This module is concerned with the impact of the Classical World on ancient Egypt between Alexander's invasion and the Arab conquest, and on the nature and permanence of the brilliant hybrid civilisation which emerged under Greek and Roman rule.
Alexander entered Egypt as a liberator, but he and his successors created a colonial regime with Greek as the ruling language and Greeks as the ruling elite under their own law. Mercenaries were settled on reclaimed land, Greek cities were founded, especially Alexandria, one of the glories of the ancient world. An elaborate system of economic regulation maximised production to support warfare, city-building and display. The temples became a department of state. New cults were created to unite the two peoples and strengthen the regime. Native Egyptians showed their resentment in disaffection and rebellion. Roman rule (after the spectacular end of the Ptolemaic dynasty) was if anything harsher and more remote, and the rise of the Copts is often interpreted as an anti-Roman, anti-Classical movement.
Yet it is a mistake to see the relationship as wholly negative. Art and architecture flourished – most temples surviving today are the work of the Ptolemies. In civil service, army, business the new regime offered avenues to advancement for native Egyptians. A genuinely bilingual upper class emerged, able to make significant contributions to Classical culture. The ancient religion retained its prestige and was adopted by many Greeks, spreading far outside Egypt. Coptic culture was as much Classical as Egyptian, and Greek language long survived the Arab conquest. Sources for this vivid, complex and often neglected phase of Egyptian history are rich and varied: temples, tombs, remains of cities and villages, mummies, inscriptions, sculpture, coins, and an extraordinary range of papyrus documents, able to offer unique insights into an ancient civilisation.
Private Study: 130
Contact Hours: 20
Total: 150
Autumn or Spring
Main assessment methods
• Essay 1 (1,500 words) – 40%
• Essay 2 (1,500 words) – 40%
• Presentation (15 minutes) – 20%
Level distinguished by challenge and questions set
Reassessment methods
• 100% Coursework (3,000 words)
The University is committed to ensuring that core reading materials are in accessible electronic format in line with the Kent Inclusive Practices.
The most up to date reading list for each module can be found on the university's reading list pages: https://kent.rl.talis.com/index.html.
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module Level-5 students will be able to:
1 Articulate responses to key questions about the nature and value of the historical evidence for Graeco-Roman Egypt;
2 Understand the importance and implications of the political, social, economic and cultural history of Graeco-Roman Egypt;
3 Comprehend the nature and extent of interaction between the incoming Graeco-Macedonians and the indigenous Egyptian population (e.g. in politics, society, the economy, religion and in cultural life);
4 Demonstrate critical, specific and in-depth analyses of the nature and extent of interaction between the incoming Graeco-Macedonians and the indigenous Egyptian population (e.g. in politics, society, the economy, religion and in cultural life);
5 Engage reflectively with other people's analyses and interpretations of primary and secondary sources.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module Level-5 students will be able to:
1 Demonstrate their skills in critical analysis and argument both through their reading and through listening to others;
2 Demonstrate their ability to make complex ideas clearly understandable in their writing;
3 Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and to take responsibility for their learning.
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