090073 SE Seminar Latin (2018S)

Firmicus Maternus: De errore profanarum religionum

10.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 9 - Altertumswissenschaften

Continuous assessment of course work

Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Registration is open from We 07.02.2018 06:00 to Tu 27.02.2018 23:59
Registration is open from Mo 19.03.2018 06:00 to We 21.03.2018 23:59
Deregistration possible until Fr 30.03.2018 23:59

Details

max. 12 participants

Language: German

Lecturers

Danuta Shanzer

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Wednesday 07.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 14.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 21.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 11.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 18.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 25.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 02.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 09.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 16.05. 08:00 - 09:30 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 23.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 30.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 06.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 13.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 20.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6
Wednesday 27.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Bibliothek 2 d. Inst. f. Klass. Philologie, Mittel- und Neulatein Hauptgebäude, Hochparterre, Stiege 6

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Julius Firmicus Maternus is the author of the last and longest astrological treatise from the ancient world, the Matheseos Libri VIII. He is also the author of a much shorter apologetic treatise called "De errore profanarum religionum" (45 pp in Ziegler's edition.) He was a younger contemporary of Constantine's, a member of "the final pagan generation," and lived in the first half of the 4th C. Firmicus is one of the rare figures in whose work one can study a pagan "before" and a Christian "after," for shortly after Constantine's death in 337 he converted. The De errore is an apology, but of a different kind from say Minucius Felix, or Tertullian's. It is closer to Arnobius' Ad nationes, more disgusted and angry and intolerant. Behind it lie many intriguing questions in source-criticism and in religious history. We will begin with biographical study of Firmicus and then move on to a close reading of the De Errore and to study of its intriguing (and difficult) content.

Assessment and permitted materials

Grades will be assessed on the basis of class performance (preparation, engagement, tasks, shorter and longer reports) and a final longer paper.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Students will be expected to prepare the readings carefully, to read critically, to be responsible for the Latin text (morphology and syntax, plus being ready to translate if asked to). Students should be able to undertake independent bibliographical research and to know their way around the various essential on-line resources for classicists.

Examination topics

Reading list

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:31