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0000182 - history of ancient and medieval India

courses
ID:
0000182
Duration (hours):
36
CFU:
6
SSD:
Philosophies, Religions and History of India and Central Asia
Located in:
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI "L'ORIENTALE"
Url:
Course Details:
ANCIENT CULTURES AND ARCHAEOLOGY: ASIA, AFRICA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN/Percorso comune Year: 1
Year:
2025
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Overview

Date/time interval

Secondo Semestre (23/02/2026 - 29/05/2026)

Syllabus

Course Objectives

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Acquisition of a structured understanding of the political, economic, and cultural history of South Asia from antiquity through the Sultanate and Vijayanagara periods;
  • Familiarity with key issues of periodization and historiographic definition, including conceptual categories such as “Ancient,” “Medieval,” and “Early Modern” India;
  • Critical understanding of political and urban transformations, interregional connections, and long-term economic dynamics.

APPLIED KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

The course equips students with theoretical and methodological tools to:


  • critically analyse major sources for the history of South Asia (inscriptions, coins, historical texts);
  • discuss state formation and patterns of urbanization at the regional level;
  • interpret historical developments through comparative and transregional perspectives, with particular attention to Southeast Asian connections;
  • reflect on the use of historiographic categories and their impact on historical narratives.

FURTHER EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

Independent judgment:

Students will develop the ability to assess historical sources and interpretations critically, identifying patterns of continuity and change in political and cultural processes.

Communication skills:

Students will be able to present complex historical arguments clearly, both orally and in writing, using appropriate disciplinary terminology.

Learning skills:

Students will acquire the tools to pursue independent study of complex historical issues, including through the consultation of primary sources and scholarly literature in foreign languages.


Course Prerequisites

Prerequisites for the course include a predisposition to historical reasoning and proficiency in analyzing textual sources. Additionally, a high level of proficiency in the English language is essential


Teaching Methods

The course will primarily be conducted through traditional lectures, supplemented with the use of audio-visual aids. Additionally, students will be required to engage in group research and prepare in advance by studying specific topics from the exam syllabus. This preparation will enable them to actively contribute to the discussions and critically engage with the explanations provided during the lectures.


Assessment Methods

The examination will be an oral test, which can be conducted either in Italian or in English. The evaluation criteria will include assessing the candidate's level of preparation, proficiency in using appropriate technical terminology, critical ability in analyzing historical documents, and the ability to express themselves clearly and coherently during the examination.


Texts

TESTI DI RIFERIMENTO/BIBLIOGRAFIA (8 CFU)

ASHER Catherine B. and Cynthia TALBOT (eds, 2006) India before Europe. Cambridge University Press. pp. 1-83

KULKE Hermann and ROTHERMUND Dietmar (2004, quarta edizione). A History of India. London and New York, Routledge. pp. 1-195

SALOMON Richard (2008) Indian Epigraphy. A Guide to the Study of Inscriptions in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and the other Indo-Aryan Languages. New Delhi, Munshiram Manoharlal. pp. 72-150; 226-251

TARLING Nicholas (1992) The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia. Cambridge University Press pp. 183-340


Gli studenti che hanno in piano di studio solo 6 CFU possono rimuovere dal programma il testo di Asher e Talbot Non si prevedono distinzioni di programma tra studenti frequentanti e non frequentanti


Contents

  1. Historical and geographical framework: issues of definition and periodization
  2. Documentary bases for the study of ancient and medieval history
  3. Ancient urbanization and the earliest forms of statehood
  4. Epigraphic sources and ancient history
  5. Numismatic sources from antiquity to the Gupta period
  6. The impact of the Huns on the political scene of northern India
  7. Formation of regional states and urbanization in medieval India
  8. Cultural and economic history of the southern kingdoms
  9. Relations with the political formations of Southeast Asia
  10. The era of the Sultanates and Vijayanagara
  11. The historiographical category of the Early Modern



Course Language

italian


More information

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Degrees

Degrees

ANCIENT CULTURES AND ARCHAEOLOGY: ASIA, AFRICA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN 
Bachelor's Degree
3 years
No Results Found

People

People

DE SIMINI FLORINDA
Settore ASIA-01/B - Storia, religioni e filosofie dell'Asia meridionale e centrale
Gruppo 10/ASIA-01 - CULTURE E LINGUE DELL'ASIA CENTRALE, MERIDIONALE, ORIENTALE E SUD-ORIENTALE
AREA MIN. 10 - Scienze dell'antichita,filologico-letterarie e storico-artistiche
Professori/esse Associati/e
No Results Found

Other

Main module

history of ancient and medieval India
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