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21H.301

The Ancient World: Greece

Undergraduate · Historical course

Fall 2004

Topics

  • Introduction
  • The Myth of Troy: Homer
  • The Archaeology of Troy: Schliemann
  • Discussion 1: Myth and History
  • Homeric Society
  • Dark Age Archaeology: Lefkandi
  • Discussion 2: History before History -Homer and Hesiod
  • The Polis
  • Exploration and Colonization
  • Discussion 3: Greeks and Barbarians -The Importance of Panhellenic Sanctuaries (Delphi)
  • The Age of Tyranny
  • Early Sparta
  • Discussion 4: Lycurgus - Sparta’s Legendary Lawgiver
  • Early Athens and the Foundations of Democracy
  • Archaic Art and Architecture
  • Discussion 5: Democracy - Solon and Cleisthenes
  • Persia and the Greeks of Ionia
  • The Persian Wars
  • Discussion 6: Herodotus and Aeschylus, Persians
  • From Delian League to Athenian Empire
  • 5th Century Athens
  • Discussion 7: Athenian Democratic Culture
  • The Origins of the Peloponnesian War
  • The Peloponnesian War
  • Discussion 8: Thucydides and the Rhetoric of History
  • Effects of the Peloponnesian War
  • Discussion 9: Philosophers and the City
  • The New Spartan Order
  • Classical Art and Architecture
  • Discussion 10: Boston Museum of Fine Arts
  • Boeotia and Fall of Spartan Hegemony
  • The Rise of Macedon
  • Alexander the Great
  • Discussion 11: Plutarch’s Alexander
  • The Appeal of Alexander
  • Ancient Greece Today

Readings

  • Osborne, Robin. Greece In the Making, 1200-479 BC. London and New York, NY: Routledge, 1996. ISBN: 9780415035835.
    Listed reading
  • Hornblower, Simon. The Greek World 479-323 BC . 3rd ed. London and New York, NY: Routledge, 2002. ISBN: 9780415153447.
    Listed reading
  • Aeschylus. “The Persians,” “Seven Against Thebes,” “The Suppliants,” “Prometheus Bound.” In Aeschylus, 1 : The Oresteia . Translated and Edited by David R. Slavitt and Palmer Bovie. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1997. ISBN: 9780812216271.
    Listed reading
  • Aristophanes. “Lysistrata,” “The Acharnians,” “The Clouds.” In The Birds and Other Plays. Translated with an Introduction by Alan H. Sommerstein. London and New York, NY: Penguin, 2003. ISBN: 9780140449518.
    Listed reading
  • Aristotle. The Athenian Constitution . Translated with an Introduction and notes by P. J. Rhodes. New York, NY: Penguin, 1984. ISBN: 9780140444315. (Abbreviated as Ath. Pol.)
    Listed reading
  • Herodotus. Histories. Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt with an Introduction by John Marincola. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. ISBN: 9780140446388.
    Listed reading
  • Homer. The Iliad. Translated by Robert Fagles. New York, NY: Penguin, 1990. ISBN: 9780670835102.
    Listed reading
  • Plutarch. Greek Lives. Translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford and New York, NY: Oxford University Press (Oxford World’s Classics), 1998. ISBN: 9780192825018.
    Listed reading
  • Sophocles. “Antigone,” “Oedipus the King,” “Electra.” In Selections. Translated by H. D. F. Kitto. Oxford and New York, NY: Oxford University Press (Oxford World’s Classics), 1998. ISBN: 9780192835888.
    Listed reading
  • Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Translated by Rex Warner. New York, NY: Penguin Classics, 1954. ISBN: 9780140440393.
    Listed reading
  • Plato. Apology (or Defence of Socrates ). Translated by Harold North Fowler. Cambridge, MA and London: London Heinemann Cambridge Harvard University Press, 1966.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 2 · TOPICS: The Myth of Troy: Homer · READINGS: Homer. Iliad. Chapters 1-2, 6, 9. pp. 77-127, 195-213, 251-275.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 3 · TOPICS: The Archaeology of Troy: Schliemann · READINGS: Homer. Iliad. Chapters 14, 16. pp. 369-386, 412-441.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 4 · TOPICS: Discussion 1: Myth and History · READINGS: Herodotus. Chapters 1.1-5, 2.112-20. pp. 3-5, 124-128.
    Reading assignment
  • Thucydides. Chapters 1.9-12. pp. 39-42.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 5 · TOPICS: Homeric Society · READINGS: Homer. Iliad. Chapters 18, 22-24. pp. 467-487, 541-614.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 6 · TOPICS: Dark Age Archaeology: Lefkandi · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 40-51.
    Reading assignment
  • Hesiod. Works and Days.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 7 · TOPICS: Discussion 2: History before History - Homer and Hesiod · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 137-160.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 8 · TOPICS: The Polis · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 70-104.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 9 · TOPICS: Exploration and Colonization · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 104-129, 197-202, 8-17.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 10 · TOPICS: Discussion 3: Greeks and Barbarians - The Importance of Panhellenic Sanctuaries (Delphi) · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 95-100, 202-207.
    Reading assignment
  • Herodotus. Chapters 1.46-56, 69-92. pp. 18-22, 28-39.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 11 · TOPICS: The Age of Tyranny · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 185-197, 271-285.
    Reading assignment
  • Herodotus. Chapters 3.39-60, 5.90-96, 6.126-131. pp. 169-178, 311-316, 365-368.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 12 · TOPICS: Early Sparta · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 170-185.
    Reading assignment
  • Herodotus. Chapters 1.65-8, 6.51-60. pp. 25-28, 340-343.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 13 · TOPICS: Discussion 4: Lycurgus - Sparta’s Legendary Lawgiver · READINGS: Plutarch. Lycurgus . pp. 3-41.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 14 · TOPICS: Early Athens and the Foundations of Democracy · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 215-225, 292-314.
    Reading assignment
  • Ath. Pol . Chapters 1-22. pp. 39-65.
    Listed reading
  • Herodotus. Chapters 1.59-64. pp. 22-25.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 15 · TOPICS: Archaic Art and Architecture · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 129-136, 161-169, 207-214, 259-271.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 16 · TOPICS: Discussion 5: Democracy - Solon and Cleisthenes · READINGS: Plutarch. Solon. pp. 42-77.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 17 · TOPICS: Persia and the Greeks of Ionia · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 318-328.
    Reading assignment
  • Herodotus. Chapters 5.28-38, 5.49-55, 5.97-6.32. pp. 289-293, 296-299, 316-334.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 18 · TOPICS: The Persian Wars · READINGS: Osborne. pp. 328-343.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 19 · TOPICS: Discussion 6: Herodotus and Aeschylus, Persians · READINGS: Aeschylus. Persians. pp. 3-44.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 20 · TOPICS: From Delian League to Athenian Empire · READINGS: Hornblower. pp. 9-38.
    Reading assignment
  • Thucydides. Chapters 1.89-117. pp. 87-103.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 21 · TOPICS: 5th Century Athens · READINGS: Hornblower. pp. 124-149.
    Reading assignment
  • Plutarch. Pericles. pp. 140-179.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 22 · TOPICS: Discussion 7: Athenian Democratic Culture · READINGS: Sophocles. Antigone. pp. 3-45.
    Reading assignment
  • Thucydides. Chapters 2.34-46. pp. 143-151.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 23 · TOPICS: The Origins of the Peloponnesian War · READINGS: Hornblower. pp. 103-123.
    Reading assignment
  • Thucydides. Chapters 1.23-88, 118-146. pp. 48-87, 103-123.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 24 · TOPICS: The Peloponnesian War · READINGS: Hornblower. pp. 150-183.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 25 · TOPICS: Discussion 8: Thucydides and the Rhetoric of History · READINGS: Thucydides. Chapters 1.1-23, 2.55-65, 3.36-50, 5.25-26, 5.84-116. pp. 35-49, 156-164, 212-223, 363-364, 400-408.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 26 · TOPICS: Effects of the Peloponnesian War · READINGS: Hornblower. pp. 184-209.
    Reading assignment
  • Ath. Pol. Chapters 29-69. pp. 72-114.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 27 · TOPICS: Discussion 9: Philosophers and the City · READINGS: Aristophanes. Clouds. pp. 65-130.
    Reading assignment
  • Plato. Apology (a.k.a. Defence of Socrates ).
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 28 · TOPICS: The New Spartan Order · READINGS: Hornblower. pp. 210-245.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 31 · TOPICS: Boeotia and Fall of Spartan Hegemony · READINGS: Hornblower. pp. 99-102, 246-260.
    Reading assignment
  • Plutarch. Agesilaus. pp. 260-305.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 32 · TOPICS: The Rise of Macedon · READINGS: Hornblower. pp. 261-282.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 33 · TOPICS: Alexander the Great · READINGS: Hornblower. pp. 283-312.
    Reading assignment
  • LEC #: 34 · TOPICS: Discussion 11: Plutarch’s Alexander · READINGS: Plutarch. Alexander. pp. 306-381.
    Reading assignment
Sources