Aims

Elementary knowledge of different ancient literary genres where the archaeologist and the art historian can find pieces of information. Appreciation of the importance of the genres, even if they are never organized as a " history of art " in the way today's science prescribes. Role of the ancient writers in the information transmission on the way of living and ancient techniques on one hand, and on the attitude of the intellectual elite towards art works on the other hand. The inscription of this course in the programme illustrates the importance that the faculty traditionally attaches to a direct consulting of ancient literature sources, as much as possible in the original language. Even if the course leads to an update of the anterior Greek and Latin knowledge of the students, it has no intention to improve it considerably.

Main themes

Survey of ancient literature explaining the genres that could be of interest to archaeologists and art historians (ancient literature in a technical way : writings in the field of history of art; other literary genres). Examination of 8 passages of an author in the original language, 4 in Greek (issued from the works of Herodotus, Thucydides, Josephe or Pausanias) and 4 in Latin (excerpts from Pliny, Virgil, and Vitruvus). Elements on the historical and literary context of the works and the studied passages, and literal translation. Detailed archaeological comments in order to put the passage into its geographic, historical and material background

Content and teaching methods

After an introduction during which the different literary genres in particular concerned in the studies of archaeology and history of art are reviewed, translation and archaeological comments of Greek texts (15 hrs), followed by Latin texts (15 hrs), and in particular excerpts from Periegeses (description from the Attic by Pausanias), technical works (De Architectura by Vitruvus), from encyclopaedia surveys (the Natural History by Pliny the Old), and from literary descriptions of art works (ekphraseis in its different literary forms).

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

The students registered for this course are supposed to have followed a minimum of ancient Greek and/or Latin lessons during the secondary school, or introduction courses provided in the programme of the first cycle. Students having basic knowledge of only one of the two languages can only attend to the introduction and the discussion about the four texts in Greek or in Latin.
The students should be able to translate the provided texts in the original Greek version (or in one of the languages) and justify the translation, eventually on the hand of the translation proposed by the editor, and holding to comment the important words in the particular perspective of the course.
Xerox copies will be handed out, placing side by side the original version of all studied text and their translation

Other credits in programs