Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2026-2027

Module CLAS2181: Advanced Greek Prose 2

Department: Classics and Ancient History

CLAS2181: Advanced Greek Prose 2

Type Open Level 2 Credits 20 Availability Available in 2026/2027 Module Cap Location Durham

Prerequisites

  • Intermediate Greek 1A (CLAS1541) OR Intermediate Greek 1B (CLAS1551)

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • To study in depth a selection of prose texts suitable for students with a good command of ancient Greek morphology and syntax, some experience of reading texts in the original and a good knowledge of Greek culture.

Content

  • This module introduces students to a selection of ancient Greek texts appropriate to readers with a good command of grammar and some experience of reading texts in the original language.
  • Authors may include Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, Lucian, Lysias.
  • All texts will be linked by a theme which will provide the focus for the module.
  • The emphasis will be on prose.
  • Examples of themes are: ancient literary criticism, rhetoric and seduction, the figure of Socrates, etc.
  • Students will be expected to relate the topics treated to their understanding of Greek culture.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • A knowledge of ancient Greek morphology and syntax sufficient to form the basis of an independent appreciation and understanding of a selection of Greek prose authors; a knowledge and understanding of a selection of works from a selection of Greek prose authors; a knowledge of vocabulary appropriate to a student with a year's post-Intermediate study and experience of the Greek language.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • An ability to construe some Greek prose texts with dictionaries; an ability to read and interpret these texts in relation to a knowledge of Greek culture.
Key Skills:
  • A grasp of the differences between two Indo-European languages, one ancient and one modern, and of the issues relating to moving between them.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Interactive classes will be offered as the most appropriate and effective way of teaching.
  • Students will learn through regular preparation for the classes and interaction with the teacher and each other in the process of learning.
  • The course will be assessed through an exam paper and a summative essay, each of which will be designed to test understanding of the set texts at a level appropriate to students at an Advanced level of undergraduate study.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours Attendance Monitored
Language Classes 40 2 per week 1 hour 40 Yes
Revision Classes 4 4 in Easter Term 1 hour 4 Yes
Preparation and Reading 156
Total 200

Summative Assessment

Component: Essay Component Weighting: 30%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Essay 2,000 words 100%
Component: Examination Component Weighting: 70%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Online Examination 2 hours 100%

Formative Assessment:


Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.