ANCIENT 104 : The World of Cleopatra
Arts
2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
The life of Cleopatra VII of Egypt (69 – 30 BC) is one of the most dynamic, tumultuous, and well-documented periods of Ancient History. The life of the last queen of the Ptolemaic Dynasty coincides with the twilight of the Hellenistic Period as well as the Roman Republic, and she ranks among the most influential figures in the ancient world whose legacy continues to fascinate us in the 21st century. As a Greek queen ruling over the ancient kingdom of Egypt and interacting with the expanding Roman Republic, Cleopatra is uniquely situated at the intersection of three fascinating and diverse ancient cultures. This paper uses Cleopatra VII as an anchor from which to explore the history and culture of Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and how these worlds collided in the (in)famous figure of this queen.
This paper will thus give you a strong foundation in Egyptian, Greek, and Roman history, no prior knowledge of which is assumed. In the process we will explore the society of each through analysing a range of ancient source material including literature, archaeology, and coinage, and consider how our understanding of Cleopatra VII and her world have evolved in the millennia since her reign. The ancient and modern legacy of the queen and her impact on popular culture will be traced from Virgil to HBO’s Rome with an eye to separating her later repute from her historical persona; in other words, we will try to disentangle the myth of Cleopatra from the queen herself.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Understand and describe the reign of Cleopatra VII and the context in which she lived (Capability 1, 3 and 4)
- Critically evaluate a variety of ancient materials for the study of Greece, Rome, and Egypt (Capability 1, 3, 4, 5 and 8)
- Develop a stroung foundation in ancient Mediterranean history (Capability 1, 3 and 4)
- Identify and evaluate the agenda of ancient and modern historians in their depictions of Cleopatra (Capability 4, 5, 6 and 8)
- Synthesise and critique different and often contradictory sources for Cleopatra (Capability 4, 6 and 8)
- Critically engage in tutorial discussions while considering the opinions of others in a group (Capability 4, 6, 7 and 8)
- Demonstrate an understanding of the ethics and responsibilities of ancient historians towards the cultures they study (Capability 1, 2 and 8)
- Develop capacity to provide argumentation in support of a thesis, supported by primary and secondary sources (Capability 5, 6 and 8)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Quizzes | 20% | Individual Coursework |
| Coursework | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam | 50% | Individual Coursework |
| 3 types | 100% |
Teaching & Learning Methods
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, and a 1 hour tutorial per week. You should spend the other 7 hours per week in reading, thinking about the content and working on assignments and/or exam preparation.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at scheduled activities.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including will not be available as recordings.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
While this is the first time the course has been taught in several years, in response to student feedback from similar courses we have included regular quizzes throughout the course and the coursework will have multiple formats which cater to different learning styles.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.