Classics in Translation (CLAS)

Two thousand years ago, Rome was the capital of an empire stretching across the Mediterranean, from England, Spain and North Africa to Turkey, Iraq and Egypt. Built from the wealth of its expansive dominion, it was the greatest metropolis on earth, at the center of a vast web of interconnected regions and cultures. The city has remained the focus of the Catholic Church and Christianity in Europe for more than 1500 years. Since antiquity, Rome has welcomed many of the world's greatest intellectuals, artists, and historical figures. Once at the heart of the Italian Renaissance and now capital of Italy, Rome remains preeminent in the world. This course explores the art, archaeology, history, literature, and urban development of the eternal city, from its legendary Trojan origins to modern times, a period which spans almost three thousand years. The course provides a comprehensive survey of Rome, primarily through the examination of its history and material culture (e.g., architecture, inscriptions, paintings, coins, etc.). We will explore the major archaeological sites and museums, to examine how Rome's monuments and artifacts reflect the social, political, and religious outlook of Roman society over time. As the largest archaeological site in the world, Rome offers an unparalleled insight into the genesis and development of Europe'its history, art, architecture, literature, philosophies, institutions, and heritage'and thereby provides a deeper glimpse of humanity.

This first-year course introduces the general history and culture of ancient Greece and Rome to students coming to the subject for the first time. Literary texts central to the ancient Greek and Roman traditions receive prime attention, including works by Homer, Plato, Cicero, and Virgil, but students are also exposed to the importance of learning from documentary texts, archeology, and art history. Topics discussed include concepts of divinity and humanity, heroism and virtue, gender, democracy, empire, and civic identity, and how they changed in meaning over time. The course allows students to develop a rich appreciation for the Greek and Roman roots of their own lives, and prepares them to study the Greco-Roman past at more advanced levels. Offered annually.

Across the globe and through nearly every period in human history, we find evidence for political states expanding their power and gaining control over their neighbors, near and far: in a word, empires. This course introduces students to a broad selection of pre-modern empires in an attempt to understand what an “empire” is, how empires arise (and fall), what features various empires have had in common, and how they have differed in terms of their political, social, and economic organization. We will pay special attention to methods of control and communication and to the nature of the relationship between rulers and ruled, including attempts at integration and resistance. The societies we will study include the Ancient Near East, Persia, Greece and Macedonia, Rome, China, India, and Mesoamerica as they are revealed through the evidence of art, law, literature, and religion. We will also tackle the notion of “imperialism,” a term first coined in 19th-century England—and one which now holds a negative connotation (the overreaching of an imperial power). Can the modern term “imperialism” be usefully applied to ancient empires? And, in the other direction, can our ancient examples shed light on modern empires and imperialism?

Do gods care about humans? Can the will of gods be understood? Is it worth fighting for one's homeland and giving one's life for the good of the community? What is true love ? Lust, friendship or marital love? How was the world created? In Ancient Greece and Rome it is through myth that humans found fascinating and complex answers to all these questions. What is myth? A collection of traditional stories about the life of ancient gods, heroes, humans and monsters. This class will explore the most important ancient Greek and Roman myths by reading poems, tragedies, novels and philosophical dialogues. Among others, we will consider Hesiod's Myth of the Ages, the tragic stories of Prometheus and Medea, and Plato's myths of the Cave and the civilization of Atlantis. When discussing ancient myths, we will engage in close analysis of the structural components of the selected literary works, focusing especially on how ancient Greeks and Romans intensely related myths to their own historical and cultural concerns. For example, we will explore how Euripides' Trojan Women, with its reflection on the dramatic costs of war, cannot be understood but in the context of the imminent fall of Athenian democracy. Since ancient myth is still relevant to our society, the discussion of ancient texts will be combined with a focus on modern or contemporary echoes of the same myths, starting from Freud's Oedipus complex and the modern use of Prometheus as a metaphor for scientific progress. Furthermore, the final weeks of this class will be dedicated to Native-American Myths and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, a twentieth-century masterpiece which combines Greek with Celtic, Persian and Christian mythology.

Be content with what you have! Accept your human and social limits, and never try to overcome them! In their attempt to create a peaceful world (cosmos), ancient Greeks put a high premium on humans' acceptance of their natural condition. Those who asked for more were deemed guilty; their arrogance (hubris) was condemned and punished by the gods. Did ancient Greeks succeed in creating this peaceful world? Many scholars say yes; this course will say no. Ancient Greece is filled with stories of rebels who challenge the established order, and, despite being condemned by their societies, subtly win admiration. Prometheus disobeys the gods to provide mankind with fire. Antigone and Medea blame the male-centric Athenian society for not giving a voice to women and foreigners. Plato condemns his contemporaries for failing to be interested in the truth. Through their lives and suffering, these rebels were making an important statement: We are unhappy with what we have! We want more, and we are not ashamed to say this! The voice of these ancient rebels still resonates today. In this class, the discussion of Prometheus, Antigone and Plato will be combined with modern and contemporary renderings of their myths, from Shelley's Frankenstein and Scott's 2012 Prometheus to cinematic re-makings of Plato's myth of the Cave, such as The Truman Show, Inception and the TV-series Chernobyl. The final classes will be devoted to recent movies about the Joker, the famous rebel from DC Comics. In this way, we will discover how myth serves as an expression of human rebellion and desire across different eras.

A weekly discussion group required for those registered for CLAS 10100

A weekly discussion group required for those registered for CLAS 10210, Rebels in Myth: From Antigone to the Joker, or its cross-lists.

Troy, the first great city represented in Western literature, inspired a cycle of myths that fascinated ancient Greek and Roman authors for centuries. This seminar will focus on Trojan War mythology as it appears in a variety of ancient Greek and Roman literature—e.g., Homer’s Iliad, Euripides’ Iphigeneia at Aulis, Vergil’s Aeneid. It will also consider the enduring popularity of the Trojan War in later literature and art. Our goals will be, first, to identify changes and continuities in treatments of Trojan War mythology over time, and, second, in the process to learn about the history of Greek and Roman literature and its modern reception. This is a writing intensive seminar in which students will develop their critical writing skills through a combination of short written homework assignments and longer essays.

Have you ever encountered something or someone exceptional in your life? If you were lucky enough to have such an experience, how did you communicate it to your family, friends and schoolmates? Did you give specific details about this encounter, or did you rather focus on your own emotions at that time? In the Greco-Roman and Biblical world, many people had exceptional encounters mostly with gods and divine-like figures. Most of these encounters are conveyed to us in the form of engaging narratives, which will be the focus of this class. We will start from accounts of divine encounters in human life, ranging from Homeric Hymns to the Biblical stories of Abraham, and from the Gospel narratives down to Apuleius' Metamorphoses, the story of a man transformed into an ass and then saved by the Egyptian goddess Isis. Then, we will focus on the Biblical and tragic stories of unjust sufferers such as Job and Oedipus, who, motivated by the desire to understand their suffering, decided to talk with God and the Olympian gods respectively. Finally, we will explore stories whose narrators struggle to provide details of their encounters with gods because the divine presence is beyond human time and space, and therefore their accounts are filled with chronological disorder and repetition. Here Aristides' account of the dreams in which the god Asclepius appeared to him will be followed by Longus' providential story of Daphnis and Chloe, and by a selection of early Christian martyrdom stories. We will conclude the class watching some movies such as the Truman Show, Les Misérables, and Mel Gibson’s Passion, and a selection from the TV Series The Chosen to explore the most popular medium which narrates stories of human encounters with the gods and the Biblical God in our contemporary era. The entire class will be discussion-based, so that we will help each other to become immersed into the world of ancient (and contemporary) stories about the divine. I hope this class will highlight the differences between Greek, Roman and Biblical responses to the gods, and reflect on the way in which each of us understands and narrates the exceptional encounters of our own life.

Liberal education is one of the greatest cultural achievements of the long Western tradition. But what's the point? And what exactly do we mean by liberal education? Is it education for free people or education to make people free? A people, a group, or just the individual? Privilege or liberation? We will ask why you are pursuing a liberal education. And study where it came from, how it has developed, what are its practices, and what are its justifications. We shall divide our focus between the theory and practice of education. Theorists will include Plato and other ancient, medieval, and early modern thinkers, but we shall devote considerable time to American experiments with liberal education (proponents, critics, opponents). Here we shall read selections from Booker T. Washington, John Dewey, Mortimer Adler, but also the Brazilian Paulo Freire, bell hooks, and contemporary self-described culture warriors. On the practice side: we will consider the materials and conditions of education at various places and times. We shall also practice ourselves some of the ancient and early modern techniques (of writing, reading, memorizing, and performing).

This course will introduce you to the material culture of the ancient Roman world, from spectacular and familiar public monuments like the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine to more intimately-scaled, private objects like silver dining services, jewelry, and family portraits. Breakthroughs in engineering, the invention of new materials (like concrete), and the Roman genius for marrying cultural assimilation with innovation resulted in an art that has left a formative legacy in artistic production to this day. We will investigate the ways in which major achievements in modes of making such as sculpting, painting, gem-carving, and building dialogued with contemporary developments in Roman politics, society, and religion. In addition to developing your skills in visual analysis, this course will focus on training you to be critical readers and writers. This class includes visits to campus collections and area museums. No prerequisites or prior knowledge of Art History are required for this course.

God, Country, Notre Dame. This legendary World War II motto gives one possible answer to the question: what is worth dying for? Put another way, we might ask: what is worth killing for? The ancient Greeks believed in catharsis, the idea that watching actors play out the extremes of humanity onstage can cleanse us of negative feelings without having to actually experience or inflict pain ourselves. In this class, we will look at how the characters of ancient Greek tragedies shed light on various aspects of the human condition: through Orestes, we will consider how cycles of violence are perpetuated and broken; through Philoctetes, whether we can expect a person to adhere to a moral code in dehumanizing conditions; through Antigone, whether it is justifiable to break the law if the law itself is unjust; through Medea, how oppression based on gender, ethnicity, and social standing can harm not only the oppressed but also the oppressor. In addition to reading the plays in translation, we will watch two modern adaptations unfold onstage through viewings of Antigone and Medea, produced and recorded by the Royal National Theatre. From fate to free will, family curses to divine intervention, hubris to human error, grief to fury, this class will explore the complexities of the human existence and the question at the heart of it all: what do we live for?

An outline introduction to the history of ancient Greece from the Bronze Age to the Roman conquest. The topics covered include the rise of the distinctive Greek city-state (the polis), Greek relations with Persia, Greek experiments with democracy, oligarchy, and empire, the great war between Athens and Sparta, the rise to power of Philip and Alexander of Macedon, and the Greeks' eventual submission to Rome. Readings include narrative, documentary, and archeological sources. The course prepares students for more detailed courses in ancient history. Offered biennially.

Theater was one of the most treasured institutions of Classical Athens, where plays were performed that would move and shock audiences for centuries to come. In this class, we will survey the enthralling tradition of Classical Greek drama by reading texts translated into English from 5th century BCE Greek. Together, we will see families torn apart and reunited, soldiers returning home bearing the trauma of war, and women fighting for their freedom. We will proceed through selected works of the three primary Greek tragedians - Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides - and end with the absurdist comedy of Aristophanes. Each week will focus on one play to explore its primary themes as well as the functions and characteristics of ancient Greek theater, and the larger historical, archeological, and cultural contexts within which these texts were originally performed. No prior knowledge of Greek culture, history, or language is necessary.

Across the globe and through nearly every period in human history, we find evidence for political states expanding their power and gaining control over their neighbors, near and far: in a word, empires. This course introduces students to a broad selection of pre-modern empires in an attempt to understand what an “empire” is, how empires arise (and fall), what features various empires have had in common, and how they have differed in terms of their political, social, and economic organization. We will pay special attention to methods of control and communication and to the nature of the relationship between rulers and ruled, including attempts at integration and resistance. The societies we will study include the Ancient Near East, Persia, Greece and Macedonia, Rome, China, India, and Mesoamerica as they are revealed through the evidence of art, law, literature, and religion. We will also tackle the notion of “imperialism,” a term first coined in 19th-century England—and one which now holds a negative connotation (the overreaching of an imperial power). Can the modern term “imperialism” be usefully applied to ancient empires? And, in the other direction, can our ancient examples shed light on modern empires and imperialism?

We will use ancient sources, material evidence and modern scholarship to attempt and reconstruct the first seven centuries of Roman history, broadly speaking, from the foundation of Rome (and the murder of Remus) to the murder of Julius Caesar and the civil war. Throughout the course, we will ask two main questions: how did the Romans manage to transform their small town into a world power in a few centuries? That is, why did the Romans, and not any other people, manage to conquer and unify the entire Mediterranean? Secondly, we will discuss the political, social and cultural consequences of this transformation. These questions exercised the Romans themselves, and some of the responses they gave will be considered in light of current scholarship. Within a broad chronological framework, we will also discuss aspects of daily life in ancient Rome: what was life like for normal people, including women and slaves, in the Roman Republic? And how was the majority of the people affected by historical change?

This course examines the history of the Roman Empire, from the establishment of a veiled monarchy under Augustus to the Christianization of the empire following the reign of Constantine (ca. 1st century B.C. to 5th century A.D). Throughout the course, we will analyze and interpret ancient textual and archaeological evidence, from both Italy and the provinces, to assess the multi-faceted institutions and cultures of the Roman people. This body of material includes the writings of emperors (Augustus, Marcus Aurelius) and ancient historians (Tacitus, Suetonius, Ammianus Marcellinus), as well as the personal letters of Pliny to the emperor Trajan. Major themes discussed in the course include the nature of despotism, dynasties and the problem of succession; imperial governance of the Mediterranean (central, provincial, and local); cultural diversity and acculturation (so-called "Romanization"); religions and the imperial cult (worship of the Roman emperor); citizenship; urbanism, politics, and the economy; mortality and ecology; and the discrepant identities of women, children, slaves, freedmen, and freeborn under the imperial system of Rome.

A weekly discussion group required for those registered for CLAS 20104.

An outline introduction to the history of ancient Rome from Romulus to Constantine. The topics covered include the meteoric spread of Roman rule in the ancient Mediterranean, the brilliance of a republican form of government tragically swept away by destructive civil war, the rise of repressive autocracy under the Caesars, and the threats to empire in late antiquity posed inside by the rise of Christianity and outside by hostile invaders. Readings include narrative, documentary, and archaeological sources. The course prepares students for more detailed courses in ancient history. Offered biennially.

This course introduces students to the study of ancient Roman coins, focusing on their use as historical sources and the insights they provide into Roman society, economy, and politics. By examining the production, iconography, and use of Roman coinage, students learn how coins served as tools for propaganda, economic stability, and cultural expression. The course also includes practical sessions where students will work with a collection of Roman coins in the Hesburgh Library to develop skills in numismatic analysis and to closely examine some specimens for the first time. For the final project, students will research a specific coin from our collection and present their findings.

In this course, the development of Greek and Roman monumental architecture and the major problems that define them will be traced from the Mycenaean Period, through the formation and development of the classical Greek orders and building types (including the role of Egypt in their origins), through the various intersections of Greek and Roman culture and the role of both traditions in the architecture of Italy from the Etruscan occupation of Rome through the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Among themes to be treated are the relationship between landscape and religious architecture, between religious ritual and monumentality; the conception of divinity as expressed in the character of temple architecture; the architectural expression of religious tradition and even specific history; architectural procession and hieratic direction; the role of emblem and narrative in architectural sculpture; symbolism and allusion through architectural order, religious revival and archaism, and the breaking of architectural and religious canon.

The course explores the history, culture, religion and society of Pre-Roman and Roman North Africa from the beginnings of the Phoenician rule and the foundation of the city of Carthage (9 th century BCE) to the Muslim conquest (7 th century CE), with a focus on the Roman occupation. This period, spanning about a millennium and a half (or 850 years of Roman rule), is best known for famous wars, generals and military conquests (the Punic Wars under the Phoenician general Hannibal, the destruction of Carthage), but its cultural, economic and religious history is equally interesting. Western North Africa was characterized by a complicated ethnic and linguistic makeup, by its relative independence from the center of the empire and by its economically strong position within the Empire, yet at its margins. It also became one of the centers of early Latin Christianity. Important authors such as Cyprian, Tertullian, Lactantius, Perpetua and above all Augustine of Hippo lived and wrote in the region dominated city of Carthage, and this is where some of the best-known writings of ancient Christianity were produced. In this course, we will situate the culturally and economically fertile environment of Western North Africa in its context in terms of geography (surrounded by the Mediterranean, the Sahara desert, the African provinces to the East, first and foremost Egypt, and lastly the Iberian Peninsula, from where the Vandal invaders would arrive), politics and history, economics, multiethnicity and religious diversity. We will discuss literary works, works of art, archaeological relics and historical sources to gain a multifaceted understanding of a complex and fascinating era whose legacy would contribute so much to shaping the Christian Middle Ages. Knowledge of Greek or Latin is not required. No prerequisites.

Ancient Christianity developed and spread in the confines of the Roman World, both directly, under Roman rule, and in constant interchange with classical culture, Roman political and cultural institutions. As a result of its emergence, everything in the Roman world changed: thoughts, beliefs, norms, aesthetic preferences and social norms. But how exactly did that shift happen? What did it mean to become a Christian in the Roman world, and how was Christianity itself shaped by that interaction? In this course, we will explore the social, cultural and political preconditions and consequences of Christianization in late antiquity. We will begin with a look at the ancient Roman world at its height - the age of the Emperor Augustus, which also saw the emergence of the Christian faith - and will go on to consider important steps in the interaction between these two forces: from conflict and persecution to a redefinition of the ancient heritage and a new understanding of Roman-ness in the Western World. Along the way, we will encounter many of the focal issues that shape the interactions between the church and the secular world to this day, as well as challenge every Christian's views and ethical duties, such as: how did the early Christians/how do we react to phenomena of otherness (migration, minorities, heterodoxy)? How does/did Christianity shape our understanding of the social order, and of gender roles? To which degree should Church and State interact, collaborate, or keep apart (e.g. in the military, the Christian basis of secular power, Christian imperialism)? We will base our discussion on the extant primary sources: Objects of art and architecture, archaeological remains, inscriptions and literary texts. Thus, we will also discuss the theoretical approaches these various documents require, and the methods we employ to understand what they tell us about the past.

This course aims at establishing a conversation between past and present and between the conceptions, justifications, laws, practices, and experiences of slavery in different cultures. To this goal, we will start from the Greeks and the Romans and then explore forms of contemporary slavery in Europe and beyond including a social ethics lens. An initial comparison between Greek and Roman conceptions of slavery will introduce the students to the variety of the phenomenon: for the Greeks, slavery depended on the superiority of some races over others, and this superiority was so self-evident that it needed no demonstration. It logically follows that they saw slavery as natural, racial, and permanent. Romans practiced slavery on a larger scale, but saw it as a necessary evil, which depended on the bad luck of single individuals and therefore was not necessarily permanent nor racially based. The contract between these two conceptions will provide a blueprint to look at later conceptions of slavery. It will also introduce an interdisciplinary approach, to explore slavery especially from a philosophical, moral, legal, economical, and human point of view.

Humans have told stories about sprawling battles, voyages across the world, and larger-than-life heroes for thousands of years. Why are tales of such gigantic proportion so impactful for the individual? What about the human experience is captured so thrillingly by myths spanning years and miles? In this introductory-level class, we will read excerpts from the epic literature of ancient Greece and Rome in order to explore these questions and many more. We will encounter cosmic creation and political foundation through Hesiod's Theogony and Virgil's Aeneid, the enormity of war and its aftermath in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and stories of quests, magic, and transformation in the Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes and Ovid's Metamorphoses. We will also take a look outside Greece and Rome to compare large-scale storytelling in different cultures, and outside the conventional examples of epic to compare the traditions of the genre to authors who play with those traditions. In all of our readings, we will collaboratively confront what the genre of ‘epic' means, the cultural contexts of its production, and the profound impact it still has on audiences today.

Do you feel restless? Are you searching for an answer to the meaning of your life? The ancient Greeks and Romans asked themselves questions like these all the time. Their desire for happiness led to the creation of many heroes and heroines, from the warlike Achilles to the cunning Odysseus, and from the witch Medea to the pious Aeneas who rejects the love of the beautiful Dido. All of them had a relatively quiet life until the point that they chose to give up their comforts and reject their complacency: from that moment they became heroines and heroes, since, as Joseph Campbell argued, "a hero or a heroine is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." Most of these characters are still famous today. For instance, when George Lucas started the Star Wars Trilogies, he decided to model Luke Skywalker on the life of the ancient heroes Odysseus and Aeneas. In this class, ancient texts and recent movies will introduce us to the lives of these ancient heroes and heroines, from Achilles to Captain America and Wonder Woman. By studying these special characters we will come to understand their ideals and ambitions, and compare them to our own ideals and ambitions. Are you more fascinated by Achilles' desire for immortal glory on the battlefield, or by Aeneas' decision to obey to the will of the gods, regardless of the sacrifice that this implies? This class will raise this and similar questions. Moreover, in their struggle for fulfillment, some of these heroes, like Jason, did not reach the glory they wanted: by reading about their spectacular defeats, we will also reflect on the challenge of suffering our failures and learning from them. Finally, in the last third of the class, we will compare these heroes and heroines with contemporary heroes, namely Western heroes, Star Wars Heroes and Heroines, and a selection of the Avengers. For example, Iron Man's fight against Obadiah Stane will be taken as a contemporary re-enactment of the competition between Odysseus' cunning and Achilles' physical violence. As the Austrian psychoanalyst Otto Rank once said, "everyone is a hero or heroine in birth." If you desire to discover this vocation of yours, and reflect on different paradigms of success and fulfillment, I warmly invite you to join this class.

This course will examine the origins of Western art and architecture, beginning with a brief look at the Bronze Age cultures of the Near East and Egypt, then focusing in detail on Greece and Rome, from the Minoan and Mycenaean world of the second millennium B.C.E to the rule of the Roman emperor Constantine in the fourth century C.E. Among the monuments to be considered are ziggurats, palaces, and the luxuriously furnished royal graves of Mesopotamia; the pyramids at Giza in Egypt and their funerary sculpture; the immense processional temple of Amon at Luxor; the Bronze Age palaces of Minos on Crete-the home of the monstrous Minotaur and Agamemnon at Mycenae, with their colorful frescoes and processional approaches; the great funerary pots of early Athens and the subsequent traditions of Red and Black Figure vase painting; architectural and freestanding sculpture of the Archaic and Classical periods; the Periclean Acropolis in Athens, with its monumental gateway and shining centerpiece, the Parthenon; and finally, among the cultural riches of Rome, the painted houses and villas of Pompeii; the tradition of republican and Imperial portraiture; the Imperial fora; the exquisitely carved Altar of Peace of Augustus; the Colosseum; and the Pantheon of the philhellene emperor Hadrian.

In this course the development of Greek and Roman monumental architecture and the major problems that define them will be traced from the Mycenaean Period, through the formation and development of the classical Greek orders and building types (including the role of Egypt in their origins), through the various intersections of Greek and Roman culture and the role of both traditions in the architecture of Italy from the Etruscan occupation of Rome through the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Among themes to be treated are the relationship between landscape and religious architecture, between religious ritual and monumentality; the conception of divinity as expressed in the character of temple architecture; the architectural expression of religious tradition and even specific history; architectural procession and hieratic direction; the role of emblem and narrative in architectural sculpture; symbolism and allusion through architectural order, religious revival and archaism, and the breaking of architectural and religious canon.

Every world religion started with a multitude of conversions - some of them voluntary, some enforced, some sincere, others opportunistic. The Christian religion, in particular, identifies in its early stages almost seamlessly with the phenomenon and the dynamics of conversion. Thus, early Christian literature and history offers some of the best-known conversion accounts (such as Augustine's Confessions) as well as some of the most disturbing accounts of forceful conversion (such as the Christianization of large parts of Europe under the Carolingian rulers). But the topic should not be viewed as belonging to Christianity alone, and possibly not even to religion alone. The course provides an opportunity to look into the phenomenon of conversion from many angles: as a psychological, historical and literary subject, as an issue touching upon postcolonial and feminist studies. This multipronged approach will hopefully shed new light even on well-known literary narratives and historical accounts.

A weekly discussion group required for those registered for CLAS 20105, The History of Ancient Greece, or its crosslists.

A weekly discussion group required for those registered for CLAS 20125: Greek Theater. Led by graduate student TAs

A weekly discussion group required for those registered for CLAS 20202, History of Rome I: the Republic.

A weekly discussion group required for those registered for CLAS 20203, History of Rome II: The Empire

A weekly discussion group required for those registered for CLAS 20325, Ancient and Modern Slavery, or its cross-lists.

A weekly discussion group required for those registered for CLAS 20350, Ancient Heroes.

In the modern world, sports and sport-like spectacles are a source of livelihood, entertainment, and social interaction for huge swathes of the global population. Fans and practitioners of physical feats of strength were likewise a major component of ancient Greco-Roman society, from the earliest Olympic Games at the dawn of Greek history to the gladiatorial contests and chariot races that characterized the most decadent phases of the Roman Empire. The purpose of this course is to provide an interdisciplinary examination of the origin and nature of sport and spectacle in the Classical world and to compare the role that athletics played in ancient society to the position it occupies in our own lives - from the point of view of athletes, spectators, and patrons alike. Topics covered will include: Near Eastern precursors to Greco-Roman sport; the development of Greek and Roman sport and spectacle through time, the Olympic Games; the role of religious thought in ancient sport; the position of the athlete within society; ancient and modern rewards for athletic valor; athletes in architecture, literature, and art; and the political appropriation of athletes and athletics. The course will focus mostly on formal athletic contests in ancient Greece and on athletic spectacles in ancient Rome, but general recreation and physical education will be considered as well.

Over the course of ten years in the fourth century BCE, King Alexander III of Macedon conquered more territory than any empire had ever previously controlled. His battlefield brilliance and unparalleled success, the vast scale on which he operated, his rapid rise to unimaginable power, and his early death (age 33), all combined to leave an indelible impression on his contemporaries. While Alexander barely lived long enough to rule over the empire he had gained, his military conquests engendered far-reaching political, social, cultural, and religious consequences. Historians use his death to mark the beginning of a new era, referred to today as the Hellenistic Age (323-31 BCE). This course examines the achievements of Alexander and the impact they had on the ancient world. After placing Alexander in the Greek, Macedonian, and Persian cultural contexts in which he lived, we will trace his army's journey into Asia and back. Next, we will turn to a close study of the Hellenistic world: topics include city foundations, political and social institutions, economic developments, cultural interactions, and new directions in literature and science. Finally, we will address Alexander's legacy for Greco-Roman antiquity and beyond. Ancient authors and documents will be read in translation.

This course examines the theory, practice, and development of ancient Greco-Roman democracy. Particular attention is devoted to comparing ancient with modern forms of self-rule. Among the special topics studied are the origins of Greek democracy, its advantages and disadvantages as a form of government, alternatives to democracy, and democracy as an abiding legacy of classical civilization for the modern world. Familiarity with ancient Greco-Roman history is recommended, but not required.

An introduction to the nature and influence of Roman law, one of the most celebrated and distinctive elements of ancient Roman culture. The course surveys the development of Roman civil and criminal law from the very early and enigmatic <i>Twelve Tables</i> to the very late and amazingly great <i>Digest of Justinian</i>. Topics covered include legal procedures, the creation of law, and Roman jurisprudence, all of which are studied in the broad context of Roman government and administration. The lasting effects of Roman law on modern legal systems are also considered.

Perhaps our greatest inheritance from the ancient Romans is their law code and legal procedures. Students will study the development of Roman criminal law from the 12 Tables to the late antique period, including the emergence of jury courts and the persecution of Christians and heretics. By studying primary sources like Cicero's speeches and laws etched in bronze tablets, students will explore the seedy side of Roman life. Topics for discussion include murder, sorcery, bribery, forgery, treason, extortion and adultery. This course will not duplicate, but complement, Roman Law and Governance (CLAS 30210).

This course considers the turbulent last decades of the Roman Republic and its fitful conversion into an autocracy. The focus of the course is on the leading figures of these decades—Julius Caesar, Cicero, Pompey, and Marc Antony—and the social and political background of their achievements and their struggles. Elements of that background to be considered include: problems of the economy and of land reform; the struggles between aristocrats and populists; constitutional crises; provincial conquest and exploitation; the role of philosophy; and the use of the lawcourts as a weapon of political competition. The course will close by considering how nascent autocracy addressed the sources of conflict that beset the Republic. Attention will be devoted throughout to the literary and artistic forms of this highly creative period, including invective, judicial, and deliberative oratory, lyric poetry, satire, and didactic poetry. Authors to be considered include Cicero, Caesar, Lucretius, Catullus, Horace, Vergil, Plutarch, and Suetonius.

This course examines the differing roles and stereotypes, forms of behavior, and values associated with women and men in Greco-Roman antiquity. Special attention is given to the preoccupations of the Greeks and Romans with the categories of "female" and "male" and to the dynamics of relations and relationships between women and men. The course both deepens knowledge of Greco-Roman society and provides an informed background for contemporary gender debates.

Rhetoric occupied a prominent place in the democracy of the Athenians and in the republican era of Roman history. This course examines the theory, practice and context of ancient rhetoric, and pays special attention to developments caused by radical changes in the political character of the Athenian and Roman civic communities. Representative readings from Greek and Roman orators and writers on rhetorical theory.

This course analyzes and traces the development of Greek architecture, painting, and sculpture in the historical period from the eighth through second century B.C., with some consideration of prehistoric Greek forebears of the Mycenaean Age. Particular emphasis is placed upon monumental art, its historical and cultural contexts, and how it reflects changing attitudes toward the gods, human achievement, and the relationship between the divine and the human.

This course examines the archaeology and history of the ancient city of Butrint (Buthrotum), on the basis of current archaeological research directed by Professor Hernandez at the site of the Roman forum. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, between Italy and Greece, the city has been occupied by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Angevines, Venetians, Ottomans, and Albanians. Covering a period of more than 3,000 years, the course introduces students to the study of material culture in the context of Mediterranean history, including the methods, results, and theory of archaeological surveys and excavations. The material examined ranges from buildings, inscriptions, coins, and statues to pottery, glass, bones, and seeds. Topics include the origins of the city as a Greek colonial outpost, the establishment of the Hellenistic sanctuaries of Asclepius and Zeus Soter, the foundation of the Roman colony under Augustus, its transformations into a Byzantine castrum, Venetian enclave, and later an Ottoman stronghold, as well as its current status as the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the country of Albania. Major themes include society, slavery, religion, architecture, urbanism, colonization, imperialism, laws, acculturation, ethnic identity, and the natural environment. No background in archaeology or history is required.

Julius Caesar, general and poet, dictator and grammarian, historian and savior (or destroyer?) of the Roman Republic, has been a fascinating figure since his own day. This course considers his life and times: his rise to supreme power; his military campaigns at home and abroad; the vibrant artistic and cultural productions of Caesar's generation; the other impressive figures, like Pompey and Marc Antony, with whom he shared the world stage; the pressing public issues of the late Roman Republic with which Caesar grappled; and the relationship of Caesar's achievements to the birth of the Roman Empire. The course will also briefly consider the place of Caesar in later thought. Primary readings will be taken from the histories of Plutarch, Suetonius, and Caesar himself; the oratory, philosophy, and letters of Cicero; the poetry of Lucretius, Catullus, and Shakespeare; and others.

By ruthlessness in war and sagacity in peace, Julius Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian, rose to the summit of power in the Roman world, receiving the name Augustus, creating an empire where there had been a republic, and inaugurating a form of government that would last, in many essentials, almost half a millennium. His rise to and consolidation of power, at every step, was the object of reflection and response by Roman poets, whose art, fusing native traditions with many Greek models, was reaching a high peak in the very same period. The purpose of this course is to reflect on the relationship between the poetry and the politics of that crucial time in Roman history. The course will examine the poetry of the period of the Civil War (Vergil’s Eclogues, Horace’s Epodes and Satires), Octavian’s increasingly singular stature (Vergil’s Georgics), Octavian/Augustus’ imperial vision (Horace’s Odes), the glories and the costs of establishing empire (Vergil’s Aeneid), reflections on the fate of empires (Ovid’s Metamorphoses), and the nature of personal identity and ethics in a time of autocracy (Ovid’s Ars Amatoria, Tibullus’ Elegies, Phaedrus’ Fables), among other authors and works. Broad questions will include: How do Roman poets reflect the political and ideological concerns of their times? What is the nature of artistic speech in an autocracy? How are the voices and techniques of earlier Greek poetry adapted for Roman purposes? By way of creating context, readings from the orator Cicero and the historians Livy and Suetonius will be included.

A weekly discussion group for those registered for CLAS 30027, Sport and Society in the Ancient World.

In ancient and medieval texts the soul is the principle of life, of sense-perception, emotions, passions, rational thought and ethical behavior. Throughout history, the investigation of the soul has been special in two ways. First of all, we are not addressing an external topic; we are treating ourselves. Secondly, this study of ourselves is not merely meant to describe and analyze, but to change and to form. Ancient philosophers thought of their work as "care of the soul". The soul is not a mechanism or machine, but something living which can err and go wrong. Pre-modern authorities often described this in the terms of sickness: The body may be sick and need the help of the doctor, and the soul may need therapy if it is sick.In the course, we will address a selection of texts and topics from ancient and medieval sources (Plato, Aristotle, Galen, the Stoics, Neoplatonic authors and Christian authors from late Antiquity and the Middle Ages), and compare them with select contemporary texts. What constitutes a healthy soul? What are the sicknesses of the soul? What therapies are recommended? How can one build resilience and how much resilience is right? What role does gender play? The course will also integrate lectures/discussions with practicing therapists and a field trip to "mindworks" (Chicago Museum of cognitive psychology).

A belief in daemons has been and is even still, in some places and cultures, widespread. The course will address human understanding of the daemonic as a cultural, theological and philosophical phenomenon. The main focus will be on Late Antiquity. After considering the philosophical tradition from the Presocratics to Plato and the Stoics, we shall focus on later thinkers, especially Plutarch, Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblichus and Proclus. Furthermore, we will read some Christian authors in Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages. Central questions are: What are daemons? How do they differ from gods or human beings? What is their function in the universe and what effect do they have on human beings and the world? Are they supplementary to standard ideas of the divine or in some sense contrary to such ideas? Are daemons good or evil? What is a guardian spirit? Is the guardian spirit internal and external? How do daemons affect human beings? What is Socrates' daimonic sign? Why and how do daemons become evil forces in Christianity? Most texts will be read in translation, but we will also look at selected passages in Greek or Latin (for those who read these languages; they are not a requirement for the course). The course is by design a graduate course, but is open to well-qualified undergraduates.

This class examines the intellectual, practical, and social dimensions of medicine in the ancient and early Christian world. We will focus first on the nature and development of ancient medical thought, especially in the writings of Hippocrates and Galen. What were its dietetic, pharmacological, and surgical practices? What diseases did patients have? How did doctors understand disease and practice their craft? What instruments did they use? Then, we will turn to the early Christian world to see how this knowledge influenced miracle narratives, dietary regimes, and the reputation for holiness. Finally, we will examine the birth of the hospital as a monastic institution.

This course provides an in-depth introduction to the archaeology of ancient Greece, from the Bronze Age to the Early Classical Period (from the 16th to 5th century B.C.). The survey of material culture spans the ancient Aegean and traces its settlement formation and development, beginning with the Minoan and Mycenean civilizations. It explores Archaic and Classical Greece and introduces students to the analysis and interpretation of archaeological sites, monuments, artifacts and art, including the Panhellenic sanctuaries of Olympia and Delphi, and the Athenian Acropolis in the age of Pericles. Students learn how to evaluate the material culture of ancient Greece on the basis of historical and social context. In addition to exploring architecture, coins, inscriptions, sculpture, paintings, ceramics and other ancient material, students also consider the methods, results, and theory of archaeological research, in the areas of field excavation and intensive surface survey. Through the material record, the course attempts to reconstruct what life might have been like in ancient Greece.

This course provides an in-depth introduction to the archaeology of the ancient Greek world, focusing on the Classical, Hellenistic and Early Roman Imperial periods (ca. 480 BC to AD 138). The survey of material culture traces the development of architecture, painting, sculpture, coinage, and other archaeological material in relation to cultural, political, social and philosophical issues. The course explores the urban, sacred, rural, funerary and provincial landscapes of Greece and introduces students to the analysis and interpretation of archaeological sites, monuments, artifacts, and art. Topics include the Athenian Acropolis in the age of Pericles, the masterpieces of Praxiteles and Lysippos, the creation of the Roman province of Greece under Augustus, and Hadrian's Roman Agora in Athens, as well as the methods, results, and theory of archaeological research in the areas of field excavation and intensive surface survey. Through the material record, the course attempts to reconstruct what life might have been like in ancient Greece.

The island of Sicily lies at the center of the Mediterranean Sea. It holds a similarly central place in the history of numerous eras and human cultures. From the earliest recorded traditions up to the present day, Sicily has been a crossroads of trade and travel routes, a site of contact and conflict, and a highly valued prize for imperial conquerors, even as its inhabitants have developed and attempted to maintain their own independent identities. In this course, we will focus on the ancient and early medieval history of Sicily – roughly 800 BCE to 800 CE. While we will talk plenty about the Greeks and Romans, and we will read much of what they wrote on and about the island, we will also broaden our scope to try to gain a better understanding of the full lived experience of Sicily over a period of more than 1,500 years. The groups of people we will encounter include Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Italians, Romans, Vandals, Ostrogoths, Africans, and Arabs. Our approach will entail the study of political, social, cultural, religious, and military history, utilizing whatever evidence is available to us (textual, material, comparative, etc.). This is an upper-level Classics course, in translation – all assigned readings will be in English, though you will be encouraged to make use of other language skills if you have them (ancient or modern).

This course examines the archaeology of early Rome, from the Etruscans to the reign of Augustus. The aim of the course is to introduce students to the analysis and interpretation of Roman archaeological sites, monuments, art, and artifacts, related to prehistoric Italy, the Roman Republic, and the early Roman Empire. On the basis of material evidence, the course will trace the changing culture of the Roman people and attempt to reconstruct what life might have been like in the Roman Regal and Republican periods and during the "Golden Age" of Augustus. In addition to exploring a wide range of material evidence from both Italy and the provinces, including architecture, coins, inscriptions, sculpture, paintings, ceramics, and other artifacts, the course also considers the methods, results, and theory of archaeological research, particularly in the areas of field excavation and intensive surface survey. Major themes to be discussed in the course include Roman imperialism, acculturation (especially so-called "Romanization"), ethnicity, urbanism, engineering, paganism, the imperial cult (emperor worship), death and burial, politics, economics, and the discrepant identities of women, children, slaves, freedmen, and freeborn in early Rome.

This course examines the archaeology of the Rome Empire, from the rise of Julius Caesar to the reign of Constantine. Students analyze and interpret material evidence from the ancient Roman world, from both Italy and the provinces, and assess the multi-faceted histories and cultures of the Roman people. The aim of the course is to introduce students to the analysis and interpretation of Roman material culture, particularly archaeological sites, monuments and art. The course traces the formation and development of the Roman Empire across the Mediterranean, beginning with the "Golden Age" of Augustus, and attempts to reconstruct what life might have been like in ancient Rome, Pompeii and in the Roman provinces, particularly Roman Greece. In addition to exploring architecture, coins, inscriptions, sculpture, paintings, ceramics and other ancient material, students also consider the methods, results, and theory of archaeological research, in the areas of field excavation and intensive surface survey. Major themes to be discussed include Roman imperialism, acculturation (especially so-called "Romanization"), ethnicity, urbanism, government, paganism, the imperial cult (emperor worship), death and burial, Christianity, and the discrepant identities of women, children, slaves, freedmen, and freeborn under imperial Rome.

In this course the development of Greek monumental architecture, and the major problems that define it, will be traced from the 8th to the 2nd centuries B.C., from the late Geometric through the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods. Among themes to be related are the relationship between landscape and religious architecture, the humanization of temple divinities, the architectural expression of religious tradition and even specific history, architectural procession and hieratic direction, emblem and narration in architectural sculpture, symbolism and allusion through architectural order, religious revival and archaism, and the breaking of architectural and religious canon.

Ancient Greek and Latin literature - history, epic, tragedy, novels, oratory - has a second life in English literature as it is reproduced, echoed, or recalled. Pairing important works in Greek and Roman literature (in translation) with works of English literature, this course will look at some of the ways that writers in English have used the traditions of western antiquity. Shakespeare uses Julius Caesar and Ovid, Milton reanimates Hesiod and Vergil, Alexander Pope and James Joyce share a Homeric inspiration but little else, and Victorian novelists plunder their classical educations to raise up and to tear down the social pretentions of their time. Students will study the ancient texts in their own right and will develop skills in interpreting the remarkable range of uses to which they are put by their modern translations, borrowings, and adaptations.

Herodotus has been called both the "Father of History" and the "Father of Lies." Thucydides is revered by some as the first "scientific" historian; others deny him the title of historian altogether. The most famous tales in Roman history come from the early books of Livy, and yet it is unlikely that he had any way of obtaining reliable information for that period. The historians of the classical Greek and Roman world stand among the greatest writers of the Western tradition. But to what extent were they performing the task that we call "history?" How did the ancient historians envision their project? What claims to knowledge did history make, and how did these differ from other forms of knowledge? In this course we will survey (in English translation) the works of seven of the major historians of ancient Greece and Rome: the Greek authors Herodotus, Thucydides, and Polybius, and the Roman authors Sallust, Livy, Tacitus, and Ammianus Marcellinus. Our survey will take us through a vast expanse of time (the 5th century BC to the 4th century AD) and space (from Iberia to the Russian steppe, from the North Sea to North Africa). We will examine the origins of ancient historiography, the methods espoused and practiced by Greek and Roman historians, the effect of political and social changes on the writing of history, the place and purpose of history in Greek and Roman culture, and the relationship of ancient historical writing to that of modern scholars.

Coco Chanel once claimed that “Luxury is a necessity that begins where necessity ends.” This seminar explores the nature of that necessity through the ancient Roman world’s many material expressions of luxury. Examining works ranging from gem-studded jewelry to ivory furniture adornments, from shimmering silver dining services to pleasure gardens planted with exotic species, we will consider a breadth of visual culture that both expands our understanding of Roman art beyond the canon of architecture, painting, and sculpture and raises important ethical questions. How could material luxuries express imperialist ideologies? Were the Romans concerned by the environmental costs of acquiring the latest status symbol? These questions will be explored alongside themes such as identity construction and spatializing power. Class sessions will be devoted to exploring case studies while developing skills in visual analysis and critical reading and writing.

Individual or small group study under the direction of a departmental faculty member.