Tuesday-Thursday
2:10-3:30Watson 1111
Comparative
Ancient Civilizations
This is a course on the historical development of ancient civilizations. We will compare chiefdoms, early states and commercialized civilizations with an eye on settlement systems, the rise and fall of large polities, and the expansion and contraction of trade networks as well as cultural and institutional similarities and differences.
Grading is based on the Midterm exam (30%), the Final (40%) and a short Exercise Report that studies the settlement system of an ancient civilization (30%). The Midterm and the Final will be in-class essay exams.Proposed Exercise Report topics are due January 24.The Midterm will be on February 5. The Exercise Report is due on March 5. The Final is on March 20 from 3-6pm.
Readings marked with an asterisk (*) are required. Others are recommended.
The
web page for CPAC 001 is at http://iLearn.ucr.edu/
The following books are available at the University Book Store and are on reserve:
Robert Denemark et al (ed.) World System History
Patrick Kirch, The Evolution of Polynesian Chiefdoms
Thomas
Patterson, The Inca Empire
Marc Van de Mieroop, The Ancient Mesopotamian City
Marshall Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, Vol. 1.
Course
Outline
A.
Introduction and overview
B.
Civilizations, Interaction Networks and Settlement Systems
C.
Stateless Civilizations
a.Emergence
of Chiefdoms
b.Rise
and Fall of Paramount Chiefs
D.
Early State-based Civilizations
a.Inka
b.Mesopotamia
E.
Commercializing Civilizations
a.Rome
and Han
b.Islam
Schedule
of lectures:
January 3 Introduction and Overview of the Course
January 8 Civilizations, Interaction Networks, and Settlement Systems
*Chase-Dunn and Lerro, Social Change, Chapter 2, “The comparative world-systems perspective” http://www.irows.ucr.edu/cd/courses/261/b10ch2/b10ch2.htm
*McNeill, Chapter 10 in Denemark
January 10 *Denemark, Chapter 3 and Chapter 14.
January 15 *Denemark, Chapter 4
* Kirch, Chapters 1-4
Charles L. Redman, Human Impact on Ancient Environments
January 22 *Kirch, Chapters 6,8,10, 11
January 24 Early State-based Civilizations: Inca.
*Patterson, Introduction and Chapter 1
Turn in proposed
Exercise Report topic.
January 29 Patterson,
Chapters 2 and 3.
Midterm Study
Questions Handed Out
January 31 *Patterson Chapters 4,5 and Conclusion
February 5Midterm
February 7 Mesopotamia.
*Van de Mieroop, Introduction, Chapters 1-3
C. Chase-Dunn and T. Hall “City and Empire Growth/Decline Sequences in Ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian World-Systems”[http://www.irows.ucr.edu/cd/courses/compciv/pap/isa01.htm]
February 12 *Van de Mieroop, Chapters 4-6
February 14 *Van de Mieroop, Chapters 7-9
February 19 *Van de Mieroop, Chapters 10, 11 and Conclusion
February 21 Commercializing Civilizations. *Hodgson, Prefaces, Introduction, Prologue
February 26 *Hodgson, Book 1, Chapter 1
February 28 *Hodgson, Book 1, Chapter 2
March 5 * Hodgson, Book 1, Chapter 3
Exercise
Report is Due
March 7 *Hodgson, Book 2, Prologue and Chapters 1 and 2
March 12*Hodgson, Book 2, Chapters 3-5
Final
Study Questions Handed Out
March 14 *Hodgson, Book 2, Chapters 6 and 7
Final: March 20, 2002 3-6 pm