Fresh/Soph Seminar: Warfare and Community in Greco-Roman Literature

4 credits · Undergraduate

Some of the most recognizable images from ancient Greek and Roman literature are the warriors who stride across battlefields in a blaze of glory. But these heroic images tell only a small part of the story. Warfare influenced almost every aspect of life in these cultures, and not just for those who fought on the battlefield or for political leaders. In this class we will read a variety of literary works that illuminate the experience of warfare and its aftermath in ancient Greece and Rome – texts depicting the battlefield, but also the stories of veterans, women at home and in war, enslaved captives and others. While we will focus primarily on literary representations of these experiences, these readings will be placed in broader historical