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Professors: Robert D. Brown (Chair), M. Rachel Kitzingerab, Robert L. Pounder (Assistant to the President); Assistant Professor: J. Bertrand Lott; Visiting Assistant Professor: Rachel Friedman; Blegan Research Fellow: Kathryn Chew (University of California, Irvine).
abAbsent on leave for the year.
Students may concentrate in Greek or Latin or elect a correlate
sequence in Greek, Latin, or Classical Studies.
Requirement for Concentration in Greek: 10 units, to include Classics 216 and 217, Greek 297.01 (1/2 unit), 297.02 (1/2 unit), and 300, and at least 2 other units of Greek at the 300
level.
Requirement for Concentration in Latin: 10 units, to include Classics 218 and 219, Latin 297.01 (1/2 unit), 297.02 (1/2 unit), and 300, and at least 2 other units of Latin at the 300
level.
Senior Year Requirement: Greek 300 or Latin 300, depending on the language of concentration.
Correlate Sequences in Greek, Latin, or Classical Studies:
Requirements for Correlate Sequences in Greek or Latin: 6 units, to include 5 units of either Greek or Latin, of which
at least one must be at the 300 level; 1 unit chosen from the
Vassar curriculum in consultation with a departmental adviser;
in addition to courses offered by the Department of Classics,
possible choices include Art 210, 211, 310, Drama 221, Philosophy
101, and 305 (if relevant).
Requirements for Correlate Sequence in Classical Studies: 6 units, to include one year of either Greek or Latin; any one
of Classics 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, and 105; any two of Classics
216, 217, 218, 219; and either Classics 300 or 310 or an approved
300-level course in another department, such as Philosophy 305
(if relevant).
Those interested in completing a correlate sequence should consult
as soon as possible with a member of the department to plan their
course of studies.
Any course offered by the Department of Classics may be elected
(by non-majors only) under the NRO. Courses elected under the
NRO before the declaration of the major will be counted toward
the major.
Recommendations: For graduate study, command of both classical languages is essential;
a reading knowledge of French and German is also desirable.
Advisers: The department.
A. Courses in Classical Civilization
I. Introductory
100a or b. The Blegen Lecture Course (1)
The course is offered by the Blegen Distinguished Visiting Research
Professor or the Blegen Research Fellow in Classics, appointed
annually to pursue research and lecture on his/her scholarly concerns
in classical antiquity. We encourage students to take note of
the fact that each Blegen Lecture Course is uniquely offered and
will not be repeated. Since the topic changes every year, the
course may be taken for credit more than once. Offered in 1999/00
is 100a.
100a. The Blegen Lecture Course: "Representations of Women in
Late (1)
Antiquity"
This course investigates the lives and representations of women
during the mid to late Roman empire, an often neglected period,
but one significant for the transition of women from classical
to medieval times. We explore literary and legal sources and examine
the evidence from material culture for issues relevant to women,
both socially, such as marriage, literacy, health and employment,
and personally, such as religion, Christian asceticism, chastity,
sexuality and suffering. Also of interest are women's rolesphysician,
merchant, prostitute, priestess, empress, holy woman, wife. We
consider how women participated in the social and historical movements
of the time and how these movements both shaped women's lives
and opened up opportunities for changes in their lives. The readings
include a selection of primary texts (historians, novels, saints'
lives) and scholarly books and articles. Ms. Chew.
Open to all classes.
101a. Civilization in Question (1)
(Same as College Course 101)
[102b. Tragedy and the Athenian Polis] (1)
This course studies a number of plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles,
and Euripides to understand tragedy both as a dramatic genre and
as a critique of the social, religious, political, and familial
structures of Athens in the fifth century B.C.E. All materials
are in English translation. Ms. Kitzinger.
Open to all classes.
Not offered in 1999/00.
[103a The Culture of War] (1)
Warfare was ingrained in the civilizations of Greece and Rome
and figures prominently in their mythology and literature. This
course examines literary accounts of two "epic" warsone mythical,
the other historicalthat allow us to consider the experience and
social impact of war from contrasting perspectives. We begin with
the myth of the Trojan War as represented in Homer's Iliad, the Trojan Women of Euripides, and Vergil's Aeneid. Topics include the value system of the Homeric warrior, its testing
in battle, and the importance of female characters such as Helen
and Andromache. We turn then to the Second Punic War between Rome
and Carthage (218-201 BCE) as narrated in Livy's History of Rome. In addition to analysis of military strategy and tactics, topics
include the social construction of Roman manhood, the portrayal
of Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, and Sophonisba, and the repercussions
of the war upon women, slaves, and other noncombatants. Comparison
between these fictional and historical accounts serves as a basis
for exploring the universal realities of war and their different
forms of literary expression. Mr. Brown
Not offered in 1999/00.
[104a. Male and Female in Greek and Roman Literature and Myth]
(1)
This course explores the way male and female roles are defined
and viewed in ancient literature in both the private sphere of
the family and in the public sphere. In addition to discussing
literary texts where gender roles are central to the content,
we put the definitions and points of view expressed in these texts
next to the evidence for the actual conditions of daily life,
as far as they can be reconstructed, and next to the constructions
of gender which emerge in myths about divine figures. Literary
texts we read may include the Odyssey, the Orestia, poems of Sappho,
Sophocles' Women of Trachis, Euripides' Hippolytus, Arisivophanes' Lysistrata and Women of the Assembly, Plato's Symposium, poems of Catullus, Propertius, and Tibullus, plays of Plautus
and Terence, Ovid's Art of Love and love poems, and Apuleius' Golden Ass. In addition, we look at speeches from law courts and archaeological
remains as evidence for daily life and the Homeric Hymns and Ovid's
Metamorphoses for the comparative evidence of divine models. Instructor to be
announced.
Not offered in 1999/00.
l05b. The Rome of Caesar Augustus: Politics, Art, and the (1)
Creation of the Empire
The rise and reign of the first Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus
(43 BCE-14CE), was an age of complex contradictions, nuanced evolutions,
and ongoing experimentation. It stood between Republic and Empire,
when "liberty" became dynastic monarchy. It was marked by domestic
harmony, economic growth, and government sponsored cultural excellence
in the arts; it was also a time of imperial conquests, book burnings,
and the brutal repression of political opponents, including Augustus's
own daughter and granddaughter. This class approaches the Rome
of Augustus from several directions, considering history, literature,
art architecture, religion, the economy, and politics. We read
Augustus's autobiographical epitaph; the works of Virgil, Horace,
and Ovid; and the historical and biographical treatments of Velleius,
Tacitus, and Suetonius. More humble inscriptions left to us by
the urban populace are also an important source for the period.
Finally we evaluate the claim that Augustus "found Rome a city
of brick and left it a city of marble" by considering his major
building projects and the programmatic reshaping of Rome into
a capital city for the Emperor and the Empire. Mr. Lott.
180b. The Myth of Troy (1)
The course surveys the treatment of the Trojan War myth in Greek
literature. Discussion and writing assignments focus on heroes
and heroines such as Achilles, Hector, and Helen and the moral
dilemmas with which they are faced. Readings include Homer's Iliad and selected tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
Mr. Brown.
Open to freshmen only.
II. Intermediate
[210b. Greek Art and Architecture] (1)
(Same as Art 210)
Not offered in 1999/00.
211a. Roman Art and Architecture (1)
(Same as Art 211)
216a. The Formation of Greek Culture: Greece from the Bronze Age
(1)
through the Persian Wars
(Same as History 216) A survey of Greek history from the Bronze
Age to the end of the Persian Wars is combined with intensive
study of selected problems and texts, especially Herodotus' Histories. Topics include: Greek interaction with its Mediterranean neighbors
in the Bronze Age and Orientalizing Period; the institutions of
early Sparta; Hoplite warfare; tyranny and the beginnings of democracy;
Herodotus' Hellenism defined in relation to Egypt and Persia;
Delphi; Olympia; and sixth-century Athens. Mr. Lott.
Prerequisite: 1 unit in Classics, Greek, or Latin, or 1 unit in
history.
[217a. Democracy and Imperialism: Athenian Democracy, (1)
The Peloponnesian Wars, and the Aftermath]
(Same as History 217) A survey of Greek history from the end of
the Persian Wars to the rise of Macedon is combined with intensive
study of selected problems and texts, especially Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian Wars. Topics include: the growth of Athenian imperialism; social and
constitutional history of Athens; Aristophanic comedy; sophistic
thought and the Platonic response; the trial of Socrates; the
Athenian agora; and the diffusion of Hellenism through the conquests
of Alexander the Great. Mr. Lott.
Prerequisite: 1 unit in Classics, Greek, or Latin, or 1 unit in
history.
Not offered in 1999/00.
218b. Republican Rome: From the Foundation through (1)
the Age of Augustus
(Same as History 218) A survey of Roman history from its beginnings
to the death of Augustus, as revealed in the writings of historians
such as Livy, Polybius, Sallust, and Caesar, as well as other
literary and nonliterary ancient sources. Topics include: the
evolution of the Roman constitution; the status of nobles, equestrians,
plebeians, women, slaves, and foreigners in the social hierarchy;
Roman warfare and the struggle with Carthage for supremacy in
the western Mediterranean; the influence of Greece on Roman literature,
thought, and private life; abuses of Roman government; and the
political strife that led to the collapse of the Republic and
the establishment of autocracy under Julius Caesar and Augustus.
Mr. Lott.
Prerequisite: 1 unit in Classics, Greek, or Latin, or 1 unit in
history.
[219b. The Roman Empire: From the Julio-Claudian Era through the
Fall] (1)
(Same as History 219) A survey of Roman history from the first
emperors to the dissolution of the empire, as revealed in the
writings of historians such as Tacitus, Suetonius, and Ammianus
Marcellinus as well as other literary and nonliterary ancient
sources. Topics include: the developing relations of the emperor
and imperial family with the senate, army, and people; politics,
intrigue, and excess amongst the wealthy classes; private life
as illustrated by archaeological discoveries at Pompeii and elsewhere;
the diverse provinces of the empire, from Britain to North Africa
and from Spain to Judaea; social, intellectual, and religious
changes (culminating in the triumph of Christianity); and the
reasons for the decline and fall of the western empire and the
survival of Byzantium. Mr. Lott.
Prerequisite: 1 unit in Classics, Greek, or Latin, or 1 unit in
history.
Not offered in 1999/00.
300a or b. Seminar in Classical Civilization (1)
The seminar treats a significant topic in Greek and Roman history
and culture through the study of literary sources and their theoretical
constructs. Possible topics include: orality and literacy; comparative
mythology; gender and status; slavery; cults and sanctuaries;
sexuality; insiders and outsiders. Since the topic changes every
year, the course may be taken for credit more than once.
Topic for 1999/00a: Model Lives: Greek and Roman Biography. The development of classical biography from its origins in the
fourth century BCE to late antiquity and beyond. How do the ancient
biographers conceive of a "life" and to which of its aspects do
they attach the chief significance? What was the purpose of their
work? To what standard of truthfulness do they conform? How would
a classical author write the life of a 20th-century luminary?
Readings include lives of political, philosophical, artistic,
and religious figures by Xenophon, Plutarch, Suetonius, Diogenes
Laertius, and others. We also consider how the Gospels fit into the biographical tradition and read a modern biography
for comparison. Mr Brown.
[310b. Seminar in Ancient Art]
(Same as Art 310)
Not offered in 1999/00.
[381b. Crosscurrents: (Multi)cultural Interaction in the Ancient
(1)
Mediterranean]
(Same as History 381b.) The axiom of Ancient History that navigable
water enables communication is nowhere so true as with the Mediterranean
sea, around which grew up in antiquity the cultures of, e.g.,
Egypt, Greece, Rome, Asia Minor, Syria, and North Africa. This
course examines the development of civilization around the ancient
Mediterranean from the earliest cultures of Mesopotamia and Egypt
(c. 3000 BCE) to the late antique world of Christianity and Islam
(c. 700 CE). We use such topics as trade, migration, immigration,
conquest, and imperialism to address questions like: How do cultures
"interact?" What does it mean for one culture to "borrow" from
another? What "belongs" to a culture? How do cultures conceive
of their debts to, and interactions with, other cultures? Particularly,
the class reexamines Greece's relationship to Egypt in light of
the controversy surrounding Martin Bernal's Black Athena. In the end we will understand better the complex unfolding of
Mediterranean civilization that led to Medieval Europe, the Byzantine
East, and Islamic North Africa, Spain, and Syria. Mr. Lott.
Prerequisite: Juniors and seniors with at least one 200-level
course in history or classics; others by permission of instructor.
Not offered in 1999/00.
B. Courses in Greek Language and Literature
I. Introductory
105a-106b. Elementary Greek (1)
Introduction to the language. Readings in the New Testament and
Plato.
Open to all classes; four 50-minute periods. Ms. Friedman.
II. Intermediate
215a. Fifth- and Fourth-Century Literature (1)
Authors may include Sophokles, Euripides, Xenophon, Lysias and
Plato. In addition to consolidating knowledge of grammar, the
selection of passages brings into focus important aspects of Athenian
culture.
Prerequisite: Greek 105-106 or by permission of instructor.
230b. Archaic Literature (1)
Authors may include Homer and Homeric Hymns, Hesiod, lyric poets,
and Herodotus, as the first prose writer. Selections allow discussion
of the interrelationship of poetic forms in this period and the
growth of prose out of oral poetry. Social, religious, and political
issues surrounding the texts are discussed. Mr. Lott.
Prerequisite: Greek 215 or by permission of instructor.
Reading Courses
297.01a or b. Mythology and Religion (1/2)
Readings on the mythology and religion of Greece.
Prerequisite: declaration of a Greek major or correlate sequence,
or by permission of instructor.
297.02a or b. Literary History (1/2)
Readings on the literary history of Greece.
Prerequisite: declaration of a Greek major or correlate sequence,
or by permission of instructor.
298a or b. Independent Work (1/2 or 1)
III. Advanced
Greek 300 and 301 are offered every year, 302 and 303 in alternation;
the topic of 301 changes annually. Prerequisite for all advanced
courses: 2 units in 200 level courses in the language or by permission
of instructor.
300a or b. Senior Project (1)
301b. Topics in Greek Literature (1)
This course involves close reading of texts from a single genre
or author or texts which have a common thematic interest. Study
of the texts and of secondary material allows us to explore various
features of ancient society. For example, the course might take
as its topic a genre such as Greek history or comedy, the ouevre
of a single author such as Pindar or Plato, or a theme such as
the depiction of foreigners, the Greek sophists, or the tradition
of the funeral oration. Since the topic changes every year, the
course may be taken for credit more than once.
Topic for 1999/00: The Invention of History: How did the Greeks preserve and thus formulate their memory of
seminal events in their past? In this course we examine the emergence
of a historiographical tradition in Greece. While our focus is
on Herodotus as "the Father of History," we examine him in the
context of both his predecessors and his successors. We pay particular
attention to understanding how the new genre of history was influenced
by Homeric epic and works in the geographical tradition including
Hecataeus. We end the course with readings from Thucydides to
see how his work responds to and challenges the model of historical
writing established by Herodotus.
[Greek 302a. Euripides] (1)
A reading of a play of Euripides. Careful study of the texts helps
us understand Euripides' reputation as a playwright who challenged
the dramatic conventions of Greek tragedy, as well as the social,
political and religious assumptions of his audience. Ms. Friedman.
Not offered in 1999/00.
303a. Sophocles (1)
A reading of a play of Sophocles. In addition to studying closely
Sophokles' style and dramatic technique, we consider how the play
examines and responds to the historical, social and political
conditions of Athens at the time of the play's production.
399a or b. Senior Independent Work (1/2 or 1)
C. Courses in Latin Language and Literature
I. Introductory
105a-106b. Elementary Latin (1)
Introduction to the language. Readings in classical prose and
poetry. Mr. Brown.
Open to all classes; four 50-minute periods.
II. Intermediate
215a. Republican Literature (1)
Authors may include Plautus, Terence, Caesar, and Sallust. The
selection of readings is designed to consolidate knowledge of
grammar, provide an introduction to the translation of continuous,
unadapted Latin, and highlight interesting features of Roman culture
in the last two centuries of the Republic. Ms. Friedman.
220b. Literature of the Empire (1)
Authors may include Horace, Livy, Ovid, Seneca, Petronius, and
Suetonius. Readings are selected to illustrate the diversity of
literary forms that flourished in the early Empire and the interaction
of literature with society, politics, and private life. Ms. Chew.
Reading Courses
297.01a or b. Mythology and Religion (1/2)
Readings on the mythology and religion of Rome.
Prerequisite: declaration of a Latin major or correlate sequence,
or special permission.
297.02a or b. Literary History (1/2)
Readings on the literary history of Rome.
Prerequisite: declaration of a Latin major or correlate sequence,
or special permission.
298a or b. Independent Work (1/2 or 1)
III. Advanced
Latin 300 and 301 are offered every year, 302-304 in rotation;
the topic of 301 changes annually. Prerequisite for all advanced
courses: 2 units in 200-level courses in the language or special
permission.
300a or b. Senior Project (1)
301b. Topics in Latin Literature (1)
The course involves close reading of texts from a single genre
or author or texts which have a common thematic interest. Study
of the texts and of secondary material allows us to explore various
features of ancient society. For example, the course might take
as its topic a genre such as Roman satire or the Roman novel,
the relationship between the diverse works of a single author
like Horace or Seneca, or a theme such as the depiction of slaves,
the evolution of love poetry, or Roman attitudes toward death.
Since the topic changes every year, the course may be taken for
credit more than once.
Topic for 1999/00: The Latin Love Elegy: The genre of elegiac love poetry is studied through a sample of
poems by Propertius, Tibullus, and Ovid. Discussion centers on
the interpretation of individual poems and the differing sensibilities
of the three poets but also embraces the literary, social, and
political milieu of Augustan Rome. Mr Brown.
[302a. Vergil] (1)
Selections from the Eclogues, Georgics, or Aeneid of Rome's greatest poet. Subjects of study include the artistry
of the Vergilian hexameter, the relationship of Vergil's works
to their Greek models, and general topics such as his conception
of destiny, religion, and the human relation to nature. Mr. Brown
Not offered in 1999/00.
303a. Tacitus (1)
Close readings from the works of the imperial historian and ethnographer
Tacitus. In connection with further developing students' reading
skills, the class focuses on particular literary, cultural, or
historical issues. Mr. Lott.
[304. Catullus and Cicero] (1)
Poems of Catullus are read in relation to Cicero's speech, Pro Caelio and against the social and literary background of contemporary
Rome. Comparison between these authors' separate portrayals of
Clodia/Lesbia leads into discussion of the personal mores, forensic oratory, and poetic innovations of the late Republic.
399a or b. Senior Independent Work (1/2 or 1) |
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