Have you ever wanted to study the past where it actually happened?
This course will take you to famous cities and battlefields that changed the course of history, to sanctuaries of the gods and the tombs of history makers and everyday peoples, and to museums packed with artefacts for a close encounter with the material remains of the ancient Mediterranean world. You will learn not only about antiquity within its relevant topography but also experience how the ancient world continues to shape and impact modern culture, society, and politics. You will think about how the ancient world is displayed and the choices made by museum curators, archaeologists, and heritage experts. You will also explore the different ways ancient topographies have been interpreted throughout history and gain an appreciation for how the disciplines of Classics, Art History, and Classical Archaeology developed via their relationship to physical landscapes and material culture. Initial courses will focus on mainland Greece, covering material from the Bronze Age through to the Ottoman period.
Students will be provided with a booklet of site maps and other essential information prior to travel.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- express a deep appreciation of key archaeological sites of the ancient Mediterranean;
- critically engage with and analyse the materiality and topography of ancient Mediterranean lands and understand how it contributes to our understanding of ancient culture, society, and history;
- critically evaluate and analyse literary evidence in relation to the physical remains of antiquity;
- gain an appreciation for the history of scholarship relating to ancient Mediterranean lands and how the study of topography and material culture impacts on its development;
- analyse how antiquity impacts on present-day culture and society, especially in relation to the modern nation states that curate the remains of the ancient Mediterranean; and
- critically evaluate museological and curatorial practices within antiquities museums and on archaeological sites relating to the ancient Mediterannean.
Work Integrated Learning
Fieldwork
Entirety of course is undertaken as a study tour.
Indicative Assessment
- Two in-country presentations (700 words each) 12.5% each for a total of 25% (25) [LO 1,2,3,4,6]
- Course Diary (1500 words) (30) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
- Quizzes: 10 x 5 questions via Canvas (10) [LO 2,3,4,6]
- Research Essay (2000 words) (35) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
This is an intensive field course to be held either in the Winter session. Students enrolled in this course will undertake overseas travel and participate in teaching activities while off campus.
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the session including:
- 3-week field trip
- 48 hours of contact including lectures and other teaching activities; and
- Approximately 82 hours of self-directed study which will include assessment tasks to be completed during and after the field trip.
Inherent Requirements
Students in this course must participate in a three-week study tour to international locations: Greece, Italy, Türkiye, etc. This requires students to be able to:
- travel to and within the field locations using various forms of transport (plane, train, bus, car, walking) and stay in shared accommodation such as basic hotel rooms or dormitories;
- safely traverse distances (up to 10 km per day) over uneven ground and challenging terrain in the Mediterranean summer;
- monitor and manage their own health while studying and engaging with a small group of people in an international and/or isolated field location;
- understand and respect the needs of other participants and local communities by engaging with and respecting local customs and practices and acting professionally throughout the trip.
Students are encouraged to consider disclosing any affecting conditions to ANU Access & Inclusion, in accordance with established policies and procedures.
Students must have a valid passport and not have exceeded Schengen immigration requirements of 90 days within the Schengen Zone in the last 180 days by the end of the study tour.
For more information, please refer to the CASS trip information page.
Requisite and Incompatibility
You will need to contact the School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics to request a permission code to enrol in this course.
Prescribed Texts
Not applicable
Preliminary Reading
Excepts from Pausanias' Description of Greece, Herodotus, Thucydides, Archaic Poets (e.g. Homeric epic, Greek lyric, Hesiod), Plutarch, etc.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2027 | $4620 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2027 | $6000 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Winter Session
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainland Greece | ||||||
| 6816 | 01 Jul 2027 | TBA | TBA | 30 Sep 2027 | In Person | N/A |