What role do the arts play in society? What power does technology hold on the people who devise, create, and use it? This course thinks through these big questions as they pertain to ancient Greece and Rome. We explore the creative processes of Greco-Roman society, the outcomes of these creative enterprises, and the people involved in making and creating in the ancient world. From blowing glass, spinning pottery and casting bronze statues, to strumming the lyre, staging a tragedy, and devising ancient automata, students will gain an understanding of the processes and societal functions of the arts and technology in ancient Greece and Rome. Fundamental to this topic are questions surrounding the ambivalence of attitudes towards technical pursuits (techne) in antiquity, the status of craftspeople, and the potential of the arts both to reflect and to shape societal values. Various hands-on components—including physical engagement with ancient objects and off-site excursions to explore manufacturing techniques—make this course especially exciting for students from different disciplinary backgrounds. Students with a particular interest in the processes of making arts and technology will have the opportunity to respond to the content of the course by producing, devising, or inventing a creative work of their own.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- understand the basic processes and development of artistic and technological production in the Greco-Roman world;
- become familiar with the range of textual and material evidence from antiquity that relate to the realms of the arts and technology;
- critically evaluate the societal role of technology and the arts in the ancient Greco-Roman worlds;
- reflect upon the boundaries between the arts and technology in antiquity, and modernity; and
- engage with and evaluate modern receptions of Classical art forms and think about how modern technologies can be used for engagement with ancient arts.
Indicative Assessment
- Literature review (1000 words) (20) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Tutorial presentation (5-10 minutes) (10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Major assessment (2000-word essay OR Creative work + 1000-word reflection) (45) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Final exam (2 hours) (25) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
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
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 36 hours of contact: 24 hours of lectures (delivered in 2-hour blocks) and 12 hours of seminar-style tutorials (delivered fortnightly).
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Prescribed Texts
Not required. Readings will be made available through Wattle.
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 |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $4080 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $5280 |
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.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8443 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | In Person | N/A |