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Undergraduate Calendar Content
2008-2009
CLASSICS AND ANCIENT HISTORY
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Below are brief descriptions for the courses which deal with material in English translation.
Descriptions of Latin and Greek language courses can be found under the GREEK and LATIN course
sections.
INTRODUCTORY LEVEL COURSES
1000 and 2000 level courses are designed for students in the first or second year of their programs,
and may be taken in any order. The courses are open to all students.
CLAS 1323: Introduction to Classical Archaeology: Methods and Theory
3ch (3C) [W]
This course focuses on archaeology as a science. It covers the history of archaeological
investigations, presents the scientific methods used in identifying and excavating a site, and the
scientific analysis of the material remains. Representative examples that illustrate these
scientific advancements are drawn from the major Mediterranean civilizations (Mesopotamian,
Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman) excavated over the last few centuries.
CLAS 1403
The Ancient Greeks
3 ch (3C) [W]
An illustrated introduction to the religion, literature, art and philosophy of the ancient Greeks.
CLAS 1413
The Romans
3 ch (3C) [W]
A survey of the political, military, literary, and architectural achievements of the Romans.
CLAS 1503
Introduction to Mythology: The Gods and Heroes of Greece and Rome
3 ch (3C)
A survey of the myths which helped to shape the life and thought of the classical civilizations of
Greece and Rome. Emphasis will be placed on myths describing the gods and their powers, the
beginnings of the world, the earliest humans, the tales of the heroes, and miraculous experiences in
the lives of ordinary persons. Students who have successfully completed CLAS 3503 may not enroll in
this course.
CLAS 2303
Greek Art and Archaeology
3 ch (3C) [W]
A survey of the major monuments of the art and architecture of the Greeks from the Bronze Age to
the Hellenistic period.
CLAS 2313
Roman Art and Archaeology
3 ch (3C) [W]
A survey of the major monuments of the art and architecture of the Etruscans and the Romans from
the Iron Age to Late Antiquity.
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Introduction to Classical
Archaeology¶
3 ch (3C) [W]¶
How archaeology has
shaped our understanding
of the earliest civilizations
of Europe and the Middle
East, from the romantic
exploits and spectacular
discoveries of early
archaeologists to more
recent developments in
archaeological science and
organization, and how it
continues to contribute to
our knowledge of the
monuments, art and
everyday life of past
societies. ¶
Undergraduate Calendar Content
2008-2009
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CLAS 2903
Sports and Recreation in Greece and Rome
3 ch ( )
An examination of sport and recreational activities among the ancient Greeks and Romans, the ancient
values they reflect and their influence on modern sport in such matters as organization and policing of
events, professionalism, athletes as celebrities, and 'blood ' sports.
ADVANCED CLASSICS COURSES
CLAS 3003
Ancient History: The Greeks from the Bronze Age to the Persian Wars
3 ch (3C) [W]
Focuses on the Birth of Ancient Greece and traces its development to the end of the Archaic period.
Includes: Greek prehistory, the early historical period, the origin of democracy and the crucial defeat
of the Persian invasions of 490 and 480 B.C.
CLAS 3013
Ancient History: Greece in the Classical Age
3 ch (3C) [W]
Studies the social and political history of Greece in the 5th and 4th centuries B.C., including Athens'
rise to cultural and political brilliance, her rivalry with Sparta, and the Greeks' ultimate failure to
resolve their internal conflicts in the face of the Macedonian threat.
CLAS 3023
Ancient History: Alexander and the Hellenistic World
3ch (3C)
The social and political impact of Alexander the Great, his empire and his successors on the
Mediterranean world, down to the Roman conquest.
CLAS 3033
Ancient History: The Rise of the Romans
3 ch (3C) [W]
Rome from its village origins to the conquest of the Mediterranean world. Examines the link between
Rome's diplomacy and wars of expansion, and her internal politics--the early kings, the tensions and
balances of the Republic, and the role of Julius Caesar and others in its collapse by 31 B.C.
CLAS 3043
Ancient History: The Roman Empire
3 ch (3C) [W]
Rome as the capital of western civilization, from the emergence of the imperial system under
Augustus to its final decline in Western Europe in the 5th century A.D. Considers the impact of the
Roman army, administration, culture and law on ancient and modern thought.
CLAS 3053
The Roman Army
3ch (3C) [W]
Examines the development of the Roman legions, from their beginnings as a peasant conscript army
to their imperial conquests and fame as a professional fighting force. Topics discussed include:
organization, armament, strategy and logistics, social impact, the Roman navy, auxiliary forces, and
the legions' significance as a model for modern armies.
CLAS 3073
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2008-2009
Ancient History: Jewish Civilization from the Babylonian Exile to the Great Revolt
3 ch (3C) [W]
An examination of the social, cultural, intellectual and political history of the Jews during the period of
the second temple (516 BCE - 70 CE).
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CLAS 3083
The Byzantine Empire
3 ch (3C) [W]
A historical analysis of Byzantine civilization from its emergence from the Late Roman Empire to its
medieval zenith under Basil II (r. 976-1025). Topics include the development of a distinctive
Byzantine culture, its interaction with Western Europe, confrontation with Islam and its civilizing role
in Eastern Europe.
CLAS 3303
Classical Archaeology
3 ch (3C) [W]
A study of the material culture of Ancient Greece within a mythological, political, social and economic
context. Prerequisite: CLAS 2303, or permission of the instructor.
CLAS 3313: Field School in Classical Archaeology
3ch (3C) [W]
This course is an introduction to archaeological field techniques through participation in a field
research project in the Classical lands. It introduces students to survey methods, excavation
techniques, documentation/recording of field procedures, recovery of artifacts, and their
preparation for storage.
CLAS 3323: Byzantine Art and Archaeology
3ch (3C) [W]
This course presents an overview of the principle monuments and artistic forms of Byzantium
from AD 324 to the fall of the empire in AD 1453 and examines how these cultural
manifestations reflect contemporary political and religious attitudes.
CLAS 3373
Pompeii and Herculaneum
3 ch (3C) [W]
A study of the physical remains of the area around Mt Vesuvius, concentrating on Pompeii,
Herculaneum and the nearby villas. Topics discussed include: town planning, architectural
development, local politics, Roman wall painting, domestic and public space.
CLAS 3403
The Comic Theatre of Greece and Rome
3 ch (3C) [W]
The development of comedy from the kômos in Greece; the reading, in English translation, of an Old
Comedy by Aristophanes, a satyr-play by Euripides and a New Comedy by Menander; the
development of comedy in Rome through the reading of plays by Plautus and Terence. The history of
the theatre, its changing structure, conventions, the production of plays and their performance and
the festivals at which they were performed.
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Greek Art¶
3 ch ( ) [W]¶
A study of the art of
ancient Greece. Examines
topics in vase painting,
free standing and relief
sculpture and the minor
arts from their earliest
beginnings to the
Hellenistic Age.
Prerequisite: CLAS 2303,
or permission of the
instructor. ¶
CLAS 3363¶
Roman Art¶
3 ch (3C) [W]¶
A study of the art of
ancient Rome. Examines
topics in wall painting,
relief and free standing
sculpture and the minor
arts in the Roman
Mediterranean from their
earliest beginnings to the
Late Roman Empire.
Prerequisite: CLAS 2313,
or permission of the
instructor. ¶
Undergraduate Calendar Content
2008-2009
CLAS 3413
The Tragic Theatre of Greece and Rome
3 ch (3C) [W]
The history of the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens and a survey of the origins of Greek tragedy; the
reading in English translation of a representative sample of the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles and
Euripides; the dramatic festivals at which they were performed, the production and performance of
the plays, the dramatic conventions. The role of the serious theatre in Rome; a tragedy of Seneca, in
English translation, is read. Prerequisite: CLAS 1503, or permission of the instructor.CLAS 3423
The Hero in Ancient Epic
3 ch (3C) [W]
An exploration of the hero through a survey of Greek and Latin epic, including the works of Homer,
Apollonius, Virgil and Statius. While the emphasis is on a literary appraisal, aspects of history, religion
and society will also be used to examine the changing nature of the hero and heroism in ancient
society. Prerequisite: CLAS 1503, or permission of the instructor.
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CLAS 3503
The Greek Gods and Their Cults
3 ch (3C) [W]
The Greek myths of creation and the Greek gods and their mythology. The historical origins of the
gods, the development of Greek religion from pre-historic times. Parallels are adduced from Middle
Eastern mythologies. Major Greek religious sites are illustrated. Prerequisite: CLAS 1503, or
permission of the instructor.
CLAS 3523
The Mythology and Religion of the Romans
3 ch (3C) [W]
A study of the legends surrounding the foundation and growth of early Rome and of the Italian gods.
Roman religion is studied under such headings as prayer, sacrifice, divination, the religious year and
calendar, priests and emperor-worship. [Not open to students who received credit for CLAS 4023.]
CLAS 3703
Socrates
3 ch (3C/S) [W]
Examines the central intellectual, political, religious and social controversies of the Golden Age of
Greece (450-350 BC), by focussing on Socrates in conflict with both the citizens of Athens and the
new professional teachers, the “Sophists”.
CLAS 3723
Ancient Science
3ch (3C) [W]
An examination of the development of scientific theory and practice among the ancient Greeks and
Romans.
CLAS 3733
Ancient Philosophers
3 ch (3C) [W]
A survey of the various forms of philosophical literature produced in the classical civilizations of Greece
and Rome.
CLAS 3803
The Graeco-Roman Background of the New Testament
3 ch (3C) [W]
Examines the social, literary, philosophical and religious milieu in which the writing of the New
Testament took place.
CLAS 3813
The Early Church
3ch (3C) [W]
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Undergraduate Calendar Content
2008-2009
The history of Christianity from the apostles to the fifth century: its organization and doctrinal
development, and its interaction with Roman civil authority and paganism.
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2008-2009
CLAS 3903
Women in Ancient Greece
3 ch (3C) [W]
Examines the portrayal of women in ancient Greek literature and the realities of women’s lives as
reconstructed from the historical, legal, and archaeological records.
CLAS 3913
Love and Sexuality in Greece and Rome
3 ch (3C) [W]
A study of Greek and Roman attitudes towards love and sexuality. Literary and artistic evidence will be
used to explain why scenes of erotica were widely on display within the ancient home and in the public
realm. Analysis of these attitudes in their own context will be combined with a discussion of how they
relate to modern values and gender issues. Topics include social morality, homosexuality, marriage
and adultery, erotic art, fertility rituals, and pornography.
CLAS 3923
Roman Law
3 ch (3C) [W]
A survey of the development and practice of the Roman legal system, upon which all modern civil law
systems are based. Topics include: sources of Roman law and legal institutions; legal procedure;
Roman legal concepts (persons, property, obligations, succession); equity and social change in legal
reform; survival and modern revival.
CLAS 4063
Caesar Augustus: Architect of the Roman Empire
3 ch (3C/S) [W]
A seminar dealing with the controversial career of Caesar Augustus, from his unexpected rise to power
to his establishment of the Imperial system of government at Rome, through systematic analysis of
the primary sources, using the Res Gestae, Augustus' own public statement of his achievements, as a
starting point. Prerequisite: CLAS 3043, or permission of the instructor.
CLAS 4303
Topography and Monuments of Athens
3 ch (3S) [W]
A seminar on the topography and monuments of Athens and environs from the Bronze Age to late
Antiquity, based on the archaeological, literary and epigraphic sources. Prerequisite: CLAS 2303, or
permission of the instructor.
CLAS 4313
Topography and Monuments of Rome
3 ch (3S) [W]
A seminar on the topography and monuments of Rome from the Iron Age to Late Antiquity, based on
the archaeological, literary and epigraphic sources. Prerequisite: CLAS 2313, or permission of the
instructor.
CLAS 4333: Greek & Roman Housing
3ch (3C) [W]
This course examines the Greek and Roman dwelling from the Iron Age to Late Antiquity by
studying the architectural developments in plan, construction techniques and adornment through
the material remains and literary evidence. A special emphasis is placed on the sociopolitical
and economic factors that influenced domestic design, as well as the current methods of analyses
of material remains that shed light on the function and distribution of space within the household,
the relationship between gender and space, domestic cult practices, household economy, and
regional diversity in domestic organization. Prerequisites: CLAS 2303 and 2313
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2008-2009
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CLAS 4353: Greek Sculpture
3ch (3C) [W]
This course examines Greek sculpture, free-standing and relief, from the Archaic period through
the Classical and Hellenistic. Special emphasis will be placed on the development of the human
form and the representation of pose, as well as the problems of pedimental construction. Material
from contemporary arts, such as pottery, will also be used to illustrate the course. Prerequisite:
CLAS 2303
CLAS 4363: Roman Sculpture
3ch (3C) [W]
This course looks at free-standing and monumental sculpture of Ancient Rome, both as an art
form and as a socio-political phenomenon. Special attention is paid to imperial portraiture and
questions of ideology in both the public and private realms. Prerequisite: CLAS 2313
CLAS 5003
Directed Studies in Classics
3 ch (3C) [W]
A detailed study of a specific area of Classical Studies. Uses primary sources (in translation) to
illuminate the chosen topic. Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
CLAS 5013
Directed Studies in Archaeology
3 ch (3C) [W]
A detailed study of a specific area of Greek or Roman archaeology. Prerequisites: Permission of the
instructor.
OVERSEAS COURSES
CLAS 2643
Rome: the Eternal City I
3ch
An introduction to the history of Rome from ancient times to the Renaissance. Taught on location in
Italy. Students may not receive credit for both CLAS 2643 and 3643. Travel costs not included in
tuition.
CLAS 3603
The Art and Architecture of Greece I
3 ch [W]
A study of the art and architecture of Greece organized around visits to important archaeological sites
and major museums in Greece. Travel costs not included in tuition.
CLAS 3613
Mythology and Archaeology I
3 ch [W]
The mythology and cults of the Greek gods, seen in the context of the archaeological remains of some
of their major cult centres, and the Mycenaean origins of the sagas of the Greek heroes from the focus
of this course. Travel costs not included in tuition.
CLAS 3623
The Art and Architecture of Greece II
3 ch [W]
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Directed study of selected topics in Greek art and architecture undertaken through visits to important
monuments, archaeological sites and museums in Greece. Travel costs not included in tuition.
CLAS 3633
The Art &Architecture of Imperial Rome
3 ch [W]
A study of the art and architecture of Classical Rome organized around visits to important monuments,
archaeological sites and museums in Italy. Travel costs not included in tuition.
CLAS 3643
Rome: from Ancient Times to the Renaissance
3ch (3C)
A study of the ancient and mediaeval history of the city of Rome, through on-site examination of the
material remains. Students may not receive credit for both CLAS 2643 and 3643. Travel costs not
included in tuition.
CLAS 3653
Mythology and Archaeology II
3 ch [W]
Directed study of selected topics in the mythology and cults of the Greek gods undertaken through
study of the archaeological remains of major cult centres in Greece. Travel costs not included in
tuition.
CLAS 3663
Religion in Ancient Rome
3 ch [W]
A study of religion in Rome from its pagan origins to the rise of Christianity in the late Empire, based
on first-hand examination in Rome of temples, altars, churches, sculpture, inscriptions and other
material in situ and in museums. Travel costs not included in tuition.
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CLAS 3673
Ancient Cities and Civilizations of Western Turkey: Myth, Cult and History
3 ch [W]
A study of the history and civilizations of western Asia Minor, in particular the Hittite, Lydian and
Graeco-Roman. Myth, cult and history are introduced in varying degrees as appropriate to the various
sites visited during the tour. Particular attention is paid to the Greek cities of the Aegean coast, their
sanctuaries, public buildings and theatres. Travel costs not included in tuition.
CLAS 3683
The Art and Architecture of Asia Minor: Hellenistic, Roman and Early Christian
3 ch [W]
A survey of the art and architecture of Asia Minor, organized around visits to important archaeological
sites and major museums in Turkey, and studying selected remains from the Hellenistic, Roman and
early Christian periods, including sculpture, temple architecture, and examples of the early Christian
basilica. Travel costs not included in tuition.
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