treated in traditional degree courses in Ancient History or Classical Studies. We will explore this empire in detail, both as important in its own right but also as a demonstration of the value of opening our horizons beyond the Mediterranean. We will be asking questions such as: what can the Assyrians can tell us about the neighbouring Greeks of the “Dark Ages” who left no written records? How did Ancient Near Eastern customs lead to the cultural conflicts between Greeks and Persians and the Graeco-Persian Wars? The unit will draw our attention to the limitations of historical approaches focusing on just Greece and Rome, and offer some other ways of approaching the history of the ancient world.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit builds on and complements other historically focussed units in the programme by offering an in-depth study of a period and empire not covered elsewhere. In studying cultures beyond the Mediterranean, it highlights the importance of societies outside of the typical scope of Ancient History programmes, and the interconnectedness of Mesopotamia and the Classical World. It will allow you to build on existing skills developed earlier in your programme; but it will also help you to build new skills in source analysis and historical interpretation suited to a very different body of source material.
An overview of content
The unit discusses the rise and fall of the Neo Assyrian Empire, from King of Kings Adad-Nirari II to the last Assyrian king, Ashur-Ubalit, and the fall of the Assyrian capital Nineveh (911 – 612 BCE). We will consider the history of the empire and overarching subjects, such as kingship, languages and ethnicity of empire, administration, religions, women, and the army, especially the Assyrian reaction to revolt, which could amount to attempted genocide. Our sources will be the art of the Assyrians, such as the sculptural programmes of the royal palaces, and cuneiform sources in translation, such as annals, chronicles, state inscriptions, and letters.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
Students will have had the opportunity to expand their horizons beyond the traditional curriculum of Greece and Rome, and gained an understanding of how the Ancient Near East interacted with these core areas. In this way, students will have a broader outlook on the global village of the Mediterranean.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Describe and comment critically on the political and social developments of Assyrian culture in the period studied.
2. Identify the varied sources available for studying these cultures, and assess their historical usefulness.
3. Construct coherent, relevant, and persuasive arguments on different aspects of the subject.
4. Demonstrate skills of written academic expression at a standard appropriate to level I/5.
This unit will involve a combination of independent investigative activities, long- and short-form lectures, and discussion. Students will be expected to engage with materials and participate on a weekly basis. Feedback will be provided for both formative and summative assessments, and this will be supported by meetings with tutors.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay, 1,500 words (50%) [ILOs 1-4]
Exam, 90 minutes (50%) [ILOs 1-4]
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 academic 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. CLAS20072).
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 University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
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. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
