Classics

Courses in the Department of Classics cover numerous aspects of the ancient Greco-Roman world. Our courses focus on the study of Greek and Latin literary, historical, and philosophical texts, as well as evidence from material remains such as art, architecture, and the archaeological remains of daily life, as well as public and private inscriptions. Courses in the languages (Latin and Greek) are designed to provide students with a thorough introduction to the language and literature of ancient Greece and Rome. Courses taught entirely with readings in English (Classics courses) include those centered around literary genres, Greek and Roman history, and topics such as gender and archaeology. Completion of the Greek and Latin sequences, 101, 102, 103, and 204, fulfills the college language requirement.

Requirements for the Classics Major

  • Thirty additional credits (five courses) in the general area of Classical Civilization (CLAS), Latin (LATN), or Greek (GRK), two of which must be at the 200 level or above. One of these five courses may be from a related department (History, Philosophy, Art History, Archaeology, Political Science, Religion), subject to adviser approval
  • CLAS 295 Junior Skills Colloquium
  • CLAS 394/CLAS 400 (6 credits)

75 credits total

The College language requirement may be satisfied by completion with a grade of at least C- in any of the Greek or Latin languages numbered 204 or above.

The Classics Departments of Carleton College and St. Olaf College cooperate in a program under which students of either college may elect certain courses on the other campus. This option is especially appropriate for upper level language courses not offered at Carleton. Carleton students should register for St. Olaf courses through the inter-registration process.

The minor in Archaeology will interest many students who are attracted to ancient civilization.

Minors in the Classic Department

The Classics Department offers three Minors in addition to the Classics Major. Per the College’s guidelines on minors, students who declare a Classics Major are not allowed also to declare a Minor in the department. For a course to count toward a minor, a grade of C- or better must be earned. These courses cannot be taken on an elective S/Cr/NC basis. The department may make exceptions if appropriate.

Requirements for the Classics Minor

The Classics Minor is intended for students who wish to gain broad exposure to the study of the ancient Mediterranean world without required coursework in Greek and/or Latin. To earn a Classics Minor students must complete 39 total credits as described below:

  • 18 credits (three courses) in Classical Civilization (CLAS), with at least one course from each of the three groups below:
  • 18 additional credits in the general area of Classical Civilization (CLAS); Latin (LATN) or Greek (GRK) at any level may also count toward the Classics Minor. Six of the 18 credits may be from a related department (History, Philosophy, Art History, Archaeology, Political Science, Religion), subject to department chair’s approval.
  • CLAS 295 (3 credits) Junior Colloquium

Requirements for the Greek Minor

The Greek Minor is intended for students who wish to deepen their understanding of the language and develop a fuller context for the literature and culture of the classical period. Students wishing to earn a Greek Minor must complete 39 credits of course-work as described below:

  • at least 18 credits in the Greek language (GRK) at the 200 level or above.
  • 18 additional credits in upper-level Greek (GRK), Latin (LATN) at any level, or Classics (CLAS). Six of the 18 credits may be from a related department (History, Philosophy, Art History, Archaeology, Political Science, Religion), subject to department chair’s approval.
  • CLAS 295 (3 credits) Junior Colloquium in either their junior or senior year

Requirements for the Latin Minor

The Latin Minor is intended for students who wish to deepen their understanding of the language and develop a fuller context for the literature and culture of the classical period. Students wishing to earn a Latin Minor must complete 39 credits of course-work as described below:

  • at least 18 credits in the Latin language (LATN) at the 200 level or above.
  • 18 additional credits in upper-level Latin (LATN), Greek (GRK) at any level, or  Classics (CLAS). Six of the 18 credits may be from a related department (History, Philosophy, Art History, Archaeology, Political Science, Religion), subject to department chair’s approval.
  • CLAS 295 (3 credits) Junior Colloquium in either their junior or senior year

Classics Courses (CLAS)

(These courses do not presume knowledge of Greek or Latin)

CLAS 100 Imagining New Worlds: From Homer to Columbus and Beyond From the beginnings of their civilization, the Greeks were aware that they inhabited just a small corner of a much larger world. How did they imagine faraway places and peoples? What did ancient maps look like? How much have Greek literature and science shaped later geographical thought and practice, from the Roman Empire to the European “Age of Exploration” to our own “Age of Google”? Drawing on various sources in translation, we will explore the literary and scientific frontiers of ancient geography and trace its legacy into the modern world. 6 credits; AI, WR1, IS; Fall; Hans Wietzke
CLAS 100 Living Like a Stoic Worried about the state of the world? Could you be happier? Should you be happier? Recent research in positive psychology has established some definite ideas about what makes people happy, but most of these ideas are not new. In fact, publications on happiness often cite ancient philosophers as confirmation for many of their findings. This course will examine the ancient system of thought known as Stoicism to establish the broad principles that form its basis and will offer concrete ways to put those principles into practice in order to achieve happiness, including one mandatory week of living like a Stoic. 6 credits; AI, WR1; Fall; Chico Zimmerman
CLAS 111 Classical Mythology Myth was an integral component of thought, both individual and societal, in the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome. We will study a selection of the most famous Classical myths through close reading of Homer, the Greek tragedians, Ovid and other ancient sources. In addition we'll discuss the most prominent of modern modes of myth interpretation, in an attempt to determine how myth speaks--both to the ancient world and to us. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 112 The Epic in Classical Antiquity An introduction to the genre of epic poetry from Classical Antiquity. Students will read in translation examples from the Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman traditions in order to trace the development of the major features and themes of this genre and to understand the considerable influence this genre has exerted both during antiquity and thereafter. Authors will include Homer, Apollonius, Virgil, and Lucan. 6 credits; LA, WR2; Spring; Hans Wietzke
CLAS 116 Greek Drama in Performance What is drama? When and where were the first systematic theatrical performances put on? What can Athenian tragedies and comedies teach us about the classical world and today’s societies? This course will explore the always-relevant world of Ancient Greek theater, its history and development, through the works of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes. We will decode the structure and content of Greek tragedies and comedies, ponder their place in the Athenian society and the modern world, and investigate the role of both ancient and contemporary productions in addressing critical questions on the construction and performance of individual and communal identities. 6 credits; LA, WR2; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 122 The Archaeology of Mediterranean Prehistory: From the Beginning to the Classical Age "Never say that prehistory is not history." The late Fernand Braudel had it right. Over 99 percent of human history predates the written word, and this course examines one of the world's most diverse, yet unifying environments--the Mediterranean Sea--from the earliest populations around its shores to the emergence of the Classical world of the Greeks and Romans. Neanderthals and modern humans, the first artists and farmers, multiculturalism among Greeks, Phoenicians, Etruscans, and others... These are some of the topics to be covered as we study the precursors and roots of what would become "Western" civilization. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 123 Greek Archaeology and Art This course explores the archaeology and art of the Ancient Greek world. Beginning with prehistory, we will track the development of the material culture of Ancient Greece through the Classical and Hellenistic periods, and conclude by discussing aspects of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires that followed. We will focus throughout on aspects of archaeological practice, material culture and text, art and society, long-term social change, and the role of the past in the present. Students who have taken Classics 121 are not eligible to take this course. 6 credits; HI, IS, QRE; Fall; Sarah E Craft
CLAS 124 Roman Archaeology and Art The material worlds of the ancient Romans loom large in our cultural imagination. From the architecture of the state to visual narratives of propaganda, Roman influence is ubiquitous in monuments across the West. But what were the origins of these artistic trends? What makes a monument characteristically ‘Roman’? And how has this material culture been interpreted and understood over time? This course explores the art, architecture, and archaeology of the ancient Romans both in the city of Rome and across the Empire, and considers the ways in which Roman trends have also influenced modern cultures. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 127 Ancient Technology Technology--humanity's efforts to manipulate its physical environment--stands as a central concern of the modern world. This course examines the technology of the ancient world and investigates its integral relationship to other facets of human activity. Theories of technological change will be explored initially in order to develop a socially-informed understanding of technology. In the second part, students will investigate specific ancient technologies using archaeological and textual evidence and present their findings to the class. The goal of this course is to understand technology as a social phenomenon in both the ancient and modern worlds. 6 credits; HI, QRE; Winter; Sarah E Craft
CLAS 131 Imagining New Worlds: From Homer to Columbus and Beyond From the beginnings of their civilization, the Greeks were aware that they inhabited just a small corner of a much larger world. How did they imagine faraway places and peoples? What did ancient maps look like? How much have Greek literature and science shaped later geographical thought and practice, from the Roman Empire to the European “Age of Exploration” to our own “Age of Google”? Can we use ancient methods to measure the world? Drawing on various sources in translation, we will explore the literary and scientific frontiers of ancient geography and trace its legacy into the modern world. 6 credits; HI, QRE; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 135 Food and Drink in the Ancient World We may all be what we eat, but we are also where, when, why, with whom, and how we eat. In this class, we will explore patterns of food production, preparation, consumption, availability, and taboos, examining issues like gender, health, and wealth within the historic and geographic context of the ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds. Literary, art historical, anthropological and archaeological approaches and evidence will be explored in our pursuit of connections between food, drink, and daily life, as we consider how in both the ancient and modern worlds, we ‘are what we eat.’  6 credits; HI, WR2; Spring; Sarah E Craft
CLAS 173 Sport and Daily Life This course is an exploration of life, death, and entertainment in the ancient world, particularly in Rome. We will focus especially on how and why people take part in sporting events and on how sport intersected with gender, social class, and economic concerns in the ancient world. Topics include the history of sport, slavery and marginal groups, demography, gladiatorial and combat events, and entertainment and politics. Our primary focus in lecture and discussion will be interpretation of a variety of ancient sources, but we will also evaluate modern views of ancient entertainment. 6 credits; HI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 214 Gender and Sexuality in Classical Antiquity In both ancient Greece and Rome, gender (along with class and citizenship status) largely determined what people did, where they spent their time, and how they related to others. This course will examine the ways in which Greek and Roman societies defined gender categories, and how they used them to think about larger social, political, and religious issues. Primary readings from Greek and Roman epic, lyric, and drama, as well as ancient historical, philosophical, and medical writers; in addition we will explore a range of secondary work on the topic from the perspectives of Classics and Gender Studies. 6 credits; HI, WR2, IS, QRE; Winter; Clara S Hardy
CLAS 223 Ancient Science Did the Greeks invent “science” as we know it, or has modern science blossomed into something wholly different from its ancient roots? How distinct are scientific and religious patterns of thinking? Who controls knowledge about nature, the cosmos, and the body, and what's the proper way to communicate it? Why should we trust “the experts,” ancient or modern, anyway? Pursuing these and other questions, this course introduces students to the strange and dynamic world of ancient science, from the earliest Presocratics to Roman-era authorities like Claudius Ptolemy. Students will not only learn about theories that dominated Western thinking for millennia, but also gain first-hand experience with ancient scientific methods. 6 credits; HI, WR2; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 227 Athens, Sparta, and Persia Forged in the crucible of wars fought between cultures with diametrically opposed views on politics and society, the fifth century BC witnessed arts, philosophy, and science all flourish in thrilling new ways. The two radically different Greek states of Athens and Sparta first teamed up to defeat the invading Persian empire. While this shocking victory spurred their respective cultures to new heights, their political aspirations drove them to turn on each other and fight a series of wars over control of Greece--all the while with Persia waiting in the wings. We will study these events against the backdrop of the political, intellectual, and cultural achievements of Athens, Sparta and Persia, drawing on the rich body of literature and material culture from this period. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 227F Greek Epigraphic Texts This course will introduce students to inscriptions from the Greek poleis of the classical period, especially the Athenian tribute lists and the legal code of Gortyn. In addition to translation, we will focus on the processes of deciphering and editing original physical texts and on the problems presented by fragments. Prerequisite: Greek 103 or equivalent; Concurrent registration in Classics 227. 2 credits; NE; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 228 The Roman Republic Introduction to Rome's political and social history from the Etruscan period to the end of the Republic. Topics include Roman political culture, the acquisition of empire, the role of the army, the psychology of Rome, and interpretation of historical evidence. Based largely on primary source readings. 6 credits; HI, IS, WR2; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 230F Hellenistic Greek: Scientific and Documentary Texts This trailer course will introduce students to scientific and documentary Greek texts from the Hellenistic world. Texts will include the Hippocratic Oath, Plutarch's descriptions of the inventions of Archimedes, brief selections from scientific works, and papyri containing personal letters and documents from Ptolemaic Egypt. In addition to regular readings, we will work with images of papyri and discuss the challenges of deciphering these texts. Prerequisite: Greek 103 or equivalent; Concurrent registration in Classics 230. 2 credits; NE; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 230 The World of Alexander This course examines the background, career, and legacy of Alexander the Great and the emergence of the Hellenistic monarchies. The first part of the course examines the developments of the Fourth Century BCE, including classical philosophy, politics, and art; the rise of Macedon; Alexander the Great; and the wars of Alexander's successors. The second part explores the philosophical, cultural, and scientific world of Ptolemaic Egypt. The course focuses throughout on the lives and experiences of individuals and their place in a rapidly changing society. 6 credits; HI, IS, QRE; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 231F Epigraphic Texts This trailer course will introduce students to Latin inscriptions and other documentary texts from the Roman imperial period. These will include the well-known Res Gestae of the emperor Augustus and lesser known materials such as career inscriptions, graffiti, and Diocletian's price edict. In addition to translation, we will focus on the processes of deciphering and editing original physical texts. Prerequisite: Latin 103 or equivalent; Concurrent registration in Classics 231. 2 credits; NE; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 231 The Roman Principate This class introduces the history of Rome from Augustus to Diocletian. From demented emperors to new religions to economic collapse, the course uses Rome as a lens to address enduring historical questions. For example, how do individuals get, keep, and hand on power? What are the relationships between a central power and those on the periphery of that power and between a ruling elite and those they rule? How do foreign affairs affect internal policies and politics? Since we rely largely on ancient sources, we will also devote time to the interpretation of those sources in all their delightful eccentricity. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 267 Political Landscapes: Archaeologies of Territory and Polity We live in a world of states. Nearly every inch of the earth is clearly delineated on maps and plans, ascribed to a particular political authority. But the widespread availability of precise spatial information is relatively new in human history. This seminar examines archaeology beyond the site. How did ancient polities understand and demarcate territory? What tools can we use to understand this? We begin by examining theories of space, place, landscape, and boundaries. The second part of the course compares case studies from across the ancient world to explore archaeological approaches to territory and polity in greater detail. Prerequisite: At least one previous archaeology course, Classics 122, 123, 124 or Archeology 246; contact instructor to discuss other relevant courses. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2017-18
CLAS 295 Junior Colloquium The Colloquium is designed to introduce and consolidate the research and interpretive skills required in the highly interdisciplinary study of Classical antiquity. Meeting weekly, three two-week modules will be organized around the main areas identified in the Classics major requirements—historical analysis, literary analysis, archaeological analysis—in order to solidify skills in finding, reading/interpreting, and citing evidence and sources from, and about, the Classical world. Additionally, students will choose a Symposium theme for the following year and generate a common bibliography pertaining to the topic of the Symposium. Students will also draft a Call for Papers and identify potential Symposium respondents. 3 credits; NE; Spring; Clara S Hardy
CLAS 394 Senior Seminar As part of their senior capstone experience, majors in the classics department will formulate a call for papers developing the current year's theme for a colloquium, and following standard guidelines of the field produce proposals ("abstracts") for their own papers to be presented in the winter term. 3 credits; NE; Fall; Clara S Hardy
CLAS 400 Senior Symposium From proposals ("abstracts") developed in Classics 394, departmental majors will compose a twenty minute presentation to be delivered at a symposium on the model of professional conferences. The talks will then be revised into articles to be submitted to a journal of professional style, accepted and edited by the group into a presentable volume. Prerequisite: Classics 384, Classics 385, Classics 386 or Classics 387. 3 credits; S/NC; Winter; Clara S Hardy

Greek Courses (GRK)

These courses all involve acquiring or using ancient Greek

GRK 101 Elementary Greek From the triceratops (“three-horned-face”) to the antarctic (“opposite-the-bear-constellation”), ancient Greek has left traces in our language, literature (epic, tragedy, comedy), ways of organizing knowledge (philosophy, history, physics), and society (democracy, oligarchy, autocracy). It gives access to original texts from ancient Greece, early Christianity, and the Byzantine Empire, not to mention modern scientific terminology. In Greek 101 students will develop knowledge of basic vocabulary and grammar, and will begin reading short passages of prose and poetry. The class will meet five days a week. 6 credits; NE; Fall, Winter; Clara S Hardy, Chico Zimmerman
GRK 102 Intermediate Greek Study of essential forms and grammar, with reading of original, unadapted passages. Prerequisite: Greek 101 with a grade of at least C-. 6 credits; NE; Winter, Spring; Chico Zimmerman, Sarah E Craft
GRK 103 Greek Prose Selected prose readings. The course will emphasize review of grammar and include Greek composition. Prerequisite: Greek 102 with a grade of at least C-. 6 credits; NE; Fall, Spring; Hans Wietzke, Sarah E Craft
GRK 204 Intermediate Greek Prose and Poetry The goal for Intermediate Greek Prose and Poetry is to gain experience in the three major modes of Greek expression most often encountered “in the wild”—prose, poetry, and inscriptions—while exploring the notion of happiness and the good life. By combining all three modes into this one course, we hope both to create a suitable closure to the language sequence and to provide a reasonable foundation for further exploration of Greek literature and culture. Prerequisite: Greek 103 with a grade of at least C-. 6 credits; NE; Winter; Clara S Hardy
GRK 240 Xenophon's Oeconomicus While ostensibly a dialogue about how to manage one’s household (oikos), Xenophon’s Oeconomicus provides valuable insights into the ideology of land-ownership in classical Greece. In this class, we will read significant portions of Xenophon’s Oeconomicus in Greek as well as other texts, in English and Greek, that explore household economics. Throughout, we will consider what Xenophon’s text reveals about perceptions of gender roles within the home, notions of citizenship, the role of education, and the institution of slavery in the ancient world. Students will also work together to produce a student commentary of the text. Prerequisite: Greek 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2017-18
GRK 244 Plato Symposium Readings of some of the most significant dialogues in translation, with selections in the original. Prerequisite: Greek 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2017-18
GRK 245 Herodotus's Histories In this course we will read and examine selections from Herodotus's Histories in Greek, as well as the whole of the work in English. We will explore questions about historiography, culture, ethnicity, ancient warfare, contact between Greece and Persia, among other issues. Prerequisite: Greek 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits; LA, LA; Not offered 2017-18
GRK 280 Philosophers and Martyrs Through the close reading and discussion of two texts from Late Antiquity in their original Greek, Lucian's On the Death of Peregrinus and the anonymous Martyrdom of Polycarp, we will gain experience in the reading and comprehension of late Hellenistic and koine Greek. We will also explore the ways in which these texts and their literary construction offer insight into the thought-worlds within which both Christian and various pagan philosophical schools developed. Prerequisite: Greek 204 or equivalent. 2 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2017-18
GRK 281F Introduction to Byzantine Greek In this course, students learn about Byzantine Greek through initial work on prose selections from different authors, genres, and periods, followed by sustained engagement with a single author. For 2015, we will focus on a historian of the last years of Byzantium who writes a history of a failed Ottoman siege of Constantinople in 1422. Students will also gain some experience with later Greek paleography through readings and hands on work with photographs and facsimiles. Prerequisite: Greek 204 or instructor permission; Enrollment in History 233 encouraged but not required. 2 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2017-18
GRK 285 Weekly Greek This course is intended for students who have completed Greek 204 (or equivalent) and wish to maintain and deepen their language skills. Students will meet weekly to review prepared passages, as well as reading at sight. Actual reading content will be determined prior to the start of term by the instructor in consultation with the students who have enrolled. There will be brief, periodic assessments of language comprehension throughout the term.  Prerequisite: Greek 204 or equivalent. 2 credits; S/CR/NC; NE; Fall, Winter; Clara S Hardy, Chico Zimmerman
GRK 304 Greek Tragedy for Advanced Students Intensive study of one play in the original and the remaining plays in translation. Prerequisite: Greek 204. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2017-18
GRK 305 Homer Intensive study of selections from Homer's Iliad or Odyssey. Prerequisite: Greek 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2017-18
GRK 320 Hesiod and the Homeric Hymns Hesiod is the first Greek author to express an individual persona. He was a man from Askra -- “harsh in winter, hard in summer, never pleasant” -- yet at the same time he refers to nearby Mt. Helikon as the beautiful home of the muses who inspire his songs. His is a world of contrasts. This course will study (in Greek) Hesiod’s Theogony and Works and Days, which range widely in subject matter and message: the former describing the cosmic origins of the world; the latter a lesson in living the good life. We will also read some contemporary poetry. Prerequisite: Greek 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2017-18
GRK 351 Aristophanes Intensive study of one or two plays in the original and of the remaining plays in translation. 6 credits; LA; Spring; Chico Zimmerman

Latin Courses (LATN)

These courses all involve acquiring or using Latin

LATN 101 Elementary Latin While many claims are made about the benefits of learning Latin, here’s what we know for sure: it’s a beautiful language, both intensely precise and rigorous, as well as poetically expressive and inviting. Spoken by millions in the ancient world and kept continuously “alive” up to the present, Latin provides a window onto an intellectual and cultural landscape that is both foreign and familiar to modern students. This beginning course will develop necessary vocabulary, forms, and grammar that allows students to begin reading short passages of unadulterated prose and poetry from the ancient Roman world right from the start. 6 credits; NE; Fall; Sarah E Craft
LATN 102 Intermediate Latin Continuation of essential forms and grammar. Prerequisite: Latin 101 with a grade of at least C- or placement. 6 credits; NE; Winter; Chico Zimmerman
LATN 103 Introduction to Latin Prose and Poetry This course completes the formal textbook introduction to the morphology and syntax of Latin. The focus will be on consolidating and applying grammatical concepts learned throughout the Latin sequence to the reading of extended selections of authentic Roman prose and poetry. Prerequisite: Latin 102 with a grade of at least C- or placement. 6 credits; NE; Spring; Hans Wietzke
LATN 204 Intermediate Latin Prose and Poetry What are the “rules” of friendship? Would you do anything for a friend? Anything? The ancient Romans were no strangers to the often paradoxical demands of friendship and love. The goal for Intermediate Latin Prose and Poetry is to gain experience in the three major modes of Latin expression most often encountered “in the wild”—prose, poetry, and inscriptions—while exploring the notion of friendship. By combining all three modes into this one course, we hope both to create a suitable closure to the language sequence and to provide a reasonable foundation for further exploration of Roman literature and culture. Prerequisite: Latin 103 with a grade of at least C- or placement. 6 credits; NE; Fall; Chico Zimmerman, Clara S Hardy
LATN 233 The Catilinarian Conspiracy In 63 BC, a frustrated Roman nobleman named Catiline attempted to start a revolution to overthrow the Roman government, only to be exposed and stopped by the politician Cicero. At least, that is how Cicero depicts it, and we will read part of Cicero's speech that led to Catiline's condemnation. However, we will also read the contemporary Roman historian Sallust's magisterial account of the events which reveals a more complicated story about both Catiline and the senators' response. These are two of the greatest works in Latin literature and reading them together will allow us to investigate what really happened in 63 BC. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2017-18
LATN 243 Medieval Latin This course offers students an introduction to post-classical Latin (250-1450) through readings in prose and poetry drawn from a variety of genres and periods. Students will also gain experience with medieval Latin paleography and codicology through occasional workshops in Special Collections. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent, Latin placement exam or instructor's permission. 6 credits; LA; Winter; William L North
LATN 246 Livy In this course we will read and examine selections from Livy's ab Urbe Condita in Latin, as well as the larger work in English. We will explore questions about historiography, culture, politics, ancient warfare, and the city of Rome, among other issues. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2017-18
LATN 255 Biography, History, and Empire in Tacitus’ Agricola How is it possible to be a good person in a morally deficient system? Part biography, part history, part eulogy, and part invective against Roman Emperor Domitian, Tacitus’ Agricola charts the life and military accomplishments of the author’s father-in-law, Gnaeus Julius Agricola, in modern-day Britain. In conversation with other readings in English, we will engage closely with the style and language of the text in Latin as we explore the constraints and possibilities of genre, and Tacitus’ understanding of geography and ethnicity. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2017-18
LATN 257 Caesar, Lucan, and Civil War This course will examine narratives of the early stages of the Roman Civil War through contemporary prose accounts of Caesar and Cicero and the poet Lucan's Neronian epic on the Civil War. Topics will include manipulation of public opinion and memory, historical reconstruction through text, the relationship between prose history and historical epic, and the literal and metaphorical dissolution of Rome through civil war, as well as stylistic and philosophical concerns specific to each author. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2017-18
LATN 258 Seminar: Horace Selection from Horace's Odes, Epodes, Satires and Epistles in Latin and the remaining works in translation. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2017-18
LATN 259 Seminar: Vergil Intensive study of selections from Vergil. May be offered simultaneously with Latin 359 without the supplemental assignments for advanced students. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2017-18
LATN 280 Martyr Texts from Roman North Africa Through close reading and discussion of Latin texts on Christian martyrdom from the second and third centuries, including The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity and Tertullian's To the Martyrs, we will discuss the qualities of the newly emerging Christian Latin. We will also examine how these authors construct an image of a new hero--the martyr--in the classical landscape and the nature and meaning of their struggle. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 2 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2017-18
LATN 285 Weekly Latin This course is intended for students who have completed Latin 204 (or equivalent) and wish to maintain and deepen their language skills. Students will meet weekly to review prepared passages, as well as reading at sight. Actual reading content will be determined prior to the start of term by the instructor in consultation with the students who have enrolled. There will be brief, periodic assessments of language comprehension throughout the term.  Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 2 credits; S/CR/NC; NE; Fall; Chico Zimmerman, Clara S Hardy
LATN 345 Roman Comedy Selected readings in the original from Plautus and/or Terence; study in translation of both Roman Comedy and its predecessor Greek New Comedy. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2017-18
LATN 360 Catullus and Horace: Poetry, Pleasure and Politics From the volatile background of civil war and the early years of Augustus' reign, we have two sets of Latin carmina: the vivid and passionate lyric poetry of Catullus, and Horace's quieter but equally moving odes. This course will investigate the poetic techniques of each as we consider the larger question of how a poet responds to the shifting political forces of his world. We will also sample current scholarship on each poet. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; LA, IS; Spring; Clara S Hardy