Classics
Chair: Gordon Kelly
Administrative Coordinator: Claire Kodachi
Classics is an interdisciplinary field focused on the study of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as the influences on them from the neighboring cultures of Egypt and the Near East. Echoes of Greece and Rome saturate our culture, from the shapes of our traditional buildings to the political institutions we embrace, from the mythological stories that reappear in our literature and art to the intellectual disciplines that form the liberal arts. The classics program seeks to provide students with the opportunity to gain intellectual grounding in a curriculum that explores the legacy of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
In addition to their historical significance, Greek and Roman works of art, literature, and philosophy have substantial continuing value, and the classics program exposes students to many of the great works of these cultures. Serious engagement with these works can be forever enriching.
The Major Program
The major is inherently interdisciplinary. The courses required for the major include Greek or Latin language through the 202 level, and elective courses offered by the classics program and affiliated departments in a number of academic disciplines. A student may choose specific courses of interest within Greco-Roman studies, but the major grows from the foundational courses CLAS 201 Introduction to Ancient Greek Thought and Culture or CLAS 202 Introduction to Ancient Roman Thought and Culture and culminates in CLAS 450 Topics in Classical Studies. For Latin and Greek course listings, see World Languages and Literatures.
Major Requirements
A minimum of 44 semester credits (11 courses), distributed in either of the two following ways:
Classical Civilizations Concentration
- CLAS 201 or CLAS 202
- Four courses in one of the classical languages (Greek or Latin) through the 202 level.*
- Two additional 100- or 200-level courses from the classics program and affiliated programs elective list below.
- Three 300- or 400-level courses from the list below.
- One additional 450-level seminar course chosen from the following:
Topics in Classical Studies Philosophical Studies: History of Philosophy (with departmental approval if topic covers classics material) Philosophical Studies: Advanced Themes in Philosophy (with departmental approval if topic covers classics material) Seminar: Social and Religious World of Early Judaism and Christianity
Ancient Language Concentration
- CLAS 201 or CLAS 202
- 28 credits (seven courses) in classical languages (Greek and Latin).* Four courses through the 202 level must be taken in one language and three courses through the 201 level must be taken in the other.
- 8 credits (two courses) at the 300 or 400 level chosen from the electives list below.
- One additional 450-level seminar course chosen from the following:
Topics in Classical Studies Philosophical Studies: History of Philosophy (with departmental approval if topic covers classics material) Philosophical Studies: Advanced Themes in Philosophy (with departmental approval if topic covers classics material) Seminar: Social and Religious World of Early Judaism and Christianity
Minor Requirements
A minimum of 28 semester credits (seven courses), distributed as follows:
- CLAS 201 Introduction to Ancient Greek Thought and Culture or CLAS 202 Introduction to Ancient Roman Thought and Culture
- 12 credits (three courses) in one of the classical languages (Greek or Latin), through the 201 level.*
- 8 semester credits (two courses) from a minimum of two disciplines, selected from the electives list below.
- One additional 450-level seminar course chosen from the following:
Topics in Classical Studies Philosophical Studies: History of Philosophy (with departmental approval if topic covers classics material) Philosophical Studies: Advanced Themes in Philosophy (with departmental approval if topic covers classics material) Seminar: Social and Religious World of Early Judaism and Christianity
At least 16 semester credits must be exclusive to the minor (may not be used in any other set of major or minor requirements).
Classics and Affiliated Program Electives
Art
| Ancient Greek and Roman Art | ||
| Ovid and the Visual Arts |
Classics
| Ancient Greek Myth: Gods and Goddesses, Heroines and Heroes | ||
| History of Byzantium | ||
| Art and Archaeology of the Aegean | ||
| Attic Tragedy | ||
| Sports, Games, and Spectacles in the Greco-Roman World | ||
| Health and Healing in the Ancient World | ||
| Topography and Monuments of Athens | ||
| Greek and Roman Epic | ||
| Roman Women | ||
| Topics in Classical Studies |
English
| Ancient Masterpieces and English Literature |
Greek
| Classical Greek I | ||
| Classical Greek II | ||
| Readings in Hellenistic and Classical Greek | ||
| Advanced Readings in Classical Greek | ||
| Advanced Greek: Tragedy and Epic | ||
| Advanced Greek: Poetry |
History
| Ancient Greece | ||
| Ancient Rome: From Republic to Empire |
Latin
| Beginning Latin I | ||
| Beginning Latin II | ||
| Intermediate Latin I | ||
| Advanced Readings in Latin |
Philosophy
| Ancient Western Philosophy | ||
| Philosophical Studies: History of Philosophy (with departmental approval if topic covers classics material) | ||
| Philosophical Studies: Advanced Themes in Philosophy (with departmental approval if topic covers classics material) |
Political Science
| Pillars of Western Political Thought: Plato to Machiavelli |
Religious Studies
| Jewish Origins | ||
| Christian Origins | ||
| Gender, Sex, Jews, and Christians: Ancient World | ||
| Social and Religious World of Early Judaism and Christianity | ||
| Seminar: Social and Religious World of Early Judaism and Christianity |
*Students who place into a higher level of Greek or Latin must meet the minimum credit requirements of the major or minor. These students should see the department chair to determine appropriate additional elective coursework.
Honors
To be eligible for honors in classics, students must have a major grade point average of at least 3.500. Interested students must submit a thesis proposal to the classics program chair during the second semester of their junior year. A thesis committee comprising the chair and at least two additional faculty members chosen by the chair will consider the merit of the proposal. If the proposal is accepted, the student will write the thesis as a 4-semester-credit 499-level directed study. The thesis committee will determine if the final work is granted departmental honors. The decision of the committee will be by majority vote.
Faculty
Benjamin David. Associate professor of art history. Late Medieval and Italian Renaissance Art History, Greek and Roman Art History. PhD 1999, MA 1993, BA 1991 New York University.
Kurt Fosso. Professor of English. British Romantic Literature, Critical Theory, Classical Backgrounds. PhD 1993, MA 1988 University of California at Irvine. BA 1987 University of Washington.
Karen Gross. Professor of English. Medieval Literature, Classical Backgrounds. PhD 2005, MA 1999 Stanford University. MPhil 1998 University of Cambridge. BA 1997 University of Southern California.
John Holzwarth. Assistant professor with term of political science, director of the Writing Center. History of political thought, contemporary normative political theory. PhD 2004, MA 2000 Princeton University. AB 1993 Colgate University.
Gordon Kelly. Associate professor with term of humanities, director of the classics program. Latin and Greek Language and Literature, Roman and Greek History. PhD 1999, MA 1993 Bryn Mawr College. BA 1991 Rutgers University. BA 1985 Villanova University.
Robert A. Kugler. Paul S. Wright Professor of Christian Studies. Judeo-Christian Origins, Dead Sea Scrolls, Early Jewish Literature. PhD 1994 University of Notre Dame. MDiv 1984 Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. BA 1979 Lewis & Clark College.
Joel A. Martinez. Associate professor of philosophy and department chair. Ethical Theory, Normative Ethics, Ancient Philosophy, Logic. PhD 2006 University of Arizona. BA 1997 New Mexico State University.
Courses
CLAS 100 Ancient Greek Myth: Gods and Goddesses, Heroines and Heroes
Content: Myth was essential for the making of Greek identity in antiquity; by telling and retelling under ever-changing circumstances the stories of gods and goddesses, heroines and heroes, ancient Greeks expressed their evolving self-understanding to each other and the world around them. To understand the way Greeks used myth to define themselves, in this course we give a close reading to selections from our sources for Greek myth--Homer, Hesiod, Greek tragedians, historians, and philosophers, and the Roman poet Ovid. In addition, we examine modern theories and contemporary popular uses of myth to determine how myth speaks to the ancient and modern world.
Prerequisites: None.
Usually offered: Annually, spring semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 201 Introduction to Ancient Greek Thought and Culture
Content: Introduction to ancient Greek archaeology, architecture, art, history, literature, philosophy, and religion. Special emphasis on the core values of ancient Greek culture, and how these compare and contrast to our own.
Prerequisites: None.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, fall semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 202 Introduction to Ancient Roman Thought and Culture
Content: Introduction to ancient Roman thought and culture as reflected in archaeology, architecture, art, history, literature, philosophy, and religion. Special emphasis on the core values of ancient Roman culture, and how these compare and contrast to our own.
Prerequisites: None.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, fall semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 251 History of Byzantium
Content: The transformation of the eastern Roman Empire into a Greek Orthodox medieval empire and the creation of a separate identity for the Byzantine state and society. Topics include the organization of the Byzantine state; the development and defining features of Byzantine civilization; relations between Byzantium and the Latin West, the Slavic world, and Islam; the pivotal and unique role of Byzantium; and the factors that led to the decline of the empire and the eventual fall of Constantinople. Taught on the Greek overseas program.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Acceptance to the Greece overseas program required.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, fall semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 252 Art and Archaeology of the Aegean
Content: Survey of the art and archaeology of the ancient civilizations of the Aegean and Greece: Minoan, Mycenaean, and Classical Greek. Introduction to primary sources. Visits to sites, monuments, and museums are complemented by classroom lectures and readings that provide historical context. Taught on the Greece overseas program.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Acceptance to Greece overseas program required.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, fall semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 253 Attic Tragedy
Content: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides are all a fascinating entry into the wider religious and political culture of fifth-century Athens and a rich part of the living tradition of theatre today. Students will examine both perspectives and seek to answer the questions "What was Attic tragedy?" (How and why did it emerge when it did?), "What is Attic tragedy?" (What is its relevance and value in the theatre today?), and "Are the first two questions different questions after all?" Traditional academic practices (lectures, seminars, the writing of papers) will combine with an experimental, hands-on approach. For the latter, students participate, in either onstage or offstage roles, in a workshop production of certain scenes from an ancient tragedy, intended to explore its theatrical nature and modern relevance. Taught on Greece overseas program.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Acceptance to Greece overseas program required.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, fall semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 255 Sports, Games, and Spectacles in the Greco-Roman World
Content: An exploration of the athletic competitions and sports-based games and spectacles from the Bronze Age through to the period of late antiquity, focusing on ancient Greek and Roman athletics, public spectacles, and gladiatorial games. An interdisciplinary study, the course examines the purpose and function of these games and spectacles within the wider context of the daily lives of the ancients. Students conduct their own re-creations of ancient games and sports, visit relevant archaeological sites, and survey representations of the ancient sports and games in contemporary pop culture. Taught on the Greece overseas program.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Acceptance to Greece overseas program required.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, fall semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 266 Health and Healing in the Ancient World
Content: Examination of ancient Greek, Roman, and early Christian and Jewish understandings of medicine, health, and healing. A survey of social, philosophical, psychological, religious, and scientific perspectives on health, sickness, and healing with an emphasis on the Hippocratic tradition, Hellenistic philosophers, Galen, and early Judaism and Christian understandings. A look at the influence of ancient imagination on contemporary ideas and practice in medical and mental health care.
Prerequisites: None.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, spring semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 314 Topography and Monuments of Athens
Content: Comprehensive, site-based overview of the topography, archaeology, and history of Athens, focusing particularly on the great monuments of the Classical and Roman city. Every major site, and many minor ones, will be explored, paying attention to physical setting, architectural and archaeological characteristics, and position in the political, religious, and social lives of the Athenians. Students will trace the rediscovery of Athens' antiquities from the 15th century to the development of scientific archaeology in the 19th, and will look at the role of archaeology in Athens from the foundation of the Modern Greek state up to the present day. Offered as part of the Greece overseas study program.
Prerequisites: HIST 216 or CLAS 254.
Restrictions: Acceptance to Greece overseas program required.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, fall semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 320 Greek and Roman Epic
Content: Examination of six epic poems (in translation) from Classical antiquity: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Apollonius's Argonautica, Virgil's Aeneid, Lucan's Civil War, and Statius's Thebaid. Focus on the traditional themes of the epic genre, including the nature of heroism, the relationship between mortals and gods, issues of peace and war, and the conflict of individual and communal goals; how ancient authors adapted epic conventions to suit their own artistic goals; how these epics reflected the values and history of contemporary Greco-Roman civilization; and their influence in antiquity and beyond.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Sophomore standing required.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, fall semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 324 Roman Women
Content: The lives of women in Roman culture and society from the Early Republic into late antiquity: education, religion, marriage, divorce, family life, reproductive issues, and social status with an emphasis on actual ancient sources such as funeral epitaphs, medical texts, inscriptions, archaeological evidence, letters, historical writings, and poetry.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Sophomore standing required.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, fall and spring semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 450 Topics in Classical Studies
Content: Serious scholarly study of some specific topic or area within classical studies. Topics may include Greek or Roman archaeology, architecture, art, epic or lyric poetry, comedy, history, music, tragedy, philosophy, political theory, religion, or ancient science, or else comparative study of some aspect of ancient Greek or Roman culture with others. May be taken twice for credit with change of topic.
Prerequisites: CLAS 201 or 202.
Restrictions: Sophomore standing required.
Usually offered: Every third year, spring semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CLAS 499 Independent Study
Content: Individual study directed by selected faculty. Topic determined in consultation with faculty.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Sophomore standing required.
Usually offered: Annually, fall and spring semester.
Semester credits: 1-4.