NCHU Course Outline
Course Name (中) 歷史與電影(1904)
(Eng.) History and Films
Offering Dept College of Liberal Arts
Course Type Required Credits 1 Teacher Shih-Cong Fan Chiang
Department Department of History/Undergraduate Language English Semester 2024-FALL
Course Description This course is designed to enhance students’ knowledge of the history and civilization of classical antiquity and the Early Middle Ages through appreciating certain well-known films. In other words, while watching clips of films would remain the essential part of this course during the semester, a survey of a variety of themes of the Greco-Roman world will be provided in due course.

Several topics will be addressed in chronological order:
1) The world of Homer
2) Greek city-states (e.g., Athens and Sparta) and Persia
3) Rome: from Republic to Empire
4) The neighbors of the Empire
5) The hegemony of the Romans in the Mediterranean world
6) People and society in the Roman world
7) The decline of the Roman Empire
8) Early Middle Ages

Every topic will be divided into several sessions. Each session will proceed as follows. The first part will be a brief introduction of the films’ historical background and important features/figures. For example, in the first session of the topic “the world of Homer”, the lecturer will provide an outline of both the world of the Late Bronze Age and the genre of epic of the ancient world. In the ensuing session, the lecturer and students will be watching extracts/clips from films or even documentaries. Students will be asked to pay attention to certain features. The lecturer will provide another short lecture in the last 30-50 minutes. The focus here will be the comparison of the films’ scenes and historical facts/reality. For example, did the Romans wear toga in their daily life? Regarding the Roman Forum, the core of ancient Rome, what it would have looked like in classical antiquity?
Prerequisites
self-directed learning in the course N
Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%) Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives
Course Objectives Competency Indicators Ratio(%) Teaching Methods Assessment Methods
1. An elementary knowledge of the civilizations/ important events of classical antiquity and the Early Middle Ages.
2. The understanding of our society/ world’s diversity.
1.Historical research ability
4.Social concern
5.International perspective
40
40
20
Lecturing
Attendance
Assignment
Other
Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule
Week Course Content
Week 1 Introduction
Week 2 1. Homer’s World (1)
1-1 Introduction to the Iliad and its author(s)/what is “epic”?
1-2 Selected scenes and clips from Troy (2004)- key figures; seduction/abduction of Helen by Paris
Week 3 1. Homer’s World (2)
1-3 Selected scenes and clips from Troy (2004)- Siege/ Fall of Troy; battle scenes; Achilles, Hector and Patroclus; ending scenes
Week 4 2. World of poleis (1)
2-1 Introduction to the Greek world (c. 750 BCE-)
2-2 Selected scenes and clips from 300 (2007)- Sparta and Greece
Week 5 2. World of poleis (2)
2-3 Selected scenes and clips from 300 (2007)-Persians and barbarians
2-4 Figures, scenes and historical facts: hoplites and Sparta
Week 6 3. Roman Republic (1)
3-1 Introduction to ancient Rome
3-2 Selected scenes and clips from Rome (2005-2007)- Caesar and Pompey
Week 7 3. Roman Republic (2)
3-3 Selected scenes and clips from Rome (2005-2007)- Politics in Rome
3-4 Figures, scenes and historical facts (social Life of ancient Rome)
Week 8 4. Pax Romana (1)
4-1 Introduction: the hegemony of Rome
4-2 Selected scenes and clips from The Eagle (2011)- Roman army and druids
Week 9 4. Pax Romana (2)
4-3 Selected scenes and clips from The Eagle (2011)- Conquest and rule of Rome
4-4 Figures, scenes and historical Facts: religions of the Roman world
Week 10 5. Sand of the Arena (1)
5-1 Introduction: from Pax Romana to the crisis of the third century
5-2 Selected scenes and clips from Gladiator (2000)- battle scenes
Week 11 5. Sand of the Arena (2)
5-3 Selected scenes and clips from Gladiator (2000)- gladiators’ daily life
Week 12 5. Sand of the Arena (3)
5-4 Figures, scenes and historical facts: “Maximus” in history
Week 13 6. Fall of Rome (1)
6-1. Introduction: the decline of the Roman Empire
Week 14 6. Fall of Rome (2)
6-2. Selected scenes and clips from King Arthur (2004)- Romans and Picts
Week 15 6. Fall of Rome (3)
6-3 Selected scenes and clips from King Arthur (2004)- Arthur and his knights
6-4 Figures, scenes and historical facts: Anglo-Saxon England
Week 16 Final exam
Week 17 ’Reading week’- reading (primary sources), essay (1) writing and discussion (if needed)
Week 18 ’Reading week’- essay (2) writing and discussion (if needed)
Evaluation
In accordance with the ”16+2weeks” policy, the last 2 weeks are reserved for reading, essay writing and discussion (if needed).

60% Two essays (in English, max. 1,000 words)
-Students will be asked to choose one of their favorite literary/artistic works, including, but not limited, to films, novels and comics/manga.
-The subject of the chosen work should be related to human beings’ history and civilization (i.e. c. 4000 BC-).
-The submitted works should include two parts. While the first part is a brief introduction of that work and relevant historical/cultural background, in the second part, students will be asked to present and discuss historical inaccuracies (e.g., costumes, storyline, and buildings) of the chosen work.
-It, however, should be noted that documentaries are not recommended, as sometimes it would be pretty challenging to note historical inaccuracies.

30% Final exam (open-book) (either in Chinese or in English)
- The ‘simplified’ (i.e. maps and pictures will be removed) version of PowerPoint slides would be provided before the final exam.
- Also, a review of the materials covered will be provided prior to the exam.
- Identifications (one to two sentences) (60%) and short answer questions (40%)

10% Class Attendance
Textbook & other References
No textbook is required. Here are some introductory books:

Alston, R. (2014), Aspects of Roman History, 31 BC- AD 117, London; New York: Routledge.
Ando, C. (2014), Imperial Rome AD 193 to 284: the Critical Century, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Boatwright, M.T. et al. (2011), The Romans: from Village to Empire, Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. (Boatwright et al. 2011).
Garnsey, P.; Saller, R. (2014), The Roman Empire: Economy, Society and Culture, London: Bloomsbury Academic.
Goodman, M. (2012), The Roman World 44 BC-AD 180, London: Routledge.
Mathisen, R. W. (2014), Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations, from Prehistory to 640 C.E., 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Pomery, S. B. et. al (2017), Ancient Greece: A Political, Social, and Cultural History, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Shelton, J.A. (1998), As the Romans did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History, New York; Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Teaching Aids & Teacher's Website

Office Hours
Tue. 14:10-15:00
Thu. 13:10-15:00

If possible, please make an appointment in advance. If you arrive for office hours without an appointment, anticipate that you may have to wait or come back another day.
Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs
05.Gender Equality   10.Reduced Inequalitiesinclude experience courses：N
Please respect the intellectual property rights and use the materials legally.Please repsect gender equality.
Update Date, year/month/day：None Printed Date, year/month/day：2024 / 9 / 08
The second-hand book website：http://www.myub.com.tw/