| Unit name | Pompeii |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CLAS32345 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Hales |
| 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 |
Pompeii has played a major part in the way we imagine and relate to the ancient world. The urge to resurrect the city prompted the invention of archaeology and evidence from Pompeii is used in a range of disciplines from ancient history to psychoanalysis. At the same time, the human tragedy of the eruption of Vesuvius has inspired artists of all kinds. The city is at once the backdrop for erotic paganism and Christian judgement. She appeals to the intellectual elite but also to popular culture. This unit explores popular and intellectual responses to Pompeii since its rediscovery in the eighteenth century and how contemporary preoccupations have affected the way that Pompeii has been viewed in academic scholarship, art, fiction and film. We will also ask what we want from Pompeii at the beginning of the twenty first century (a century that Pompeii may well not survive).
Aims:
An overview of content
After an initial class concentrating on the eruption of Vesuvius, this unit opens with classes dedicated to the three principal ways we have accessed the ruins of Pompeii: through archaeology, tourism and creative imagination, charting how different movements, such as romanticism, have shaped these endeavours. It then takes a thematic turn, focusing each week on a key aspect of Pompeian life (e.g. domestic arrangements; civic organisation) or set of evidence (e.g. human remains). We will explore each theme both in terms of building our picture of the ancient city and how it has been reimagined in popular culture. The unit is delivered through ‘jigsaw learning’, which means that for each class you can choose the one of several packages of material that best suits your interests and assessment choice. By bringing these packages together, as a class we can build a full picture of Pompeii as it was experienced by its ancient inhabitants and modern visitors.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of this unit?
By the end of this unit, you will have learned about the contribution that the excavation of the Vesuvian sites has made to our understanding of the Roman world and will have considered the complex legacy of Pompeii across a wide range of subsequent media. More broadly, you will also become aware of the ethical, practical and financial challenges of curating an ancient site as a tourist attraction, making you much more aware of your own physical interaction with the past.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:
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.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay, 3,000 words (100%) [ILOs 1-5]
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 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. CLAS32345).
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.
