Empires: from the Achaemenid (6th century BCE) to the British (10 credit points)

Content of Course

1. Empires of the ancient world (2330 BC - 330BC).

2. The Roman Empire (27 BC – 480).

3. The Umayyad Caliphate (671 – 750).

4. The Holy Roman Empire (800 – 1806).

5. The Byzantine Empire (330 – 1453).

6. The Spanish Empire (1492 – 1975).

7. The Mongol Khanate (1206 – 1260).

8. The Mughal Empire (1526 – 1957).

9. The Ottoman Sultanate (1299 – 1922).

10. The British Empire (1583 – 1947).

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course it is intended that students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the key features of the major empires in history, including their social, political and economic impact, and their place within the history of empires;

• Demonstrate through oral contribution in classes, and through the assessment where applicable, an ability to analyse the primary sources, and to handle critically the secondary sources;

• Demonstrate, through oral contribution in classes, and through the assessment where applicable, an ability to conduct research and to structure ideas;

• Demonstrate, through oral contribution in classes and through the assessment where applicable, an ability to organize their own learning and to manage their workload.

Sources

Core Readings

Essential:

• Burbank, J., Cooper, F., 2010. Empires in World History: Power and the Politics of Difference. Princeton: Princeton University Press

• Howe, S., 2002. Empire: A Very Short Introduction Oxford: Oxford Paperbacks

• Marriott, E., 2012. The History of the World in Bite-sized Chunks. London: Michael O'Mara

Recommended:

• McLaughlin, R., 2014. The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean: The Ancient World Economy and the Kingdoms of Africa, Arabia and India. Barnsley: Pen and Sword.

• Axworthy, M., 2008. Iran: Empire of the Mind: A History from Zoroaster to the Present Day. London: Penguin

• Moses, D., 2009. Empire, Colony, Genocide: Conquest, Occupation, and Subaltern Resistance in World History (War and Genocide). New York: Berghahn Books

• Hansen. V., 2000. The Open Empire: A History of China to 1600. London: W. W. Norton and Company

Assessments

10 credit courses have one assessment. Normally, the assessment is a 2000 word essay, worth 100% of the total mark, submitted by week 12. To pass, students must achieve a minimum of 40%. There are a small number of exceptions to this model which are identified in the Studying for Credit Guide.

Studying for Credit

If you choose to study for credit you will need to allocate significant time outwith classes for coursework and assessment preparation. Credit points gained from this course can count towards the Certificate of Higher Education.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.