Master of Studies in Greek and/or Roman History

Differences from 2017/18 to 2021/22

  • 1. Every candidate must follow, for at least three 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.

    • (a) In the case of options in languages, Schedule A below, candidates will be examined by written examination. Candidates taking options A (v)-(viii) may bring a dictionary for their use in the examination. Any candidate taking options A (i)-(iv) 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. 

    • (c) The essay word limitlimits excludesfor presubmitted essays and for dissertations exclude the bibliography and certain other categories as adumbrated in the MSt/MPhil course handbook, any text thatwhich is beingto editedbe orconsulted annotated,for anyfurther translation of that text, and any descriptive catalogue or similar factual matter, but includes quotations, notes, and appendicesguidance.)

    • (d) Supervisors or others are permitted to give bibliographical help with and to discuss drafts of essays. Such essays (two typewritten or printed copies) must be sent in a parcel bearing the words 'Essays presubmitted for the M.St. in Greek and/or Roman History'uploaded to the ExaminationUniversity Schoolsapproved online assessment platform, High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BG, to reach there by noon on the  Wednesday of Week 6 of the Trinity Term in which the examination is to be taken.

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

  • 4. Syllabus

    Candidates must offer (1) an option from A below, (2) an option from B or C below, and (3) a dissertation as described in D below. The option from A must be (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv), unless a candidate is dispensed from this requirement by the Graduate Studies Committee for Ancient History. In addition, all candidates must attend and participate in one of the Graduate Seminars in Ancient History as described in E below, although this will not be a subject of examination.

A

  • (i) Elementary Greek. There will be one three-hour paper, consisting of passages of Greek which will test knowledge of Attic grammar and competence in translation from Greek into English.

  • (ii) Intermediate Greek. There will be one three-hour paper comprising passages for translation from prescribed texts and a passage for unseen translation. A detailed specification and prescribed texts for the paper will be published in the MSt/MPhil course handbook not later than Monday of Week 0 of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. Alternative texts for translation under this head may be offered by agreement with the Graduate Studies Committee for Ancient History.

  • (iii) Elementary Latin. There will be one three-hour paper, consisting of passages of Latin prose which will test knowledge of classical Latin grammar and competence in translation from Latin into English.

  • (iv) Intermediate Latin. There will be one three-hour paper comprising passages for translation from prescribed texts and a passage for unseen translation. A detailed specification and prescribed texts for the paper will be published in the MSt/MPhil course handbook not later than Monday of Week 0 of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. Alternative texts for translation under this head may be offered by agreement with the Graduate Studies Committee for Ancient History.

  • (v) French

  • (vi) German

  • (vii) Italian

  • (viii) 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(d) 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.St. 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.St. 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 c .650-479 bceBCE

  • (iii) Greek history 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 Punic Mediterranean 

  • (viix) Rome and the Mediterranean World 241-146 bce

  • (viii) Roman history 146-46 bce

  • (ix) Cicero

  • (x) Roman history 46 bce -54 ceBCE

  • (xi) Roman history 54146-13846 ceBCE

  • (xii) Roman history 138-312 ceCicero

  • (xiii) Roman history 46 BCE - 54 CE

  • (xiv) Roman history 54-138 CE

  • (xv) Roman history 138-312 CE

  • (xvi) 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 the 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.

  • (xxviii) Writing Greek and Roman history after Antiquity 
  •  

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

D

A dissertation of not more than 10,000 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.) 

The dissertation (two typewritten or printed copies) must be sentuploaded in a parcel bearingto the wordsUniversity 'Dissertationapproved foronline theassessment M.St. in Greek and/or Roman History' to The Chair of Examinersplatform, c/o Examinations Schools, High Street, Oxford, to arrive no later than noon on the  Wednesday of Week 6 of the Trinity Full Term in which the examination is to be taken.

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 Master of Studies and Master of Philosophy in Greek and/or Roman History.

  • 5. 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 (xxii) 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 the Michaelmas Term in the academic year in which the candidate intends to be examined. 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.