ECONOMIC HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT WORLD

The course is one of the interdisciplinary educational activities characterizing the Bachelor's Degree Programme in History. It has the purpose to guarantee to the students the knowledge of processes related to the development of economy in the ancient world, of the methodology of research in economic history, of the lexicon of the subject and to make students acquire skills as critical approach to issues in the understanding of causal relations and in the analysis of sources; scientific transmission of the acquired knowledges; habit to complex issues and their consequences.
The disciplinary and methodological purpose of the course is: being aware of the main issues related to the economic history of the ancient world; knowing chronological issues, historical events and understanding their causes; developing the principles and methods of historical research in the field of economic history; being able to comprehend the relations between political, institutional, social, and religious dynamics; applying the methodology of historical reconstruction in economic studies with particular focus on the exegesis of ancient sources; acquiring the basic lexicon of history.
The reachment of these objectives guarantees to the student the cultural, disciplinary, methodological knowledge for Master courses fitting the Bachelor ‘s Degree and enter the world of work in didactical, cultural, organizational, divulgation and communication-linked field.

Attending the course and individual study will allow students to acquire specific knowledge such as: the development paths of ancient economy, the principal issues of economic history in Antiquity, and the methodology of historical economic research and the subject’s lexicon. Attending and studying will allow students to acquire the ability to point out the roots of nowadays’s issues in order to make them comprehend better; being able to apply a critical approach to problems; know how transmit scientific concepts.
The course will guarantee these skills: to create a hierarchy of information with personal critical judgment; know how to deal with complex problems; to be able to argue about basic scientific issues.

There is no disciplinary requirement. A good knowledge of italian language is necessary. A good knowledge of ancient history is desirable.

The course will provide an outline of the most relevant aspects of the economic history of the ancient world, focusing on the evolution of economic systems from the Greek Archaic Period to the end of Antiquity, on the economic structures of ancient societies, in particular of the late-republican and imperial Rome
Students who will not attend lessons will study the same contents and the lessons’s subjects will be substituted with the study of texts shown in the bibliography.

Required texts:
- class notes;
- L. Migeotte, L'economia nelle città greche, Roma Carocci, 2005
- F. Carlà, A. Marcone, Economia e finanza a Roma, Bologna, Il Mulino 2011

Students who cannot attend classes must contact the course tutor beforehand.
Literature in English, French, Spanish, or German can be provided to foreign students upon request.

The written exam consists of eight questions: two are essay questions, five are short answers questions, while the last consists of some multiple choice questions.
The exam’s aim is to ensure the acquisition of the basic knowledge of the subject, of the abilities to synthesize information, of the use of a proper scientific terminology.
Each answer is judged according to a scale of thirty points, and the final mark is the result of the average of the points earned for each answer.
The exam lasts two hours.
The exam’s aim is to ensure the acquisition of the basic knowledge of the subject, both connected to factual events and to the analysis of causes, of the abilities to synthesize information, of the use of a proper scientific terminology. The exam’s purpose is to verify the acquisition of abilities as the capacity to apply the subject’s methodology and sketch out an effective communication strategy: transmission of scientific contents, ability to draw together, selection of contents, use of specific lexicon. The exam verifies the skills in creating a hierarchy of the information with personal critical judgment; in dealing with complex problems; in arguing about basic scientific issues.

Front lectures. Class attendance is highly recommended.
Booklet and research and self-evaluation material can be found in the Ca’ Foscari e-learning Moodle platform.

Italian

written and oral