ARBC: Arabic
Winter 2018ARBC101 Introduction to the Grammar and Vocabulary of Classic Arabic Sections
ARBC102 Introduction to the Grammar and Vocabulary of Classic Arabic II Sections
ARBC201 Classical Arabic (Intermediate) I Sections
Increased reading ability as well as learning the further essentials of grammar.
ARBC202 Classical Arabic (Intermediate) II Sections
Increased reading ability as well as learning the further essentials of grammar. Continuation of ARBC 201.
ARBC420A Supervised Study in Classical Arabic - CLASSICAL ARABIC Sections
Religious and literary Arabic texts pertaining to the early and medieval Islamic world.
CLST: Classical Studies Undergraduate Courses
Winter 2018CLST105 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... CLST204 Gods, Graves, and Goods: The Archaeology of Ancient Greece and Rome Sections
A survey of the material cultures of the pre-classical and classical civilizations of Greece and Rome, illustrating the principles and techniques used to illuminate the archaeological history of these civilizations.
This course will provide an introduction to Greek and Roman archaeology, from roughly 1000 BCE to CE 600. The course will place particular emphasis on the different types of evidence for our knowledge about the material culture of Greek and Roman antiquity. Two-thirds of the course will deal with such topics as the history of classical archaeology, how sites get buried and how they are discovered, and we will also consider how both sites and artefacts are dated. Topics covered in this section will include aerial photography, field survey, geophysical prospection, environmental archaeology, the role of science in archaeology, and underwater archaeology, and we will also consider the importance of pottery, coins and inscriptions for the study of classical archaeology. The last third of the course will deal first with an introduction first to Greek archaeology, and then to Roman. The approach within each will be topical rather than chronological:...
Read More... CLST211 Greek Philosophy I Sections
The Pre-Socratics; Socrates; Sophists; Plato. Recommended as preparation for CLST/PHIL 212 and PHIL 310.
The Presocratics; Socrates; Sophists.
“The unexamined life is not worth living”: this is how the seminal Athenian philosopher Socrates explained his way of life to the jury that sentenced him. How did this attitude – and with it the complex of Western philosophy, medicine and science – first emerge in ancient Greece? In this course, we will piece together fragmentary evidence for the birth of rational speculation between the poets Homer and Hesiod (8th century BC) and Plato and Aristotle (4th century BC). Through the origin story of Western philosophy, we will encounter the original articulations of Greece’s most enduring and provocative ideas, among them atomism, materialism, the dialogue of science and religion, the notion of a universe governed by regular mathematical laws, the possibility of knowledge, and the goals of human life.
Equivalent: PHIL 211ARead More... CLST212 Greek Philosophy II Sections
Aristotle; selections from Hellenistic and Late Antique Philosophy. Recommended as preparation for PHIL 310 and PHIL 311.
Instructor(s): SOMMERVILLE, BROOKS
Plato; Aristotle; selections from Hellenistic Philosophy.
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 CE).
Prerequisites: None: Students...
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.
"There can surely be nobody so petty or so apathetic in his outlook that he has no desire to discover by what means and under what system of government the Romans succeeded in less than fifty-three years in bringing under their rule almost the whole of the inhabited world, an achievement which is without parallel in human history." - Polybius, Universal History 1.1.5
A survey of the ancient Roman world. The course consists of a series of lectures on the world of Rome from the foundation of the city to the death of Constantine. Lectures treat the Roman monarchy, the foundation of the Roman republic and its expansion, the social, economic and political problems that led to its fall, the reorganization of government under Augustus, and the Roman empire under the emperors. Brief consideration of the reforms of Diocletian and the unsolved problem of the decline of the Roman...
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.
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 Greek and Latin elements which are used in medical and biological terminology: students learn how to deconstruct medical and biological terminology into ordinary English so that they can easily understand and remember the language of biology and medicine. Students also learn the principles behind the construction of the terminology. The course is designed primarily for science students, particularly those in the biological or pre-medical fields, but students from other areas of study are also very welcome. No knowledge of the Greek or Latin languages is required, and no knowledge of anatomy or physiology is required. The course additionally provides relevant material from ancient literary, mythological, historical, and medical sources, in order to furnish a cultural context for the elements under discussion.
The course is offered both on-campus and on-line in both the fall and winter terms, and both cover the same vocabulary. For the on-campus...
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 from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic Period. 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.
CLST314 Latin Epic Sections
The development of the epic genre in Latin, with detailed study of Vergil's Aeneid, Ovid's Metamorphoses, and Lucan's Civil War, in translation.
This course will explore the development of the epic genre in Latin. Besides detailed study of Vergil's Aeneid, Ovid's Metamorphoses, and Lucan's Civil War, students will also come to appreciate the growth and development of the genre and its two main branches, the historical epic and the mythological epic.
Read More... 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... CLST320 Slavery in the Ancient Greek and Roman World Sections
The study and history of slavery in the Greek and Roman worlds as a political, legal, economic, social, and cultural phenomenon.
CLST331 Greek Art and Architecture Sections
An introduction to 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 Akropolis 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
An introduction to 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 BC and the second century AD, including mystery religions, love 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.
This course examines the evolution of the political institutions and social structures of the Roman Republic from its foundation to its end. Some of the areas explored are the development of the Republican government system, particularly the function of the magistrates, the senate and the assemblies, the role of the elite and the people in the governing of the state and the causes and effects of change in the Republic’s governance over time, the acquisition and growth of empire and the political, social and economic consequences of Roman expansion, and the eventual failure of Republican institutions and traditions. Within the context of the political history social, economic and cultural themes will also be examined. Attention will be paid as well to problems in historiography and the analysis of primary source material, both literary (all in translation) and non-literary.
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... CLST360E Life and Society in Classical Antiquity - LF SOC CLAS ANTQ Sections
Topics in Greek and Roman life and society.
UnRoman Romans: Bandits, exiles, sex workers, witches, and other outsiders in the Roman empire
Not everyone could be an ideal Roman. Not everyone wanted to be an ideal Roman . This course will look at those who couldn’t – or wouldn’t – fit into the traditional mould from the bandits to political exiles to witches and beyond, piecing together an alternative picture of Roman society from the perspective of its outsiders. If you have ever wondered how the rest of the Roman world lived, this will give you a roaring introduction to the topic.
Read More... CLST402B Seminar in Classical Literature - SEM CLASSCL LIT Sections
Selected topics in Greek or Roman literature, with an emphasis on research. Restricted to majors and honours students in CLST, CLAS, CLAH, ARGR, GRNE, CNRS.
Chiseled body, beard, equal amounts of blood and wine: is this the ideal ancient man? In this course we will undertake a critical examination of masculinity in Greek and Roman literature. Reading selections from a variety of ancient texts as well as secondary literature, we will first explore what made (and unmade) men in the Classical world. Students will then develop their own research projects addressing the complexities of ancient gender and sexuality.
Read More... CLST403C 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.
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF BRONZE AGE GREECE. The Trojan War, the Palace of King Minos at Knossos and the Mask of Agamemnon are only part of the story of the Greek Bronze Age. In this course, we'll try to separate the myths from no-less fascinating evidence of life in prehistoric Greece. We'll take an in-depth look at the archaeology and art of the civilizations that arose on mainland Greece, Crete, the Aegean islands and Cyprus from around 3000 to 1200 BCE. We'll examine the material remains left behind by these societies—from their monumental palaces to the ceramic vessels used in everyday life—in order to understand how Bronze Age people lived and died and to try to explain the rise and fall of state-level societies in these regions, how these societies were organized, what their beliefs were, and the interactions they had with neighboring cultures of the Near East and Egypt. We'll...
Read More... CNRS: Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies
Winter 2018CNRS370 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... CNRS449 Honours Essay Sections
GREK: Greek
Winter 2018GREK101 First-Year Ancient Greek I Sections
An introduction to Classical and Hellenistic Greek, Part I.
First-Year Ancient Greek I
This course introduces the elements of classical Greek – the language of Homer, Greek drama and philosophy, and the New Testament. We will study fundamental Greek grammar and vocabulary useful for reading ancient Greek and understanding its influence on modern European languages.
Prerequisites: None: Students with no prior knowledge of the subject are welcome.
Read More... GREK102 First-Year Ancient Greek II Sections
An introduction to Classical and Hellenistic Greek, Part II.
GREK201 Second-Year Ancient Greek I Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of Ancient Greek, Part I.
GREK202 Second-Year Ancient Greek II Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of Ancient Greek, Part II; introduction to the reading of unadapted passages of Greek literature.
GREK351 Intermediate 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 Intermediate 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... GREK401B 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.
GREK402A Greek Verse - GREEK VERSE Sections
Studies in epic, tragedy and/or comedy. It is recommended that the corequisite course be completed prior to GREK 402.
This course will explore the poetry of Theocritus, the most famous and influential Hellenistic bucolic poet. His poetry is worth of consideration in and of itself and takes on new interest in light of his influence upon Vergil's Eclogues. Besides the versified vision of the pastoral life Theocritus provides, this course will delve into Theocritus' own poetological statements, urban mimes, and panegyric. Moreover, students are expected to gain a familiarity of the reception of Theocritus in Vergil through a reading of Eclogues in English translation. This course will introduce students to the vibrancy of Hellenistic poetry, introduce important concepts of intertextuality and allusion, and raise the question of the relationship between poetics and politics. Moreover, we will consider what it means for an ancient male poet to compose verse in a female voice in Idyll 2.
Read More... HEBR: Hebrew
Winter 2018HEBR101 Elementary Biblical Hebrew Part I Sections
Introduction to Biblical Hebrew grammar. Includes translation of prose and poetry from the Hebrew Bible.
HEBR102 Elementary Biblical Hebrew Part II Sections
A continuation of HEBR 101: Introduction to Biblical Hebrew grammar. Includes translation of prose and poetry from the Hebrew Bible.
LATN: Latin
Winter 2018LATN101 First-Year Latin I Sections
Classical Latin for students with no previous knowledge of 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 First-Year Latin II Sections
Classical Latin for students with no previous knowledge of 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 Second-Year Latin I Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of classical Latin, Part I.
Latin 201 completes most of the fundamentals of Latin grammar and syntax that were begun in Latin 101 and 102, which it illustrates by a series of readings adapted from the major authors of classical Latin literature. We shall be reading passages from such famous authors and works as Livy’s legends of early Rome, Julius Caesar’s account of his campaigns in Gaul, and Tacitus’ story of the emperor Nero’s murder of the son of Claudius.
Text: Susan C. Shelmerdine, Introduction to Latin, 2nd ed., Focus Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-58510-390-4 (required)
Read More... LATN202 Second-Year Latin II Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of classical Latin, Part II, and an introduction to the reading of unadapted passages of Latin literature.
Latin 202 completes the fundamentals of Latin grammar and syntax, which it illustrates by a series of readings slightly adapted from the major authors of classical Latin literature. These include passages from such famous authors and works as Cicero on dreams, the historian Sallust on the decline of Rome, and the poet Ovid’s telling of the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. We then introduce students to the reading and translation of unadapted Latin, this year using as sample the third book of Eutropius’ Ab Urbe Condita, his summary of the events of Second Punic War. (Text of Eutropius is supplied.)
Required Text:
Susan C. Shelmerdine, Introduction to Latin, 2nd ed., Focus Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-
58510-390-4
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.
Read More... LATN401A Latin Prose - LATIN PROSE Sections
Studies in history, oratory and/or philosophy. May be repeated for up to 12 credits. It is recommended that the corequisite course be completed prior to LATN 401.
Apuleius’ Apology: The Trial of a Warlock
In the middle of the second century CE the town of Sabratha, in what is now modern Libya, saw the trial of the philosopher and orator Apuleius on a charge of witchcraft, for supposedly enchanting his new wife, Pudentilla, into love with him. An outsider to the community, he faced the death penalty if he lost his case before the Roman governor, and had to plead for his life in a town controlled by his well-connected opponents (who – rather awkwardly - included his step-son). In this course we will read portions of his defence speech in Latin, along with related texts in English translation to understand Apuleius’ trial, strategy, and success in portraying himself as a true Roman, and his opponents as barely literate and moronic provincials motivated by hate and envy of him and Pudentilla’s happiness.
Latin text: Apuleius, Apology, edited by Vincent...
Read More... LATN402A 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.
The verse epistle is a genre of literature that is thought-provoking and fascinating, as it ties into itself real settings and poetic constructs; here, truth and fiction meet in moments of pure artifice. This course will be a diachronic exploration of the Latin verse epistle. We shall be studying a selection of verse epistles from Horace's Epistulae, Book I, Ovid's Epistulae ex Ponto Book I and Heroides, the exchange between Ausonius and Paulinus of Nola in Late Antiquity, and the fifth-century epistles of Sidonius Apollinaris. We shall investigate these Latin texts not only as discrete poems but as instances of potential communication as well. How does the verse form affect reality? How does epistolography affect verse, whether fictionalised or not? How does the wider real audience of the epistles as poems affect their composition? Does it matter, e.g., if Augustus read Ovid’s letters or not? These are questions that will arise...
Read More... NEST: Near Eastern Studies
Winter 2018NEST101 Introduction to Near Eastern and Egyptian Archaeology Sections
An overview of the past two centuries of archaeological investigations of the civilizations of the ancient Near East and Egypt.
Most of us know about the ancient tombs, temples and pyramids of Egypt, and have heard about the great cities of Babylon, Ur and Nineveh in Mesopotamia. But how did recent archaeologists go about re-discovering these amazing cities and monuments? This course provides an overview of some of the most spectacular archaeological finds of the past two centuries in Egypt and the Near East, and the adventurers, explorers, and archaeologists who uncovered them. In the process, students will also learn about the types of archaeological techniques and tools which are used to unlock the secrets of the ancient past, and what archaeological evidence can tell us about the social, political, economic and religious aspects of life in Egypt and Mesopotamia, the ‘cradles of civilization’. There will be an opportunity for students to handle and study real archaeological artifacts from the Near East in the laboratories of the Museum of Anthropology.
Prerequisites: None.
Read More... NEST312 Religion in Ancient Egypt Sections
A survey of the religious beliefs, cults, and religious institutions in Pharaonic Egypt.
This survey course is designed to provide a general introduction to the religion of Ancient Egypt. We will discuss a wide field of topics such as concepts of cosmogony, cosmology, the pantheon of Ancient Egypt, temples and tombs, divine kingship, and the role of the priesthood. Throughout the course written sources will be complemented by archaeological evidence and thus will give the students a first insight into the wealth of material culture from Ancient Egypt.
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... 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.
NEST402 The Archaeology of the City in the Ancient Near East Sections
The material manifestations of urbanism in the ancient Near East, from the 4th millennium BC up to the 1st millennium BC. Credit will be granted for only one of NEST 402 or 506.
This course will focus on the origins and development of the earliest cities in the ancient Near East, particularly those that emerged in Greater Mesopotamia in the fourth millennium BCE. Such cities include, for example, the ancient urban complexes of Uruk and Ur in southern Iraq, Brak and Hamoukar in Syria, and Susa in south-western Iran. The course will consider theoretical perspectives on the origins of cities and the rise of complex cities. It will then probe the physical manifestations of the development of urban complexes, evidenced through transformations in settlement and landscape patterns, urban planning and the use of space, art, artifacts and architecture. Lastly, the course hopes to take a cross-cultural approach, highlighting salient social, religious and political institutions of ancient Near Eastern cities and comparing them to similar institutions documented at other cities from the ancient world, including those from China and Mesoamerica. The course is not...
Read More... RELG: Religious Studies
Winter 2018RELG101 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 in the study of religion. The focus will be on the origins and representative texts along with historical development and current experience of each religion. The course will explore key aspects of religion, including ritual, history, hagiography, views of time and the world, as well as features of the texts and social structures associated with each tradition. This course consists of lectures by the instructor twice a week, and discussion or tutorial sessions on led by the teaching assistants. The TAs are graduate students in the Department of Classical, Near Eastern, and Religious Studies.
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.
In this course we will probe the distinct but related corpora of biblical and ancient Near Eastern “mythologies.” The focus will be on Mesopotamian literature (i.e., literary texts that are the products of ancient Iraq), though we will also examine biblical texts, particularly those that demonstrate influence from Mesopotamia. Both sets of texts shed light on the cultures that produced them, and we will explore how these texts both reveal and conceal aspects of their respective cultures. We will also consider the ways in which media (i.e., the physical material that scribes used to write these texts) and context (e.g., literary, religious, archaeological, social, etc.) contribute toward our understanding of this ancient material. Although our main focus will be on what these texts might have meant to their ancient audiences, we will also reflect on their continued influence on modern beliefs and perceptions.
Prerequisites: None
Read More... RELG203 Scriptures of the Near East Sections
An introduction to the scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
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... RELG207 Classical Islam Sections
The history and culture, values, and achievements of Islamic societies from 700-1500; the interconnections between power, politics, gender, and the arts in Islamic societies. This course is highly recommended as a basis for all 300- and 400-level Islamic Studies courses.
In 610 CE, an Arab man named Muhammad son of Abdullah claimed to have received the words of God. It was the beginning of the Islamic religion. Over the next years his few followers were mocked, beaten, and some, even killed. And yet somehow, 1400 years later, this man's movement has evolved into the second largest world religion with well over a billion followers. Moreover, the early Islamic legacy includes refined scholarly works examining varied topics such as human free will, the nature of God and his attributes, law and ethics, and the mystical path to spiritual union with the divine. In this course, we will explore the history of early Islam, focusing on the religion's beginnings, the Muslim conquests, the Sunni/Shi'a split, the canonization of the religion's foundational texts, and the development of the enduring Islamic intellectual sciences such as Shari'a law and Sufism.
Read More... RELG208 Modern Islam Sections
The history and culture, values, and socio-political movements of the Islamic world from 1500 to the modern day; the interconnections between power, politics, gender, and the arts in modern Islamic societies. This course is highly recommended as a basis for all 300- and 400-level Islamic Studies courses.
Islam permeates the landscape of our contemporary world events—whether in relation to immigration, women’s rights, or terrorism. In this course, we will examine the ways that Islam has changed in the last five centuries in order to gain a better understanding of Muslims’ beliefs and practices today. We will analyze the deep impact and transformative effect of events like colonization, Western science, and increased literacy on Muslim peoples. We will survey modern Muslim debates on how their faith should relate to democracy, gender, nationalism, violence, reason, and authority. Students will leave the course better understanding the contested ways Muslims have sought to shape their tradition in the modern world.
Read More... RELG306 Archaeology and the Bible Sections
The impact of archaeological research on understanding the history and religion of ancient Israel.
Over the last two centuries, archaeologists (both professional and amateur) have extensively excavated the lands depicted in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Often digging with sacred texts in hand, they have uncovered a voluminous corpus of archaeological remains related to ancient Israel, early Judaism, and Christianity. This course introduces students to the comparative study of the material and literary production of the peoples who lived in ancient Palestine, from 1000 B.C.E. to 640 C.E. We will critically examine the ways that archaeological finds can - and cannot - contribute to our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Dead Sea Scrolls, classical Rabbinic Literature, and related texts. In addition, we will uncover the major interpretive issues that face scholars today. In each unit, following an overview of the period"s material culture, we will examine two sets of primary sources - one textual, one archaeological; critically evaluate modern interpretations and...
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... RELG308 Talmud, Midrash and the Rabbinic Imagination Sections
The Talmud, Midrash, and other late-antique (3rd - 7th centuries) rabbinic writings, focusing on biblical interpretation and narratives.
Classical rabbinic literature (3rd–7th centuries C.E.) consists of a massive corpus of legal and exegetical texts (e.g. Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrashim) that comprise the foundations of medieval and modern-day Judaism. A rich area of study in its own right, rabbinic literature also contributes to the study of the Hebrew Bible and its interpretation, early Christianity and other religions of late antiquity, and the civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean and near east. This course introduces the major works of rabbinic literature and issues relevant to modern scholarship. It explores biblical interpretation, narratives, and legal texts from the rabbinic corpus. We will address topics such as authorship, historiography, and rabbinic literature’s relationships with early Christianity and Greco-Roman culture. All texts will be read in English translation. No prerequisites.
Read More... 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.
Was the apostle Paul a Jew, a Christian, or something else? And more importantly, why does it matter? Why would Paul identify himself as a circumcised Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin and a Pharisee after experiencing a revelation of Christ? In this course, students answer these questions for themselves by engaging with historical evidence for Paul’s religious and ethnic loyalties as well as some of the most influential answers theologians and scholars have given to these questions over two millennia. We begin the semester by interrogating the reasons that the Holocaust functioned as a watershed in the discussion of Paul’s religion and ethnicity. Whereas before the Holocaust, authoritative definitions of Paul’s Christianity by theologians such as Augustine of Hippo and Martin Luther went unquestioned, after the Holocaust, intellectuals sensitive to the violent implications of eradicating Judaism from history proclaimed Paul a Jew. After this orientation to some of the...
Read More... RELG475B Topics in Religion - TPCS IN RELIGION Sections
Consult the course registration information each year for offered topics.
Islam and the Secular Modern. Why was a late 20th century Egyptian Muslim academic exiled for apostasy? Why did several young French Muslim men leave for Syria to join ISIS? And why have there been periodic tensions between Egyptian Christians and Muslims? A common assumption suggests that intolerance and violence in the Muslim world is due to its failure to properly secularize and divorce religion from politics. Of late, a great many Islamic studies scholars have argued otherwise. They have turned their critical gazes towards the unexpected and more sinister impact of modern secularization on Muslim states, institutions, and religious practices. This scholarship has reoriented foundational assumptions within religious studies. Our course will survey the most influential literature within this scholarly field, focusing on anthropological studies of Muslim populations in Egypt, Sudan, and France. Our texts paint a rich picture of the complex and varied ways that Islam is today intertwined...
Read More... RELG475C Topics in Religion - TPCS IN RELIGION Sections
Consult the course registration information each year for offered topics.