History of the Greek Language from Ancient Times to early Byzantine Times

This course is intended for students who have completed at least 90 credits in Greek or the equivalent and who wish to deepen their understanding of the language from a historical and linguistic perspective. The course is compulsory within the Master’s Programme in Languages and Linguistics (Greek orientation) but may also be taken as an independent course.

This course provides an overview of the historical development of the Greek language from Classical Antiquity to the early Byzantine period.

You study how key aspects of the language—such as sound systems, grammar, vocabulary, and text structures—evolved over time and how these changes are connected to broader historical processes.

Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between language change and societal change. You explore how historical events influenced linguistic developments and how new forms of expression emerged in different periods. The course also introduces the sociolinguistic phenomenon of polyglossia, focusing on how different varieties of Greek coexisted and interacted in both spoken and written contexts.

You work with primary texts spanning from early Greek to Byzantine prose, alongside secondary literature, including historical overviews and scholarly articles. Through these materials, you develop skills in analysing vocabulary, grammar, and textual features from a historical perspective.

Course literature

The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.

The course is taught online at a 25% study pace, corresponding to approximately 10 hours of study per week. The teaching is organized through a combination of lectures, seminars, and guided independent work.

The course provides a structured introduction to key developments in the history of Greek, alongside opportunities for discussion and critical reflection.

Independent study plays a central role, allowing you to deepen your understanding of the material and prepare for discussions and written work.

The course is assessed through a written essay, in which you apply the theoretical and analytical perspectives introduced during the course.

After completing the course, you will have a solid understanding of the main stages in the historical development of Greek and of the relationship between linguistic and societal change. You will be able to analyse materials relating to language history with greater independence and to critically assess interpretations of linguistic development.

The course prepares you for further studies in Greek, linguistics, and philology at an advanced level. It also develops analytical and critical skills that are relevant in a wide range of academic and professional contexts involving language, history, and textual analysis.

Prerequisites

Students must have 90 credits in linguistics or literature, or the equivalent.

Selection criteria

Seats are allocated according to: ECTS (HPAV): 100 %.

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens

Citizens of countries outside:

• The European Union (EU)
• The European Economic Area (EEA) and
• Switzerland

are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 15,625
First payment: SEK 15,625

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Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

Application fee

No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.