ancient israel
History of Ancient Israel
Module Code: 507THI Credits: 10 Contact Hours: 30 Level: 5 Lecturer: Seamus Mulholland OFM
Syllabus
The module seeks to explore the history of Ancient Israel from the earliest period. It examines some of the important archaeological data which may help us to construct a contextual narrative history for Ancient Israel within the wider Ancient Near East. It will also examine and explore the dynamics of Ancient Near Eastern politics, the emergence of powerful military and economic ‘empires’ e.g. the Hittite, Assyria, Babylonian and their impact on the historical reality of the Israelites in Canaan. It will also analyse some of the Hebrew writings, especially the Deuteronomic History and examine the Conquest of Canaan, the problem of the divided kingdom, the historical emergence of kingship and the disasters of 722 and 587 BCE.
Aims
- to show the contribution of archaeology to our understanding of the Bible
- to encourage an interest in the history of ancient Israel so as to development an appreciation for the Biblical narratives
- to set the biblical ‘historical’ narrative within the wider historical context of the people, places, and events of the Ancient Near East
- to illustrate the difficulties in determining the nature of the history of Ancient Israel and whether a ‘history’ of Ancient Israel can actually be written.
Assessment
This module will be assessed through a 2,000 word essay.
Evaluation
Student Evaluation form at end of Module
Teaching Methods
This module is taught through lectures and critical examination of key Biblical texts.
Knowledge and Understanding
By the end of this module students should be able to demonstrate:
- an understanding of the historical development of the Hebrews as a people
- a knowledge of the contemporaneous political/military/economic powers that surrounded Ancient Israel
- a knowledge of the importance and significance of ancient near eastern archaeology the history of Ancient Israel
- the ability to critically evaluate the available historical data that elucidates the story of Ancient Israelites
- the ability to question long-held traditional views about the history of Ancient Israel in the light of contemporary scholarship.
Subject Specific Skills
- knowledge of key archaeological evidence in ancient Israelite history
- understanding of the nature of history and difficulties applying it to ancient Israel
- ability to weigh various types of evidence and examine it critically
Transferable Skills
By the end of this module students should be able to:
- form independent opinions about the nature of ancient Hebrew history and support those opinions with appropriate evidence.
- present materials related to the ancient Hebrews and facets of their history in a coherent, well structured argument, and make appropriate choices from primary and/or secondary materials.
- contribute confidently to discussions about the history of ancient Israelite
- communicate the module content in a balanced manner to others, especially other Franciscans, members of Church groups, family, and Jewish colleagues, inter-faith groups.
