Curious about how your course will be delivered online in 2020? You can find an overview of provisional online delivery plans here.
ARBC: Arabic
Winter 2020ARBC101 Beginning Classical and Quranic Arabic I Sections
Classical Arabic, with an introduction to vocabulary and grammar and the reading of simple Qur'anic texts and wisdom sayings in the original.
This course presumes no prior knowledge of Arabic, however if a student knows the alphabet and reads phonetically, but has no Arabic grammar they still belong in ARBC 101.
Read More... ARBC102 Beginning Classical and Quranic Arabic II Sections
Classical Arabic, with further introduction to vocabulary and grammar and the reading of Qur'anic texts in the original.
ARBC201 Intermediate Classical and Quranic Arabic I Sections
Classical Arabic. Designed to enrich vocabulary and grammar and to enhance fluency in reading and interpreting a range of Qur'anic texts.
ARBC202 Intermediate Classical and Quranic Arabic II Sections
Classical Arabic. Designed to further enrich vocabulary and grammar and to enhance fluency in reading and interpreting longer texts from Qur'an, Hadith and other genres.
CLST: Classical Studies Undergraduate Courses
Winter 2020CLST101 Greek and Latin Roots of English Sections
Greek and Latin roots of English vocabulary and grammar, with an introduction to language history and Greek and Roman culture.
In this course (offered asynchronously online, with an optional synchronous component), students will learn to recognize and appreciate the many elements of English that derive from Greek and Latin roots. They will acquire the tools to expand and deepen vocabulary, and to develop the precision and sophistication of their communication in English, while enjoying the fascination of words and their histories.
Read More... CLST105 Greek and Roman Mythology Sections
Greek and Roman mythology and its interpretation. Emphasis on ancient texts read in English translation.
Classical Studies 105 offers a broad introduction to the vibrant world of Greek and Roman mythology and its influence today. Because myth touched every aspect of ancient life, this course will also shed light on the literature, art, and lived experience of the Greeks and Romans. The goals of the course are to familiarize students with the myths, with the primary texts in which they are told, with the place of myth-telling in ancient culture, and to introduce students to the chief interpretive theories of myth that have been developed over the past century. The course also touches on the transformation of ancient myths in modern storytelling – for instance in film and music. Emphasis will be placed on reading primary sources in English translation, and as a result students will become familiar with a variety of ancient literary genres. This course also develops valuable transferable skills in academic reading...
Read More... CLST211 Greek Philosophy I Sections
The Pre-Socratics; Socrates; Sophists; Plato. Recommended as preparation for CLST/PHIL 212 and PHIL 310.
An Introduction to Greek Philosophy
This course traces the early evolution of Ancient Greek philosophy, or the “love of wisdom” (philosophia), from its roots in the myths of Homer (c. 800 BCE) to the dialogues of Plato (429-347 BCE). We focus on the search for self-knowledge (gnōthi seauton), which Greek writers attributed to the Pythia, Oracle at Delphi. This thread will lead us to explore the powers attributed by the Pythia to the gods of Greek mythology, balanced by her emphasis on human freedom and responsibility. We’ll find these Delphic themes shaping the mathematical and musical models of nature and human life developed by early Mediterranean scientists; through literary depictions of the Pythia’s influence on early statecraft in Sparta and Athens; through the Socratic method of radical inquiry, inspired at Delphi; and through the insights of women like Aristoclea of Delphi, Diotima of Mantinea, and Perictione of Athens, respectively recognized as...
Read More... CLST212 Greek Philosophy II Sections
Aristotle; selections from Hellenistic and Late Antique Philosophy. Recommended as preparation for PHIL 310 and PHIL 311.
Plato; Aristotle; Stoics; and later Greek and Roman philosophers.
Is it possible to be sure that we are living a good human life, come what may? What would it be like to “succeed at” being a human being, at being ourselves? In the period under consideration in this course (c. 399 BCE–c. 529 CE), the nascent traditions of Greek logic, science, and ethics were turned to the exploration of such fundamental questions as these and spread across the Mediterranean world in the wake of Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire, laying the groundwork for the subsequent development of Western intellectual history. Over this term, we will study Aristotle, the great Hellenistic schools of ancient Athens (Stoics, Epicureans, and Skeptics) and the later ancient synthesis of Greek philosophy under the banner of Plato (Neoplatonism), and their influence on subsequent thought. Focus: Aristotle, Stoics, Epicureans, Skeptics, and Neoplatonists (4th century BCE-3rd century...
Read More... CLST231 Ancient Greece Sections
A survey of the ancient Greek world from the Minoan and Mycenaean (about 2000-1000 BCE) to the Hellenistic Period (323-30 BCE).
Why are Greeks still today, just like their ancient ancestors, known for their shipping companies and business interests? Why were ancient Greeks apparently always warring among themselves and with others? Was democracy the most common form of government in ancient Greek communities? If not, why not, and what was the most common form of government? Is the “Greek Miracle” the best lens today through which to understand the development of the ancient Greeks? The answers to these and other topical questions of our times can be found in studying ancient Greek history. Come and explore them with me.
Prerequisites: None
Read More... CLST232 Ancient Rome Sections
A survey of the ancient Roman world from the foundation of the city to the death of Constantine.
A survey of the history of the ancient Roman world from the foundation of the city to the fall of the Western Empire
Prerequisites: None
Read More... CLST260 Gladiators, Games, and Spectacle in the Greek and Roman World Sections
History, development, and social function of various forms of spectacle in ancient Greece and Rome, from the Olympic games to the Roman arena.
Fame and shame. Blood and guts. Glory and death. Ancient games and spectacles promised all these and more to the people of ancient Greece and Rome. Spectacles united societies and divided them too. Ancient fans fanatically supported their favourites, but rivalries sometimes led to riots. Ranging from the competitions at the Olympic games in Greece to the spectacles of the Roman Coliseum and the Circus Maximus, this course will examine how spectacles and games functioned in the ancient world, their costs and rewards, and the costs to the humans and animals caught up in them. Over the course of the semester we will investigate the how and why of ancient games, the mechanics of how they were staged and organized, and who fought and competed in them.
textbook:https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/spectaclesintheromanworldsourcebook
Prerequisites: None
Read More... CLST301 The Technical Terms of Medicine and Biological Science Sections
Acquaints the student with the Greek and Latin elements from which most specialized terms of modern medicine are constructed. Intended primarily for students planning to enter the medical, pharmaceutical, or biological sciences.
Classical Studies 301 helps students understand the language of biology and medicine by teaching them the Greek and Latin elements from which the terminology is composed. You will learn how to deconstruct biological and medical words into everyday English so that you will more easily understand and remember the language used in those fields, and you also learn the principles behind the construction of the terminology. The course is designed primarily for science students, particularly those studying biology or those planning careers in any field of the health sciences, but students from other areas of study are also very welcome. CLST 301 also will provide you with a cultural context for this specialised language, through some selected ancient literary, mythological, historical, and medical sources. No knowledge of the Greek or Latin languages is required, and no specialised knowledge of anatomy or physiology is expected. Note that for 2020-21 the course...
Read More... CLST306 Ancient Technology: Greece and Rome Sections
The origins, achievements, and social impacts of applied technology in the Greek and Roman world from the Bronze Age to Late Antiquity (c. 1500 BCE - 400 CE), with special attention to archaeological evidence.
This course introduces the technologies developed and exploited in the Greek and Roman worlds, c. 1000 BCE to 400 CE, with an emphasis on their impact. Rather than focusing solely on the technological achievements of the Greeks and Romans, this course will instead explore ancient technologies in context: their intellectual, social, institutional, and economic backgrounds and effects. Throughout, we will test our modern experiences and ideas about technology and its impacts against ancient evidence to see whether we can make universal claims about technological achievement, or whether innovation is socially and culturally contingent. We will explore a number of topics that resonate in modernity, including: the relationship between human and machine labor; and the effects of mechanization; the social, economic, political, and environmental impact of innovation; the role of educational practices in shaping the development of new technologies ; the interrelationship of innovations in different “industries”; attitudes towards “progress” and the...
Read More... CLST308 Roman Law Sections
The development of Roman private law during the classical period with special attention to family law, contract and delict.
The Roman state developed one of the earliest complex legal systems. They excelled especially in creating a formal judicial system and a detailed framework for civil law. The resulting system of law that emerged forms the basis of most European and American law and influenced many aspects of English Common Law. Through the activities and involvement of these countries with other peoples and nations Roman law had a considerable impact on legal systems of non-Western countries as well.For example, in a South African court, reference is often made to the Digest of Justinian because their legal system is strongly based on Roman law that was brought to South Africa through the Dutch. In this way, therefore, as Brent Shaw says, “Roman politicians, magistrates, and jurists developed many of the fundamental legal principles that are basic to a majority of the formal legal systems in the world today.” This course, therefore,...
Read More... CLST311 Women in the Bronze Age, Classical Greek and Hellenistic Cultures Sections
The images projected in mythology, literature, and art are compared with realities of women's lives insofar as they can be reconstructed from historical, legal, and archaeological records.
This course explores the cultural representations and realities of women's lives in Ancient Greece. The literary and artistic constructions of women in myth, literature, and the visual arts will be compared to the evidence for women’s actual experiences and daily lives from medical texts, legal documents and the archaeological record. Through a critical analysis of all of these sources our aim is to recover the lives of women from different social classes and from various areas of the ancient Greek world and to gain insight into attitudes toward women in a society in which they were politically and economically subordinated. We will also consider the role that Ancient Greece played in modern conceptions and perceptions of women in the western world today.
Read More... CLST313 Greek Epic Sections
Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, in translation.
CLST319 The Roman Army Sections
Rome's military from the early Republic to the Imperial period. Topics range from those of a military nature such as equipment and strategy to social topics such as policing and marriage of soldiers.
This course is an introduction to the history of Rome’s military. The course begins with an examination of Rome’s military development through the republican period and then turns to examine the reforms made to the army to facilitate its role in controlling the vast empire of the Imperial period. Specific topics which are examined include; recruitment and training, strategy, discipline, daily life, family life, law, reality of battle, mutiny and unrest, policing, Praetorian Guard, emperors’ relationship with the army, navy, logistics, engineering, civilian building, and veterans.
Read More... CLST331 Greek Art and Architecture Sections
The visual culture of the ancient Greek world in the second and first millennia BCE, especially from c. 1000 to 30 BCE.
This course explores the art and architecture of the Greek world from about 7000 to 30 BCE. We’ll begin with the first farmers of the Neolithic and the trace the rise of Mycenae, Knossos and other legendary palaces of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. We then examine the emergence of the Greek city states, focusing on the great Panhellenic sanctuaries of Olympia and Delphi and, of course, Athens and the famous monuments of its Acropolis and Agora that embody the rise of the world’s first democracy. We’ll end with the spread of Greek art and architecture eastward with the conquests of Alexander the Great and the powerful Hellenistic kingdoms of his successors. In each case we’ll consider the social, political, economic and ideological context of Greek material culture, its relationship to identities and the impacts of interactions with other cultures. We’ll also consider the legacy and reception of Greek art...
Read More... CLST332 Roman Art and Architecture Sections
The visual culture of the ancient Roman world from the 8th century BCE to the 4th century CE.
CLST 332: Roman Art & Architecture
The social, cultural, political, and visual history of Roman art from the eighth century BCE to the fourth century CE. Topics include the power of images to shape society; identity construction; cultural exchanges and borrowings across the ancient world; the impact of the Roman Empire on local visual traditions; and the complex relationships between subject and representation.
Read More... CLST334 Roman Religion Sections
Roman religions between the ninth century BCE and the fourth century CE, including mystery religions, magic, emperor worship, and early Christianity, with particular attention devoted to the primary sources. Some knowledge of ancient Rome is recommended.
CLST352 The Roman Republic Sections
Rome from the foundation to the Augustan settlement. Constitutional development; the workings and failure of the Republican political system; acquisition and growth of Empire; the political, social, and economic consequences of imperialism.
Roman republican history from the foundation to the Augustan settlement with particular attention to the political, social, and economic consequences of imperialism.
Read More... CLST355 The Athenians and their Empire Sections
The sources (literary, epigraphical and other) for Athens' emergence as one of the two leading city-states in late archaic and classical Greece and the stages by which her empire grew.
Classical Studies 355 (CLST 355 [3]): The Athenians and their Empire
The sources (literary, epigraphical and other) for Athens’ emergence as one of the two leading city-states in late archaic and classical Greece and the stages which her empire grew. Prerequisite: CLST 231.
Aims of this course:
examine the history and nature of the Athenian Empire
gain familiarity with ancient sources of the period and some contemporary scholarship
ancient and modern perspectives and representation: how history is imagined and created (affected by ideology and ontology)
the nature, objectivity and purpose of history
consider the following:
the development and nature of the empire from the 6th century BCE on
competing representations of that empire in ancient and modern sources
the empire and its effect on 5th century Greek culture
the relationship between the empire and Athenian democracy
Read More... CLST356 Alexander the Great and his Empire Sections
The rise of Macedon under Philip II leading to its domination of Greece and the overthrow of the Persian Empire by his son, Alexander; the subsequent spread of Greek civilization in the East.
"I suppose there was no race of men, no city at that time, no single person whom Alexander"s name did not reach." - Arrian,Anabasis 7.30.2.v
A study of Alexander the Great: the historical figure, his legend, and his legacy. It begins with his rise, tracing the nature of Macedonia, its culture and previous kings, especially Philip II on whose successes Alexander"s legend was built.This course first examines Alexander"s accession, campaigns and untimely death and places Alexander in his social and historical context.The second part of the course will examine the legacy of Alexander through the history of the Hellenistic kingdoms and the persistence of Greek culture in the East.This course addresses questions of cultural interaction, assimilation, and conquest through the reading of the ancient sources in order to assess Alexander"s achievements and to understand the unique place which he occupies in visions of the classical past.
Texts:
1.Romm, J. 2012. The Landmark Arrian:...
Read More... CLST360B Life and Society in Classical Antiquity - LF SOC CLAS ANTQ Sections
Topics in Greek and Roman life and society.
Sex, Gender, and (Ancient) Medicine. This course examines topics in the history of medicine that can be traced from antiquity to the modern day, with a particular focus on sex and gender: hysteria and mental illness, dissection and anatomy, reproduction, masculinity, menstruation, circumcision, trans bodies, intersex bodies, fat bodies, and sexuality. There are no prerequisites for the course, though a background in ancient Greek and/or Latin language, ancient Greek and/or Roman history, biology, psychology, or other pre-med courses is helpful.
Read More... CLST401E Seminar in Classical History - SEM CLASSCL HIST Sections
Selected topics in Greek or Roman history, with an emphasis on research. Restricted to majors and honours students in CLST, CLAS, CLAH, ARGR, GRNE, CNRS.
The Severan Emperors. The Severan dynasty lasted for over forty years and provided a time of reasonable stability before the crisis of the later third century. This course will study this significant but often overlooked period of Roman history through an examination of the reigns of Septimius Severus, Caracalla, Elagabalus, and Alexander Severus. We will consider the imperial ideology of these emperors as well as the political, social, and cultural developments that took place during their reigns. A variety of sources will be consulted such as the literary, numismatic, epigraphic, and archaeological record. Students will develop the skills required to evaluate and utilise these source materials and to present their research.
Read More... CLST403B Seminar in Classical Art and Archaeology - SEM CLS ART&ARCH Sections
Selected topics in Greek or Roman art and archaeology, with an emphasis on research. Restricted to majors and honours students in CLST, CLAS, CLAH, ARGR, GRNE, CNRS.
Interconnections in the Late Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean. From the “Great Powers Club” to the famous Uluburun shipwreck, this course examines the sociopolitical, economic and ideological interactions that connected the various polities and cultures of the Late Bronze Eastern Mediterranean world from Greece to Babylonia, c. 1700–1100 BCE. Through material evidence from cities and shipwrecks, and textual sources including diplomatic letters and treaties, we’ll look at political relations and military conflicts among the great powers of the period and how the Egyptians, Hittites and other states forged and maintained some of the earliest empires, and the effects of these interactions on both conqueror and conquered. We’ll also investigate the nature of palatial economies and the implications of royal and commercial international exchanges by looking at the production, trade, and consumption of various commodities. From metals and ceramics to organic goods such as scented oils and luxury foods, we’ll discuss methods...
Read More... CLST404B Seminar in the Reception of the Classical World - RECPTN CLAS WRLD Sections
Selected topics in the reception of the classicial world in its own time and in later eras, with an emphasis on research. Prerequisite: at least one 3-credit upper-level course of content appropriate for the topic of the seminar (to be established by individual instructors). Restricted to majors and honours students in CLST, CLAS, CLAH, ARGR, GRNE, CNRS.
Race, Racism, and Ancient History. The Greeks and Romans are credited with inventing some of the earliest recognizable forms of modernity, such as rationality, democracy, progress, philosophy, law, roads, and art and architecture. Should racism also be included among their inventions? In this seminar course, we will critically investigate two main questions: 1) Did the Greeks and Romans invent race and racism? 2) What impacts have race and racism had on modern scholarship relating to ancient history? The course will range widely beyond the Greeks and Romans to include other peoples, such as Egyptians, Ethiopians, Scythians, Phoenicians, Jews, and Persians, whose ancient histories have been affected by questions of race and racism whether in relation to Greeks and Romans or on their own.
Some of the related topics, themes, and questions include the following, but are not restricted to them. How did ancient Greeks and Romans express their identities and differences...
Read More... CNRS: Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies
Winter 2020CNRS104 Temples, Tombs, and Tyrants: The Archaeology of the Middle East, Greece, and Rome Sections
The rise of civilizations, cultural interconnections, and power dynamics in the ancient Middle East (including Egypt), Greece, and Rome (10,000 BCE - 300 CE). Archaeological methods and interpretation, and analysis of ancient artifacts in UBC collections.
CNRS370 Theories of Myth Sections
Origins, nature, and transmission of myth in the Western tradition, with particular attention devoted to the interpretation of myth from ancient times up to the present. Some background in myth is recommended.
This course will examine the origins, nature and transmission of myth in the Western Tradition. It will devote particular attention to the interpretation of myth from ancient times up to the present day. Modern theorists discussed may, among others, include Freud; Jung; the so-called "Cambridge Ritualists;" N.Frye; J. Campbell; C. Levi-Strauss; R. Girard; W. Burkett; E. Cassirer.
Prerequisites: None
Read More... CNRS410 The Archaeology of Ancient Cyprus Sections
An overview of the archaeology of ancient Cyprus from the island's initial colonization in the 10th millennium BCE through the period of its rule as part of the Roman Empire (4th century CE).
This course offers an in-depth look at the fascinating past of the island of Cyprus—the legendary birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite. We’ll use material culture to examine the development of Cypriot society from the island’s initial colonization in the 10th millennium BCE through the period of its rule as a province of the Roman Empire. Highlights include new discoveries that are revolutionizing our understanding of the Neolithic and the role of Cyprus in the origins and spread of agriculture in the Near East; the key role that Cyprus played in the globalized world of the Late Bronze Age, which saw Cypriot copper reach Scandinavia; the emergence of powerful city kingdoms during the early Iron Age, Archaic and Classical periods and the growing influences of Greek and Phoenician culture; and the effects on Cypriot identity and material culture as the island fell under the control of a succession of empires (Persian,...
Read More... CNRS449 Honours Essay Sections
GREK: Greek
Winter 2020GREK101 Beginning Ancient Greek I Sections
Classical and Hellenistic Greek, Part I.
This course introduces the elements of classical Greek, the language of Homer, Greek tragedy and philosophy, as well as of the Christian New Testament. By the end of the term you will know the ancient Greek alphabet and be able to read in the present tense, using vocabulary commonly found in ancient Greek texts. You will read adapted Greek but also some unadapted excerpts from classical authors, such as Archilochus and Anacreon, as well as passages from the New Testament.
Prerequisites: None.
Read More... GREK102 Beginning Ancient Greek II Sections
Classical and Hellenistic Greek, Part II.
Greek 102 continues introducing the grammar of classical Greek, extending in particular the verb system, as well widening the range of vocabulary. By the end of the term you will understand several additional tenses and be able to use these in reading both adapted and unadapted classical Greek and New Testament: we’ll read passages from authors as varied as Sappho, Theognis, and Luke. There may even be occasion to learn an ancient Greek scolion (a drinking song).
Read More... GREK201 Intermediate Ancient Greek I Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of Ancient Greek, Part I.
Greek 201 completes most of the grammar and syntax of classical Greek needed for reading the ancient texts. At the same time, students continue to read both adapted and unadapted texts from a variety of authors, including Heraclitus, Thucydides, and Plato, as well as extended passages from the Gospel of John from the New Testament.
Read More... GREK202 Intermediate Ancient Greek II Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of Ancient Greek, Part II; introduction to the reading of unadapted passages of Greek literature.
The term begins with a final wrap-up of grammar and syntax, along with an introduction into the Ionic dialect through adapted readings from Herodotus. Students then proceed to the reading of an unadapted Greek text, either in full or from a substantial part of a larger text. Texts vary from year to year, but in recent terms the texts have been chosen from Xenophon, Plato, Lysias, and Lucian.
Read More... GREK351 Reading Ancient Greek: Prose Sections
Readings in the major authors in Greek prose.
This course is designed to introduce intermediate students to ancient Greek prose literature; the selection of authors to be read varies each year, but can draw from genres as diverse as history, philosophy, biography, satire, religious texts, or even romance or early science fiction. The works to be read will be entirely unadapted but students will have the assistance of a commentary and lexicon, as well as the support of the instructor, to assist them in making the transition to reading ancient Greek texts.
Read More... GREK352 Reading Ancient Greek: Verse Sections
Readings in the major authors in Greek verse.
This course is designed to equip students with the necessary tools for independent reading of unadapted Greek texts.
Read More... GREK401D Greek Prose - GREEK PROSE Sections
Studies in history, philosophy and/or oratory. It is recommended that the corequisite course be completed prior to GREK 401.
Herodotus and Thucydides: The Origins of Greek Historiography. This course will focus on translating selections from the historians Herodotus and Thucydides, who, as Leslie Kurke has put it (in O. Taplin [ed.], Literature in the Greek World [Oxford 2000], p. 115), were responsible for “charting the poles of history” for ancient, and by extension modern, historiography. The course will be evenly divided between these two historians, with the first six and one-half weeks devoted to Herodotus and the second six and one-half weeks devoted to Thucydides. Students will also be introduced to recent trends in modern scholarship on Herodotus and Thucydides, as well as to interpreting these historians, particularly through understanding the cultural backdrop against which they were writing and the possibilities and limitations of using them in modern historical reconstructions. Instead of just seeing differences between the approaches of Herodotus and Thucydides, we will also investigate whether any similarities...
Read More... GREK403A Studies in Ancient Greek Prose and Verse - ANCT GREK P & V Sections
Thematic studies using both Greek prose and Greek verse. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. It is recommended that the corequisite course be completed prior to GREK 403.
Students will read substantial selections from different prose and poetic authors, all focusing on the same mythical figure. The selection will depend on student interest, but one possibility would be Helen, for which we would read selections from Homer and Euripides (verse), all of Gorgias' Encomium and selections from Isocrates (prose). The primary aims of the course are to speed up the pace of reading, to familiarize students with essential resources for language study, and to engage with different authors' writing styles and approaches to myth.
Read More... HEBR: Hebrew
Winter 2020HEBR101 Beginning Biblical Hebrew I Sections
Biblical Hebrew, with an introduction to vocabulary and grammar, and the reading of simple biblical texts in the original.
HEBR102 Beginning Biblical Hebrew II Sections
Biblical Hebrew, with further introduction to vocabulary and grammar, and the reading of biblical texts in the original.
LATN: Latin
Winter 2020LATN101 Beginning Latin I Sections
Classical Latin, Part I.
Latin 101
Latin was the language of the Romans and, at the height of the Roman Empire during the first three centuries of the common era, was spoken throughout the whole of Western Europe and a large part of North Africa. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the west in the fifth century, Latin continued to be spoken in a variety of local dialects that developed through time into the modern Romance languages, e.g., French, Italian, and Spanish. Latin itself survived as the common language of educated people in Europe through the church and universities until the eighteenth century.
A knowledge of Latin is essential to the study of the history, literature and archaeology of the Romans and for a serious understanding of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in Europe. It is also extremely useful in the study of the Romance languages as well as the English language, which...
Read More... LATN102 Beginning Latin II Sections
Classical Latin, Part II.
Latin 102 continues with the basics of Latin grammar that we began in Latin 101, and illustrates these by a series of readings adapted from the major authors of classical Latin literature. Students will be reading passages from such famous authors and works as Julius Caesar’s memoir of his campaigns in Gaul, Pliny the Younger’s first-hand account of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, and the statesman Cicero’s letters to his family.
Text (required): Susan C. Shelmerdine, Introduction to Latin, 2nd ed., Focus Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-58510-390-4
Read More... LATN201 Intermediate Latin I Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of classical Latin, Part I.
Latin 201 continues the study of the fundamentals of Latin grammar and syntax that were begun in Latin 101 and 102. Grammar and vocabulary are illustrated through the reading of slightly adapted texts from Latin literature, such as Livy's legends of early Rome and Julius Caesar’s account of his campaigns in Gaul as well as selections from other Latin authors.
Read More... LATN202 Intermediate Latin II Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of classical Latin, Part II; an introduction to the reading of unadapted passages of Latin literature and discussion of thier cultural contexts.
This course will complete the study of the fundamental points of Latin grammar and syntax as well as introduce students to Latin literature through the reading of selections of unadapted Latin from various authors. By the end of the course students will have developed the skills necessary for reading and translating Latin texts.
Read More... LATN350 Latin Literature of the Classical Period (Prose) Sections
Readings in Latin Prose.
Third-year Latin aims to enhance students’ skills in reading unadapted Latin and to introduce them to some of the great authors of classical Latin literature.
Read More... LATN351 Latin Literature of the Classical Period (Verse) Sections
Readings in Latin Verse.
The goals of this course are to introduce students to Latin poetry and metre, and through the reading of the Latin text, to help students strengthen their grasp of grammar and syntax and improve their facility in translation. We will read and analyse Book II of Vergil’s Aeneid in which Aeneas recounts the fall of Troy to Dido. This book contains the famous story of the Trojan horse, the destruction of the city, and Aeneas’ eventually escape with his father and son. Epic battles, action and adventure abound.
Read More... LATN402C Latin Verse - LATIN VERSE Sections
Studies in narrative verse, comedy, satire, elegiac and lyric poetry. May be repeated for up to 12 credits. It is recommended that the corequisite course be completed prior to LATN 402.
LATN403A Studies in Latin Prose and Verse - LATN PRSE & VRSE Sections
Thematic studies using both Latin prose and Latin verse. May be repeated for up to 6 credits.
NEST: Near Eastern Studies
Winter 2020NEST303 History of Ancient Egypt Sections
History and culture of Ancient Egyptian civilization from political, intellectual, social and environmental perspectives
This class provides a general introduction to the political and cultural history of ancient Egypt. After presenting modern approaches to understanding Egyptian history (the problem of sources, how to evaluate written and material evidence, different possible histories of Egypt, the role of the historian) and the topographical and chronological setting of Ancient Egypt, the course will give you an overview of the major historical developments and phenomena of Ancient Egypt, from the prehistoric beginnings of the Egyptian state to the 1st millennium BCE (3200-300 BCE). We will also look at the impact of new archaeological discoveries and different interpretive approaches on our view of the social and economic history of Egypt.
Prerequisites: None
Read More... NEST312 Religion in Ancient Egypt Sections
A survey of the religious beliefs, cults, and religious institutions in Pharaonic Egypt.
This class will provide a general overview of the religion of ancient Egypt – the nature and appearance of Egyptian gods and goddesses, religious beliefs, cults and rituals, myths and religious concepts, the afterlife, the divinity of the Egyptian king, magic and piety, and the symbolism of religious architecture, with a particular focus on the religion of the New Kingdom (1550-1070 BCE). We will also look at the legacy of Egyptian religion from Classical antiquity to modern times.
Prerequisites: None
Read More... NEST315 Introduction to Akkadian Sections
The basic grammar and introduction to the cuneiform writing system of the Akkadian language of the Ancient Near East.
Akkadian is the ancient language of Mesopotamia within the Semitic language family. First finding prominence under Sargon of Akkad (late 3rd millennium BCE), Akkadian became dominant in Mesopotamia in the 2nd and early 1st millennia BCE, for much of which it was also the diplomatic language of the whole Ancient Near East. Written with an intricate system of cuneiform (wedge shapes in clay), we find myths of Marduk, Ishtar and the Babylonian pantheon, epics of Gilgamesh and Atrahasis and the ancient Flood, the so-called “laws” of Hammurabi, the military campaign records and propaganda of Assyrian kings, business accounts recording the sale of slaves, the adoption of children, and much more. This course will explore the basics of the language – grammar, vocabulary, syntax and a small amount of work in the cuneiform writing system. Previous work in a Semitic language (Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic, etc.) is an asset, but not required.
Read More... NEST319 The Archaeology of Ancient Iraq and Syria: Babylon and Beyond Sections
An overview of the archaeology of the ancient Near East, with special emphasis on the civilizations of Mesopotamia, from the appearance of the first cities (c. 3400 BCE) to the end of the Persian period (c. 330 BCE).
This course provides an overview of the archaeology of the ancient Near East, with special emphasis on the ancient civilizations that developed in Syria and Iraq, notably Sumer, Babylonia and Assyria (3100—330 B.C.). The course also includes some Prehistory (beginning with the Neolithic Era), and the world’s first farming communities. Major technological, artistic and architectural achievements of ancient Near East are emphasized, as well as the impact of religion, the emergence of the world’s first writing systems and cities, and the rise of empires. While discussing these themes, the history of archaeological research in the Near East will be surveyed, from the earliest discoveries of 19th century adventurers to the scientific approaches to archaeological recovery and interpretation that are utilized by researchers of today.
Read More... NEST400A Materials and Technologies of the Ancient Near East and Egypt - MTRLS & TECHNOLG Sections
The natural resources and production technologies of the ancient Near East and Egypt.
Interconnections in the Late Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean. From the “Great Powers Club” to the famous Uluburun shipwreck, this course examines the sociopolitical, economic and ideological interactions that connected the various polities and cultures of the Late Bronze Eastern Mediterranean world from Greece to Babylonia, c. 1700–1100 BCE. Through material evidence from cities and shipwrecks, and textual sources including diplomatic letters and treaties, we’ll look at political relations and military conflicts among the great powers of the period and how the Egyptians, Hittites and other states forged and maintained some of the earliest empires, and the effects of these interactions on both conqueror and conquered. We’ll also investigate the nature of palatial economies and the implications of royal and commercial international exchanges by looking at the production, trade, and consumption of various commodities. From metals and ceramics to organic goods such as scented oils and luxury foods, we’ll discuss methods...
Read More... NEST401 Literature of Ancient Egypt or the Ancient Near East Sections
The main genres and texts of Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Literature and their modern Interpretation. Credit will be granted for only one of NEST 401 or 505.
Humour in the Bible and the Ancient Near East. Although we might not think of biblical and Mesopotamian writers as humorous, there are some indications that certain texts were intentionally funny. What role did humour play in Near Eastern literature and cultures? What was the relationship between humour and politics, identity formation, and/or self-deprecation? Given that humour is culturally and temporally bound, how can we identify glimpses of it when we are so far removed from the ancients? In addition to using methodologies familiar to the field, this course will also investigate biblical and Near Eastern texts through the lens of humour theory and comedy theory.
Read More... RELG: Religious Studies
Winter 2020RELG101 Introduction to the Western (Abrahamic) Religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Sections
An overview of the three main western monotheistic (Abrahamic) religions, together with the concepts used in studying religion, The focus will be on the origins and representative texts along with some historical development and current experience of each religion.
This course provides an overview of the three main western monotheistic (Abrahamic) religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—together with key concepts and issues in the study of religion. The focus will be on the origins, scriptures, histories, and contemporary varieties of each religion. We will explore several dimensions of religion, including identity, ritual, history, and authority as well as features of the texts and social structures associated with each tradition. This course consists of lectures by the instructor on Mondays and Wednesdays, and discussion or tutorial sessions on Fridays led by the Teaching Assistants.
Read More... RELG201 Near Eastern and Biblical Mythology Sections
An introduction to the world of Near Eastern mythology, from the Gilgamesh Epic to the Book of Genesis and beyond.
Myths – narratives in which gods and goddesses are the principal characters – provided an explanation for the human condition and the relationship between the divine and the human world. This class will provide a general introduction to the mythology of key civilizations of the ancient Near East – Egypt, Mesopotamia, Syria-Palestine – and the Hebrew Bible. The evidence for myths differs widely across this region – in Egypt, we have ample visual representations of myths and mythological motifs, Mesopotamia has left us extensive texts. Different again is the case of the Hebrew Bible – can we at all speak about a ‘biblical mythology’? Throughout the course, we will analyze in detail a number of myths and their purpose within religion and society – creation and flood myths, solar myths, myths about the underworld, myths about specific deities. We will discuss the problem of Biblical mythology and specific examples (myths...
Read More... RELG203 Scriptures of the Near East Sections
An introduction to the scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Instructor(s): KEDDIE, ANTHONY
This course introduces students to the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’ān—some of the foundational texts of both western and world culture, and the sacred scriptural basis for religious traditions originating in the Near East: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—and, more broadly, the social processes, textual practices, performance modes, and ideological constructs that, in various modes of synergy, constitute the phenomenon of ‘scripture’ in religious traditions. Through close, critical readings and discussions of primary literature (in English translation), this course considers each set of texts in terms of: its contents; confessional and historical-critical theories of its contexts, composition, and canonization; relationship to the other sacred texts; and reception in later religious traditions. The culminating part of the course explores cultural issues surrounding the generation and promulgation of competing character profiles within the scriptures and interpretive traditions of these kindred religions; characters of prominent interest include: Adam, Eve/Hawwāʾ, Satan/Iblīs, Noah,...
Read More... RELG306 Archaeology and the Bible Sections
The impact of archaeological research on understanding the history and religion of ancient Israel.
This class focuses on the impact of archaeological research on understanding the history and religion of ancient Israel and Palestine from the beginning of the Iron Age (ca. 1200 BCE) to the time of Jesus (1st century AD, and how archaeology relates to the information provided in the Bible. This relationship has been very controversial – early archaeological activity was triggered by the Bible and attempted to prove the “truth of the Bible”. Since the 1950s, the archaeology of Palestine started to detach itself from the dominance of Bible studies and has now emerged as a scholarly discipline in its own right. Biblical archaeology, as it is seen nowadays, neither proves the Bible nor simply illustrates biblical stories. Instead, archaeology helps to reconstruct the history of Israel/Palestine which is understood within the historical and cultural world of the ancient Near East. This class will give an overview of the main...
Read More... RELG307 Sex, Lies, and Violence in the Hebrew Bible Sections
An exploration of the Bible's "dark side," with emphasis on texts that center on sex, deceit, and murder.
For all of its accounts of angels and miracles, the Bible features a staggering number of texts that deal with “real life,” including literature that deals with sex, deceit, and murder. Most of these texts never make it into a synagogue or church sermon, though some of them are persistently (mis-)used to justify the oppression and/or exclusion of women and LGBTQ individuals. Together we will probe these texts within their own ancient contexts, emerging both with a deeper appreciation of the Bible’s “dark side” and with a more sophisticated sense as to what these texts might have meant to their original audiences
Read More... RELG313 Modern Jewish Ethics in Historical Perspective Sections
Readings from key texts in English translation, tracing how Jewish approaches to ethical issues evolved from biblical times to the present.
This course examines Jewish approaches to ethical issues, with special attention to how they evolved from ancient times to the present. In doing so, we will uncover the historical roots of contemporary Jewish ethics as well as follow the twists and turn in how these approaches developed.
We will survey Jewish ethics broadly, as well as focus on ethical issues that have arisen from the ongoing pandemic. The topics that we will explore include responses to poverty and injustice, safeguarding life, human dignity, medical ethics, business ethics, humility, family relations, and numerous other issues. Our exploration of Jewish ethics through the ages will also include a broad survey of Jewish history and introduction to the key texts of the Jewish tradition – from the Hebrew Bible and classical rabbinic literature, to contemporary Jewish prayer books. This course also provides an entry into the study of religious ethics. All texts will be...
Read More... RELG316 The Origins of Christianity: Literary Contexts Sections
The origins of Christianity as reflected in the New Testament and contemporaneous literature.
RELG335 Jewish Law Sections
History, sources, theoretical issues and current state of research about early Jewish legal traditions, focusing on close readings of classic primary texts in English translations.
RELG415 The Life and Thought of Paul of Tarsus Sections
The life and literature of Paul in the Roman imperial world: letter writing, patronage and power; Roman imperial iconography; Paul and community formation.
Instructor(s): KEDDIE, ANTHONY
In 1 Corinthians 9:22, Paul declares, “I have become all things to all people that I might by all means save some.” Through careful analysis of Paul’s letters in the New Testament and his legacy among subsequent generations of Christians as well as some modern thinkers, we will discover just how true this statement was. During the term, we will engage with multiple, often conflicting, interpretations of Paul’s life and thought. This class thus serves as a historical introduction to Pauline thought and its development in early Christianity as well as a critical primer in the methods and politics of biblical interpretation.
The course is divided into three units. In the first, we investigate some of the most prevalent portraits of Paul among scholars, paying particular attention to the question of whether Paul was a Christian or a Jew, and a Greek or a Roman. The second unit decenters Paul—that is,...
Read More... RELG475B Topics in Religion - TPCS IN RELIGION Sections
Consult the course registration information each year for offered topics.
Humour in the Bible and the Ancient Near East. Although we might not think of biblical and Mesopotamian writers as humorous, there are some indications that certain texts were intentionally funny. What role did humour play in Near Eastern literature and cultures? What was the relationship between humour and politics, identity formation, and/or self-deprecation? Given that humour is culturally and temporally bound, how can we identify glimpses of it when we are so far removed from the ancients? In addition to using methodologies familiar to the field, this course will also investigate biblical and Near Eastern texts through the lens of humour theory and comedy theory.
Read More...