On the accession of Philip II to the Macedonian throne in 359 BC, Athens was one of the most powerful cities in Greece and confident leader of an alliance of Aegean states. By 321 the Greek world had been transformed by the military and political successes of Philip and his son, Alexander the Great. For Athens, military defeat at the battle of Chaironeia in 338 was followed by loss of Empire, erosion of freedom and eventually, in 322, the installation of a Macedonian garrison and the extinction of democracy. Athens is by far the best documented ancient Greek city and the documentation of this period is especially rich thanks to an abundance of two types of contemporary source: speeches made in the lawcourts and the Assembly; and inscriptions. This module will explore the history of Athens c. 350–321 via study of a handful of speeches delivered during this period (by, or attributed to, Isokrates, Demosthenes, Aeschines, Lykourgos, Dinarchos or Hypereides); and of a translated selection of inscribed Athenian laws and decrees. The general subject will be Athens’ response to the growing power of Macedon. Specific topics and themes will vary, but may include, e.g.: the dispute between Demosthenes and Aeschines; the Harpalos affair; the Lykourgan programme, including measures aimed at the young (e.g. reform of the ephebate), at improving the city’s financial and military strength, and at the enhancement of the city’s religion, culture and public buildings; developing attitudes to the past; shifts and tensions in Athenian foreign policy; policies towards the theatre and in relation to the grain supply; developing attitudes to ‘democracy’.

• demonstrate a knowledge and critical understanding of the history of Athens, c. 359–321 BC, and of the political developments of the period.

• demonstrate a knowledge and critical understanding of the most important sources for the period, in particular inscriptions and speeches made in the courts or the Assembly.

·        demonstrate an ability to apply critically the literary evidence (especially the speeches of the Attic orators) and the material evidence (especially inscriptions) in studying the history of Athens at this period.

·        demonstrate an ability to use archaeological evidence (especially inscriptions) for ancient history in an informed way and an ability to use literary evidence (especially orators) for ancient history in an informed way.

• demonstrate a knowledge and critical understanding of modern theories and debates relating to this period of Athenian history, and an ability to evaluate the evidence with reference to these debates.

• discuss these issues in written work with coherent and logical arguments, clearly and correctly expressed.

10 lectures and 2 seminars; independent study; 1 coursework feedback tutorial

The lectures provide an introduction to a particular topic, establishing the key points of major course themes, identifying important issues, and providing guidance for more in-depth reading. They aim to provide a basic framework for understanding, and should be thought of as a useful starting-point for further discussion and independent study. Slides and, where appropriate, handouts are used to illustrate the material discussed.

The seminars provide an opportunity for students to analyse and discuss key issues and topics in the module, and to get feedback on their ideas from the tutor and their peers. Handouts with material for study and suggestions for preparatory reading will be circulated prior to the seminars.

Independent study enables students to familiarise themselves with the primary source material and the most important modern approaches and debates on the subject. A reading list is provided, with guidance on key items of reading for major themes and lecture topics.

Coursework feedback tutorials provide students with an opportunity to get feedback and guidance on all aspects of their written work.

• assimilating and synthesising complex information and ideas
• critical thinking skills, such as analysing and evaluating evidence, critiquing interpretations or arguments, and challenging assumptions
• constructing and defending arguments based on evidence
• clear, accurate and effective communication of ideas and arguments in writing and in debate
• employing basic skills and conventions in the presentation and use of literary and material evidence
• bibliographic and referencing skills
• contributing to group discussions
• using IT resources effectively
• independent working and time management

The module will be assessed through coursework amounting to 2000 words. Students will be able to choose either an essay or a source criticism exercise.

The essay will require knowledge and critical deployment of evidence and critical understanding of modern scholarship to answer questions and construct arguments relating to the history of Athens, ca. 350–321 BC, from the perspective of the sources studied in the module.

In the source criticism exercise, specific written sources (speeches) or material sources (especially inscriptions) relating to the period will be set, and students will have to choose two (one passage of a speech and one of an inscription) and assess their significance, thus deploying their knowledge of the period and interpretations of it.

The opportunity for reassessment in this module

Students who fail the module will normally be expected to resit the failed component(s) in the summer resit period.

• Introduction: a narrative outline of the period; an introduction to Athenian law and the Attic orators; an introduction to inscribed Athenian laws and decrees.
• Study of a selection of speeches of Attic orators of the period. The selection may vary, but will normally cover a handful of speeches. In 2014 this will include the speeches documenting the dispute between Demosthenes and Aeschines (Demosthenes 18 and 19, Aeschines 1–3) and Lykourgos’ speech Against Leokrates (Lykourgos 1).
• Study of the inscribed Athenian laws and decrees of the period. This will be based on a translated selection, in five thematic categories: decrees honouring foreigners; decrees honouring Athenians; religious regulations; inter-state treaties; other laws and decrees.

Speeches of Isokrates, Demosthenes, Aeschines, Lykourgos, Dinarchos, Hypereides, in the series The Oratory of Classical Greece, ed. M. Gagarin, Texas University Press:

Aeschines, translated by C. Carey (2000)

Demosthenes 18–19, translated by H. Yunis (2005)

Dinarchus, Hyperides and Lycurgus, translated by I. Worthington, C. Cooper and E.M. Harris (2001)

P.J. Rhodes and R. Osborne, Greek Historical Inscriptions 404–323 BC (2003)

A selection of inscribed laws and decrees in translation (which will be supplied in a sourcebook)

Translations of IG II³ 1 292­–572 on Attic Inscriptions Online (www.atticinscriptions.com)

S.D. Lambert, AIO Companion to the Inscribed Laws and Decrees of 352/1–322/1 BC(IG II³1 fasc. 2) (forthcoming, 2014)

C. Habicht, Athens from Alexander to Antony (1997), chapters 1–2

S.D. Lambert, ‘What was the point of inscribed honorific decrees in Classical Athens?’, in S.D. Lambert (ed.), Sociable Man. Studies in Greek Social Behaviour in Honour of Nick Fisher (2011) 193–214. Available at https://cardiff.academia.edu/StephenLambert

S.D. Lambert, ‘Some political shifts in Lykourgan Athens’, in V. Azoulay and P. Ismard (eds.), Clisthène et Lycurgue d’Athènes. Autour du politique dans la cité classique(2011). Available at https://cardiff.academia.edu/StephenLambert

S.D. Lambert, ‘Connecting with the past in Lykourgan Athens: an epigraphical perspective’, in L. Foxhall, H.-J. Gehrke and N. Luraghi (eds.), Intentional History. Spinning Time in Ancient Greece (2010) 225–238. Available at https://cardiff.academia.edu/StephenLambert

S.D. Lambert, ‘Inscribed treaties ca. 350–321 BC: an epigraphical perspective on Athenian foreign policy’, in G. Reger, F.X. Ryan and T.F. Winters (eds.), Studies in Greek Epigraphy and History in Honor of Stephen V. Tracy (2010) 153–160, reprinted in S. D. Lambert, Inscribed Athenian Laws and Decrees 352/1–322/1 BC: Epigraphical Essays (2012) 377–386. Available at https://cardiff.academia.edu/StephenLambert

S.D. Lambert, ‘Inscribing the Past in Fourth Century Athens’, in J. Marincola, L. Llewellyn-Jones and C. Maciver (eds.), Greek Notions of the Past in the Archaic and Classical Eras: History without Historians (2012) 253–275. Available at https://cardiff.academia.edu/StephenLambert

D.M. MacDowell, Demosthenes the Orator (2009)

S.V. Tracy, Athenian Democracy in Transition (1995) 7–51. Available at http://www.ucpress.edu/op.php?isbn=9780520200180(click CDL)

See the module handout for the full reading list.