Undergraduate
Course Descriptions
- Classical Studies (First Year)
- General Classical Studies Courses (2000 Level)
- Honors Classical Studies Courses (3000-4000 Level)
- Greek Courses
- Latin Courses
- Philosophy Courses
CLASSICAL STUDIES (First Year):
CS 1000: CLASSICAL CIVILIZATION
(Brown-Section 001/ Lamari-Section 002)
Although this course will necessarily include a brief historical outline, it is less concerned with battles and politics than with the cultural and social life and achievements of Greece and Rome. Among the topics to be considered are: magic, religion and philosophy and their inter-relationships; the aesthetic principles of the art and literature of the Greeks and Romans and their masterpieces of architecture, sculpture and painting, poetry and prose; the structure of society; the position of women; slavery; everyday life; sport; warfare; and medicine.
Antirequisite: The former CS 047
3 lecture hours; 1.0 course
To view the course outline for CS1000-001 click here
To view the course outline for CS1000-002 click here
GENERAL CLASSICAL STUDIES COURSES (2000 Level):
CS 2200: CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY (Sharp)
Students will be introduced to the major myth cycles of ancient Greece and Rome, with reference to the religious, cultural and historical contexts in which they were told and retold. Students will gain some familiarity with the art images and original texts (in translation) that provide us with evidence for the myths. Some of the major theoretical approaches to the study of myth will be introduced.
Antirequisite: The former CS 137
2 lecture hours; 1.0 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 2300: SPORT and RECREATION in the ANCIENT WORLD (Lamari)
This course will examine the various sports, recreational and leisure activities available to people in the ancient world (principally Greece and Rome) using literary and artistic sources. Topics to be examined include ancient Greek athletics and the Olympic Games; the Panathenaia; erotics and athletics; ball games; the symposium, prostitution; Roman gladiatorial combat and other amphitheatrical events; chariot racing; eating and drinking; baths and bathing; gambling; and taverns and bars.
Antirequisite: The former CS 136, CS3903F/G
2 lecture hours; 1.0 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 2700A: TECHNOLOGY and ENGINEERING in the ANCIENT WORLD (Murison)
This course will consider the basic materials and processes used in the ancient world from the earliest stone and clay implements to the multi-geared astronomical computer (1st century BC) found in a shipwreck off the coast of Greece.
Antirequisite: The former CS 152a/b
2 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 2800A&B: GREEK and LATIN ELEMENTS in ENGLISH
(Carter)
Greek and Latin words are the sole components of most of our scientific terms, and make up 70% of the English vocabulary.
A person who knows these Greek and Latin linguistic roots will know the meaning of a word like "otology", "lithotripsy" or "lucifugus" just by looking at it. The purpose of this course is to give students a greatly increased control of the English language.
Antirequisite: The former CS 100a/b
2 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline for CS2800A click here
To view the course outline for CS2800B click here
CS 2902A:ANCIENT CITIES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN (Greene)
This course provides an introduction to the urban centers of the ancient Mediterranean world. It uses the earliest known villages and cities in the Near East (ca. 12,500-3000 B.C.) to explore the archaeological remnants that display the emergence of urban social phenomena such as craft specialization and social stratification. We will trace the evolution of urbanization in the Mediterranean world with major focus on the cities and societies of Greece and Rome (ca. 3000 BC AD 300). We will use the archaeological remains to investigate the relationship between social, political and religious organization and the physical environment of cities in the ancient Mediterranean.
2 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 2903A/B: ANCIENT GREEK SCIENCE (Sharp)
In this course, we consider the dawn and development, in ancient Greece, of the natural sciences. Scientific fields we discuss include: cosmology, “the inquiry concerning nature,” physics, astronomy, mathematics and geometry, biology, medicine, anthropology, and theory construction. Relevant non-scientific fields include: magic, astrology, dream interpretation, fortune telling and divination.
2 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course description click here
CS 2904B: Alexander the Great (Murison)
Alexander III of Macedon (reigned 336-323 BC), although only thirty-two at the time of his death, is arguably one of the most significant figures in all of recorded history. Equally, almost every aspect of his life and legacy has been the subject of intense controversy. This introductory course will consider the rise of Macedonia to supremacy in the Greek world, Alexander’s background and upbringing, and his military campaigns, policies, plans and personality. The reasons for the differing views about him will also be explored.
Antirequisite(s): CS 2902B (2008-09; 2009-10).
2 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 2905A&B: CRIME and PUNISHMENT in ANCIENT GREECE and ROME (Pogorzelski)
This course examines ancient Greek and Roman crime and justice. What do crime and justice mean to Greeks and Romans? How are ideas of criminality in ancient Greece and Rome different from those of modern cultures? Our focus will be on the criminology of antiquity rather than on specific laws and legal systems. Readings include rhetoric, philosophy, drama, and historiography as well as modern critical and theoretical works
2 lecture hours, 0.5 course.
To view the course outline for CS2905A click here
To view the course outline for CS2905B click here
CS 2906A&B: GREEK and ROMAN MEDICINE (Gundert)
This course will explore the major concepts of health and disease found in Greek and Latin texts (800 BC to 600 AD). Topics discussed will include ancient views on the structure and function of the body; health and its preservation; symptoms, causes and treatments of physical and mental diseases; the medical profession; divine healing; the patient as individual and type; and environmental influences on health.
2 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline for CS2906A click here
To view the course outline for CS2906B click here
CS 2907B: DAILY LIFE in ANCIENT ROME (Olson)
This course will re-create the daily lives of the ancient Romans using secondary readings, ancient literature, and art and archaeology. Topics to be covered include social structure, writing and education, clothing, housing and city life, food and drink, sexuality, slavery, the family, and leisure activities.
2 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 2908A&B: Roman Conquest and Cultural Identities (Meyer)
This course will examine the expansion of the Roman Empire from its conquest of central Italy to the height of its power. We will investigate the people conquered by Rome and their treatment within the empire by surveying the history, literature and archaeology of the Roman Empire’s frontiers and cosmopolitan cities from Rome’s foundation to the rise of Christianity. We will read ancient texts and modern scholarship in order to understand the variety of cultural identities in the Roman Empire, how they were formed and perceived in antiquity, and how their interpretation reflects modern attitudes about multiculturalism and globalization. Evaluation will be based on mid-term and final examinations.
2 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline for CS2908A click here
To view the course outline for CS2908B click here
HONORS CLASSICAL STUDIES COURSES (3000-4000 Level):
CS 3100E: GREEK AND ROMAN DRAMA (Suksi)
(CS3100E counts as a principal course for the minor in English, Certificate in Theatre Arts, and may with special permission for other English modules)
In this course we will study a wide selection of Greek and Roman drama, including Aeschylus’ Oresteia, Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Euripides’ Hippolytus, Aristophanes’ Frogs, the romances of Menander, the baudy comedies of Plautus, and the powerful tragedies of Seneca. We will consider the plays in the light of topics such as their contemporary cultural contexts, use of generic conventions, incorporation of myth, and conditions of performance.
Antirequisite: The former CS 270E
Prerequisite: CS 1000 (the former CS 047), or Latin 2000 (the former Latin 222), or Greek 2000 (the former Greek 222), or English 1020E or 1024E
3 lecture hours; 1.0 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 3110F: GREEK EPIC (Brown)
This course will consider the tradition of epic poetry in Ancient Greece through a reading of the Iliad, Odyssey, and the Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes. The lectures will seek not only to examine the particular characteristics of each poem, but also to situate these texts within the larger framework of literary and cultural history.
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 3150G: LATIN EPIC (Carter)
In this course we will read (in English translation) two major Roman poems: Virgil’s Aeneid and Ovid’s Metamorphoses. We will use them as the basis for discussions on many different topics, including mythology, literary history, cultural history, rhetorical devices, and the history of poetry. Students are expected to read primary and secondary sources each week and to produce a ca. 20-page research paper by the end of the term.
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 3350G: WOMEN IN ANCIENT ROME (Olson)
This course seeks to introduce students to the study of women and womens lives in Roman antiquity starting from a body of literary and artistic evidence. Marriage and childbearing, women and the law, womens occupations, and women in history and poetry will be explored from a variety of perspectives; as well, powerpoint lectures will focus on such topics as women's artifacts, artistic portrayals of women, and female spaces in antiquity
3 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 3410E: GREEK HISTORY (Steinbock)
(Classical Studies 3400E, 3410E or 3450E counts as a principal course towards the Honors Specialization in History).
A survey of the history of Greece from the Bronze Age to the death of Cleopatra. By analyzing the social and political structures we will explore the reasons for the tremendous success of this civilization. Special emphasis will be given to interpreting and understanding the ancient source material.
Antirequisite(s): CS3400E or the former CS 275E.
3 lecture hours, 1.0 course.
To view the course outline click here
CS 3612G: Greek Political Thought: Plato to Aristotle (Sharp)
In this course we examine ancient Greek discourse about the city-state or polis. Readings (in translation) include Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Politics. For these works, we will consider the themes of force, rationality, virtue, personal honor, happiness, justice, and the political organization of the community.
Antirequisite(s): CS 3900E (if taken in 2008-09).
3 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 3901E: Archaeology of the Roman Empire (Greene)
This course will examine the archaeological remains of the vast Roman empire from Britain to the Middle East, north Africa and eastern Europe. We will focus on the effect that imperial domination had on provincial populations by looking at the unique art, architecture and artifacts of daily use that emerged in these regions. Emphasis is placed on analysis of the archaeological record to understand issues of identity, acculturation and power in a multicultural empire.
To view the course outline click here
CS 3903F: Archaeology of Ancient Athens (Wilson)
This course is a survey of the topography, monuments, and material culture of ancient Athens with a focus on the time of her greatest power and influence during the 6th and 5th Cs. BCE. The archaeological evidence will be examined within the social, political, and historical contexts of the city in both the private/domestic and public (secular/sacred) spheres.
Prerequisite(s): CS1000 or permission of department
3 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 3904F: Ancient Tricksters, Global Perspective (Stocking)
This course explores how lies, cheating, and all forms of deviancy become part of cultural identity in the Ancient Greek world through representations of the trickster figure. Specifically, we will consider how tricksters in Ancient Greek literature function as agents of mediation in the distribution of power. Because the category of trickster is pervasive throughout many cultures and traditions, we will also compare ancient tricksters with West African, Native American, and modern trickster figures. In many ways, the trickster can be considered the emblematic deity of interdisciplinary studies. Because students will be exposed to a wide variety of world literature with a single thematic focus, they will also have the opportunity to consider how the trickster figure as a transnational, border-crossing agent relates to our own modern perspectives on globalized society.
Prerequisite(s): CS1000 or permission of department
3 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
CS 3905G: LATE ANTIQUITY (Meyer)
This course will explore the world of the late Roman Empire from the rise of Diocletian in 284 CE to the end of the empire in the west in 476 CE. Throughout the term we will examine the political, religious, intellectual and social history of the late imperial period through literature, documentary texts, material culture. We will also discuss the internal and external factors that caused Rome’s decline, as well as the rise of Christianity, the persistence of paganism, and the role of the classical tradition in this period. Finally, this course will consider the future of both the East and West after the fall of the western empire and how this affected the development of Europe and the Mediterranean world.
Prerequisite(s): CS1000 or permission of department
3 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
GREEK COURSES:
GK 1000: INTRODUCTORY ANCIENT GREEK (Wood)
This is an intensive course by the end of which students will have a firm grasp of Ancient Greek grammar. Those students with OAC or Grade 12U level Ancient Greek must consult the Department before registering for this course.
Antirequisite: Former Greek 022
3 lecture hours; 1.0 course
To view the course outline click here
GK 2000: ADVANCED ANCIENT GREEK (Steinbock)
A continuation of Greek 1000, including grammar study and translation of selections from original Greek texts.
Prerequisite: Greek 1000
Antirequisite: The former Greek 222
3 lecture hours; 1.0 course
To view the course outline click here
GK 3100A: ANCIENT GREEK PROSE SELECTIONS (Stocking)
The central text for this course is Xenophon’s account of the Tyranny of the Thirty in his Hellenica. Other texts related to this bloody period of Athenian history will be added as time permits. A review of Greek grammar and some prose composition will complement the translation and discussion of our main text.
Prerequisite: Greek 2000 (The former Greek 222) or permission of the Department.
Antirequisite: The former Greek 360a/b
3 lecture hours; 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
GK 3200B: GREEK POETRY SELECTIONS (Suksi)
The central text for this course is Homer’s Odyssey. Other Greek poetic texts will be added as time permits. A review of grammar and metre will complement the translation and discussion of the poetry and its place in the Greek poetic corpus.
Prerequisite: Greek 2000 (Former Greek 222) or permission of the Department.
Antirequisite: Former Greek 310a/b
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
To view the course outline click here
LATIN COURSES:
LA 1000: INTRODUCTORY LATIN (Meyer-Section 001, Wood 002/ Carter 003)
Although Latin is of value to students of history, science, theology and the romance languages, it is well worth studying for its own great intrinsic merit and beauty. This beginners’ course extends up to and beyond the current OAC or Grade 12U level. Those students with OAC or Grade 12U level Latin must consult the Department before registering for this course.
Antirequisite: The former Latin 022
3 lecture hours, 1.0 course
To view the course outline for section 001 click here
To view the course outline for section 002 click here
To view the course outline for section 003 click here
LA 2000: ADVANCED LATIN (Roberts)
This course completes the study of forms and grammatical material not covered in the beginners’ course and introduces students to the works of Latin authors.
Prerequisite: Latin 1000 (The former Latin 022) or permission of the Department.
Antirequisite: The former Latin 222
3 lecture hours; 1.0 course
To view the course outline click here
LA 3100A/4903A: LATIN PROSE SELECTIONS (Nousek)
The purpose of this course is twofold: to strengthen students' understanding of the fundamentals of Latin syntax and morphology, and to develop skills for reading Latin prose independently. The course will include a review of Latin grammar learned in previous courses and will focus on selections from Latin authors in the Republican and/or early Imperial period, and will include supporting language study. As time permits, we will also discuss the relevant cultural and historical context in which these texts were produced.
Prerequisite: Latin 2000 (The former Latin 222), or permission of the Department.
Antirequisite: The former Latin 350a/b
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
To view the course outline for LA3100A click here
To view the course outline for LA4903A click here
LA 3200B/4904B: LATIN POETRY SELECTIONS (Pogorzelski)
A selection of Latin poetry, primarily Catullus. In addition to translation and grammar, attention will be given to style, metre, interpretation, and other aspects.
Prerequisite: Latin 2000 (The former Latin 222), or permission of the Department.
Antirequisite: The former Latin 310a/b
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
To view the course outline for LA3200B click here
To view the course outline for LA4904B click here
PHILOSOPHY COURSES:
PHIL 2200F: ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY (Hill-Section 001/ TBA-Section 002)
An introduction to the major currents of philosophical thought in Greek antiquity. Included in the syllabus will be selections from the Pre-Socratic philosophers, the Sophists, and the leaders of the major Hellenistic schools. A significant portion of class time will be devoted to representative work by Plato and Aristotle.
3 hours, 0.5 course