GRST 184 - Caesar and Cleopatra: Imagining Rome and Egypt

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII are two of the most famous figures from the ancient Mediterranean today, and yet the legends that swirled around them have often obscured their goals and actions during their lifetimes. What evidence do we actually have for these two polarizing figures, and how have their reputations developed over time? In this class, we will read the ancient evidence for both Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, from Caesar’s own writings to Roman poetry to laws passed while Cleopatra was the queen of Egypt. We will then look ahead to the depictions of both Caesar and Cleopatra in art and literature after their deaths, including the opinions of later Romans and Greeks in the ancient world; Shakespeare’s depictions of Caesar and Cleopatra; and the images of both figures in modern film and other media. As we see these figures and their societies reinterpreted and imagined over the centuries we will discuss major themes such as the ethnic stereotyping of ancient Egypt, gendered assumptions about the ancient world, and the image of Caesar in modern fascism, as well as the relationship between biography and history and the place of larger-than-life figures in our historical narratives. Carolyn Tobin.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS