Classics courses
CLAS 1010 The Rise of Rome
The Rise of Rome
Not open to senior history majors. This survey devotes itself to the emergence of Hellenistic civilization and the growth of Roman power in the Mediterranean. Special attention is given to the Hellenistic impact upon Rome, the evolution of Roman institutions, and the transition from republic to empire.
credit hours: 3
The Rise of Rome
CLAS 1030 The Greeks
The Greeks
A look at life in ancient Greece. Topics include war, politics, religious festivals, athletics, courts and trials, wealth and poverty, freedom and slavery, gender and sexuality, theatre, family life, education, and science.
credit hours: 3
The Greeks
CLAS 1040 Mythology
Mythology
A study of the origins of Greek mythology and the importance of myth for Greek and Roman culture.
credit hours: 3
Mythology
CLAS 2220 New Testament: An Historical Introduction
New Testament: An Historical Introduction
This course is a literary and historical introduction to the canonical New Testament. It will engage issues of authorship, dating, theology, genre, and special problems related to the scientific" (or scholarly) study of the New Testament. There will be some engagement with literature outside of the canonical New Testament but only as it relates to special issues and topics in New Testament interpretation."
credit hours: 3
New Testament: An Historical Introduction
CLAS 2320 Greek Temples and Festivals
Greek Temples and Festivals
In this course we will look at ancient Greek religious behavior and what it can tell us about Greek society when studied in its historical context. Topics include mythology and the gods, sanctuaries, temples, and offerings, ritual and cult activities, festivals, civic religion, and belief and the individual.
credit hours: 3
Greek Temples and Festivals
CLAS 2330 Alexander the Great: History and Tradition
Alexander the Great: History and Tradition
Alexander the Great (356-323) is justifiably one of the most celebrated figures of antiquity. Conquering all of the Greek world and Asia from the Mediterranean to the Indus River in Pakistan by the age of 30, he unquestionably changed the world, bringing Greeks, Macedonians, Persians, Egyptians and Jews into close contact and exchange. But who was the historical Alexander? Was he a charismatic strategist, a genius and visionary? Or a paranoid, alcoholic, and violent megalomaniac who brought about the end of his dynasty and left his empire, and much of the world, in chaos? Many wrote about his life in exploits, but the problematic nature if the ancient sources presents serious difficulties in reconstructing an account of the 'historical' Alexander. We will explore various genres (history, fiction, myth, biography) and sources (literary, visual, archaeological) to analyze critically the sources and uses of Alexander in various periods and places of history.
credit hours: 3
Alexander the Great: History and Tradition
CLAS 2810 Special Topics
Special Topics
Topics are at an introductory level appropriate for first-year students and sophomores. Topics will focus on particular areas and issues in the fields of ancient culture, religion, and history.
credit hours: 3
Special Topics
CLAS 3020 The High Roman Empire
The High Roman Empire
This course introduces the institutional, social, and cultural changes of the empire from Augustus to Diocletian. Emphasis is placed upon the birth of imperial administration, cultural change and continuity, and the rise of Christianity.
credit hours: 3
The High Roman Empire
CLAS 3050 Archaeology Lab: Ashkelon, Israel
Archaeology Lab: Ashkelon, Israel
The field archaeology lab in Ashkelon Israel will introduce students to process of artifact analysis, cataloguing, and recording. Students will work alongside professional staff sorting, cleaning, registering, and analyzing finds from the current excavations such as pottery, figurines, glass, worked stone, faunal remains, and other objects. Students will learn how to make preliminary readings of the artifacts and will also be introduced to methods of scientific analysis, including flotation, petrography, xrf, 3d scanning, and ftir analysis.
Co-requisites: CLAS 4050: Introduction to Field Archaeology
credit hours: 3
Archaeology Lab: Ashkelon, Israel
CLAS 3060 Greek Tragedy and Comedy
Greek Tragedy and Comedy
Plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes read in the light of Aristotle's Poetics and of modern criticism.
credit hours: 3
Greek Tragedy and Comedy
CLAS 3080 Inventing Socrates
Inventing Socrates
Socrates has for centuries been considered emblematic of the intellectual accomplishments of ancient Greek civilization. His name and his eponymous method of inquiry are familiar to every student of the western tradition and yet he left behind no record of his teachings . Instead, his image and indeed his legacy has been shaped by the accounts of other-former students, bemused comedians, admirers and even a few detractors. Plato is of course foremost among these, employing his great teacher as the central figure in most of his philosophical works. In this course, we will examine the many faces of Socrates bequeathed to us by his contemporaries, investigate the world of 5th century Athens in which he lived, and survey important moments in his posthumous reception from antiquity to the present.
credit hours: 3
Inventing Socrates
CLAS 3090 Law and Society in Ancient Rome
Law and Society in Ancient Rome
This course investigates the social and cultural values of the Roman world by studying Roman private law. The course also examines the development of Roman courts in the empire and the influence of Roman law on modern legal systems.
credit hours: 3
Law and Society in Ancient Rome
CLAS 3120 Etruscans and Early Rome
Etruscans and Early Rome
A survey of the cultures of pre-Roman Italy from the Bronze Age to the fall of Veii. The course focuses on the material cultures of Etruscan and Latin Settlements from ca. 900 to 300 B.C.E. Topics include: Etruscan language, economy and trade, sculpture, painting, and Etruscan religion, as well as major social and historical developments in Etruria, Latium, and archaic Rome.
credit hours: 3
Etruscans and Early Rome
CLAS 3140 Jews in the Greco-Roman World
Jews in the Greco-Roman World
This course will explore Jewish interaction and conflict with Greeks and Romans from the Babylonian exile through the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. We will examine the rich body of literature and material culture from this period to reconstruct the Jewish experience in both Palestine and the Diaspora communities in Egypt, Greece, and Rome. THe course will consider text written by Jews as well as Greeks and Romans, representing both sides of the exchange, and archaeological evidence that sheds light on daily life in the period. Topics will include:the Maccabean Revolt, the Hasmonean dynasty, Herod the Great, the Alexandrian riots of 38 CE, Jewish religion and sectarianism, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Jewish Revolts.
Notes: Counts in Ancient Judaism in the Jewish Studies major.
credit hours: 3
Jews in the Greco-Roman World
CLAS 3160 The Aegean Bronze Age
The Aegean Bronze Age
The cultures of the Cycladic Islands, Crete, and the Greek mainland during the Bronze Age (ca. 3200-1150 B.C.E.). Emphasis is on the major and minor arts of the Minoans and Mycenaeans and how this material can be used to reconstruct the societies, cultures, and religions of the Aegean Bronze Age.
credit hours: 3
The Aegean Bronze Age
CLAS 3170 Greek Art and Archaeology
Greek Art and Archaeology
Greek arts (architecture, sculpture, and painting) and material culture in the light of social, intellectual, and historical developments from the end of the Bronze Age (ca. 1200 B.C.E.) to the end of the Hellenistic period (31 B.C.E.).
credit hours: 3
Greek Art and Archaeology
CLAS 3180 Roman Art and Archaeology
Roman Art and Archaeology
Architecture, sculpture, and painting in Rome and the Roman Empire, their sources, and their history from the Etruscan period through the 4th century C.E.
credit hours: 3
Roman Art and Archaeology
CLAS 3190 Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town
Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town
A survey of Roman culture through the study of the town destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius in 79 C.E. The focus is on the society, politics, religion, domestic life, entertainment, economy, and art of Pompeii and the surrounding region in the early imperial period.
credit hours: 3
Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town
CLAS 3200 Greek Religion
Greek Religion
This course examines Greek religion in its social and historical context, utilizing an interdisciplinary approach incorporating archaeological, artistic, literary, and epigraphic evidence. The course begins with a survey of the major concepts connected with Greek religion, including the types of beings offered worship, the delineation of sacred space, and the forms of ritual. Emphasis is placed on the social and political function of ritual, that is, on ritual as the enacted representation of cultural values and social roles. The second section of the course investigates the major Greek divinities, their iconography, mythology, and cult. The course concludes with a study of the phenomenon of mystery cults, surveying the forms of these cults in the Greek world and discussing their continuation under the Romans.
credit hours: 3
Greek Religion
CLAS 3230 Ancient Christianity
Ancient Christianity
This course is designed to introduce students to the history of the Ancient Christian movement within the Roman Empire. It illustrates the historical developments through the discussion of the use of the scripture, the production of new literature and emergence of the canon of the New Testament writings from the second through the fourth centuries.
credit hours: 3
Ancient Christianity
CLAS 3310 Tyrants and Democrats in Ancient Greece
Tyrants and Democrats in Ancient Greece
This course examines the origins and characteristics of basic Greek forms of government in their historical context, concentrating on tyranny and democracy in the archaic and classical periods. The course stresses the development of Greek political institutions and political thought.
credit hours: 3
Tyrants and Democrats in Ancient Greece
CLAS 3320 The Greek Way of Death
The Greek Way of Death
Death-ritual was an important social institution in ancient Greece. Through their funerals and tombs, the ancient Greeks negotiated social relationships and political ideologies, celebrated the state and the legacies of individuals, and grappled with the uncertainties and fragility of life. In this course we will look at textual and archaeological evidence from the ancient Greek world as we explore attitudes toward life and death and how important customs, rituals, and traditions function in society.
credit hours: 3
The Greek Way of Death
CLAS 3510 The Ancient Novel
The Ancient Novel
We are all familiar today with the literary form called the novel: a lengthy fictional narrative in prose. It was ancient Greek and Latin authors, however, who first created this form. Many of these works survive and they always intrigue and delight readers with their highly sophisticated plotting of love affairs, comical depictions of pirates, and teasing explorations of sexuality. We will closely read, in English translation, the major ancient novels and some of their literary predecessors in order to understand the originality of the form and content of the novels. The class concludes with a consideration of the ancient novel's contribution to the development of fiction in the West.
credit hours: 3
The Ancient Novel
CLAS 3610 Sex and Gender in Antiquity
Sex and Gender in Antiquity
Through readings and discussions of primary sources (literature, legal texts, medical texts, inscriptions, art) and recent scholarship, we will explore the ideals and reality of gender roles and sexuality within the historical context of ancient Greece and Rome. Topics will include the history of sexuality, laws pertaining to gender roles, homosexuality, bisexuality, sexual practices, representations of gender and sex in literature and art, family, biology and attitudes about gender and sex.
credit hours: 3
Sex and Gender in Antiquity
CLAS 3810 Special Topics
Special Topics
Topics will focus on particular areas and issues in the fields of ancient culture, religion, and history.
credit hours: 3
Special Topics
CLAS 3880 Writing Practicum
Writing Practicum
Notes: Fulfills the school intensive-writing requirement.
Pre-requistites: Successful completion of the First-Year Writing Requirement.
Co-requisites: Three-credit departmental course.
credit hours: 1
Writing Practicum
CLAS 4050 Introduction to Field Archaeology in Ashkelon, Israel
Introduction to Field Archaeology in Ashkelon, Israel
This is an interdisciplinary course of archaeological fieldwork based in experiential learning at a complex, multi-period Tell site on the southern Levantine coast. Syudents work five full days plus half-day in the field uncovering artifacts and learning the skills necessary for all students and scholars interested in continuing active fieldwork or advanced studies in archaeology. the fieldwork aspect of the course is supported by lectures' and workshops by resident staff and visiting/guest scholars on the archaeology, geography, and history of ancient Israel. Phoenicia, and Philistia. Three field trips to other archaeological sites in Israel help students in this course to contextualize the work being done at Ashkelon and broaden participants' understanding of Israel and archaeological work being conducted in the region. They can expect to leave with a deep understanding of method, theory, and history of archaeology.
Co-requisites: CLAS 3050: Archaeology Lab in Ashkelon Israel
credit hours: 3
Introduction to Field Archaeology in Ashkelon, Israel
CLAS 4060 Classical Epic
Classical Epic
Homer, Apollonius of Rhodes, Virgil, and Lucan, with selected prose belonging to the heroic tradition. A comparison with primitive epics of other cultures and with later literary epics.
credit hours: 3
Classical Epic
CLAS 4080 Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
Topics include: The Family in Ancient Rome; Roman Imperial Society and Economy; Greeks, Romans, Barbarians.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
CLAS 4130 Egypt Under the Pharaohs
Egypt Under the Pharaohs
The culture of ancient Egypt from the pre-dynastic period through the end of the New Kingdom. The course emphasizes the sculpture, architecture, and painting of the pharaonic periods. Other areas covered are: Egyptian literary and historical documents, Egyptian religion, and major social developments.
credit hours: 3
Egypt Under the Pharaohs
CLAS 4190 Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
Topics include: Problems in Aegean Archaeology; Major Monuments in Greek Sculpture; Greek Vase-Painting; The Athenian Acropolis.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
CLAS 4200 Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
Topics include: Ancient Painting and Mosaics; Building the City of Rome; Roman Sculpture in Context.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
CLAS 4320 War and Power in Ancient Greece
War and Power in Ancient Greece
In this course we will look at ancient Greek warfare and state formation, including how states developed and changed, how and why the ancient Greeks interacted and fought with each other and with outsiders, and what were the immediate outcomes and long-term consequences of endogenous and exogenous power struggles. Students will gain an understanding of the particular roles played by factors such as geography, military innovations, socio-political institutions, individual leaders, ideological shifts, and specific series of decisions and events.
Pre-requistites: CLAS 3310 or HISA 3080.
credit hours: 3
War and Power in Ancient Greece
CLAS 4810 Special Topics
Special Topics
Topics will focus on particular areas and issues in the field of ancient culture, religion, and history.
credit hours: 3
Special Topics
CLAS 4880 Writing Practicum
Writing Practicum
Notes: Fulfills the school intensive-writing requirement.
Pre-requistites: Successful completion of the First-Year Writing Requirement.
Co-requisites: Three-credit departmental course.
credit hours: 1
Writing Practicum
CLAS 4900 Senior Capstone Seminar in Greek and Roman Culture
Senior Capstone Seminar in Greek and Roman Culture
A seminar on a broad topic in Greek and Roman culture. The course fulfills the writing-intensive requirement for the School of Liberal Arts. Topics include: War and Power in Ancient Greece, Civic Ideals in the Greek and Roman Worlds, The World of Augustus.
Notes: This course fulfills the department's capstone requirement but is also open to non-majors. It may be taken again with a different subject.
credit hours: 4
Senior Capstone Seminar in Greek and Roman Culture
CLAS 4910 Independent Studies
Independent Studies
Open to superior students provided approval of department is granted and an appropriate faculty director is available.
credit hours: 3
Independent Studies
CLAS 4920 Independent Studies
Independent Studies
Open to superior students provided approval of department is granted and an appropriate faculty director is available.
credit hours: 3
Independent Studies
CLAS 4930 Directed Undergraduate Research
Directed Undergraduate Research
This course involves independent study based on work that the student has done during the previous summer, such as in an archaeological excavation.
credit hours: 3
Directed Undergraduate Research
CLAS 5010 Special Readings in Classics
Special Readings in Classics
credit hours: 3
Special Readings in Classics
CLAS 6080 Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
See CLAS 408 for course description.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
CLAS 6190 Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
See CLAS 4190 for description.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
CLAS 6200 Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
See CLAS 4200 for description.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
CLAS 6810 Special Topics
Special Topics
Topics will focus on particular areas and issues in the fields of ancient culture, religion, and history.
credit hours: 3
Special Topics
CLAS 6880 Writing Practicum
Writing Practicum
Notes: Fulfills the school intensive-writing requirement.
Pre-requistites: Successful completion of the First-Year Writing Requirement.
Co-requisites: Three-credit departmental course.
credit hours: 1
Writing Practicum
CLAS H4990 Honors Thesis
Honors Thesis
Notes: Admission by approval of department and Honors Committee.
credit hours: 3
Honors Thesis
CLAS H5000 Honors Thesis
Honors Thesis
Notes: Admission by approval of department and Honors Committee.
credit hours: 3
Honors Thesis
CLAS 1010 The Rise of Rome
The Rise of Rome
Not open to senior history majors. This survey devotes itself to the emergence of Hellenistic civilization and the growth of Roman power in the Mediterranean. Special attention is given to the Hellenistic impact upon Rome, the evolution of Roman institutions, and the transition from republic to empire.
credit hours: 3
The Rise of Rome
CLAS 1030 The Greeks
The Greeks
A look at life in ancient Greece. Topics include war, politics, religious festivals, athletics, courts and trials, wealth and poverty, freedom and slavery, gender and sexuality, theatre, family life, education, and science.
credit hours: 3
The Greeks
CLAS 1040 Mythology
Mythology
A study of the origins of Greek mythology and the importance of myth for Greek and Roman culture.
credit hours: 3
Mythology
CLAS 2220 New Testament: An Historical Introduction
New Testament: An Historical Introduction
This course is a literary and historical introduction to the canonical New Testament. It will engage issues of authorship, dating, theology, genre, and special problems related to the scientific" (or scholarly) study of the New Testament. There will be some engagement with literature outside of the canonical New Testament but only as it relates to special issues and topics in New Testament interpretation."
credit hours: 3
New Testament: An Historical Introduction
CLAS 2320 Greek Temples and Festivals
Greek Temples and Festivals
In this course we will look at ancient Greek religious behavior and what it can tell us about Greek society when studied in its historical context. Topics include mythology and the gods, sanctuaries, temples, and offerings, ritual and cult activities, festivals, civic religion, and belief and the individual.
credit hours: 3
Greek Temples and Festivals
CLAS 2330 Alexander the Great: History and Tradition
Alexander the Great: History and Tradition
Alexander the Great (356-323) is justifiably one of the most celebrated figures of antiquity. Conquering all of the Greek world and Asia from the Mediterranean to the Indus River in Pakistan by the age of 30, he unquestionably changed the world, bringing Greeks, Macedonians, Persians, Egyptians and Jews into close contact and exchange. But who was the historical Alexander? Was he a charismatic strategist, a genius and visionary? Or a paranoid, alcoholic, and violent megalomaniac who brought about the end of his dynasty and left his empire, and much of the world, in chaos? Many wrote about his life in exploits, but the problematic nature if the ancient sources presents serious difficulties in reconstructing an account of the 'historical' Alexander. We will explore various genres (history, fiction, myth, biography) and sources (literary, visual, archaeological) to analyze critically the sources and uses of Alexander in various periods and places of history.
credit hours: 3
Alexander the Great: History and Tradition
CLAS 2810 Special Topics
Special Topics
Topics are at an introductory level appropriate for first-year students and sophomores. Topics will focus on particular areas and issues in the fields of ancient culture, religion, and history.
credit hours: 3
Special Topics
CLAS 3020 The High Roman Empire
The High Roman Empire
This course introduces the institutional, social, and cultural changes of the empire from Augustus to Diocletian. Emphasis is placed upon the birth of imperial administration, cultural change and continuity, and the rise of Christianity.
credit hours: 3
The High Roman Empire
CLAS 3050 Archaeology Lab: Ashkelon, Israel
Archaeology Lab: Ashkelon, Israel
The field archaeology lab in Ashkelon Israel will introduce students to process of artifact analysis, cataloguing, and recording. Students will work alongside professional staff sorting, cleaning, registering, and analyzing finds from the current excavations such as pottery, figurines, glass, worked stone, faunal remains, and other objects. Students will learn how to make preliminary readings of the artifacts and will also be introduced to methods of scientific analysis, including flotation, petrography, xrf, 3d scanning, and ftir analysis.
Co-requisites: CLAS 4050: Introduction to Field Archaeology
credit hours: 3
Archaeology Lab: Ashkelon, Israel
CLAS 3060 Greek Tragedy and Comedy
Greek Tragedy and Comedy
Plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes read in the light of Aristotle's Poetics and of modern criticism.
credit hours: 3
Greek Tragedy and Comedy
CLAS 3080 Inventing Socrates
Inventing Socrates
Socrates has for centuries been considered emblematic of the intellectual accomplishments of ancient Greek civilization. His name and his eponymous method of inquiry are familiar to every student of the western tradition and yet he left behind no record of his teachings . Instead, his image and indeed his legacy has been shaped by the accounts of other-former students, bemused comedians, admirers and even a few detractors. Plato is of course foremost among these, employing his great teacher as the central figure in most of his philosophical works. In this course, we will examine the many faces of Socrates bequeathed to us by his contemporaries, investigate the world of 5th century Athens in which he lived, and survey important moments in his posthumous reception from antiquity to the present.
credit hours: 3
Inventing Socrates
CLAS 3090 Law and Society in Ancient Rome
Law and Society in Ancient Rome
This course investigates the social and cultural values of the Roman world by studying Roman private law. The course also examines the development of Roman courts in the empire and the influence of Roman law on modern legal systems.
credit hours: 3
Law and Society in Ancient Rome
CLAS 3120 Etruscans and Early Rome
Etruscans and Early Rome
A survey of the cultures of pre-Roman Italy from the Bronze Age to the fall of Veii. The course focuses on the material cultures of Etruscan and Latin Settlements from ca. 900 to 300 B.C.E. Topics include: Etruscan language, economy and trade, sculpture, painting, and Etruscan religion, as well as major social and historical developments in Etruria, Latium, and archaic Rome.
credit hours: 3
Etruscans and Early Rome
CLAS 3140 Jews in the Greco-Roman World
Jews in the Greco-Roman World
This course will explore Jewish interaction and conflict with Greeks and Romans from the Babylonian exile through the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. We will examine the rich body of literature and material culture from this period to reconstruct the Jewish experience in both Palestine and the Diaspora communities in Egypt, Greece, and Rome. THe course will consider text written by Jews as well as Greeks and Romans, representing both sides of the exchange, and archaeological evidence that sheds light on daily life in the period. Topics will include:the Maccabean Revolt, the Hasmonean dynasty, Herod the Great, the Alexandrian riots of 38 CE, Jewish religion and sectarianism, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Jewish Revolts.
Notes: Counts in Ancient Judaism in the Jewish Studies major.
credit hours: 3
Jews in the Greco-Roman World
CLAS 3160 The Aegean Bronze Age
The Aegean Bronze Age
The cultures of the Cycladic Islands, Crete, and the Greek mainland during the Bronze Age (ca. 3200-1150 B.C.E.). Emphasis is on the major and minor arts of the Minoans and Mycenaeans and how this material can be used to reconstruct the societies, cultures, and religions of the Aegean Bronze Age.
credit hours: 3
The Aegean Bronze Age
CLAS 3170 Greek Art and Archaeology
Greek Art and Archaeology
Greek arts (architecture, sculpture, and painting) and material culture in the light of social, intellectual, and historical developments from the end of the Bronze Age (ca. 1200 B.C.E.) to the end of the Hellenistic period (31 B.C.E.).
credit hours: 3
Greek Art and Archaeology
CLAS 3180 Roman Art and Archaeology
Roman Art and Archaeology
Architecture, sculpture, and painting in Rome and the Roman Empire, their sources, and their history from the Etruscan period through the 4th century C.E.
credit hours: 3
Roman Art and Archaeology
CLAS 3190 Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town
Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town
A survey of Roman culture through the study of the town destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius in 79 C.E. The focus is on the society, politics, religion, domestic life, entertainment, economy, and art of Pompeii and the surrounding region in the early imperial period.
credit hours: 3
Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town
CLAS 3200 Greek Religion
Greek Religion
This course examines Greek religion in its social and historical context, utilizing an interdisciplinary approach incorporating archaeological, artistic, literary, and epigraphic evidence. The course begins with a survey of the major concepts connected with Greek religion, including the types of beings offered worship, the delineation of sacred space, and the forms of ritual. Emphasis is placed on the social and political function of ritual, that is, on ritual as the enacted representation of cultural values and social roles. The second section of the course investigates the major Greek divinities, their iconography, mythology, and cult. The course concludes with a study of the phenomenon of mystery cults, surveying the forms of these cults in the Greek world and discussing their continuation under the Romans.
credit hours: 3
Greek Religion
CLAS 3230 Ancient Christianity
Ancient Christianity
This course is designed to introduce students to the history of the Ancient Christian movement within the Roman Empire. It illustrates the historical developments through the discussion of the use of the scripture, the production of new literature and emergence of the canon of the New Testament writings from the second through the fourth centuries.
credit hours: 3
Ancient Christianity
CLAS 3310 Tyrants and Democrats in Ancient Greece
Tyrants and Democrats in Ancient Greece
This course examines the origins and characteristics of basic Greek forms of government in their historical context, concentrating on tyranny and democracy in the archaic and classical periods. The course stresses the development of Greek political institutions and political thought.
credit hours: 3
Tyrants and Democrats in Ancient Greece
CLAS 3320 The Greek Way of Death
The Greek Way of Death
Death-ritual was an important social institution in ancient Greece. Through their funerals and tombs, the ancient Greeks negotiated social relationships and political ideologies, celebrated the state and the legacies of individuals, and grappled with the uncertainties and fragility of life. In this course we will look at textual and archaeological evidence from the ancient Greek world as we explore attitudes toward life and death and how important customs, rituals, and traditions function in society.
credit hours: 3
The Greek Way of Death
CLAS 3510 The Ancient Novel
The Ancient Novel
We are all familiar today with the literary form called the novel: a lengthy fictional narrative in prose. It was ancient Greek and Latin authors, however, who first created this form. Many of these works survive and they always intrigue and delight readers with their highly sophisticated plotting of love affairs, comical depictions of pirates, and teasing explorations of sexuality. We will closely read, in English translation, the major ancient novels and some of their literary predecessors in order to understand the originality of the form and content of the novels. The class concludes with a consideration of the ancient novel's contribution to the development of fiction in the West.
credit hours: 3
The Ancient Novel
CLAS 3610 Sex and Gender in Antiquity
Sex and Gender in Antiquity
Through readings and discussions of primary sources (literature, legal texts, medical texts, inscriptions, art) and recent scholarship, we will explore the ideals and reality of gender roles and sexuality within the historical context of ancient Greece and Rome. Topics will include the history of sexuality, laws pertaining to gender roles, homosexuality, bisexuality, sexual practices, representations of gender and sex in literature and art, family, biology and attitudes about gender and sex.
credit hours: 3
Sex and Gender in Antiquity
CLAS 3810 Special Topics
Special Topics
Topics will focus on particular areas and issues in the fields of ancient culture, religion, and history.
credit hours: 3
Special Topics
CLAS 3880 Writing Practicum
Writing Practicum
Notes: Fulfills the school intensive-writing requirement.
Pre-requistites: Successful completion of the First-Year Writing Requirement.
Co-requisites: Three-credit departmental course.
credit hours: 1
Writing Practicum
CLAS 4050 Introduction to Field Archaeology in Ashkelon, Israel
Introduction to Field Archaeology in Ashkelon, Israel
This is an interdisciplinary course of archaeological fieldwork based in experiential learning at a complex, multi-period Tell site on the southern Levantine coast. Syudents work five full days plus half-day in the field uncovering artifacts and learning the skills necessary for all students and scholars interested in continuing active fieldwork or advanced studies in archaeology. the fieldwork aspect of the course is supported by lectures' and workshops by resident staff and visiting/guest scholars on the archaeology, geography, and history of ancient Israel. Phoenicia, and Philistia. Three field trips to other archaeological sites in Israel help students in this course to contextualize the work being done at Ashkelon and broaden participants' understanding of Israel and archaeological work being conducted in the region. They can expect to leave with a deep understanding of method, theory, and history of archaeology.
Co-requisites: CLAS 3050: Archaeology Lab in Ashkelon Israel
credit hours: 3
Introduction to Field Archaeology in Ashkelon, Israel
CLAS 4060 Classical Epic
Classical Epic
Homer, Apollonius of Rhodes, Virgil, and Lucan, with selected prose belonging to the heroic tradition. A comparison with primitive epics of other cultures and with later literary epics.
credit hours: 3
Classical Epic
CLAS 4080 Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
Topics include: The Family in Ancient Rome; Roman Imperial Society and Economy; Greeks, Romans, Barbarians.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
CLAS 4130 Egypt Under the Pharaohs
Egypt Under the Pharaohs
The culture of ancient Egypt from the pre-dynastic period through the end of the New Kingdom. The course emphasizes the sculpture, architecture, and painting of the pharaonic periods. Other areas covered are: Egyptian literary and historical documents, Egyptian religion, and major social developments.
credit hours: 3
Egypt Under the Pharaohs
CLAS 4190 Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
Topics include: Problems in Aegean Archaeology; Major Monuments in Greek Sculpture; Greek Vase-Painting; The Athenian Acropolis.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
CLAS 4200 Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
Topics include: Ancient Painting and Mosaics; Building the City of Rome; Roman Sculpture in Context.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
CLAS 4320 War and Power in Ancient Greece
War and Power in Ancient Greece
In this course we will look at ancient Greek warfare and state formation, including how states developed and changed, how and why the ancient Greeks interacted and fought with each other and with outsiders, and what were the immediate outcomes and long-term consequences of endogenous and exogenous power struggles. Students will gain an understanding of the particular roles played by factors such as geography, military innovations, socio-political institutions, individual leaders, ideological shifts, and specific series of decisions and events.
Pre-requistites: CLAS 3310 or HISA 3080.
credit hours: 3
War and Power in Ancient Greece
CLAS 4810 Special Topics
Special Topics
Topics will focus on particular areas and issues in the field of ancient culture, religion, and history.
credit hours: 3
Special Topics
CLAS 4880 Writing Practicum
Writing Practicum
Notes: Fulfills the school intensive-writing requirement.
Pre-requistites: Successful completion of the First-Year Writing Requirement.
Co-requisites: Three-credit departmental course.
credit hours: 1
Writing Practicum
CLAS 4900 Senior Capstone Seminar in Greek and Roman Culture
Senior Capstone Seminar in Greek and Roman Culture
A seminar on a broad topic in Greek and Roman culture. The course fulfills the writing-intensive requirement for the School of Liberal Arts. Topics include: War and Power in Ancient Greece, Civic Ideals in the Greek and Roman Worlds, The World of Augustus.
Notes: This course fulfills the department's capstone requirement but is also open to non-majors. It may be taken again with a different subject.
credit hours: 4
Senior Capstone Seminar in Greek and Roman Culture
CLAS 4910 Independent Studies
Independent Studies
Open to superior students provided approval of department is granted and an appropriate faculty director is available.
credit hours: 3
Independent Studies
CLAS 4920 Independent Studies
Independent Studies
Open to superior students provided approval of department is granted and an appropriate faculty director is available.
credit hours: 3
Independent Studies
CLAS 4930 Directed Undergraduate Research
Directed Undergraduate Research
This course involves independent study based on work that the student has done during the previous summer, such as in an archaeological excavation.
credit hours: 3
Directed Undergraduate Research
CLAS 5010 Special Readings in Classics
Special Readings in Classics
credit hours: 3
Special Readings in Classics
CLAS 6080 Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
See CLAS 408 for course description.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Ancient Society and Economy
CLAS 6190 Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
See CLAS 4190 for description.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Aegean and Greek Archaeology
CLAS 6200 Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
See CLAS 4200 for description.
credit hours: 3
Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
CLAS 6810 Special Topics
Special Topics
Topics will focus on particular areas and issues in the fields of ancient culture, religion, and history.
credit hours: 3
Special Topics
CLAS 6880 Writing Practicum
Writing Practicum
Notes: Fulfills the school intensive-writing requirement.
Pre-requistites: Successful completion of the First-Year Writing Requirement.
Co-requisites: Three-credit departmental course.
credit hours: 1
Writing Practicum
CLAS H4990 Honors Thesis
Honors Thesis
Notes: Admission by approval of department and Honors Committee.
credit hours: 3
Honors Thesis
CLAS H5000 Honors Thesis
Honors Thesis
Notes: Admission by approval of department and Honors Committee.
credit hours: 3
Honors Thesis