Class 1: Lecture on Ancient Near East s1
History 4263.006: Classical Egypt (Group C)
University of North Texas, Spring Semester 2016
Department of History
Instructor: Dr. Walter Roberts
Office: Wooten Hall 227
Office Hours: M-TH 2-3:30 PM; or by appointment
Office Phone: (940) 565-2489
E-Mail:
Course Description and Objectives
This course will examine the history of ancient Egypt from ca. 3500 BCE-ca. 332 BCE. Specific emphasis will be placed upon the political, social, and religious history of this time period. We will attempt to put ancient Egypt into its historical context as one of the major Mediterranean cultures that shaped world history. This course is designed in a lecture/discussion format, with a heavy emphasis on studying primary sources, the material culture, and secondary literature.
Student Learning Outcomes
1) Identify the basic events and chronology of Classical Egyptian history (from ca. 3500 BCE-ca. 332 BCE).
2) Place ancient Egyptian history in a wider historical context; that is, how do the developments of ancient Egyptian history inform our understanding of modern society?
3) Identify primary and secondary historical sources for ancient Egyptian history.
4) Be able to formulate an analytical argument about historical issues ancient Egypt using analysis of primary and secondary sources.
5) Be able to assess critically primary sources on ancient Egyptian history.
Required Texts
The following are available for purchase at the campus bookstore:
Marc Van De Mieroop, A History of Ancient Egypt (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011)
William Kelly Simpson, ed. The Literature of Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Stories, Instructions, Stelae, Autobiographies, and Poetry, 3rd edition (Yale, 2003)
There will also be additional readings made available in PDF format on the course website. These will be so noted further down in the syllabus.
Grading and Evaluation
My overall evaluation of each student in this course will be broken down as follows:
Two Examinations: 20% each (40% total)
3 Book Reviews: 20% each (60% total)
The value for all grades in this course will be based on a standard collegiate scale: A=90-100%; B=80-89%; C=70-79%; D=60-69%; F=59% or lower
Examinations
The 2 exams will be in-class green book exams consisting of identifications and essay questions. Each of these exams will be worth 20% of your final grade.
Book Reviews
You will write three short papers reviewing three different books from an approved list by modern scholars of ancient Egyptian history. On the dates noted under the class schedule, each student will turn in an essay of 3-5 typed, single or double-spaced pages. More details on these assignments are available on the course website. Each of these papers will worth 20% of your final grade.
Policy on Late Assignments
There will normally be no allowance for missing the exams or turning in papers late. If missing an exam or paper due date is unavoidable due to extenuating circumstances, you must give me reasonable prior notification and documentation for the reason they are missing the exam or not turning in a paper. In such cases you must then arrange with me to make up the exam in question or turn in the paper in question within 2 weeks of the original date of the assignment. Make-up mid-term exams will be a different format from the original. There will normally be no extensions given for the final exams, so please note the date and time of the final exam when making your end of semester travel plans.
Attendance and Classroom Etiquette Policies
There is no formal attendance requirement, but much of the information on the exams comes from class lecture and discussion, so it would behoove you to come to class on a regular basis. I am a stickler on issues of classroom etiquette. Students that are habitually tardy, regularly exit class early, or who otherwise disrupt class will be subject to being administratively dropped from the course. The assumption is that you are all adults and know how to behave accordingly in a classroom setting. The list of disruptive behaviors that will not be tolerated by me includes, but is certainly not limited to: sleeping; cell phone use or cell phone ringer going off; texting; chatting with your peers while I’m lecturing or another of your peers has the floor; surfing the web; doing other coursework. I reserve the right to ask you to leave the class if I deem such disruptive behavior to be especially egregious. In short, I will treat you as adults as long as you show me and your peers the same courtesy. To encourage your attendance, however, I am offering the following incentive—those who attend 16-19 classes will receive 1 point on their final cumulative average, those who attend 20-23 classes will receive 2 points on their final cumulative average, and those who attend 24 or more classes will receive 3 points on their final average.
University of North Texas Code of Student Conduct
This code is in effect for all aspects of this course. Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated, and will be dealt with according to University policy. If you are unclear about the Code of Student Conduct, please refer to section Chapter 7, Section 18.1.16 of the University Policy Manual (https://policy.unt.edu/sites/default/files/untpolicy/pdf/7-Student_Affairs-Academic_Integrity.pdf) or come see me.
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. Students are strongly encouraged to deliver letters of accommodation during faculty office hours or by appointment. Faculty members have the authority to ask students to discuss such letters during their designated office hours to protect the privacy of the student. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at http://www.unt.edu/oda. You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.
Course Web Page
This course has its own Web page on the Blackboard site. This web page will contain the syllabus, assignment guidelines, and other supplemental course materials. It is important that you check the Web page on a regular basis to get your assignments and access material that will make this course more manageable.
Class Schedule (Order of topics and dates of coverage subject to change)
Topic 1: Pre and Early Dynastic Egypt, Old Kingdom Egypt, and the First Intermediate Period
Readings: Van De Mieroop, Chapters 1-4; Simpson, pp. 1-44, 214-220, 245-266, 401-13
Approximate Dates: January 19-February 11
Topic 2: The Middle Kingdom, the Second Intermediate Period, and the Hyksos
Readings: Van De Mieroop, Chapters 5-6; Simpson, pp. 45-66, 267-77
Approximate Dates: February 16-March 10
Topic 3: The New Kingdom
Readings: Van De Mieroop, Chapters 7-9; Simpson, pp. 69-124, 278-298, 337-397
Approximate Dates: March 24-April 14
Topic 4: Collapse of the New Kingdom, the Third Intermediate Period, and Egypt in the Age of Empires
Readings: Van De Mieroop, Chapters 10-12; Excerpts from Herodotus (on website)
Approximate Dates: April 19-May 5
Assignment Due Dates (Dates for assignments subject to change)
Book Review #1 due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, February 16
Book Review #2 due at the beginning of class on Thursday, March 10
Mid-Term Exam on Tuesday, March 22 at the usual time in our regular classroom
Book Review #3 due at the beginning of class on Thursday, April 25
Final Exam on Thursday, May 12, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM in our regular classroom
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