CORE061 Environmental problems and collapses of ancient civilizations

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2024
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Lubor Kysučan, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Karel Stibral, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Kateřina Hendrychová
Supplier department: Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Mon 19. 2. 12:00–13:40 Aula, Mon 26. 2. 12:00–13:40 exP52, Mon 4. 3. 12:00–13:40 Aula, Mon 11. 3. 12:00–13:40 Aula, Mon 18. 3. 12:00–13:40 Aula, Mon 25. 3. 12:00–13:40 Aula, Mon 8. 4. 12:00–13:40 Aula, Mon 15. 4. 12:00–13:40 Aula, Mon 22. 4. 12:00–13:40 Aula, Mon 29. 4. 12:00–13:40 Aula, Mon 6. 5. 12:00–13:40 Aula, Mon 13. 5. 12:00–13:40 U23
Prerequisites
None
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 100 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 55/100, only registered: 0/100, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/100
Course objectives
The student will learn in detail the environmental problems accompanying the crises and collapses of ancient civilizations. The student will be able to analyse the extent to which these problems contributed to these crises and compare them with similar problems in the contemporary world. Ancient civilisations (Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, China, pre-Columbian civilisations, Greece, Rome) were closely linked to nature. The vegetation and agricultural cycle determined the rhythm of life of the whole society. Nature was perceived as a sacred space; mountains, springs, trees, forests, animals were held in sacred reverence. In spite of this, ancient civilizations created a series of ecological problems that contributed to its decline and collapse (deforestation, salinization and degradation of agricultural land, air and water pollution in cities). The lecture will deal with these ecological problems, their causes and consequences, and the associated economic and social crises that have affected the stability of these civilizations. The natural disasters that marked their development will also be mentioned. At the same time, consideration will be devoted to efforts to face up to these problems, including contemporary attempts to protect nature ('green' legislation). The perception of nature and landscape in ancient art and literature and the contemporary aesthetics of nature in general will also be mentioned. The lecture will be based on the interpretation of contemporary written and archaeological sources and will be accompanied by short video projections.
Learning outcomes
The student will become familiar with the basic factors of the crisis of ancient civilizations and the role of environmental problems in their collapse, and will be able to apply this knowledge in analyzing global problems of the present.
Syllabus
  • Nature and civilization. The influence of geographical factors and the natural environment on the emergence and development of ancient civilizations. Nature in antiquity as sacred space. Sacred landscape, sacred creatures - worship of animals, groves, forests, springs. Nature in ancient philosophy and religion. Natural disasters in the ancient world - volcanic activity, floods. The myth of the deluge. Climate change throughout history and "environmental" migration. Ecological problems in civilizations of ancient Egypt, the Ancient East and pre-Columbian America - deforestation, salinization and soil erosion. Ecological problems of the ancient Mediterranean - degradation of arable land, deforestation, animal extinction. Globalization of economic problems and their impact on ancient agriculture. The ancient city and its ecological problems - noise, air and water pollution. The issue of lead intoxication in ancient Rome. Nature conservation and care of environment in antiquity - the administration and legislation. The contribution of environmental problems to the collapse of ancient civilizations.
Literature
    required literature
  • HARPER, Kyle. Pád Říma : podíl klimatických změn a epidemií na zániku římské říše. Translated by Jan Petříček. V českém jazyce vydání d. Praha: Maraton, 2021, 406 stran. ISBN 9788088411031. URL info
  • BÁRTA, Miroslav. Sedm zákonů : jak se civilizace rodí, rostou a upadají. V Brně: Jota, 2021, 309 stran. ISBN 9788075656407. URL info
  • HARARI, Yuval N. Sapiens : úchvatný i úděsný příběh lidstva. Translated by Anna Pilátová. V nakladatelství Leda vydá. Voznice: Leda, 2014, 518 stran. ISBN 9788087440896. info
  • DIAMOND, Jared M. Kolaps : proč společnosti zanikají a přežívají. Translated by Zdeněk Urban. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 2008, 751 s. ISBN 9788020015891. info
    recommended literature
  • HARPER, Kyle. Pád Říma : podíl klimatických změn a epidemií na zániku římské říše. Translated by Jan Petříček. V českém jazyce vydání d. Praha: Maraton, 2021, 406 stran. ISBN 9788088411031. URL info
  • PONTING, Clive. Zelené dějiny světa : životní prostředí a kolaps velkých civilizací. Translated by Jiří Hrubý. První české vydání. Praha: Univerzita Karlova, nakladatelství Karolinum, 2018, 476 stran. ISBN 9788024624969. info
  • HARARI, Yuval N. Homo deus : stručné dějiny zítřka. Translated by Alexander Tomský - Anna Pilátová. Vydání první. Voznice: Leda, 2017, 431 stran. ISBN 9788073355029. info
  • JELÍNEK, Petr and Lubor KYSUČAN. Venkov a krajina : evropská krajina mezi venkovem a městem, mezi antikou a novověkem. 1. vydání. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2014, 131 stran. ISBN 9788021071278. URL info
  • KAPLAN, Robert D. Pomsta geografie : co mapy vyprávějí o příštích konfliktech a boji proti osudu. V Praze: Bourdon, 2013, 383 stran. ISBN 9788090517363. info
  • THOMMEN, Lukas. An environmental history of ancient Greece and Rome. Translated by Philip Hill. Rev. English ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012, xi, 186. ISBN 9780521174657. info
  • TAINTER, Joseph A. Kolapsy složitých společností. Translated by Stanislav Pavlíček. 1. vyd. v českém jazyce. Praha: Dokořán, 2009, 319 s. ISBN 9788073632489. info
  • SCHAMA, Simon. Krajina a paměť. Translated by Petr Pálenský. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 2007, 702 s. ISBN 9788073630713. info
  • City, countryside, and the spatial organization of value in classical antiquity. Edited by I. Sluiter - Ralph Mark Rosen. Leiden: Brill, 2006, x, 384. ISBN 9004150439. info
  • Člověk a les. Edited by Pavel Klvač. Vyd. 1. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2006, 78 s. ISBN 8021042028. info
  • LÖW, Jiří and Igor MÍCHAL. Krajinný ráz (Landscape view). 1st ed. Kostelec nad černými lesy: Lesnická práce, 2003, 552 pp. ISBN 80-86386-27-9. info
  • GROVE, A. T. and Oliver RACKHAM. The nature of Mediterranean Europe : an ecological history. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001, 384 s. ISBN 0300100558. info
  • DIAMOND, Jared M. Osudy lidských společností : střelné zbraně, choroboplodné zárodky a ocel v historii. Translated by Zdeněk Urban. 1. vyd. Praha: Columbus, 2000, 525 s. ISBN 8072490478. info
  • GORE, Al. Země na misce vah. Edited by Jan Jařab - Josef Vavroušek - František Benda. 1. vyd. Praha: Argo, 1994, 372 s. ISBN 8085794217. info
  • LIBROVÁ, Hana. Láska ke krajině? Vyd. 1. V Brně: Blok, 1988, 165 s. URL info
Teaching methods
2 hours of lectures per week, discussion, reading of translated ancient sources
Assessment methods
An essay. Home reading. Participation in discussions, brainstorming.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2023, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2024/CORE061