Pre-Classical Civilisations
Code
711051128
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
História
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Isabel Almeida
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) Understand the connection between the time and space dimensions of the Oriental Ancient History and know how to analyze it both in a diachronic and synchronic perspective;
b) Learn the main and more recent historical interpretations about the Oriental Ancient History;
c) Identify and understand the main historical documents of the Oriental Ancient Civilizations;
d) Understand the political, economical, social, cultural and religious context of the Oriental Ancient History;
e) Develop oral and written abilities to expose the different historical problems related to the Ancient Civilizations, using the correct concepts;
f) Learn the right know-how about Ancient History, allowing a future specialization in the field.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
1. Origins of the State and its organization.
1.1 Egypt
1.1.1 The unification of Egypt and the formation of the pharaonic state.
1.1.2 The complex organization of the State.
1.1.3 The Pharaoh: institution and its ideological and politic dimension.
1.2 Mesopotamia
1.2.1 The State: from the city-state to more complex political organizations.
1.2.2 The royal institution: its ideological legitimacy and its political limitations.
2. Society
2.1 Egypt
2.1.1 A diachronic perspective of the social stratigraphy.
2.1.2 Family organization
2.2 Mesopotamia
2.2.1 The social stratigraphy. Code of Hammurabi: a social analyze of the document.
2.2.2 Family organization
3. Economy
3.1 Resources
3.2 Economical activities.
3.3 The long distance trade.
3.4 The importance of the State and other institutions in the economy.
4. Religion as a structural phenomenon.
4.1 Egypt
4.1.1 The different theologies.
4.1.2 The cult and the religious behaviours.
4.1.3 The religious syncretism.
4.1.4 The Amarna theology: is it a monotheism?
4.2 Mesopotamia
4.2.1 The different theologies: the Sumerian legacy and the Semitic identity.
4.2.2 The cult and the religious behaviors.
4.2.3 The religious syncretism: Itar as a paradigmatic case.
4.2.4 Is there a monotheystic tendency?
Bibliography
LOPES, M. H. T., Estudos de Egiptologia, Lisboa, Edição Associação Portuguesa de Egiptologia, 2003.
LOPES, M. H. T., O Egipto Faraónico Guia de Estudo, Lisboa, Edição Associação Portuguesa de Egiptologia, 2003.
LÓPEZ, Jesús e SANMARTÍN, Joaquín, Mitología y Religión del Oriente Antiguo I Egipto - Mesopotamia, Sabadell, Editorial Ausa, 1993.
POSTGATE, J.N., Early Mesopotamia. Society and Economy at the dawn of History, London New York, Routledge, 1992.
MARGUERON, Jean-Claude, Les Mesopotamiens, Paris, Armand Colin, 1991.
Teaching method
a) Theorical classes, where the content is exposed;
b) Didactical support, projecting images, maps, texts and schemes;
c) Practical exercises, analyzing texts and iconographic documents.
Evaluation method
Two written tests. The final grade will be the average of the two elements, which have a preponderance of 50% each.