HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST I

The course is part of three Bachelor’s degree programs:

1) CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ACTIVITIES [FT1]: The course is among the core educational activities of the Archaeology curriculum. The 12-credit exam consists of two 6 CFU modules, namely: HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST I (6 out of 12 CFU) [FT0201] + HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST II (6 out of 12 CFU) [FT0201]

2) HUMANITIES [FT3]: The course (6 CFU) is among the core educational activities of the Ancient Sciences curriculum.

3) HISTORY [FT5]: The course is among the core disciplines of the Ancient and Medieval Mediterranean History curriculum.

The course aims to provide students with a critical interpretative framework for understanding the major historical phenomena affecting the Near Eastern regions (Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Syria, Levant) during the period spanning from the third to the first millennium BCE (up to the Persian period and the conquest of Alexander the Great), also in relation to contemporary events. Students will be introduced to the main methodological approaches on which the discipline is based and to the principles of bibliographic research, enabling them to develop the necessary skills to interpret and contextualize the major themes of Near Eastern history both diachronically and synchronically. Upon achieving these objectives, students will be able to grasp the main lines of historical development, applying the necessary tools for source analysis, in preparation for further in-depth study of the subject.

Learning Outcomes
1. Knowledge and Understanding:
- Acquisition of the specific terminology of the discipline
- Understanding of key themes and historical phenomena of the Ancient Near East
- Familiarity with the main tools and methodologies of the discipline
- Mastery of bibliographic research methods

2. Ability to Apply Knowledge and Understanding and Communication Skills:
- Ability to use specialized terminology appropriately in communicating acquired knowledge
- Capability to apply sources, methods, and tools to carry out basic independent research
- Competence in appropriately contextualizing the historical phenomena studied

No special qualifications are requested. A basic knowledge of ancient history will certainly help.

The course provides an introduction to Ancient Near Eastern history, from the so-called first urbanization to the Persian empire. The geographical scope extends from Mesopotamia to the Levant, Anatolia and the Iranian plateau. The classes will touch upon selected topics regarding historiographical issues and approaches, taking in due consideration primary sources in translation. The focus is on distinctive features in the Ancient Near East civilizations, including those of Sumer, Assyria and Babylonia, with special reference to historical geography, politics, economics, society and religion.

For students who are not able to read Italian, the following readings in English and French are suggested:

Van De Mieroop, M. 2004: A History of the Ancient Near East, ca. 300-323 BC. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Bordreuil, P. – Briquel-Chatonnet, F. – Michel, C. (édd.) 2008: Les débuts de l'histoire. Paris : Éditions de la Martinière.

In a written essay the student will answer a series of questions dealing with historical geography, chronology, sources, economic, social and political history of the Ancient Near East.

written

The exam consists of 6 questions:
- 2 questions on historical geography (max 6 points out of 30, approximately 20% of the total grade)
- 2 questions on chronology (max 8 points out of 30, approximately 30%)
- 2 questions on political, social, and cultural history (max 16 points out of 30, approximately 50%)

Honors (lode) is awarded to papers that achieve the maximum score (30/30) and are excellent in terms of content and clarity of expression. Papers that appropriately cite ancient sources to support their argument receive a bonus of 1 point added to the final grade (if already 30/30, this results in honors). The same applies to papers that include relevant references to modern scholars, demonstrating in-depth study and knowledge of academic literature. Conversely, papers containing serious errors (e.g., incorrect dating by centuries, significantly incorrect geographical locations, unfounded historical data) incur a penalty of 1 point, which is deducted from the final score. Blank answers receive no points.

Grading scale:

30 with honors: Excellent answers, precise, well-argued, rich in detail, with appropriate terminology and critical insight.
30: Complete, correct, and well-structured answers, demonstrating excellent command of the subject.
28-29: Very good answers, with minor inaccuracies or slight gaps.
26-27: Good answers, with some inaccuracies or gaps, but overall solid.
24-25: Satisfactory answers, with some significant omissions or minor errors.
21-23: Sufficient answers, with notable shortcomings but an acceptable overall understanding.
18-20: Barely sufficient answers, with relevant errors and gaps, but some basic comprehension.
<18 (insufficient): Inadequate answers, with serious errors, weak arguments, or lack of understanding of the topic.

Public lectures. Sources and other materials will be provided through Power Point presentation or handouts. Discussion of specific topics will be carried out with attending students. An overview of digital sources and applications relevant to the field will be also given in the lectures.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development