All of us mortal humans, unfortunately, are subject to the universal challenges of life: pain, distress, sickness, heartache, break-ups, natural disasters, financial loss, and our ageing bodies. Improvements in ‘quality of life’ over the centuries have eliminated some of these problems, and reduced others, but in the process perhaps left us less equipped to cope with the difficulties we still must face. Luckily, wisdom can be found in the peoples of the ancient Mediterranean, who had a particularly rich repertoire for expressing some of these universal human problems through the arts and literature. But they also had singular ways of processing them through philosophical reframing. This course will study a suite of these universal human ‘problems’ such as death, illness, anguish and love, and will engage students in the material and literary evidence that demonstrates how the peoples of ancient Greece and Rome confronted problems with the help of various artistic and aesthetic processing modes: from the consolations of literature and inscriptions, to the mythic therapies of funerary art, to the cathartic qualities of music and drama. Through learning how ancient societies practiced communal self-care, students will be encouraged to connect old wisdom to their own lives – but also to use the strangeness of antiquity to defamiliarize themselves.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. engage critically with the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, especially their literature and material culture;
2. become familiar with and analyse various modes and methods in which the hard problems of life in ancient Greece and Rome were expressed and processed;
3. analyse and evaluate a range of ancient sources related to issues such as pain, distress, sickness, disaster, financial hardship, and old age;
4. formulate logical arguments based on ancient evidence, and compare and contrast this evidence with contemporary experience; and
5. engage and evaluate scholarly arguments and theories about the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome.

Field Trips

In week 5, for the second half of the seminar we will visit the ANU Classics Museum on campus in the AD Hope building (building 14).

Required Resources

Reading lists and viewing material will be made available through Wattle.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Lecture (GPR): Introduction to Life, Love and Loss in Ancient Greece and Rome: introduction to the course and an overview of ancient demography.Seminar (GPR): Analysing objects.	Tutorial participation (ongoing)
2	Lecture (SM): Life, Love and Loss in the Ancient World: Texts & Contexts.Seminar (SM): Analysing texts.
3	Lecture (GPR): Disease and Medicine: archaeological and material evidence.Seminar (GPR): Expert Interdisciplinary Panel: the human body in research and on display.	Source analysis due Wed 7 Aug.
4	Lecture (SM): Understanding and Dealing with Disease.Seminar (SM): Disease through time and space. (presentations)	Presentations start this week; independent research exercise (research essays) due two weeks after presentation.
5	Lecture (GPR): Dealing with Death: archaeological and material evidence.Seminar (GPR): Visit to the ANU Classics Museum. (presentations)
6	Lecture (SM): Writing about Death.Seminar (SM): Mourning in the Iliad, in text and on film. (presentations)
7	Lecture (GPR): Love and Loss in material culture.Seminar (GPR): Love and loss in the performing arts. (presentations)
8	Lecture (SM): The Joys and Pains of Love.Seminar (SM): Gender identities and sexual orientations in Greek and Latin erotic poetry. (presentations)
9	Lecture (GPR): Maintaining Our Ageing Bodies: the material culture of ageing, health and beauty.Seminar (GPR): Ageing and beauty in the ancient world and today. (presentations)
10	Lecture (SM): Growing Old in Greece and Rome.Seminar (SM): Comparing Cato the Elder on Old Age and Ovid’s Ars amatoria. (presentations)
11	Lecture (SM): Trying to Understand the Natural World. Seminar (SM): Political, social and philosophical interpretations of eclipses. (presentations)
12	Lecture (GPR): Volcanic Eruptions and the Preservation of Everyday Life.Seminar (GPR): In-class assessment.	In-class participatory exercise.

Tutorial Registration

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.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Source analysis (15%)	15 %	07/08/2024	1,2,3,4,5
Seminar presentation (15%)	15 %	*	1,2,3,4,5
Independent research exercise (40%)	40 %	*	1,2,3,4,5
Participatory exercise (20%)	20 %	*	1,2,3,4,5
Class participation (10%)	10 %	22/10/2024	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using 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. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Students are expected to attend lectures. Lecture recordings are provided in the event of illness, misadventure, and unavoidable clashes with other university commitments. Attendance at and participation in seminars is compulsory. Students should come prepared having completed the assigned readings and ready to engage in discussions, especially after peer presentations. Students are expected to participate actively in all in-class activities for this course.

Assessment Task 1

Source analysis (15%)

1000-word analysis of a primary source provided by the course convenor. Full details to be provided on Wattle. Due 11.59pm Wednesday 7 August.

Assessment Task 2

Seminar presentation (15%)

10-15 minute seminar presentation on the first phases of your independent research project. Full details, including what the presentation needs to include, to be provided on Wattle. Topics and dates to be assigned during class in Week 2.

Assessment Task 3

Independent research exercise (40%)

3000-word research essay on the presentation topic (assessment task 2). Full details to be provided on Wattle. This must be submitted 2 weeks after the presentation.

Assessment Task 4

Participatory exercise (20%)

In-class participatory group exercise involving the analysis of primary material and textual sources, formulating a 10-minute presentation to share with the class. Full details to be provided on Wattle. This will take place in Week 12 on Tuesday 22 October.

Assessment Task 5

Class participation (10%)

Students are expected to attend, and participate actively in, all seminars for this course. Participation includes, but is not limited to: asking questions in class, including after presentations from peers; answering questions in class; participating in whole-class, small group, or paired discussions; and participation in in-class activities such as object-based analyses and class readings. Participation in all these activities should show awareness of completing the assigned readings and/or visual, audio or film material.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students