CL3LEAD: Leadership Skills and Values from Antiquity

Module code: CL3LEAD

Module provider: Classics; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Andreas Gavrielatos, email: a.gavrielatos@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The ancient world features a broad range of leaders and types of leadership: kings and queens, politicians and rebels, democratic and totalitarian, military and professionals, etc. Although they are now figures from the past, they provide a fruitful case study for the timeless skills and values a leader needs as well as the means and ways for developing them. This module will build on modern theories of leadership by deducing information and advice from ancient literature. Philosophical and Historical texts will be combined with Poetry and Drama, to provide the skills and values that were deemed essential from antiquity to day. Leadership skills and values will be examined with regards to specific personalities from the ancient world (Pericles, Aeneas, Dido, Budicca, Hannibal) as well as specific challenges leaders face and conditions under which they are called to thrive, i.e. transition of power, diversity, war, social unrest, etc. We will closely follow the decisions and portrayals of a diverse range of leaders, e.g. Aeneas’ leadership as a refugee, and Budicca’s leadership of a rebellion. We will also discuss leadership models outside the centres of power, e.g. of minorities and communities or states outside the Roman Empire.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Identify and analyse appropriate sources for the purpose of leadership models and values
2. Critically question and interpret leadership practices in a variety of settings, including historical events and hypothetical scenarios in the modern world
3. Learn about leadership without any biases from the modern world and apply that knowledge to critically evaluate modern leadership practices
4. Develop and expand their own set of leadership skills and values

Module content

The majority of the material discussed and analysed in the module will be drawn from ancient literature and exploit a variety of genres and texts, allowing the students to appreciate these texts as well as question and discuss them. There will be room for discussion and debate both in the lectures and the seminars.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will start with an outline of basic modern theories of leadership. An examination of ancient literature on leadership (mostly didactic and philosophical texts) will follow, in comparison to the modern framework. The most part of module will then consist of:

1. Analysis and evaluation of specific leaders from the ancient world as well as their legacy (lectures), and
2. Discussion on leadership values and skills required in specific settings and situations (seminars)

Students will also be asked to watch/listen to videos and podcasts on modern leadership.

Study hours

At least 15 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs