Land of a thousand cities - archaeology of ancient Bactria 3101-DMBAK

The topics covered in this lecture will include:
Issues to be covered by this lecture:

1. Culture of Bactria in the early Iron Age
2. Bactria under the Achaemenid rule
3. Alexander the Great in the East
- Written sources
- archaeological sources
-numismatics
4. Greek Cities in Bactria (Ai Khanum, Bactres , Tang-e Sangin, Kampyr Tepe, Termez)
5. Seleucids in Central Asia
6. Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom
-numismatics
7. Juechi tribes (Chinese and classical sources, culture)
8. Kushan Kingdom
9. Greek gods, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism in Bactria
10. Hellenistic traditions in architecture and art of Bactria under the reign of the Kushan dynasty

Type of course

elective monographs

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

The lecture is designed for students of the second degree of studies with a basic knowledge of archeology and history of the Middle East, and basic knowledge of Hellenistic culture.

Learning outcomes

After the lecture students have structured knowledge about societies including the history of ancient Bactria settlement since the second millennium BC to the the end of the Kushan period, have the knowledge about natural resources of the region , know the history of archeology of ancient Bactria, is able to recognize main styles in the art and architecture of the ancient Bactria.

Assessment criteria

written test with open questions. Student pass the test with the correct answer to 60% of the questions.
70% good
80% very good

Bibliography

Austin, M. M., Hellenistic Kings, War, and the Economy, Classical Quarterly 36.2 (1986): 450-466.
Bernard P., An Ancient Greek City in Central Asia." Scientific American 246.1 (January 1982): 148-159.
Bernard P., The Greek Kingdoms of Central Asia, in: History of civilizations of Central Asia, vol. 2. J. Harmatta, ed. Paris: UNESCO, 1994: 99-129.
Fraser, P.M. ,Cities of Alexander the Great, Oxford 1996.
Hiebert, Fr., Cambon P., Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul. Washingon, D.C.: National Geographic, 2008.
Holt, F., Alexander the Great and Bactria: The Formation of a Greek Frontier in Central Asia, New York 1988.
Sherwin-White, S., Kurt, A., From Samarkhand to Sardis: A New Approach to the Seleucid empire, London 1993.
Tarn, W.W. The Greeks in Bactria & India, Chicago 1985.

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3101-DMBAK in USOSweb