Women in the Ancient Mediterranean

3 credits · Undergraduate credit

This is a course about women's lives during approximately 1,000 years of history (c. 600 BCE - 400 CE). Our focus will be the multicultural world of the Roman Empire, which, at its height, encompassed the entire Mediterranean region. We will examine the changing roles of women in the political, domestic, and religious spheres, as well as how women were implicated in major cultural transformations, such as the rise of Christianity. Students will explore issues of status, power, sexuality, and the family through sources that include literary texts, medical treatises, material culture, and works of art.