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.

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 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 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 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 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.

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 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.

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

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.