Egypt and Mesopotamia in Antiquity: connect spaces
Objectives
1. be able to relate the different spatial and temporal dimensions inherent in Egypt and Mesopotamia and understand them from both a synchronic and diachronic perspective;
2. Know the origins and development of archaeology in Egypt and Mesopotamia;
3. Know the main and most current historiographical interpretations of the themes studied;
4. Know the main historical documents and be able to analyze and interpret them, understanding them in their historical context.
interpret them, understanding them in their historical context;
5. Contextualize aspects of history and material culture inherent to the civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia;
6. Know the political, social, economic, cultural and religious context of Egypt and Mesopotamia
General characterization
Code
01110095
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
Isabel Cristina Gomes de Almeida
Hours
Weekly - 4
Total - 168
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
Available soon
Bibliography
Module I. Egypt
Bibliography - 10 general titles
Bugh, G.R. (ed.). The Cambridge Companion to the Hellenistic World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Emberling, G., Williams, B. B. The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Nubia, 2020.
Erskine, A. (ed). A Companion to the Hellenistic World. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2005 [2003].
Freeman, C. Egypt, Greece and Rome: Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean. Oxford, 1999.
Gunter, A.C. A Companion to Ancient Near East Art. Hoboken NJ, Wiley Blackwell, 2019.
Hartwig, M. K. A Companion to Ancient Egyptian Art. Hoboken NJ, Wiley Blackwell, 2015.
Holbl, G. A History of the ptolemaic Empire. London: Routledge, 2010. [2001].
Kelder, J. M. The Kingdom of Mycenae. Bethesda MA: CDL Press, 2010.
Shaw, I. (ed). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.
Strudwick, N. Portraits of the Ptolemies: Greek Kings as Egyptian Pharaohs. Austin, 2003.
Module II. Mesopotamia
Introductory bibliography
Dedović, B. (20023). "eHammurabi - eHammurabi." Las Vegas, NV: OMNIKA Foundation. Created October 10, 2023. Modified March 25, 2024. https://ehlaw.org/.
Mieroop, M. Van De (2007). A History of the Ancient Near East ca. 3000-323 BC. Second edition. Blackwell.
Montero Fenollós, J.L. (2012). Breve Historia de Babilonia. Madrid: Ediciones Nowtilus,
Pollock, S. (1999). Ancient Mesopotamia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Sanmartín, J. & Serrano, J. M. (1998). Historia Antigua del Próximo Oriente: Mesopotamia y Egipto. Madrid: Ediciones Akkal.
Teaching method
Module I. Egypt
The course will dedicate one lesson to each period of Egyptian chronology, covering the predynastic period through the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The lessons provide a general overview of the historical context and a discussion session on Egypt's relations with neighboring peoples. To follow the discussion, students will need to study a specific bibliography and prepare their respective reading notes.
Practical classes play a vital role in students' academic and professional development. The practical aspects of the course begin with the creation of reading sheets from a bibliographic selection dedicated to the thematic units. The reading sheets allow students to monitor the development of the state of the art on the respective texts' topics.
The discussion will lead the classes to partial conclusions on a given topic. Practical classes allow students to hone their critical thinking and develop individual problem-solving skills, enriching their university experience.
Module II. Mesopotamia
Sessions are of a theoretical-practical nature, requiring students to actively participate in discussions on the topics contained in the syllabus (available on the UC page on the Moodle platform). The discussions will be based on the analysis of the main document, as well as other complementary ones, intertwining them to the interpretations found in the specialized literature provided by the professor.
Evaluation method
The final assessment for the course will correspond to the arithmetic average of the different elements carried out throughout the semester. Each block accounts for 50% of the final grade.
Module I. Egypt
Students must read the recommended bibliography for each unit and submit their reading sheets on scheduled discussion days. The reading sheets will be used as a continuous assessment of the theoretical component of the course (40%). An individual, closed-book written exam will complete the assessment (60%).
Module II. Mesopotamia
One written individual in-person test, with the possibility of consulting materials previously defined in class by the professor.
Subject matter
Module I. Egypt (from 22/09 to 29/10)
Professor Ronaldo Gurgel Pereira
ronaldo.gurgel-pereira@fcsh.unl.pt
The section dedicated to ancient Egypt addresses the formation of the pharaonic state and the general characteristics of Egyptian society, economy, and religion. This course aims to understand the processes of integration of ancient Egypt with the Eastern Mediterranean, Asia, and Southern Africa. Therefore, the approach to Egyptian civilization will be based on an analysis of the dynamics of Egypt's political, social, cultural, religious, and economic relations with its neighbors throughout the different phases of its history.
Module II. Mesopotamia (from 3/11 to 17/12/2025)
Professor Isabel Gomes de Almeida
isalmeida@fcsh.unl.pt
Initially, the focus will be on the biogeographical characterization of the Mesopotamian territory and its relationship with historical developments, both in antiquity and in modern academic rediscovery processes. Subsequently, the structural historical aspects of the Mesopotamian context, including the relations with neighboring civilizations, will be examined through a detailed analysis of a paradigmatic historical document .