Introduction to the Study of Antiquity [ LGLOR1410 ]

The iCampus server enables the student to obtain the outline of the course, an outline bibliography and some useful documentation.

The student will also wish to explore:
- the web-site of "l'Année Philologique" (http://www.annee-philogique.com/aph);
- the web-site of the U.C.L. libraries ( > https://www.bib.ucl.ac.be)
- the web-site of the Bibliotheca classica selecta (http://bcs.fltr.ucl.ac.be).

Basic knowledge of Latin and/or Greek such as provided by the courses LFTR 1760 and/or LFTR 1770.

The course deals with the different types of sources and the disciplines involved in the study of classical antiquity, the contemporary literature on the subject, the academic writing, as well as other aspects of classical antiquity.

An introduction to the sciences related to the study of classical antiquity.

At the end of this course, the student will be capable to produce a scientifically correct status quaestionis about a chosen subject relating to classical antiquity. In order to achieve this goal, he will have mastered the procedures and essential tools for analysing classical antiquity. He will be able to present the results of his researches in a meticulous and relevant manner.

The final marks in the exam are given as follows:
- 50% for a written assignment on a passage from a Greek or Latin author (brief status quaestionis about its content and transmission)
- 50% on an oral exam

The two lecturers give the lecture alternatively. Two visits to the library are organised, as well as an introduction in the use of on-line resources. (web-site of "l'Année Philologique" and the online catalogue and search facilities in BGSH).

The course gives a general introduction to the different types of sources related to the study of classical antiquity (literary sources, inscriptions, papyri, archaeological and numismatic sources), emphasizing the history of their transmission across the centuries, the possibilities of accessing them today (via reference editions and collections) and the methods of exploiting them (by means of a range of specific disciplines : epigraphy, papyrology, archaeology, iconography, numismatics, codicology, palaeography and ecdotics).

In addition it will cover various aspects of Greco-Roman civilisation that are relevant to a good understanding and interpretation of these sources, such as mythology or chronology. It will help the student to find his landmarks in the vast modern literature on the subject and will aid him to a good exploitation of the resources of the library.

It will also deal with the problem of academic writing, putting an emphasis on the existing conventions in classical scholarship (curent abbreviations for example).

Relevant documents and text references are available on the server iCampus.

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