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

75 credits total are required for a Classics major.

  • 18 credits in Greek (GRK) and/or Latin (LATN) above the 102 level. This may include courses designated CLAS-F (and in some cases HIST-F). Please note that 101 and 102 do NOT count toward the 30 additional credits below unless they are in a second classical language.
  • 18 credits in Classical Civilization (CLAS), with one course from each of the three groups below
    • Historical Analysis:
      • CLAS 145 Ancient Greek Religion (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 220 From the Horn to Melqart’s Pillars: African Perspectives in the Ancient Mediterranean (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 227 Athens, Sparta, and Persia
      • CLAS 229 The Collapse of the Roman Republic
      • CLAS 230 The Rise and Fall of the Great Hellenistic Kingdoms (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 240 Rome: From Village to Superpower (not offered in 2023-24)
      • HIST 131 Saints and Society in Late Antiquity (not offered in 2023-24)
      • HIST 133 Crisis, Creativity, and Transformation in Late Antiquity (not offered in 2023-24)
    • Archaeological Analysis:
      • ARCN 222 Experimental Archaeology and Experiential History
      • CLAS 119 Under the Ashes of Vesuvius (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 122 The Archaeology of Mediterranean Prehistory: From the Beginning to the Classical Age (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 123 Greek Archaeology and Art (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 124 Roman Archaeology and Art
      • CLAS 200 Greece at a Crossroads: History, Landscape, and Material Culture
    • Literary Analysis:
      • CLAS 111 Greece at a Crossroads: History, Landscape, and Material Culture Program: Myth and Reception
      • CLAS 112 The Epic in Classical Antiquity: Texts, Contexts, and Intertexts (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 116 Greek Drama in Performance
      • CLAS 117 From Stage to Screen: Adapting Greek Tragedy (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 132 Fantasy and Science Fiction Then and Now
      • CLAS 175 Writing the City of Rome: Image, Text, and Site (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 214 Gender and Sexuality in Classical Antiquity (not offered in 2023-24)

  •  6 credits required to be taken in the senior year:

    • CLAS 385 Islands in Time: Insular Life, Culture, and History in the Mediterranean World (not offered in 2023-24)
    • CLAS 386 Classical Myth: Theory, Function, Afterlife (not offered in 2023-24)
    • CLAS 387 Expectasne Patronum? Magical Practice in the Greco-Roman World

  • CLAS 400 (3 credits)
  • Thirty additional credits in the general area of Classical Civilization (CLAS), Latin (LATN), or Greek (GRK), two of which must be at the 200 level or above.
    • Up to 6 of these credits may be from a related department (History, Philosophy, Art History, Archaeology, Political Science, Religion), subject to adviser approval.
    • Courses from CLAS 384, CLAS 385, CLAS 386, CLAS 387, if taken before the senior year, may count toward these 30 additional credits.

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 42 total credits as described below:

  • 18 credits in Classical Civilization (CLAS), with one course from each of the three groups below
    • Historical Analysis:
      • CLAS 145 Ancient Greek Religion (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 220 From the Horn to Melqart’s Pillars: African Perspectives in the Ancient Mediterranean (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 227 Athens, Sparta, and Persia
      • CLAS 229 The Collapse of the Roman Republic
      • CLAS 230 The Rise and Fall of the Great Hellenistic Kingdoms (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 240 Rome: From Village to Superpower (not offered in 2023-24)
      • HIST 131 Saints and Society in Late Antiquity (not offered in 2023-24)
      • HIST 133 Crisis, Creativity, and Transformation in Late Antiquity (not offered in 2023-24)
    • Archaeological Analysis:
      • ARCN 222 Experimental Archaeology and Experiential History
      • CLAS 119 Under the Ashes of Vesuvius (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 122 The Archaeology of Mediterranean Prehistory: From the Beginning to the Classical Age (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 123 Greek Archaeology and Art (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 124 Roman Archaeology and Art
      • CLAS 200 Greece at a Crossroads: History, Landscape, and Material Culture
    • Literary Analysis:
      • CLAS 111 Greece at a Crossroads: History, Landscape, and Material Culture Program: Myth and Reception
      • CLAS 112 The Epic in Classical Antiquity: Texts, Contexts, and Intertexts (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 116 Greek Drama in Performance
      • CLAS 117 From Stage to Screen: Adapting Greek Tragedy (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 132 Fantasy and Science Fiction Then and Now
      • CLAS 175 Writing the City of Rome: Image, Text, and Site (not offered in 2023-24)
      • CLAS 214 Gender and Sexuality in Classical Antiquity (not offered in 2023-24)
  • 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.
  • 6 credits from
    • CLAS 385 Islands in Time: Insular Life, Culture, and History in the Mediterranean World (not offered in 2023-24)
    • CLAS 386 Classical Myth: Theory, Function, Afterlife (not offered in 2023-24)
    • CLAS 387 Expectasne Patronum? Magical Practice in the Greco-Roman World

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 42 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.
  • 6 credits from CLAS 384, CLAS 385, CLAS 386, CLAS 387.

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 42 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.
  • 6 credits from CLAS 384, CLAS 385, CLAS 386, CLAS 387.

Classics Courses (CLAS)

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

CLAS 111 Greece at a Crossroads: History, Landscape, and Material Culture Program: Myth and Reception This course aims to familiarize students with important Greek mythological stories and figures as represented in Greek literature and art. During the course students will be introduced to select methods of studying and interpreting myths and will explore how myths helped the Greeks organize their understanding of the world and approach issues and problems that affected the lives of individuals and communities. Students will study the way in which myths have been received, interpreted, re-imagined, and rendered into artwork, theatrical performances, opera, and dance pieces in modern times and will discuss their relevance today. Prerequisite: Participation in Greece OCS program. 6 credits; LA, IS; Spring; Alex R Knodell
CLAS 112 The Epic in Classical Antiquity: Texts, Contexts, and Intertexts It would be difficult to overstate the importance of the early Greek epics for the classical world and the western literary tradition that emerged from that world. This course will study closely both the Iliad and the Odyssey, as well as Hesiod’s Theogony, and then consider a range of works that draw upon these epics for their creator’s own purposes, including Virgil’s own epic, the Aeneid. By exploring the reception and influence of ancient epic, we will develop an appreciation for intertextuality and the dynamics of reading in general as it applies to generations of readers, including our own. 6 credits; LA, WR2; Not offered 2023-24
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; Fall; Anastasia Pantazopoulou
CLAS 117 From Stage to Screen: Adapting Greek Tragedy The terms “reboot,” “retelling,” and “adaptation” are all over TV and film. While some adaptations are praised for their creativity with the source material, others are panned. So what makes an adaptation good or bad? In this class, we will approach this question through Greek tragedy. We will read plays such as Oedipus Tyrannus, Antigone, Medea, and the Oresteia in translation alongside films from around the world in order to understand how directors and writers relate these ancient works to their own settings and struggles, decade after decade. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2023-24
CLAS 119 Under the Ashes of Vesuvius Pompeii, a Roman town famously destroyed but uniquely preserved by the Vesuvian eruption of 79CE, has traditionally been viewed as a quintessential example of the ancient Roman urban experience. But how ‘Roman’ was Pompeii? In this class, we will examine how evidence from that buried city contributes to our understanding of Roman art and architecture, and the everyday use of urban space; and how this, in turn, can help us interrogate what it meant to be ‘Roman’ in the ancient Mediterranean world. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2023-24
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 2023-24
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. 6 credits; HI, IS, QRE; Not offered 2023-24
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; Winter; Victoria Austen
CLAS 130 The Greek and Latin Roots of English We speak it every day on campus, and it is the second most common language on the planet, but where did English come from? While its basic grammar is Germanic, much of its vocabulary—probably around 60 percent—comes from Greek and Latin. This course explores the varied and fascinating contributions that these two languages have made to English, focusing on the basic building blocks of words—bases, prefixes, and suffixes—while also considering the many routes the Classical languages have taken to enter modern English. This course is suitable for students of science, linguistics, and literature, as well as language lovers generally. 6 credits; HI, QRE; Winter; Chico L Zimmerman
CLAS 132 Fantasy and Science Fiction Then and Now When did science-fiction first appear in literature? The beginnings of modern fantasy and science-fiction are set around the 19th and 17th century respectively. However, fantasy and science-fiction stories and themes are already present in the Greco-Roman world. In this course, we will focus on one of the first fantasy and science-fiction works, Lucian’s True History, to trace the development of these genres in literature and cinema. Examining True History in parallel with works from Homer, Plato, Aristophanes, and Virgil as well as contemporary films, we will explore the influence of classical literature on the genres of fantasy and science-fiction. 6 credits; LA, WR2; Winter; Anastasia Pantazopoulou
CLAS 145 Ancient Greek Religion Greek religion played a crucial role in how the ancient Greeks understood the world around them. Mythology and cosmology shaped their understanding of how the world worked, while the ritual of sacrifice formed the basis of the social fabric underpinning all aspects of Greek society. In this course we will learn about Greece's polytheistic belief system--its gods and religious rites--as well as examining how religion shaped the daily lives of ordinary Greeks, often in surprising ways. We will read the works of ancient authors such as Homer and Hesiod, study the archaeological remains of sacred sites, inscriptions, and curse tablets, as well as engage with experimental archaeology. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2023-24
CLAS 165 Race: Antiquity and Its Legacy In this course we will explore how the Greeks and Romans conceptualized their own notions of racial difference, and also consider how these concepts have influenced later historical periods, including our own. In doing so, students will be able to identify the difference between the way ancient peoples and modern societies think about race and ethnicity, and demonstrate how contemporary discussions of these topics have been shaped by our encounters with antiquity. 6 credits; HI, WR2; Spring; Victoria Austen
CLAS 175 Writing the City of Rome: Image, Text, and Site Ancient Rome has occupied a unique place in the Western consciousness for over 2000 years. It is a city that has inspired many texts, and both its physical fabric and symbolic nature have been reworked and rethought by archaeologists, historians, and literary critics alike. For the ancients, ‘Rome’ took on meaning not just from its concrete monuments, but also from the literary motifs and symbols it evoked. In this class, we will consider how Rome is used as both a setting and inspiration for Latin poetry, and consider how poets both represented and created an image of ‘Rome’. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2023-24
CLAS 200 Greece at a Crossroads: History, Landscape, and Material Culture This course provides a long-term view of the history, landscape, and material culture of Greece, from prehistory to the present day. While the monuments of ancient Greece are cultural touchstones, Greece has a remarkably diverse past, occupying a borderland between continents, empires, and cultures, both ancient and modern. Classroom study and on-site learning examine the wide range of sources that inform us about the Greek past (texts, archaeology, the environment), and focus especially on the stories told by places and things. Site visits in Athens and on trips throughout Greece highlight the importance of local and regional contexts in the “big histories” of the eastern Mediterranean. Prerequisite: Participation in Greece at a Crossroads OCS programs. 6 credits; HI, IS; Spring; Alex R Knodell
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; Not offered 2023-24
CLAS 215 Ancient Greek and Roman Sexuality In this course we will question whether or not the ancient Greeks and Romans defined “sexuality” by object-choice, whether they understood sexuality as an integral component of one’s personal identity, and whether they had a concept of “sexuality” as we currently understand it. Emphasis will be on primary texts that demonstrate notions of sexual normativity and/or identity, such as Aristophanes’ Thesmophoriazousae, Plato’s Symposium, Aeschines’ Against Timarchos, and poetry of Sappho, Catullus, Ovid, Martial, and Juvenal. We will also read modern critical theorists (Foucault, Halperin, Richlin, Winkler), and will interrogate their arguments. 6 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2023-24
CLAS 220 From the Horn to Melqart’s Pillars: African Perspectives in the Ancient Mediterranean Histories of the classical world often focus on the cultures of Greece and Rome, situated on the northern shores of the Mediterranean. But what can we discover if we ‘flip’ our map of the Mediterranean, putting African perspectives on top? In this class, we will engage with the artistic, literary, and archaeological evidence left to us by the Mediterranean societies of classical Africa, as well as the ways in which these societies are depicted by Greek and Roman sources. Topics covered include ancient Egypt, the colonial “middle ground” of North Africa, and other African cultures on the Mediterranean periphery. 6 credits; HI, WR2; Not offered 2023-24
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; Spring; Jake N Morton
CLAS 229 The Collapse of the Roman Republic The class will investigate the factors that led a Republican government that had lasted for 700 years to fall apart, leading to twenty years of civil war that only ended with the rise of a totalitarian dictatorship. We will look at the economic, social, military, and religious factors that played key roles in this dynamic political period. We will also trace the rise and influence of Roman warlords, politicians, and personalities and how they changed Roman politics and society. We will study many of the greatest characters in Roman history, as well as the lives of everyday Romans in this turbulent time. 6 credits; HI, IS; Fall; Jake N Morton
CLAS 230 The Rise and Fall of the Great Hellenistic Kingdoms Alexander the Great united the Greek states by force before waging a ten-year campaign that brought Greek influence all the way to India. In the aftermath of Alexander's death, his generals divided the world into kingdoms. These kingdoms presided over an extraordinary flourishing of arts and science over the next 300 years. However, this period also saw these kingdoms continuously strive for domination over one another until they were ultimately dominated by the rising power of Rome. This class will explore one of the most exciting periods in ancient history, a time of great cultural achievements, larger than life characters, and devastating conflicts. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2023-24
CLAS 240 Rome: From Village to Superpower This class will investigate how Rome rose from a humble village of outcasts and refugees to become the preeminent power in the entire Mediterranean. We will trace Rome's political evolution from kings to the Republic, alongside their gradual takeover of the Italian peninsula. We will study how Rome then swiftly overpowered what had been the most powerful kingdoms in the Mediterranean and established themselves as dominant. Who were these Romans and what were their political, military, religious, and social systems that enabled them to accomplish so much? What critical events shaped their development and ultimately led to total political control of the Mediterranean world? 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2023-24
CLAS 385 Islands in Time: Insular Life, Culture, and History in the Mediterranean World The Mediterranean is a world of islands, par excellence. This is particularly true of the classical world, when island polities, sanctuaries, and destinations played crucial roles in several aspects of social life and cultural production. This seminar examines what’s special about islands and why and how they came to be places of such significance in the ancient Mediterranean. We will begin with some consideration of our sources and theories of insularity, then move into thematic and conceptual discussions of island biogeography and efflorescence; islands in myth and as political and religious spaces; and islands as strategic territories and connective nodes. Topics in the second part of the class will to a large extent be driven by student interests. Prerequisite: At least two previous Classics courses or instructor consent. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2023-24
CLAS 386 Classical Myth: Theory, Function, Afterlife Stories of gods, heroes and monsters were a pervasive part of life in ancient Greece and Rome, integrated into landscape, the built environment and cultural practice from ritual worship to informal storytelling, and they have retained their power to fascinate through subsequent eras. This seminar will investigate the roles myth played in the ancient world, drawing on literary, historical and archaeological evidence, as well as the most prominent theoretical frameworks for interpreting myths, and some examples of modern adaptations. Topics in the second half of the course will be driven by student interests as they develop their own research and present it at the department Symposium. Prerequisite: At least two courses in Classics or instructor consent. 6 credits; NE; Not offered 2023-24
CLAS 387 Expectasne Patronum? Magical Practice in the Greco-Roman World Although it often goes unnoticed in our appreciation of the classical world and its cultural practices, magic was a ubiquitous part of everyday life. From love charms, curses, and healing spells, to divination, alchemy and astronomy, everyone had to engage with magic and its potential to influence events. This course will serve as an introduction to the beliefs and the practices of magic in antiquity, as well as the scholarship that documents and theorizes them. Topics in the second half of the course will be driven by student interests as they develop research projects to present at the department Symposium. Prerequisite: At least two previous Classics courses or instructor consent. 6 credits; HI; Fall; Chico L Zimmerman
CLAS 400 Senior Research Project From topics developed in Classics 384, 385, 386, or 387, departmental majors will expand and refine their research 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; Chico L Zimmerman

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; Winter; Anastasia Pantazopoulou
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; Spring; Chico L Zimmerman, Alex R Knodell
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; Anastasia Pantazopoulou
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; Jake N Morton
GRK 220 Euripides We will read Euripides’ Helen in Greek, in which the tragedian creates a plot around the non-standard version of events: Helen never went to Troy, she spent the entire war in Egypt; the Greeks and Trojans were fooled by a simulacrum. The resulting play is a tragicomedy or a romantitragedy that deliberately skews literary expectations. We will read a number of Euripides’ other extant tragedies in English, as well as critical studies that examine key issues in Euripidean criticism: the genre of tragedy, Euripides' depiction of women, and the role of rhetoric in late fifth-century Athens. Prerequisite: Greek 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2023-24
GRK 224 The Female Other in Athenian Tragedy Athenian tragedy offers a space for reflection on the female condition in moments of crisis. Mistreated, neglected, exiled, displaced, immigrant, and war-victim, female figures populate the fifth-century tragic stage offering a commentary on the construction of the identity of the Other and its treatment within Athenian society and beyond. In this course, we will read selections of tragedies by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides in their original language and cultural context, while tracking issues that women still have to confront today in an effort to decode the positionalities of the female Other in fifth-century Athens and the modern Western world. Prerequisite: Greek 204. 6 credits; LA, IS; Spring; Anastasia Pantazopoulou
GRK 225 Creating Family in Ancient Athens What is a family and why does it matter? How is it created and who defines it? In this class we will read selections from a range of Greek literature—in the original and in translation—to determine our own answers to these questions. Texts such as the Theogony, Sophocles’ Antigone, and Euripides’ Andromache, Xenophon’s Oeconomicus, and Aristotle’s Politics will guide us in our exploration of the political and personal motivations behind the way Athens defined and regulated families. Prerequisite: Greek 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; NE; Not offered 2023-24
GRK 230 Homer: The Odyssey Homer is perhaps the foundational poet of the western canon, and his work has been justly admired since its emergence out of the oral tradition of bardic recitation in the eighth century BCE. This course will sample key events and passages from the Odyssey, exploring the fascinating linguistic and metrical features of the epic dialect, as well as the major thematic elements of this timeless story of homecoming. 3 credits; LA; Spring; Alex R Knodell
GRK 231 Homer: The Iliad Homer is perhaps the foundational poet of the western canon, and his work has been justly admired since its emergence out of the oral tradition of bardic recitation in the eighth century BCE. This course will sample key events and passages from the Iliad, exploring the fascinating linguistic and metrical features of the epic dialect, as well as the major thematic elements of this timeless story of conflict and reconciliation during the war at Troy.  Prerequisite: Greek 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2023-24
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 2023-24
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; Not offered 2023-24
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; William L North

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; Jake N Morton
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 L 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; Anastasia Pantazopoulou
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 L Zimmerman
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 2023-24
LATN 234 Julius Caesar: the Gallic and Civil Wars Julius Caesar spent ten years campaigning in Gaul before being called back to Rome to face a splintered Republic and protracted Civil War. Caesar wrote fascinating accounts of both these wars, going beyond tactics to include ethnography, allegories of the Roman Republic in foreign societies, and analysis of why and how the civil war erupted and who was responsible. We will read significant portions of Caesar's Gallic War and Civil War, as well as writings about Caesar by contemporaneous authors. Caesar's elegant and clear prose belies a complex explanation and justification of the collapse of the Republic. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2023-24
LATN 235 The Bacchanalian Affair In 186 BC stories of wild and debauched secret religious rites being celebrated under cover of night sparked panic in Rome, which led to a brutal state suppression of the cult. Was this a crackdown on impious behavior or political oppression? Over the course of the term we will translate three sources of evidence to determine what actually happened: the Roman historian Livy's scintillating and outrageous account of this conspiracy; works by the Roman comedic playwright Plautus that might have shaped Livy's storytelling; and the Senatus Consultum de Bacchanalibus, a detailed inscription found in southern Italy discussing the new laws Rome passed to suppress the cult. 6 credits; HI, IS; Winter; Jake N Morton
LATN 236 Plautus and Roman Comedy Mistaken identities, forbidden trysts, and a healthy dose of punny humor characterize many of the comedic plays of the Roman playwright Plautus. In this class, we will read the entirety of one of Plautus’ plays, Mostellaria (“The Haunted House”) in Latin, while reading selections from several other plays in English. Along the way, we will stop to consider the influence of Greek comedies on Plautus’, the importance of comedic performance to Roman society, the settings and venues of these performances, and the social status of comedic performers, all to come to a fuller understanding of Plautus’ language and plays. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 6 credits; LA; Not offered 2023-24
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; Not offered 2023-24
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 2023-24
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 2023-24
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, Spring; Chico L Zimmerman, Alex R Knodell