The lecture course deals with the Classical period of Greek history, from the Persian Wars to the death of Philip of Macedon (c. 500 to 336 BCE). It focuses on the political, social, and cultural history of Greece. How do we approach the Hellenic experience at the time, what are the sources and prevailing scholarly methods? Classical Greece comprised countless cities (poleis) and federations (ethne) that were united under a shared culture and segregated at the same time, similar to one another and different. Multiple circles of identity tied poleis and ethne to the local, regional, and universal or Panhellenic horizon. ‘Being Greek’ thus implied a vibrant interplay of opposing sentiments: among others, of fragmentation and togetherness, of inclusion and exclusion, of belonging and disconnect. The lecture will explore the creative tension between these sentiments, unravelling the traits of a political culture that appears both familiar and strange to our experience today (another opposition!).
Learning goals: in-depth knowledge of the course content and subject matter; basic comprehension of research operations; development of critical thinking and analytical skills (intermediate level).
- Lehrende/r: Hans Beck