Teaching code

4S02202

Teacher

Simonetta Ponchia

Credits

6

Also offered in courses:

• History of the Ancient Near East (p) of the course Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Heritage

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

L-OR/01 - HISTORY OF ANCIENT NEAR EAST

Period

2 A dal Feb 14, 2022 al Mar 26, 2022.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

To show the organization of the course that includes this module, follow this link:  Course organization

Learning outcomes

The second part of the course ( part p) aims at providing an in-depth knowledge of some periods and themes of the Near Eastern historical documentation, as well as the methodologies and specific bibliography for their interpretation, according to an approach that integrates historical, philological and archaeological data and metods. At the end of the course the student is expected to acquire the basic tools and the ability to orient himself/herself in this wide sector of ancient history and to find the interrelations with Mediterranean history, to apply the knowledge acquired in order to gain a full understanding of the dynamics that characterized the formation of ancient civilizations and their subsequent heritage. As a further result the course should foster the students' awareness of the importance of different methods of research and interest for improving their knowledge.

Program

The course is devoted to the presentation of Mesopotamian sources concerning medicine, especially those dating back to the first half of the first millennium BC., knowledge of the human body and natural substances, within the general framework of the worldview of the period. Diagnostic texts and treaties that have been unearthed in the libraries and houses of scribes and experts are illustrated in their main characteristics and in relation to the contexts of production and use of medical science, experts' specializations, methods for the development and transmission of knowledge. Medical texts are compared with wisdom literature, which includes reflections on human experience and suffering, and with the texts of divination and apotropaic rituals. Comparison are also made with the available archaeological data. Lessons include a series of case-studies concerning the mentioned themes and research perspectives.

Bibliography

Examination Methods

Final oral assessment. Purposes of the assessment are to verify the acquired knowledge; language skills; ability of connecting knowledge; analytical and discussion skills.
The assessment will consist of questions on the topics treated during the course, chapters of the reference books and synthesis provided in slides. The evaluation is expressed in thirtieths. For students who, in accordance with their study plan, subscribe to the 12CFU exam, the evaluation will be calculated on the average with the evaluation of the course (i).
Not attending students and Erasmus students are kindly requested to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course in order to agree on the programme and assessment modalities.