| 1 |
6/14/08 11:59PM |
The essay should be about 1500 words in length, footnoted with
clear reference to all sources used. |
1. Hammurabi's Code.
"Emphasizing the law belonged to everyone, this legal and literary work
gives a remarkable portrait of the hierarchical and patriarchal society
of Mesopotamia." Discuss.
2. Divine Kingship.
"Pharaonic Egypt's sacred monarchy combined religious and political
authority, symbolized by the vast funeral monuments of the pyramids and
the tombs of the Pharaohs." Discuss.
3. Life and Afterlife.
"With an abundance of deities and an innovative concept of an
afterlife, Egyptian religious life was rich and varied." Discuss.
[Look at the elaborate rituals attached to embalming the body of the
dead Pharaoh and the accompanying rituals and texts to help him/her on
their way to the abode of the gods. cf. The Egyptian Book of the
Dead]
4. What was the position of women in
ancient Near eastern societies? How were their roles similar or
dissimilar? Were there contradictions between ideals and reality?
[Look at (i) The statutes in Hammurabi's code on women, property and
divorce. (ii) do you think was the high status of female deities in
Egyptian religion a reflection of their status in society in general.
(iii) All Near and Middle eastern societies were patriarchal, some more
so than others. Look at the laws against women the Old Testament,
especially Leviticus. Take note that women had no role in the priestly
caste or in the rituals of the Hebrew religion. This is reflected in
the NT, especially the Pauline epistles.
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| 2 |
06/26/08 11:59PM |
The assignment should be about 1500 words in length, with sources
clearly referenced. |
1. Why, in your opinion, did the Eastern empire survive longer than
the Western one?
2. Was there anything in Christianity that led to the problem of
heresy and the appeal of monasticism? How did Christianity's
"legalization" affect these?
[Christianity has been beset for most of its 2000 year history with
the problem of heresy ("non-orthodox" beliefs by groups within or on
the margins of the Church). In the Eastern and later in the Frankish
empires, royal authority took upon itself the role of "guardian of the
faith." Why was this?]
3. "Tireless in his efforts, Justinian's amazing record of military
conquest, administrative and legal reform, and religious leadership
reflected his traditional conception of imperial authority."
Discuss.
4. What factors affected the creation of Charlemagne's empire, and
what caused its destruction?
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