Ancient and Medieval Societies: Course Outline

Delhi University
BA (Hon) History Course No II

SOCIAL FORMATIONS AND CULTURAL PATTERNS OF THE ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL WORLD
NOTE : Students shall be expected to answer four questions, selecting AT LEAST ONE FROM EACH UNIT

UNIT : I
I. Evolution of humankind; Palaeolithic and Mesolithic cultures. E Food production : beginnings of agriculture and animal husbandry, in. Bronze Age Civilizations:
[a] Economy. [b] social stratification. [c] religion and [d] state structure.
{Either (i) EGYPT (Old Kingdom) OR MESOPOTAMIA (up to the Akkadian Empire)
AND (ii) either CHINA (Shang) OR EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Minoan)}
IV Nomadic groups in Central and West Asia
UNIT: II
V The advent of iron and its implications
VI. Slave societies in ancient Greece and Rome: agrarian economy,
urbanisation and trade.
VII. Political apparatus: Athenian democracy and Roman Republic; Roman
Empire; Greek and Roman cultures.
VEL Crises of Roman Empire.
UNIT: III
IX. Subsistence economy to feudal dynamism in Europe from (the 7th to
the 15th centuries : organisation of production, towns and trade,
technological developments. Crisis of feudalism.
X. Religion and culture in medieval Europe :
[a] Rise of Papacy, [b] monastic revival and [c] arts and patronage.
XI. Societies in Central Islamic Lands:
[a] The tribal background, ummah. Caliphal state; rise of Sultanates
[b] Religious developments: the origins of Shariah, Milma, Sufism,
[cj Urbanisation and trade [d] architecture.
XII. Scientific and technological developments either in Islamic societies
or Medieval China.