History 4a Notes
History 4A Lecture Notes Fall 2012
The Origins of Western Civilization: The Ancient Mediterranean World
8/24/12
Introduction (power point on bspace contains images if desired) * Instructor: Carlos Norena * GSI: Patrick Clark, Brendan Haug, John Olmsted, Norman Underwood * historia (history) – Greek, lit. “inquiry, learning by inquiry; a [written] account of what has been learned by inquiry”
Resources of History (example) * clay prism (Sumerian King List) * marble etchings (Athenian Decree) * bronze tablet (Statue of Power of Emperor Vespasian) * coinage (currency of Alexander the Great) * papyrus (tax receipt from Egypt) * archaeological remains (city of Pompeii) * monuments (Great Pyramids at Giza) * pottery (Athenian Black-Figure Jug) * statues (“Dying Gaul” in bronze) * lost and disposed objects (jewelry; garbage)
Note on Chronology and Dating * Olympic Era Calendar * begin at year 1.1 equivalent to 776 BC * lines up with the Olympic Games * every year adds 0.1 up to 0.4 total, then begins at 0.1 with first digit increased * 775 BC=1.2, 774 BC=1.3, 773 BC=1.4, 772 BC=2.1, etc. * Roman Calendar * Ab Urbe Condita (“from the founding of the city”) * begin dating from supposed founding of Rome in 753 BC * 752 BC=2, 751 BC=3, etc. * Regarding Months * most previous calendars based on lunar cycle * Egypt based on solar cycle with arbitrary 12 months * Caesar apply this to Roman Calendar * Pope Gregory in 15th to 16th century cuts 10 days to balance out dating * add leap year for every 4 years * presently cut 3 leap years every 400 years * Modern Calendar * designed by Dionysius Exiguus * BC = Before Christ * AD = Anno Domini (“in the year of the lord”) * there is no year 0; just 1 BC to 1 AD * New Calendar * BCE = Before Common Era * CE = Common Era
The Origins of Western Civilization: The Ancient Mediterranean World
8/24/12
Introduction (power point on bspace contains images if desired) * Instructor: Carlos Norena * GSI: Patrick Clark, Brendan Haug, John Olmsted, Norman Underwood * historia (history) – Greek, lit. “inquiry, learning by inquiry; a [written] account of what has been learned by inquiry”
Resources of History (example) * clay prism (Sumerian King List) * marble etchings (Athenian Decree) * bronze tablet (Statue of Power of Emperor Vespasian) * coinage (currency of Alexander the Great) * papyrus (tax receipt from Egypt) * archaeological remains (city of Pompeii) * monuments (Great Pyramids at Giza) * pottery (Athenian Black-Figure Jug) * statues (“Dying Gaul” in bronze) * lost and disposed objects (jewelry; garbage)
Note on Chronology and Dating * Olympic Era Calendar * begin at year 1.1 equivalent to 776 BC * lines up with the Olympic Games * every year adds 0.1 up to 0.4 total, then begins at 0.1 with first digit increased * 775 BC=1.2, 774 BC=1.3, 773 BC=1.4, 772 BC=2.1, etc. * Roman Calendar * Ab Urbe Condita (“from the founding of the city”) * begin dating from supposed founding of Rome in 753 BC * 752 BC=2, 751 BC=3, etc. * Regarding Months * most previous calendars based on lunar cycle * Egypt based on solar cycle with arbitrary 12 months * Caesar apply this to Roman Calendar * Pope Gregory in 15th to 16th century cuts 10 days to balance out dating * add leap year for every 4 years * presently cut 3 leap years every 400 years * Modern Calendar * designed by Dionysius Exiguus * BC = Before Christ * AD = Anno Domini (“in the year of the lord”) * there is no year 0; just 1 BC to 1 AD * New Calendar * BCE = Before Common Era * CE = Common Era