Greek Epigraphy in the Classical and Hellenestic Periods

Pre-requisites: Elementary knowledge of ancient Greek language.

Course objectives: Acquiring fundamental knowledge of Greek epigraphy.

Course description: We will study Greek epigraphy as the most important auxiliary discipline for ancient Greek history of the Classical and Hellenistic period. Working with individual documents, we will analyze the most important types of inscriptions on hard material (stone and metal), such as laws, city decrees, royal letters, state treaties, honorific decrees, dedications, manumissions, and funerary inscriptions. Attention will be drawn to the reconstruction of damaged texts and characteristics of language and style present in inscriptions.

Learning Outcomes: Enabling the students to work with Greek inscriptions.

Literature/Reading:

• B. H. McLean, An Introduction to Greek Epigraphy, Ann Arbor 2002.
• W. Dittenberger, Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum, Leipzig 1915-24
• G. Klaffenbach, Griechische Epigraphik, Göttingen 1957
• A. G. Woodhead, The Study of Greek Inscriptions, Cambridge 1959
• W. Dittenberger, Orientis Graeci Inscriptiones Selectae, Leipzig 1903
• R. Meiggs, D. Lewis, A Selection of Greek Historical Inscriptions, Oxford 1969.
• P.J.Rhodes, R. Osborne, Greek Historical Inscriptions 404-323 BC, Oxford 2003.