Can a history of Ancient Israel be written?

2024/2025

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

3

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies

Course type:

Compulsory course

When:

2 year, 1, 2 module

Instructor

Seleznev, Mikhail

Course Syllabus

Abstract

In recent decades, no area of study of the ancient Near East has undergone such radical change as the history of ancient Israel. In the past, scholars, even those of the critical school, have relied on biblical narratives to portray the history of ancient Israel. But the history contained in the Hebrew Bible is a theological work whose authors attempted to explain their present and provide guidance for the future by referring to the past. This is true not only for the narratives of the beginning of human history, but even for the narratives of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the captivity and the post-captivity period. Almost thirty years ago, a European Seminar on the Methodology of Israel's History was held under the provocative (or even desperate?) title "Can a 'History of Israel' be Written?" We have adopted this title as the title of our course.

Learning Objectives

• to acquire knowledge about early history of ancient Israel and Judah

Expected Learning Outcomes

• to acquire knowledge about early history of ancient Israel and Judah (from nomadism to the early monarchy)
• to acquire knowledge about early history of ancient Israel and Judah (from Kingdoms of Judah and Israel to the Exile)

Course Contents

• Introduction. From nomadism to monarchy: archaeological and historical aspects of early Israel.
• From Kingdoms of Judah and Israel to the Exile: archaeological and historical aspects of early Israel.

Assessment Elements

• Работа на семинарах
• Эссе

Interim Assessment

• 2024/2025 2nd module
  0.25 * Работа на семинарах + 0.25 * Работа на семинарах + 0.25 * Эссе + 0.25 * Эссе

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• John Laughlin. (2000). Archaeology and the Bible. Routledge.
• Nadav Na’aman. (2006). Ancient Israel’s History and Historiography : The First Temple Period. Eisenbrauns.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• COLLINS, J. J. (2018). Introduction to the Hebrew Bible : Third Edition (Vol. Third edition). Minneapolis: Fortress Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1791721

Authors

• KHOMCHENKOVA VARVARA VALENTINOVNA
• SHULYAKOV LEONID VIKTOROVICH