Cities and Sanctuaries of Ancient Greece

(4 Credits)

What impact did built urban development have on local communities across the ancient Greek world? What was the relationship between sacred spaces and the growth and structure of Greek cities? Thissurvey examines Greek urban and religious centers from the time of their foundation through the end of Roman rule. We will look at landscape, topography, archaeology, local myth narratives, and the ways in which religious, political, social, economic, and cultural forces shaped the growth and development of cities and sanctuaries. Special emphasis on: the relation between architecture and society, city planning and design, continuity of sacred space, construction methods and innovations, connectivity of sites, as well as the theories and concepts that inform the study of Greek urbanism. Micro-scale as well as regional trends will be considered along with the role of urban borderscapes as arenas for social, political and cultural interaction.