Master of Philosophy in Greek and/or Roman History

Differences from 2017/18 to 2022/23

  • 1. Every candidate must follow, for at least six terms, a course of instruction in Greek and/or Roman History. Candidates will, when they enter for the examination, be required to produce from their society a certificate that they are following such a course.

  • 2. Candidates may satisfy the Examiners in not more than three options in the first year of their course.

  • 3.

    • (a) In the case of options in languages, Schedule A below, candidates will be examined by written examination. Candidates taking options A (iii)-(vi) may bring a dictionary for their use in the examination. Any candidate taking either of options A (i) or A (ii) whose native language is not English may bring a bilingual (native language-English) dictionary for use in the examination.

    • (b) For options in topics and techniques, Schedules B and C below, unless otherwise stated below,  candidates will be required to pre-submit two essays of not more than 5,000 words in length, which between them display knowledge of more than a narrow range of the topic covered by the course. (The essay word limit excludes the bibliography, any text that is being edited or annotated, any translation of that text, and any descriptive catalogue or similar factual matter, but includes quotations, notes and appendices.)

    • (c) For the Graduate Seminars, Schedule E below, candidates will be required to pre-submit one essay of not more than 5,000 words, based on a presentation to the Seminar, and one essay of not more than 5,000 words, based on other work done in connection with the Seminar. (The essay word limit excludes the bibliography, any text that is being edited or annotated, any translations of that text, and any descriptive catalogue or similar factual matter, but includes quotations, notes and appendices.)

    • (d) The word limits for presubmitted essays and for dissertations exclude the bibliography and certain other categories as adumbrated in the MSt/MPhil course handbook, which is to be consulted for further guidance.

    • (e) Supervisors or others are permitted to give bibliographical help with and to discuss drafts of essays. 

  • 4. Oral Examination. Candidates are required to present themselves for oral examination if summoned by the examiners.

  • 5. If it is the opinion of the examiners that the work done by a candidate, while not of sufficient merit to qualify for the degree of M.Phil., is nevertheless of sufficient merit to qualify for the degree of Master of Studies in Greek and/or Roman History, the candidate shall be given the option of resitting the M.Phil. (as provided under the appropriate regulation) or of being granted leave to supplicate for the degree of Master of Studies.

  • 6. Syllabus

    Candidates must offer (1) an option from A below, (2) an option from B below (3) an option from B or C below, (4) a dissertation as described in D below, and must take, in the first year of their course, (5) one of the Graduate Seminars in Ancient History as described in E below. The option from A must be (i) or (ii), unless a candidate is dispensed from this requirement by the Graduate Studies Committee for Ancient History.

    Not all options may be available in any given year.

    A

    • (i) Intermediate Greek, as prescribed for the Master of Studies in Greek and/or Roman History. Paper A(ii)

    • (ii) Intermediate Latin, as prescribed for the Master of Studies in Greek and/or Roman History, Paper A(iv).

    • (iii) French

    • (iv) German

    • (v) Italian

    • (vi) Any other language which the candidate has satisfied the Graduate Studies Committee for Ancient History is relevant to their other papers including any dissertation.

    B

    • (i) Greek Numismatics

    • (ii) Roman Numismatics

    • (iii) Greek Epigraphy

    • (iv) The Epigraphy of the Roman World

    • (v) Documentary Papyrology. Candidates taking this option will produce an edition of a documentary papyrus and one essay of not more than 5,000 words in length. These should be submitted in accordance with the arrangements set out in 2(e) above.

    • (vi) Roman Law

      (vii) Any of the following papers on the B list of the M.St. in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature: B1-4; B7. Presubmitted essays offered under this option will be subject to the normal regulations for the submission of presubmitted essays in the M.Phil. in Greek and/or Roman History.

      (viii) Any of the papers from Schedule B of the M.St. in Classical Archaeology. Presubmitted essays offered under this option will be subject to the normal regulations for the submission of presubmitted essays in the M.Phil. in Greek and/or Roman History.

      (ix) Any other subject approved by the Graduate Studies Committee for Ancient History.

    C

    • (i) Greek history to c.650 bceBCE

    • (ii) Greek history to c.650-479 bceBCE

    • (iii) Greek history to c.479-336 bceBCE

    • (iv) Athenian democracy in the Classical age

    • (v) Alexander and his successors 336-301 bceBCE

    • (vi) The Hellenistic world 301-c .100 bceBCE

    • (vii) The Achaemenid Empire
    •  
    • (viii) Pre-Roman Italy.
    •  
    • (ix) Carthage and the Phoenician Mediterranean
    •  
    • (viix) Rome and the Mediterranean world 241-146 bce

      BCE
    •  
    • (viiixi) Roman history 146-46 bce

      BCE
    •  
    • (ixxii) Cicero

    •  
    • (xxiii) Roman history 46 bce BCE-54 ce

      CE
    •  
    • (xixiv) Roman history 54-138 ce

      CE
    •  
    • (xiixv) Roman history 138-312 ce

      CE
    •  
    • (xiiixvi) The ecology, agriculture and settlement history of the ancient Mediterranean world

    •  
    • (xvii) The economy of the pre-Roman Mediterranean
    •  
    • (xivxviii) The economy of the Roman Empire

    •  
    • (xvxix) The provinces of the Roman Empire

    •  
    • (xvixx) Greek and/or Roman religion

    •  
    • (xviixxi) Gender and sexuality in the Greek and/or Roman world

    •  
    • (xxii) Varieties of enslavement and unfreedom in ancient Mediterranean
    •  
    • (xxiii) Community movements, Mediterranean colonizations and colonialisms
    •  
    • (xviiixxiv) Greek and/or Latin historiography

    •  
    • (xixxxv) The Church in the Roman Empire from the beginnings to 312 CE.

    •  
    • (xxxxvi) The world of Augustine.

    •  
    • (xxixxvii) The City of Rome. This course is run in collaboration with the British School at Rome, and involves attendance at the residential course organised by the School annually in Rome; only those accepted by the School may take the option.

    •  
    • (xxiixxviii) Writing Greek and Roman history after Antiquity
    •  
    • (xxix) Any other subject approved by the Graduate Studies Committee for Ancient History.

  • D

  • A dissertation of not more than 25,000 words on a subject to be approved by the Graduate Studies Committee for Ancient History. (The dissertation word limit excludes the bibliography, any text that is being edited or annotated, any translation of that text, and any descriptive catalogue or similar factual matter, but includes quotations, notes and appendices.)

  • E

  • Graduate Seminars

    • (i) Greece and the East

    • (ii) Rome and the West

  • These working seminars, organised by members of the faculty in areas of current interest to them, run fortnightly in Michaelmas and Hilary Terms. The topics of the Seminars will vary from time to time. Details are announced in the Graduate handbook for the Degrees of M.St. and M.Phil. in Greek and/or Roman History.

  • 7. All options, including the dissertation, require the approval of the candidate's supervisor and the Graduate Studies Committee for Ancient History, having regard to the candidate's previous experience, the range covered by the chosen options, and the availability of teaching and examining resources.  Options under B (vii), (viii), (ix) and C (xxiixxix) in disciplines other than Ancient History require the approval of both the Graduate Studies Committee for Ancient History and the Graduate Studies Committee responsible for the discipline concerned. The options must be submitted for approval not later than the Friday of  Week 5 of Michaelmas Term in the candidate's first academic year. Candidates will not normally be allowed to be examined in languages of which they are native speakers or which they have previously studied in taught courses for more than two years.

  • 8.

    • (a) Two typewritten or printed copies of eachEach essay offered under Schedule E, Graduate Seminars must be sent in a parcel bearing the words ‘Essays submitted for the M.Phil. in Greek and/or Roman History’uploaded to the ExaminationUniversity Schools,approved Highonline Street,assessment Oxford, OX1 4BG platform by noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 of Trinity Term in the first year of the course.

      (b)  Candidates may, if they wish, submit two essays on options from Schedules B or C by noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 of Trinity Term in the first year of the course. Otherwise, candidates must submit all essays on options from Schedules B and C by noon on the Wednesday of Week 81 of HilaryTrinity Term in the final year of the course. TwoAn typewrittenelectronic or printed copies copy of all such essays must be sent in a parcel bearing the words ‘Essays submitted for the M.Phil. in Greek and/or Roman History’uploaded to the ExaminationUniversity Schools,approved Highonline Street,assessment Oxford, OX1 4BGplatform.

      (c) Two typewritten or printed copies of theThe dissertation (Schedule D) must be sent in a parcel bearing the words ‘Dissertation submitted for the M.Phil. in Greek and/or Roman History’uploaded to the ExaminationUniversity Schools,approved Highonline Street,assessment Oxford, OX1 4BGplatform by noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 of Trinity Term in the final year of the course.