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Unit of study_

ARCO2011: Growing Empires in Iron Age Western Asia

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

West Asia in the Iron Age witnessed a succession of splendid imperial expansive states, from the mighty Assyrian and Babylonian empires to the Achaemenid state as the first World Empire. This unit introduces these developments in a broad comparative perspective throughout ancient West Asia.

Unit details and rules

Unit code ARCO2011
Academic unit Archaeology
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
12 credit points at 1000 level in the Archaeology major
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Joseph W. Lehner, joseph.lehner@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Joseph W. Lehner, joseph.lehner@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Presentation group assignment Tutorial discussion
Tutorial presentation and discussion lead.
30% Ongoing 1000wd
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial quiz Quiz #1
Timed short essay on a single question.
6% Week 03
Due date: 13 Sep 2020 at 23:59
2hrs / minimum 250wd
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO4
Tutorial quiz Quiz #2
Timed short essay on a single question.
6% Week 06
Due date: 04 Oct 2020 at 23:59
2hrs / minimum 250wd
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO2
Online task Quiz #3
Timed short essay on a single question.
6% Week 08
Due date: 25 Oct 2020 at 23:59
2hrs / minimum 250wd
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO2
Tutorial quiz Quiz #4
Timed short essay on a single question.
6% Week 10
Due date: 08 Nov 2020 at 15:10
2hrs / minimum 250wd
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO2
Online task Quiz #5
Timed short essay on a single question.
6% Week 12
Due date: 22 Nov 2020 at 23:59
2hrs / 250wd minimum
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO2
Assignment Essay
Research paper
40% Week 13
Due date: 29 Nov 2020 at 23:59
2000wd
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Final Essay (40%): an open-ended research paper on a subject agreed on by the student and instructor by Week 4.
  • Group Presentation (30%): Student group led discussion on an important article on an archaeological site, suite of material culture, or theme. A written summary to be provided to the instructor by the day before the scheduled tutorial.
  • Quizzes (5 quizzes at 6% a piece – total of 30%): a timed minimum 250wd short essay on a question encouraging broad synthesis of assigned readings and lecture materials.

 

Assessment criteria

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

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:

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.

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 Introduction to the archaeology of empire and imperialism Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Zoom tutorial on assessment tasks Tutorial (1 hr) LO1
Week 02 Roots of empire in West Asia I Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Identifying early empire Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5
Week 03 Roots of empire in West Asia II Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Explaining early empires Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO4
Week 04 The emergence of large empires and the beginning of the Iron Age Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
The iron age transition Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3
Week 05 Assyria I Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Mortuary cult in Assyria Tutorial (1 hr) LO4 LO5
Week 06 Assyria II Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Climate change and empire Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Week 07 Cultural responses and resistance to imperialism: Urartu and Anatolia Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Agrarian power and control Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO4
Week 08 Cultural responses at the limits of imperialism: the Levant Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Commensality and foodways Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO4
Week 09 The Neo-Babylonian Empire Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Imperialism at the northern periphery Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5
Week 10 The limits of empire in the Persian Gulf Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Dromedary domestication Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Week 11 Persia & the creation of a universal empire Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Early globalism Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5
Week 12 Explaining the growth and decline of empire Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
The problem of growth Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.

If a unit of study has a participation mark, your attendance may influence this mark.

For more information on attendance, see http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2014/345&RendNum=0.

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 an understanding of how archaeology, as the study of material culture, is employed across a wide variety of spatial and temporal contexts
  • LO2. Synthesise knowledge, experience and practice by constructing and testing new arguments and proposing evidence-based solutions.
  • LO3. Demonstrate an understanding of archaeological interpretations of early human society
  • LO4. Demonstrate a basic capacity for scholarly evaluation, critical analysis, and problem solving within archaeology through the writing of an essay on a selected topic
  • LO5. Demonstrate an understanding of the foundations of global archaeological processes, along with a basic awareness of archaeological sequences and cultural change.

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 time this unit has been offered.

Additional costs

here are no additional costs for this unit.

Site visit guidelines

There are no site visit guidelines for this unit.

Work, health and safety

There are no specific WHS requirements for this unit.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.