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Unit of study_

ANHS3637: Ancient Sparta and Modern Ideology

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Ancient Sparta continues to fascinate the modern imagination. This unit examines Ancient Sparta from multiple perspectives, from its early history and social structures in antiquity to the idealised state of the Western philosophical and political tradition. We will differentiate ancient city from modern fantasy by rethinking the evidence and then try to understand why Modernity's fascination with Sparta is so enduring.

Unit details and rules

Unit code ANHS3637
Academic unit Classics and Ancient History
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
12 credit points at 2000 level in the Ancient History major
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Ben Brown, benjamin.brown@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Ben Brown, benjamin.brown@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Ben Brown, benjamin.brown@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Take-home extended release) Type E final exam Take-Home Exercise
30% Formal exam period 96 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Participation Seminar Participation
10% Ongoing n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO5
Assignment Seminar Preparation Journal
20% Ongoing 1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO5 LO6
Assignment Research Essay
40% Week 11
Due date: 13 Nov 2020 at 23:59
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Type E final exam = Type E final exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Research Essay (Due 13/11/20)
  • Take-Home Exercise (undertaken during the exam period)
  • Seminar Prepration Journal (4 submissions across the semester, each worth 5%)
  • Tutorial Participation

(Full details can be found on the Assessment Information page of the Canvas Unit of Study Website)

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1). As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result Name Mark Range Description
High Distinction 85-100  
Distinction 75-84  
Credit 65-74  
Pass 50-64  
Fail 0-49 When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard

 

Refer to the Coursework Policy 2014, Schedule 1 for common result grades and their use in undergraduate and postgraduate courses and the Guide to grades on the Current students website.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

As per Faculty policy (5%/day)

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Sparta: between myth and reality, Antiquity and Modernity Lecture (1 hr)  
T1 Introductory Tutorial Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 02 What do we know about Ancient Sparta? The nature of the evidence and the outline of its history Lecture (1 hr)  
T2 How exceptional was Sparta? Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 03 The Problem of Early Spartan History: foundation, reform, institutions, fragments Lecture (1 hr)  
T3 'Archaic' Sparta and the Spartan 'revolution' Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 04 What sort of polis is Classical Sparta? 1. Political rationality, war and citizenship Lecture (1 hr)  
T4 Spartiates: war and citizenship Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 05 What sort of polis is Classical Sparta? 2. Land, political economy and labour Lecture (1 hr)  
T5 The Political Economy of Sparta Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 06 How exceptional a polis was Sparta? Wealth, education, women Lecture (1 hr)  
T6 Spartan women and Spartan exceptionalism Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 07 Is there such a thing as 'Spartan religion'? Cults and Festivals in Archaic and Classical Sparta Lecture (1 hr)  
T7 Spartan Religion and Greek Religion Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 08 Sparta and Greek History: wars, leagues, oracles and hegemony Lecture (1 hr)  
T8 Spartan 'education': ancient reality or modern projection? Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 09 The Sparta of the Athenian Imagination: Sparta in Thucydides, Xenophon, Isocrates, Plato and Aristotle Lecture (1 hr)  
T9 Sparta as political utopia Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 10 'First as tragedy then as farce': Hellenistic Sparta and Roman Sparta Lecture (1 hr)  
T10 Sparta's Hellenistic 'revolution' Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 11 Sparta and the Modern Political Imagination: from the Enlightenment to the Cold War Lecture (1 hr)  
T11 Sparta and Modernity: 18th-19th centuries Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 12 'This is Sparta!': the ancient fantasy of contemporary popular culture Lecture (1 hr)  
T12 Sparta in the 20th century and the contemporary imagination Tutorial (2 hr)  

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed on Canvas

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Demonstrate knowledge of the society, culture and politics of ancient Sparta
  • LO2. Read, evaluate, and interpret the diverse body of evidence available for the study of ancient Sparta
  • LO3. Demonstrate familiarity with, and the capacity to explain historically, modern representations of ancient Sparta.
  • LO4. Evaluate these different types of evidence individually and in combination with each other, using a range of discipline-appropriate concepts and methodologies in the service of integrated historical and cultural analysis.
  • LO5. Examine and solve complex historical problems through research and critical analysis with personal integrity, both independently and collaboratively .
  • LO6. Apply the theories and methods of other disciplines to their own work and utilise the skills and knowledge of ancient historians to address issues encountered in an interdisciplinary context .

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This is the first iteration of the unit.

Disclaimer

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