War and Society in Ancient Greece

21st century society can no longer study the worlds of ancient Greece and Rome acritically. Today’s culture can be very accepting about the “culture of war” that was such a dominant aspect of the apogee of ancient Greek ‘civilization’: the 300 Spartans, the Athenian Empire, and the conquest of Persia, are all moments to which some turn in admiration. The exploitation of the martial culture today is a two-edged sword at least. This course explores the realities and cultures of war and warfare in ancient Greece. We will cover a variety of topics including Homer and warfare, Sparta, Persia, Athens’ Empire, Philip II and Alexander, violence in the Greek city, martial culture, women and warfare, siege warfare, naval power, memory, and aspects of their legacies in the 21st century. Materials will be provided via the course Canvas site.