Course Schedule

CLAS 301B – The Literature of the Ancient Romans: Latin Literature in English Translation

Writing Emphasis Course

Classics 301B provides an introductory survey of Roman literature through English translations. The works to be studied include a span of over 300 years, covering Rome's transition from Republic to Empire. We will read from a variety of genres, including comedy and tragedy, epic and lyric poetry, didactic literature, satire, historiography, the novel, letters, and philosophy, and authors such as Plautus, Cicero, Vergil, Ovid, Livy, and Seneca. Roman literature provides varied and fascinating perspectives on Roman thought, history, and culture(s) and is also critical to appreciation of subsequent literatures and cultures in Europe and beyond.

CLAS 465 – Greek Pottery: Craft and Society in Ancient Greece

Cross Listed · Writing Emphasis Course

This course surveys the development of ancient Greek pottery from c. 3000 to 400 BCE, with a focus on the period 1200-400 BCE (Mycenaean-Late Classical). Topics to be addressed include stylistic and typological developments, uses of ceramics within historical settings, iconography and meaning, materials and manufacturing techniques, organization of ceramic workshops, and potters and their social status. Key goals of the course include gaining an appreciation for the great importance of pottery in establishing and verifying the foundations of chronology in Greek archaeology as well as illuminating fundamental aspects of Greek society and culture. Opportunities for hands-on experiences in UA ceramics labs and museum collections will be available.

CLAS 565 – Greek Pottery: Craft and Society in Ancient Greece

Cross Listed

This course surveys the development of ancient Greek pottery from c. 3000 to 400 BCE, with a focus on the period 1200-400 BCE (Mycenaean-Late Classical). Topics to be addressed include stylistic and typological developments, uses of ceramics within historical settings, iconography and meaning, materials and manufacturing techniques, organization of ceramic workshops, and potters and their social status. Key goals of the course include gaining an appreciation for the great importance of pottery in establishing and verifying the foundations of chronology in Greek archaeology as well as illuminating fundamental aspects of Greek society and culture. Opportunities for hands-on experiences in UA ceramics labs and museum collections will be available. Graduate-level requirements include extensive readings and an in-depth paper.

CLAS 300 – The Classical Ideal: From Greece and Rome through the 1930s

Cross Listed · Gen Ed: Tier 2 Humanities · Gen Ed Attribute: Writing · Gen Ed Attribute: World Cultures and Societies · Gen Ed: Exploring Perspectives, Humanist

This is a course that explores the world of ancient Athens and Rome as it was viewed and interpreted in later periods. The learning activities inspire students to critically analyze and incorporate past and current art, historical, archaeological and cultural perspectives on ancient Greek life and culture. Then we learn about how people in America in the 1930s were inspired by ancient Greece. Students are expected to apply their knowledge by analyzing movies made in this period which focus on presenting classical culture in modern guise, especially those by the only major woman director of the era: Dorothy Arzner. Next, we look at ancient Rome. Since Americans have traditionally identified more with ancient Rome, we dedicate more time to the analysis of Rome and its influence. Finally, we look at the 1930s' vogue for the symbolism of classical culture in Fascist Italy under Mussolini and in Nazi Germany under Hitler.