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Undergraduate Courses 2000-2001
Undergraduate Courses 2001-2002
Undergraduate Courses 2002-2003
Undergraduate Courses 2003-2004
Undergraduate Courses 2004-2005
Undergraduate Courses 2005-2006
Undergraduate Courses 2006-2007
Undergraduate Courses 2007-2008
Courses designated "Classical Civilization" do not require knowledge of Greek or Latin.
Classical Civilization (clcv)
20700. Ancient Mediterranean World I. (=HIST 16700) This course surveys the
social, economic, and political history of Greece from prehistory down to
the Hellenistic period. The main topics considered include the development
of the institutions of the Greek city-state, the Persian Wars and the
rivalry of Athens and Sparta, the social and economic consequences of the
Peloponnesian War, and the eclipse and defeat of the city-states by the
Macedonians. Autumn.
20800. Ancient Mediterranean World II. (=HIST 16800) This course surveys
the social, economic, and political history of Rome, from its prehistoric
beginnings in the twelfth century BCE to the political crisis following the
death of Nero in 68 CE. Throughout, the focus is upon the dynamism and
adaptability of Roman society, as it moved from a monarchy to a republic to
an empire, and the implications of these political changes for structures
of competition and cooperation within the community. Winter.
20900. Ancient Mediterranean World III. (=HIST 16900) This quarter surveys
the five centuries between the establishment of imperial autocracy in 27 BC
and the fall of the Western empire in the fifth century AD. Spring.
21200. History and Theory of Drama I. (=CLAS 31200, CMLT 20500/30500, ENGL
13800/31000, TAPS 28400) May be taken in sequence with ENGL 13900/31100 or
individually. This course is a survey of major trends and theatrical
accomplishments in Western drama from the ancient Greeks through the
Renaissance: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, medieval
religious drama, Marlowe, Shakespeare, and Jonson, along with some
consideration of dramatic theory by Aristotle, Horace, Sir Philip Sidney,
and Dryden. The goal is not to develop acting skill but, rather, to
discover what is at work in the scene and to write up that process in a
somewhat informal report. Students have the option of writing essays or
putting on short scenes in cooperation with other members
of the class. End-of-week workshops, in which individual scenes are read
aloud dramatically and discussed, are optional but highly recommended. D.
Bevington, H. Coleman. Autumn.
21807. Greek Art and Archaeology. (=ARTH 14007) This course is an
introduction to Classical Greek sculpture with particular emphasis on the
terms that Greeks themselves used to describe the confrontation with
images: wonder (thauma), grace (kharis), and complexity (poikilia). We
spend the first half of the course examining these terms and their broad
pertinence to Classical sculpture. We then spend the second half in
detailed consideration of a few monuments (e.g., temple of Zeus at Olympia,
Parthenon and Temple of Athena Nike at Athens, Riace Bronzes, Prokne and
Itys of Alkamenes, Hygeia of Timotheos, Athenian grave stelai produced
during the Peloponnesian War). Texts in English. R. Neer. Winter.
22707. Pompeii. (=ARTH 20600/30500, CLAS 32707) Pompeii is an iconic site
because of its preservation and excavation history. It is tempting but
problematic to treat it as "the" paradigmatic Roman city. When Mount
Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, Pompeii was a small country town well past its
prime and not the home of wealthy and educated aristocrats that the more
aesthetically minded branch of classical scholarship tends to populate it
with. New results on the actual living and economic conditions, such as the
predominance of rented housing, throws a new light on the visual culture of
the city. We discuss Pompeii's urban development and social life in
relation to evolving trends in what is traditionally called "art." P.
White. Autumn.
23207. Ancients and Moderns. (HIST 29903) What does it mean to be "modern"? How much authority and power
does the past have over us? Is there such a thing as progress? Do we live in an age of decline? These were some of the
questions posed by scholars, writers, and artists in the final decades of the seventeenth century in a battle that erupted
almost simultaneously in England and France. Looking back at the Renaissance and at the new natural philosophy of their own time, Europeans began to question the authority of the ancient past. Yet the seventeenth-century “quarrel” was not the first time that Europeans confronted the cultural and intellectual legacy of Greco-Roman antiquity. In this course, we will examine the relationship between ancients and moderns in European history, from the interpretation of myth in archaic Greece to the full-blown classicism and anthropology of the nineteenth century. T. Griggs. Winter.
24306. Byzantine History: 330 to 610. (=CLAS 24306, HIST 21701/31701) This
is a lecture course, with limited discussion, of the formation of early
Byzantine government, society, and culture. Although we survey event and
changes (e.g., external relations), many of the latest scholarly
controversies also receive scrutiny. We also discuss relevant archaeology
and topography. Readings include some primary sources and examples of
modern scholarly interpretations. Texts in English. W. Kaegi. Autumn.
24307. Byzantine History: 610 to 1025. (=CLAS 34307, HIST 21702/31702) This
is a lecture course, with limited discussion, of the principle developments
with respect to government, society, and culture in the Middle Byzantine
Period. Although we survey event and changes (e.g., external relations),
many of the latest scholarly controversies also receive scrutiny. Readings
include some primary sources and examples of modern scholarly
interpretations. Texts in English. W. Kaegi. Spring.
24607. Art and Death in Ancient Greece and Rome. (=ARTH 20407/30407, CLAS
34607) This course focuses on the different representational strategies by
which Greek and Roman societies commemorated their dead, from Archaic Greek
kouros statues and Classical funerary reliefs to grand monuments (e.g., the
original Mausoleum, the rich iconography of Roman sarcophagi, tomb
painting). We examine the socio-political, ritual, and aesthetic factors
influencing each genre of funerary art, focusing on the power of the image
to act as a vehicle of remembrance and sign of loss in the context of
death. V. Platt. Winter.
24700. Art and Aesthetics in the Hellenistic World. (=ARTH 20507/30507,
CLAS 34707) The Hellenistic period (third to first centuries BC) was a time
of extraordinary cultural innovation and experimentation. This course
examines the theory and practice of artistic production and reception in
prominent Hellenistic centers (e.g., Alexandria, Pergamon), exploring
contemporary aesthetic concerns. Topics include the science of vision,
tensions between “high” and “low” art, the rise of portraiture, the
relationship between art and nature, miniaturism and the colossal, the
power of allegory, and interactions between art and text. V. Platt. Spring.
25000. History of Philosophy I: Ancient Philosophy. (=PHIL 25000) PQ:
Completion of the general education requirement in humanities. Open only to
College students. This course examines some of the most influential works
of ancient Greek philosophy, especially the work of Plato and Aristotle.
Topics include the nature and possibility of knowledge and its role in
human life, the nature of the soul, and virtue and its relationship to
happiness. G. Lear. Autumn.
25107. Empire and Enlightenment. (=HIST 20502/30502) The European
Enlightenments were a formative period in modern historiography’s
development. Theirs was also an age in which the expansionist impulse of
European monarchies came under intense philosophical scrutiny on moral,
religious, cultural, and economic grounds. We chart a course through these
debates by focusing in the first instance on Enlightenment histories of
Rome by Montesquieu, Robertson, and Gibbon. We also consider writings on
law, history, and international politics by Vico, Voltaire, Adam Smith, and
others. C. Ando. Spring.
25700. Ancient Empires I: The Neo-Assyrian Empire. (=NEHC 20011) G.
Emberling. Autumn.
25800. Ancient Empires II: The Persian Empire. (=NEHC 20012) Winter.
25807/35807 Cicero's De Finibus and Hellenistic Ethics (Phil 2/32215 LAWS 52401, RETH 34200) is his attempt to sort out the major arguments for and against the ethical theories characteristic of Epicureanism, Stoicism, and the "New Academy." It thus provides us with some of our best information about the views of these schools, as well as with critical arguments of great interest. We will read extracts from the dialogue in Latin, focusing on Epicureanism (Books I and II) and Stoicism (Books III and IV), and we will study the entire work in translation, along with relevant primary sources for the views of the schools (the surviving letters of Epicurus, central texts of Greek and Roman Stoicism). The course will thus aim to provide a solid introduction to the major ethical theories of the Hellenistic period. The course is open to all who have had five quarters of Latin, or equivalent preparation. Translation will always take place during the first hour, and students without Latin are invited to take the course for an R or audit, arriving after that time and doing all the readings in translation. In some cases Independent Study numbers may be arranged for students who want to do some of the course requirements (paper and exam essays) without Latin. M. Nussbaum. Winter.
25900. Ancient Empires III: The Roman Empire. (=NEHC 20013) Spring.
26200. Visual Culture of Roman and Her Empire. (=CLAS 36200) This general
survey of Roman material culture uses the archaeological evidence
complementary to literary sources to delineate the development of Roman
society from the Early Republic down to the first sacking of Rome in 410
CE. Urban planning, public monuments, political imagery, and the visual
world of Roman cities, houses, and tombs are discussed in relationship to
the political and social processes that shaped their formal development. E.
Mayer. Winter.
26607. Traveling Seminar: Greek Sculpture (ARTH 2/30300, CL
CLAS 36607). This Traveling Seminar is open to graduate students and to
advanced undergraduates with backgrounds in Art History or Classics. An
introduction to Greek sculpture with particular emphasis on the terms that
Greeks themselves used to describe the confrontation with images: wonder
(thauma), grace (kharis) and complexity (poikilia). We will spend the
first half of the course examining these terms and their broad pertinence
to Classical sculpture. We will then spend the second half in detailed
consideration of a few monuments, including the temple of Zeus at Olympia,
the Parthenon and Temple of Athena Nike at Athens, the Riace Bronzes, the
Prokne and Itys of Alkamenes, the Hygeia of Timotheos and Athenian grave
stelai produced during the Peloponnesian War. All ancient texts will be
read in translation. Funding has been obtained to permit all participants
to travel to Greece during the week of Spring Break (airfare, hotels,
transportation and museum admissions). During this week we will conduct
intensive study of monuments in situ and in museums; participants will give
presentations on site. Draft papers will be due by the end of 10th week
of Winter Quarter. Final write-ups will be due by the 10th week of Spring
Quarter. Enrollment: Limited to 8. Permission of instructor required.
Those interested should send applications (not more than two paragraphs) to
rtneer@uchicago.edu by 19 October 2007. R. Neer. Spring.
26707. Money in Ancient Greece from Homer to Alexander. (=CLAS 36707)
Coinage has become a minor form of money. But for many centuries, money and
coinage were nearly synonymous. In fact the introduction of coinage is
often considered to be one of the greatest achievements of the ancient
Greeks. This course examines the several forms of coinage and money in the
archaic, classical, and beginning of the Hellenistic period. Our goal is to
address the social and economic background of the phenomenon and its
revolutionary consequences for the ancient Greek world. A. Bresson. Spring.
26907. Slavery in Ancient Greece and Rome. (= Hist ######, CLAS 36907) Classical Greece and Rome rank among the few civilizations in world history in which slavery permeated all aspects of society. In this course, we will explore slavery in ancient Greece and Rome in its social, cultural, and economic contexts. We will focus not only on evidence and problems specific to ancient history, but also on comparisons of slavery in the ancient world with slavery in more recent (and better documented) slave societies. C. Hawkins. Winter.
27200/37200. Aeneid in Translation. (=CMLT 28001/38001, FNDL 26611) We
confront Virgil’s Aeneid in translation as a poem, as an artifact and
representation of Greco-Roman culture, as a response to a millennial oral
(Homeric) poetic tradition and a particular historical (Augustan) moment,
as a reflection of ancient thought rich with significance for contemporary
questions about human life, and as a central piece of world literature.
Readings include comparative study of English poetic translations ranging
from early modernity (Caxton, Douglas, Phayer, Surrey, and Dryden) to the
twentieth century (Taylor, Lewis, Jackson Knight, Mandelbaum, and
Fitzgerald) and beyond (Lombardo and Fagles). Students who are majoring in
Comparative Literature compare versions of a book of the Aeneid in at least
two languages. D. Wray. Winter.
27400. Ancient Greek Drama and Performance Criticism. (=CLAS 37400) This
course offers a selection of ancient texts and contemporary studies that
address theatrical issues in tragedy and comedy. Topics include props,
costumes, space, and movement. The goal is to acquire a critical awareness
of the challenges and possibilities offered by these approaches for an
interpretation of Greek plays in the context of performance. F.
Barrenechea. Spring.
28300. Ephron Seminar. The goal of this annual seminar of changing context
is to promote innovative course design. Examples of past topics are gender,
death, violence, and law in the ancient world. Spring.
28407. The Archaeology of the Roman Economy. (=ARTH 20907/30907, CLAS
38407) In the absence of good documentary evidence, the functioning of the
economy is one of the least understood aspects of Roman society.
Archaeological evidence, even though anecdotal, provides a helpful picture.
When used in conjunction with global and representative scientific data on
air pollution, pollen profiles, and bone analysis, the increasingly
sophisticated remains of dams, watermills, olive presses, garum factories,
and mines help explain the drastic changes in ancient urbanism that
occurred in the late Hellenistic period. E. Mayer. Winter.
28707. Empire. (=BPRO 22500, HUMA 22303, ISHU 22303) PQ: Third- or fourth-
year standing. Completion of the general education requirement in
civilization studies requirement through a College-sponsored study abroad
program. Students read a variety of texts (e.g., writings of Thucydides,
Vergil, and Forster; documents from the caliphate of Andalusia; current
articles). By viewing their own experiences in the light of Arab, British,
Greek, and Roman empires, students reflect on America’s role in the
cultures and countries of the twenty-first century. Economics, language,
culture, ecology, and social ethics may provide the lenses through which
students view and review their experiences. M. L. Behnke, C. King. Autumn.
29100. Ancient Myth. This course examines the social, political, cultural,
and religious functions of ancient myth, as well as the various theoretical
interpretations of myth that have been proposed in a variety of fields in
order to investigate what myth can tell us about the ancient Greeks and
Romans as well as those who regard themselves as the inheritors of
classical culture. Spring.
29507. Plato’s Symposium. (=FNDL 22500, PHIL 29507) Enrollment preference
given to students who are majoring in Philosophy or Fundamentals. Class
limited to twenty students. This seminar is a close reading of Plato’s
text. We concentrate on the questions: What is eros? What does it mean to
say that humans are by nature erotic creatures? What does eros have to do
with a grasp of what is beautiful and what is true? We also read some
relevant secondary literature on these subjects. Texts in English. J. Lear.
Autumn.
29700. Reading Course. PQ: Consent of faculty sponsor and director of
undergraduate studies. Students are required to submit the College Reading
and Research Course Form. Autumn, Winter, Spring.
29800. B.A. Paper Seminar.PQ: Fourth-year standing. This seminar is
designed to teach students the research and writing skills necessary for
writing their B.A. paper. Lectures cover classical bibliography, research
tools, and electronic databases. Students discuss research problems and
compose preliminary drafts of their B.A. papers. They are expected to
exchange criticism and ideas in regular seminar meetings with the preceptor
and with other students who are writing papers, as well as to take account
of comments from their faculty readers. The grade for the B.A. Paper
Seminar is identical to the grade for the B.A. paper and, therefore, is not
reported until the B.A. paper has been submitted in Spring Quarter. The
grade for the B.A. paper depends on participation in the seminar as well as
on the quality of the paper. Students may register for this seminar in
either Autumn Quarter or Winter Quarter, but they are expected to
participate in meetings throughout both quarters. Autumn,Winter.
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Greek (grek)
10100. Introduction to Attic Greek I. Knowledge of Greek not required. This
course introduces students to the basic rules of ancient Greek. Class time
is spent on the explanation of grammar, translation from Greek to English
and from English to Greek, and discussion of student work. H. Dik. Autumn.
10200. Introduction to Attic Greek II: Prose. PQ: GREK 10100. The remaining
chapters of the introductory Greek textbook are covered. Students apply and
improve their understanding of Greek through reading brief passages from
classical prose authors, including Plato and Xenophon. F. Barrenechea.
Winter.
10300. Introduction to Attic Greek III: Prose. PQ: GREK 10200. Students
apply the grammatical skills taught in GREK 10100-10200 by reading a
continuous prose text by a classical author such as Lysias, Xenophon, or
Plato. The aim is familiarity with Greek idiom and sentence structure.
Spring.
11100. Accelerated Introduction to Attic Greek I. This course introduces
students to the rudiments of ancient Greek. Class time is spent on the
explanation of grammar, translation from Greek to English and from English
to Greek, and discussion of student work. F. Barrenechea. Autumn.
11200. Accelerated Introduction to Attic Greek II. PQ: GREK 11100. The
remaining chapters of the introductory textbook are covered. Students then
apply and improve their knowledge of Greek as they read selections from
Xenophon. H. Dik. Winter.
11300. Accelerated Introduction to Attic Greek III. PQ: GREK 11200.
Students apply the grammatical skills taught in GREK 11100-11200 by reading
a continuous prose text by a classical author such as Lysias, Xenophon, or
Plato. The aim is familiarity with Greek idiom and sentence structure.
Spring.
20100. Intermediate Greek I: Plato. PQ: GREK 10300 or equivalent. We read
Plato’s text with a view to understanding both the grammatical
constructions and the artistry of the language. We also give attention to
the dramatic qualities of the dialogue. Grammatical exercises reinforce the
learning of syntax. E. Asmis. Autumn.
20200. Intermediate Greek II: Sophocles. PQ: GREK 10300 or equivalent. This
course includes analysis and translation of the Greek text, discussion of
Sophoclean language and dramatic technique, and relevant trends in fifth-
century Athenian intellectual history. J. Redfield. Winter.
20300. Intermediate Greek III: Homer. PQ: GREK 10300 or equivalent. Close
reading of two books of the Iliad, with an emphasis on the language along
with elements of Greek historical linguistics. J. Redfield. Spring.
21200/31200. Philosophy. PQ: GREK 20300 or equivalent. Plato’s Statesman
(Politicus) is one of a trilogy of writings by Plato on politics, but it is
much less well known than his Republic and the Laws. There is no good
reason for this neglect. Unlike the Laws, the Statesman shines with
rhetorical and dramatic brilliance. It also contains much new, brilliant
thinking about political leadership. Plato now turns to exploring the role
of laws, which he discusses subsequently in great detail in his Laws. He
also offers a new view of the citizenry as moral agents rather than as
classes. In this course, we look for depths of meaning in the Greek as well
as tying the issues to modern concerns. Text in Greek. E. Asmis. Winter.
21300/31300. Greek Tragedy: Euripides' Orestes. PQ: GREK 20300 or consent of instructor. This course on Greek tragedy provides an introduction to Euripides by way of an extraordinary play, Orestes. Excess and inconsistencies—in particular, serious lapses in the tragic mood—have been some of the recurring criticisms leveled at what was his most popular play in antiquity. In forming our own critical evaluation of Orestes, we cover aspects of Euripides' dramaturgy that help us make sense of the various contentious issues this play raises regarding innovation in myth, character portrayal, and genre boundaries (among other topics). Select contemporary readings as well as a modern adaptation will further complement our study of this highly experimental play. F. Barrenechea. Autumn.
21700/31700. Greek Elegy. PQ: GREK 20300 or equivalent. Poems composed over
a number of centuries in the elegiac meter are studied, beginning with some
of the works of Archilochus and Callinus, continuing through a selection of
the poems in M. L. West Iambi et Elegi Graeci ante Alexandrum, and ending
with the Aitia of Callimachus. C. Faraone. Spring.
29700. Reading Course. PQ: Students are required to submit the College
Reading and Research Course Form. Autumn, Winter.
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Modern Greek (mogk)
11100/30100. Accelerated Elementary Modern Greek I. (=LGLN 11100) This
course is designed to help students acquire communicative competence in
Modern Greek and a basic understanding of its structures. Through a variety
of exercises, students develop all skill sets. Autumn.
11200/30200. Accelerated Elementary Modern Greek II. (=LGLN 11200) This
course is designed to help students acquire communicative competence in
Modern Greek and a basic understanding of its structures. Through a variety
of exercises, students develop all skill sets. Winter.
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Latin (latn)
10100. Introduction to Classical Latin I. This course introduces students
to the rudiments of ancient Latin. Class time is spent on the explanation
of grammar, translation from Latin to English and from English to Latin,
and discussion of student work. M. L. Behnke. Autumn.
10200. Introduction to Classical Latin II. PQ: LATN 10100. This course
begins with the completion of the basic text begun in LATN 10100 and
concludes with readings from Cicero, Caesar, or other prose. Texts in
Latin. M. L. Behnke. Winter.
10300. Introduction to Classical Latin III: Cicero. PQ: LATN 10200. After
finishing the text, the course involves reading in Latin prose and poetry,
during which reading the students consolidate the grammar and vocabulary
taught in LATN 10100 and 10200. Spring.
11100. Accelerated Introduction to Classical Latin I. This course covers
the first half of the introductory Latin textbook (Wheelock). Classes are
devoted to the presentation of grammar, discussion of problems in learning
Latin, and written exercises. M. Allen. Autumn.
11200. Accelerated Introduction to Classical Latin II. PQ: LATN 11100. This
course begins with the completion of the basic text begun in LATN 11100 and
concludes with readings from Cicero, Caesar, or other prose texts in Latin.
P. White. Winter.
11300. Accelerated Introduction to Classical Latin III. PQ: LATN 11200.
Students apply the grammatical skills taught in LATN 11100-11200 by reading
a continuous prose text such as a complete speech of Cicero. The aim is
familiarity with Latin idiom and sentence structure. Spring.
20100. Intermediate Latin I. PQ: LATN 10300 or 11300, or equivalent.
Readings concentrate on the correspondence of Pliny the Younger, whose
correspondence touches on a remarkable range of topics across social,
political, and cultural life early in the second century of this era. We
also read selections from Tacitus and Fronto, the one nearly contemporary
and the other slightly later than Pliny. We study problems of grammar as
necessary. Secondary readings focus on life and literature in Pliny’s day.
C. Ando. Autumn.
20200. Intermediate Latin II: Seneca. PQ: LATN 20100 or equivalent.
Readings consist of Seneca’s tragedy Phaedra and selections from his prose
letters and essays. Secondary readings on Rome in the Age of Nero,
Hellenistic philosophy, and other related topics may also be assigned. S.
Bartsch. Winter.
20300. Intermediate Latin III: Vergil, Aeneid. PQ: LATN 20200 or
equivalent. This course is a reading of selections from the first six books
of the Aeneid, with emphasis on Vergil’s language, versification, and
literary art. Students are also required to read the whole of the epic in
an English translation. D. Wray. Spring.
21100/31100. Roman Elegy. This course examines the development of the Latin
elegy from Catullus to Ovid. The major themes of the course are the use of
motifs and topics and their relationship to the problem of poetic persona.
D. Wray. Autumn.
21200/31200. Roman Novel. We read extensively from Apuleius’s
Metamorphoses, with special attention to issues of genre, program,
sociocultural context, realism, religiosity, and authorial voice. S.
Bartsch. Winter.
21300/31300. Virgil. The Georgics, Virgil's song of the earth, is the central didactic poem of the Latin language. Dryden called it "the best poem of the best poet." We will read all four books of the Georgics in Latin and survey important and recent scholarship. D. Wray. Spring.
23400/33400. Boethius. The Consolation of Philosophy, which Boethius wrote
in prison after a life of study and public service, offers a lens on Roman
politics and culture in the period after Rome ceased to be an imperial
capital. The Consolation is also a poignant testament from a man divided
between Christianity and philosophy. Secondary readings provide historical
and religious context for the early sixth century AD. About seventy pages
of the text are read in Latin; the entire text is read in English. P.
White. Winter.
26500/36500. Medieval Latin. This course traces developments and
continuities in Latin literature from the late-fourth century to the tenth.
We examine new Christian literary idioms (e.g., hymnody, hagiography, the
theological essay), as well as reinterpretations of classical forms of
poetry, epistle, biography, and historical writing. We also consider the
peculiarities of medieval Latin. Attention is paid to how and where
literature was cultivated. M. Allen. Autumn.
29700. Reading Course. PQ: Students are required to submit the College
Reading and Research Course Form. Autumn, Winter, Spring.
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