Course Catalogue

The Novel In Antiquity: Impotent Heroes And Damsels In Distress CLASSIC4044

  • Academic Session: 2026-27
  • School: School of Humanities
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

The course contextualises major texts of Greek and Roman fictional writing within their social background and as literary products of their cultural environment.

Timetable

Two one-hour lectures per week over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus. This is one of the honours options in Classics and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on mycampus.

Requirements of Entry

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Classics, Greek or Latin, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes.

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Essay (2,000 words) - 30%

■ Examination (90 minute duration) - 70%

 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ There are no alternatives to the assessments, but flexible deadlines/ extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

Main Assessment In: April/May

Course Aims

This course will provide the opportunity to:

■ study major texts of Greek and Roman fictional writing within their social context and as literary products of their cultural environment

■ examine (i) how and why the authors of these texts use literary tradition, (ii) what these stories tell us about the moral ideologies of their eras, and (iii) how our understanding of these texts can be aided by modern critical theories on the ancient novel.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of the course students will be able to

■ situate the Greek and Roman novels within their literary, cultural, and social context

■ identify how concepts such as intertextuality, cultural identity, humour, religious propaganda, social class, and gender enhance our understanding of the novels studied in the course

■ evaluate modern scholarly approaches on the texts studied during the course and apply knowledge of secondary literature to their interpretation

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

No exceptions