| Unit name | Letter writing in the Roman World |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CLASM1015 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Sandwell |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Classics & Ancient History |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Letter writing can be seen as the ancient equivalent of email. It allowed individuals and groups across the Roman empire to communicate with one another and was a crucial means by which the business of the empire got done and personal relationships maintained despite barriers of distance. This unit will explore both the literary form of ancient letters and the various roles and functions they served within the Roman world. It will cover letters written by Romans and Greeks as well as those sent by Christian groups or individuals. Along the way we will consider: what letters tell us about social and family life and the business of empire; philosophical and spiritual letters; letters of reference and recommendation; issues of communication, delivery and networking; letters and Church formation. We will explore the important role played by letters in the Roman empire and the particular character of letter-writing in this period.
On successful completion of this unit students should have:
(1) developed the skill of reading Greek, Roman and
Christian letters in a way that recognizes the values
and social customs of the contexts in which they were
produced
(2) acquired detailed knowledge of the different functions
that letters and letter-writing served within the Roman
empire and of how questions of style relate to function
(3) developed and refined their skills in constructing
coherent, relevant and sophisticated critical arguments,
and in relating their readings of letters to wider
theoretical issues
(4) developed and enhanced their skills in oral and
written communication by contributing to discussion
in seminars and producing an essay and a written
examination.
Additionally (specific to level M), students will be expected to
(5) display high level skills in evaluating, analysing, synthesising and
(where apt) critiquing images and ideas.
(6) apply existing analytical strategies to new evidence with flexibility
and creativity
• (7)demonstrate the capacity for independent research
Seminars
1 x 5000 Word Essay
S. Bradbury, Selected letters of Libanius: from the age of Constantine
and Julian / translated with an introduction and notes, 2004.
C. Conybeare, Paulinus Noster: Self and Symbols in the Letters of
Paulinus of Nola, 2000.
J. Hall, Politeness and Politics in Cicero's Letters 2009.
I. Marchesi, The Art of Pliny's Letters: A Poetics of Allusion in the
Private Correspondence, 2008.
R. Morello and A. D. Morrison (eds.), Ancient Letters: Classical and
Late Antique Epistolography, 2007.
J. Muir, Life and letters in the ancient Greek world, 2009.
