Theoretical Courses

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OBJECTIVE
This course aims at providing students coming from different branches of Humanities with basic notions on the history and geography of the Holy Land. Visits of sites will serve as case studies illustrating phenomena such as the encounter between the Semitic and the Hellenic cultures, the transition between the classical civilization and the Islamic world, etc.

METHODOLOGY
Preparation sessions will deal with major historical and geographical landmarks of the sites visited during the field trips. Short readings from primary or secondary sources may be asked to complete the information. During the field trips, in addition to the explanations of the instructor, students will often be asked to read primary sources describing a specific site in their original language (Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Arabic, Aramaic), and to assess the evolution of buildings with the help of plans and maps. 7 preparation sessions and 7 field trips

MODE OF ASSESMENT
A short essay (1,500 words) or a guiding point during a field trip.

PROGRAM
1. East of the Old City: Slopes of Mt Olives, Kidron Valley.
2. Nazareth & Sepphoris: Lower Galilee in the Roman-Byzantine periods.
3. South of the Old City: Kettef Hinnom, Mt Zion.
4. Judean Desert 1: Qumran & Qasr al-Yahud (baptismal site).
5. Judean Desert 2: Byzantine monasteries.
6. Mamluk Jerusalem: Temple Mount and Muslim Quarter.
7. Hebron

Note: each unit includes a preparation session and a field trip.

Henri Gourinard

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OBJECTIVE
This course intends to provide graduate students with the historical context and the geographical landmarks needed to engage in fields such as Near Eastern languages and ancient philology. It covers the Hellenistic and Roman periods of the history of the Near East – with a special focus on Judea. It does not pretend to give a comprehensive and chronological overview of these periods, but rather to approach some important questions such as the diffusion of and resistance to Hellenism.

METHODOLOGY
This course is designed both as a lecture and as a seminar. Students will be asked to prepare for each session by reading shorts excerpts taken from ancient authors and scholar articles. Sessions in class will include lecture, study of texts, and discussion based on the preparation made by the students.

MODE OF ASSESMENT
A 2,000-word essay or a take-home exam.

PROGRAM
HNE 1: Classical Antiquity
1. The Near East of Alexander the Great
2. The Jews and the Greeks under Ptolemaic Rule
3. Judea under the Seleucid. The Maccabean Revolt
4. Rome’s gradual involvement in Syria
5. The Age of Herod and the Procurators
6. Judea from the Great Revolt to Bar Kochba

Henri Gourinard

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OBJECTIVE
An overview on The Didache, First Letter of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians, the Letters of Ignatius, the Apologies of Justin, and the Letter to Diognetus; and a deep knowledge of one of these works.

METHODOLOGY
Students must read the bibliography independently (after the initial in-person session) and complete a final assignment during the Spring semester.

MODE OF ASSESMENT
A paper with a commentary on one of the works studied.

PROGRAM
• Introduction (in-person)
• Reading Quasten vol. 1 (only the introduction and the works mentioned in the following paragraph). I will provide the text of Quasten.
• Reading of The Didache, First Letter of St. Clement of Rome to the Corinthians, the Letters of Ignatius, the Apologies of Justin, and the Letter to Diognetus in English translation (the texts can be found in https://www.ccel.org/fathers or https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/).
• Reading in Greek of one of these works (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/lake/fathers2.toc.html).
• Analyze the English translation of the chosen text.

Christophe Rico

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Please email [email protected] for schedule

OBJECTIVE
Understanding the way meaning works in a specific text and the main principles of translation that should be applied. Becoming able to appreciate the quality of a specific translation, taking into account the implied reader.

METHODOLOGY
The student has to reflect on the documents given to him at the end of each class (samples of translations, theoretic articles) and, in the following one, participate in the class according to the specific problematic that those documents imply.

MODE OF ASSESMENT
Short research work in English (10 pages): analysis of a specific ancient or modern translation

PROGRAM
1) Translations risks (idea and referent; langue and parole; words and text; idiolect; signified and style)
2) Translations limits (translation of contents and figures; semiotization; translation of signifiers; loan words; translating tradition)
3) The tools of the translator (concordances, papyri, ancient versions and commentaries)

Professor Christophe Rico