Course Descriptions

This course will survey both the historical development of Egyptology and the archaeological, art historical, literary and other methodologies utilized by this discipline. Graduate-level requirements include additional readings.

This course involves in depth study of early Christian texts together with related contemporary Jewish and Greco-Roman literature. Students will engage in careful analysis of individual texts in the New Testament and from the first four centuries of the Common Era, focusing on questions of genre, authorship, and meaning. Alongside these, students will examine writings by contemporary Jewish, Greek, and Roman authors (e.g., Philo, Josephus, Seneca, and Plutarch) as illustrative of the wider literary and religious culture. For students who have completed GRK 201, an option for readings in ancient Greek will be available as part of the course. Graduate level requirements included a extended research papers drawing on appropriate levels of training in language, literature, and knowledge of the ancient world.

Early Christian and late antique literatures document one of the most significant periods of the human past. This period witnessed and helped to inaugurate the gradual transformation of classical society, government, and religion into three distinct cultures: the Medieval West, Byzantine, and Islamic. The western Mediterranean formed a European, Christian society made up of distinct European nations. In the eastern Mediterranean, the Roman Empire continued as the "Byzantine Empire," and the seventh century saw the birth of another major world religion, Islam, along with the Islamic caliphate. Early Christian and late antique literatures are characterized by a rich interdisciplinarity, but the social, religious, and political impact of Christianity is at the core of the Latin literature of this period. One particular focus of the course will be the "conflict" between Christian and pagan Latin literature -- the problem of how to reconcile the literary inheritance of the pagan past with the Christian present. The texts of Tertullian and Jerome are the loci classici for the discussion of Christian attitudes to pagan literature and culture, a theme we will address first in their texts and then in all subsequent readings. Although our course will include source readings from the wider Latin West (e.g. North Africa and Gaul), our focus will be upon the dramatic transformation of fourth-century Rome into the Primatial See of the Catholic Church and the destination of religious pilgrimage -- the new Jerusalem. Graduate-level requirements include a ten-page research paper or instructional module. Alternatively, a graduate-level translation of Latin texts may be an option with the approval of the instructor.

This course focuses on Cleopatra VII (69-30 BCE), the last ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt and one of the best-known women in history and a key powerbroker during a period of important political change, one with enduring repercussions for the western world. She has been, however, deliberately memorialized as a "romantic" agent, a deployer of "feminine wiles", whose gender and political toolbox rightly doomed her efforts to failure. Students will interrogate the process of transforming a historical individual into an object lesson, a trope of femininity, and a cinematic legend, unpacking the messages crafted for a range of audiences and purposes by multiple creators, including Cleopatra herself. We begin with the historical background of the Hellenistic period, cosmopolitan and multicultural, focusing especially on the dynamism of women in the ideology of royal power and as image-makers in their own right, developing special forms for female authority and female patronage. A number of earlier Cleopatras establish context and particular precedents, creating official personae to engage effective interactions with fundamental groups; these include the resilient Ptolemaic queen Cleopatra II (r. 175-116 BCE) and Cleopatra Thea, token in a dynastic alliance who became Great Queen of Syria, dominating the Seleucid throne for a generation. Students will then sift through the evidence for Cleopatra VII, both the contentious (and largely hostile) material for her Mediterranean activities as well as the Egyptian record that may represent the specific efforts of the queen herself, utilizing then-ancient symbol and ritual to assert her legitimate imperial authority and structure her collaboration with major stakeholders in the Nile realm. The last section of the course looks to the lingering memory of Cleopatra long after her death, closely examining images in drama, art, and film to explore how the story of Cleopatra has been crafted and recrafted to represent different "truths" about sex, power, and identity. Graduate-level requirements include two short in-class presentations on particular aspects of course material; weekly responses to the assigned reading, focusing on modern scholarship; and a 5000-word final paper, comparative in nature.

This course is an introduction to the language, literature and writing system of Old Persian. Old Persian, one of the oldest Indo-European languages which survived in written records, was the native language of the Achaemenid kings and one of the languages used in the state documents of the Achaemenid Empire (550-320 BCE). The corpus of Old Persian mainly consists of royal inscriptions issued by Darius I (533-486 BCE) and Xerxes I (486-465 BCE). The royal inscriptions include the political ideology of the kings, and chronicle some of the major events that occurred during their reigns. By analyzing the texts in the original language and in the context of the political history of the empire, this course also offers an introduction to the history of the Achaemenid Empire, the first Persian empire which remained to this date the ideal of kingship in Iran, and profoundly influenced all later Iranian dynasties.

Introduction to the various disciplines of classical scholarship: philology, textual criticism, paleography, papyrology, archaeology.

This course is an introduction to thesis writing for students enrolled in the Master of Arts degree program in Classics. Topics and/or assignments include forming a thesis committee, the review of scholarship, and developing a thesis writing plan, in addition to discussion of second-year issues such as applying for PhD programs and/or jobs in Classics.

A chronological, thematic, and interdisciplinary study of Rome from Forum to Fascism, the readings in CLAS 412/512 include selections from some of the most influential writers and texts of western literature-- travelers, historians, artists, writers, reporters, scientists, critics, art historians, and politicians. Since our goal is to study the ancient iconic city Rome and its reception through the neo-classical period through many lens, we shall also include a range of artists and visuals, including a visit to the Special Collections Library to view manuscripts, facsimiles, and incunabula, a visit to the UAMA collection, and trip to the nearby San Xavier Mission, the "Sistine Chapel of the West." Graduate level requirements include ten short papers, a final paper, and a presentation of the final paper.

This course will examine the histories written by ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as the broader questions of historiography. What did history mean to the ancients, and what techniques did they use to "bear witness" to the past? How do the writings of ancient historians inform our understanding of classical antiquity? Ancient Greek and Roman historians to be covered include Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, and Tacitus. Graduate-level requirements include the responsibility for reading large sections of the ancient authors in their original languages. There will be two language exams over these sections, during which graduate students will not only translate but provide limited commentary on the passage provided.

This course concentrates on the evidence for Greek sanctuary sites between 1000 and 600 B.C. We examine the excavated material from numerous sanctuary sites, including architectural remains (temples and/or altars), votive offerings of bronze and clay, and any other evidence revealing religious practices during these formative years. The role the sanctuaries played in society is also considered with a view to their political, social, economic and spiritual implications for Archaic Greek life. Graduate-level requirements include a more extensive paper than undergraduates.

This course will cover aspects of the history and archaeology of the southern region of mainland Greece, the Peloponnesos, between the Bronze Age to the Roman periods. Particular attention will be paid to an understanding of the geography of the region and its resulting effects on political organization, economic production and influences on the creation and maintenance of ancient cities and sanctuaries. The history and archaeological remains of each of the provinces of the Peloponnesos will be considered including Achaea, Arcadia, the Argolid, the Corinthia, Messenia, Laconia and Elis. The Peloponnesos is a large peninsula and geographic area of southern Greece. The topography of the region includes mountains, rivers, plains, harbors and has some of the finest agricultural land in Greece. It is a region that has a very rich mythology and history. In antiquity the area was famous for many cities and sanctuaries and contains evidence from the Paleolithic period through the Ottoman period and to the modern day. The course will be offered in different years and the focus will be one of the ancient and modern political regions of the Peloponnesos: Corinthia, Argolid, Achaea, Arcadia, Elis, Messenia and Laconia. Topics to be considered include settlements, cities, sanctuaries, tombs, architecture, pottery, small finds.

This course examines the technological achievement of Ancient Greeks from Prehistoric to Roman times. It is structured around key crafts, such as ceramics, stone and bronze sculpture, ivory-working, glass-making, carpentry, and weaving. The production sequence for each craft is presented, as well as the interconnectedness among different crafts. Visits to local craft studios promote an experiential learning. Students learn how craft practitioners carried out major technological projects, ranging from temple construction, to time-recording machinery, water engineering, and ship construction. The low social status of the workers is contrasted with the elevated appreciation of their products. The impact of environmental, economic, and cultural factors on the endurance, innovation, or abandonment of technological expertise is also addressed.

This course examines the translation of classical (poetic) texts as a way of receiving these texts and rendering them accessible - and fresh - for new audiences. The course consists of five components: (1) an introduction to the field of Translation Studies; (2) diachronic study of some of the most influential writers on translation, i.e. from Cicero to 21st century theorists; (3) the translation and adaptation of Greek texts by Latin authors at the beginnings of Latin literature; (4) close study of selected Greek and Latin poetic texts against a selection of published translations of them in English; (5) translation practica. Graduate level requirements include readings in both Greek & Latin, an oral report, and more extensive practica.

This class will examine the archaeology of the Greek Mainland from the arrival of humans until the end of the Late Bronze Age, paying particular attention to the emergence and florescence of Europe's first states. In addition to learning the material record of the region, students will hone their skills in critical thinking by exploring the theoretical approaches that inform the way archaeologists reconstruct the past.

The course will introduce the student to the history, theory and archaeological evidence for city and landscape planning from the Minoan, Etruscan, Greek and Roman periods. In addition the course will consider some of the most modern techniques (digital cartography, remote sensing and GIS) in the study of ancient cities and will offer the student the opportunity to learn and practice a number of these modern techniques, including the use of AutoCAD. Graduate-level requirements include making a 30 minute oral presentation to the class on the research project undertaken as a part of the requirements for the course. In addition, graduate students will be responsible for a 25 page paper.

This class will provide an examination of the culture of ancient Egypt through an introduction to selected archeological methods and approaches, as well as the study of selected hieroglyphic inscriptions and texts. Although a continuation of 551A, 551A is not prerequisite or needed for 551B, which will cover different material.

Surveys the art and archaeology of the Etruscans between the 7th and 1st centuries B.C. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and an in-depth paper.

This course surveys Greek and Roman sculpture from Cycladic figurines of the 3rd millennium B.C. to Roman sculpture of ca. 300 A.D. Topics to be addressed are stylistic developments, uses of sculpture within historical settings, iconography and meaning, materials and manufacturing techniques, and sculptors and their social status. The course will also deal with modern misconceptions of the original appearance of the classical sculpture, problems of forgeries, and the impact of looting within larger discussions of cultural heritage and collecting.

This course surveys the craft and context of Greek and Roman painting and mosaics, from the Bronze Age Greek palaces to the Archaic and Classical Greek ceramics, to Etruscan tombs and Roman villas. Greeks and Romans lived both privately and publicly in a colorful world with lavishly decorated walls, floors, ceramics, sculpture, and luxury objects. Topics also include professional competition among painters, transfer of technological knowledge, and scientific analysis of pigments. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and an in-depth paper.

This course aims to introduce students to on-going issues and debates central to the study of the classical cultures in the Mediterranean world, that are far from resolved. Instead of focusing on certain periods or certain media, the students will be able to evaluate scholarly arguments on Classical material culture, including but not limited to discussions of style, technological choices, historical and social contexts, archaeological scientific methods, and cultural heritage, to name a few, spanning several millennia from Aegean Bronze Age to Hellenistic times. Test cases include celebrated but controversial vases, sculptures, mosaics, temples, and metalwork. We will also study how scholarship shifts its focus to different types of controversies, as a result of more general social, political, and economic contexts. Some prior 300-level coursework on History, Anthropology, Classics, Art History, or related discipline is recommended, but not required. Graduate level students will be required to present addition articles within class, as well as produce a longer, more in-depth, Final paper and presentation.

Field training and lecture program for students beginning in archaeology; includes trench supervision, stratigraphy, locus theory, and oral and written reports on field techniques. Offered on several archaeological sites in the Mediterranean area. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and an in-depth paper.

This class explores the archaeological evidence for ritual and religion in the Greek world from the Neolithic through the Classical periods. We discuss how to identify various sacred sites and artifacts, and how to interpret evidence we believe may be from a religious context. Graduate-level requirements include presenting summaries of assigned readings; leading discussions on certain topics; writing a more in-depth paper with an additional 1000 words in length compared to the undergraduate papers, and with more bibliographic references required.

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.

Topics in Greek philosophy. May be selected from the pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and post-Aristotelian philosophy. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. Courses for which students receive the grade of P (Pass) do not satisfy requirements for the M.A. or Ph.D. or minor in philosophy.

A philosophical introduction to the major works of Plato. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. Courses for which students receive the grade of P (Pass) do not satisfy requirements for the M.A. or Ph.D. or minor in philosophy.

A philosophical introduction to the major works of Aristotle. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. Courses for which students receive the grade of P (Pass) do not satisfy requirements for the M.A. or Ph.D. or minor in philosophy.

Critical survey of scientific methods used in archaeology and art history. Emphasis on the potential and limitations of these techniques for reconstructing human behavior. Graduate-level requirements include one substantial critical review of the literature on some archaeological application of archaeometry.

This course examines the architectural developments in the Greek world from the Neolithic and Bronze Age through to the Classical and Hellenistic periods (6000-31 BC). We look at the various types of building structures including palaces, tombs, temples, theaters, town planning, and domestic architecture, and discuss sites such as Knossos, Mycenae, Pylos, Delphi, Athens, Corinth, and Olynthos. Students will consider issues such as the manner of construction of these buildings, the contexts in which they they were commissioned, built and used, and some of the architectural problems facing the architects.. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and an in-depth paper.

Journey to the edges of empire as this course explores the archaeological remains of the Roman provinces. Topics will include the relationship between the Italian core and provincial periphery, the archaeological impact of Roman colonization, and the various local responses to imperial incorporation. Underpinning these topics will be the theme of globalization - the process of interaction and integration among the many diverse populations of the Roman world. By the end of the course, students will be able to draw connections between Rome and the provinces as well as between globalization in antiquity and the modern world. Graduate-level requirements include a presentation, write a book review, and a research paper.

The origin and development of Italian architecture from the beginning of the Iron Age to the end of the Roman Empire, highlighting the development of construction techniques, materials used, the nature of the work force, principal monuments and patterns of urbanism. Focus is also placed on the imperial building programs of the Roman emperors and on the domestic architecture of Rome and its dependencies. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and an in-depth paper.

The primary objective of this course is the development of language teachers' assessment literacy, which includes knowledge of key assessment principles and skill in creating or adopting assessment tools and procedures for the language classroom. Participants in this course will develop their knowledge and skills related to assessing all skill areas in the language classroom, including productive skills (writing, speaking), receptive skills (reading, listening), and assessing grammar and vocabulary. Grading and student evaluation will also be important topics of consideration and exploration in this course. Designed specifically for in-service (and pre-service) language teachers, the course combines theory with practice by covering essential principles of effective classroom assessment and the development of effective assessment tools for classroom use. Participants completing this course will become more assessment literate and better able to evaluate student performance in their classrooms fairly and effectively.

This course focuses on the ancient history of the Middle East prior to the rise of Christianity and Islam. In reflecting on modern agendas and assumptions that have defined a certain image of "the classical world" in distinction to that of "the ancient Near East", we take a critical approach to Mesopotamian, Anatolian, Levantine, and Persian history from the development of writing to the conquest of Alexander the Great (fourth millennium to fourth century BCE).

Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of instruction and practice in actual service in a department, program or discipline. Teaching formats may include seminars, in-depth studies, laboratory work and patient study.

The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.

This course treats topics within the study of religion in ancient Greece, Rome, and neighboring cultures. Knowledge of primary languages is not required, but for qualified students there may be optional readings in primary languages, such as in Greek and/or Latin.

The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.

Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work. Graduate students doing independent work which cannot be classified as actual research will register for credit under course number 599, 699, or 799.

Research for the master's thesis (whether library research, laboratory or field observation or research, artistic creation, or thesis writing). Maximum total credit permitted varies with the major department.

Readings in major Greek authors including Homer, Plato, and the historians and dramatists. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and an in-depth paper.

An accelerated study of the morphology, syntax, and vocabulary of Classical Greek for graduate students.

Extensive readings in Greek in one of the following areas of Greek philosophy: the pre-Socratics, Plato's ethic and epistemology, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Courses for which students receive the grade of P (Pass) do not satisfy requirements for the M.A. or Ph.D. or minor in philosophy. Graduate-level requirements extensive reading and an in-depth paper.

Study of basic morphology, grammar, and vocabulary of beginning Biblical Greek I. Graduate-level requirements include: Additional readings in Biblical Greek and a research paper.

Study of basic morphology, grammar, and vocabulary of beginning Biblical Greek II. Graduate-level requirements include: Additional readings in Biblical Greek and a research paper.

Close reading in Greek of either (1) tragedy-one play each by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides or (2) comedy-two plays of Aristophanes, one of Menander. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and an in-depth paper.

Close reading of selections from the Iliad and Odyssey in Greek and an introduction to the critical secondary literature. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and an in-depth paper.

Selections from Herodotus and Thucydides with an introduction to the critical literature. Readings in Greek. Graduate-level requirements include extensive readings and an in-depth paper.

Critical readings in ancient Greek with literary and social-historical contextual analyses of ancient Greek Poetry of either the Archaic or Hellenistic period or both. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and a research paper.

Critical reading in ancient Greek with social, historical and interpretive analysis of the works of Demosthenes and other major fourth century BCE. orators. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and a research paper.

Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work. Graduate students doing independent work which cannot be classified as actual research will register for credit under course number 599, 699, or 799.

Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work. Graduate students doing independent work which cannot be classified as actual research will register for credit under course number 599, 699, or 799.

Readings in one of the following: epic, lyric, drama, history, oratory, satire, epistles, novel, philosophical, technical or medieval literature. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and a research paper.

Analysis of Latin prose style, review of Latin grammar, practice in composing Latin prose. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and a research paper.

Reading in the Latin texts of Catullus and Horace. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and a research paper.

A first-semester accelerated study of the morphology, syntax, and vocabulary of Latin for graduate students.

A second-semester accelerated study of the morphology, syntax, and vocabulary of Latin for graduate students.

Readings from a major writer or writers of the Augustan age. Graduate level requirements include extensive reading and a research paper.

Survey of Latin literature during the thousand years between the end of the classical period and the beginning of the Renaissance. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and a research paper.

Reading in the Latin texts of Ovid, Tibullus and Propertius. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and a research paper.

Readings in Latin of major authors and works produced from the second decade of the first century CE to the last decades of the second century CE. Course content may vary and may include both prose and poetry. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and a research paper.

Close reading of selected works in Latin. Graduate-level requirements include extensive reading and a research paper.

Readings in Latin from the Roman historians and biographers. May be repeated without duplication of readings. Graduate-level requirements include extensive readings and a research paper.

Close reading and study of select plays of Plautus, Terence, and Seneca, as well as select fragments of Republican Roman tragedy. Graduate-level requirements include extra reading assignments in Latin; a more ambitious research paper project.

This class is intended to prepare students to teach a second/foreign language. It will provide students with the essential foundations in language teaching methodology and theory, pedagogical grammar, curriculum and materials development, classroom management, and formal and informal assessment techniques. In addition, students will gain practical knowledge through video practicum components, which allow them to watch and reflect on actual classroom teaching. Students will complete this program with the pedagogical knowledge and practical understanding necessary to be confident and effective language teachers.

This course will have appeal to Latinists, Latin teachers-in-training, trainers of teachers, and curriculum specialists at state and local levels as a broad introduction (with highly specialized bibliography) to a wide variety of issues in Latin methodology. Students will develop, implement, and evaluate an Action-Research Project in an active classroom setting as the final project for the course. Graduate-level requirements include teaching practicum and a research paper.

A comparative study of instruction and learning theories among ancient authors (in Latin) and compared with modern, language-learning educators who write about language instruction and learning theory. Graduate-level requirements include more extensive reading each week in both Latin and modern texts and writing a final paper based upon a series of related topics and experiences in outreach institutional settings.

Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work. Graduate students doing independent work which cannot be classified as actual research will register for credit under course number 599, 699, or 799.

Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work. Graduate students doing independent work which cannot be classified as actual research will register for credit under course number 599, 699, or 799.