Antiquity and Authority: Ancient Persia in Modern Iranian Politics

Module overview

This module examines how ancient Persian history has been remembered, interpreted, and mobilised in modern Iranian political and cultural contexts. Covering the period from the Achaemenid Empire to late antiquity, students will explore the symbolic and practical use of pre-Islamic Persian heritage by successive dynasties, nationalist movements, and contemporary opposition groups. The module investigates questions of identity, legitimacy, religion, and historical memory, highlighting the enduring relevance of ancient Persian narratives in both state and oppositional discourse. Through guided primary sources and structured engagement with secondary scholarship, students will develop an understanding of how ancient history continues to shape modern political discourse and identity formation in Iran.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Explain how selected dynasties/regimes drew on ancient Persia to support legitimacy.
Demonstrate informed engagement with core secondary scholarship.
Analyse guided primary sources relating to political authority and identity

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Locate, evaluate, and use textual, visual, and material sources from library collections and online repositories.
Research independently and communicate findings clearly, concisely, and persuasively in reports.
Demonstrate effective time management, including planning, prioritising, and meeting deadlines.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

Key political, cultural, and religious developments of ancient Persia (c. 500 BCE – late antiquity)
Historical relationship between Iranian society and Islam, including the emergence of Shiʿism and its localisation in Iranian culture
How ancient Iranian history and symbolism have been used to interpret and influence modern political and cultural developments.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods: lectures and seminars Learning methods: source analysis, reading

Study time
Type	Hours
Lecture	12
Completion of assessment task	76
Preparation for scheduled sessions	50
Seminar	12
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Matthew W. Waters (2014). Ancient Persia: a Concise history of the Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BCE. Cambridge.

Ali Ansari (2007). Iran Under Ahmadinejad: The Politics of Confrontation. London.

Maria Brosius (2014). Women in Ancient Persia. 559-331 BC. Oxford.

Josef Wieschöfer (2001). Ancient Persia From 550 BC to 650 AD. London.

3)Kaveh Farrokh (2014). The Armies of Ancient Persia. Havertown.

Assessment

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Written assignment	40%
Essay	60%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Resubmit assessments	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Written assignment	40%
Essay	60%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External