Undergraduate Program

This course provides an introduction to the ancient Greek and Roman worlds and to the varied disciplinary approaches that inform our study of classical antiquity. Students will explore touchstones in the literature, mythology, history, art, and archaeology of ancient Greece and Rome; these include the Trojan War, Athenian culture in the age of democracy, the rise and fall of Rome’s empire, the violence of the Colosseum, and the emergence of Christianity. In the process, students will become familiar with key aspects of Greek and Roman culture while learning about how we in the modern world construct our knowledge of the past.

Location

(TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

In this course, students will explore the traditions and lasting impact of the ancient Spartans. This course will take an interdisciplinary approach that examines the Spartans through evidence of their customs, social and political structures, literature, art and architecture, history, and reception (from fifth-century Athenian tragedy to modern cinema). Students will leave the course with a firm understanding of ancient Sparta, its value as a window into the diverse identities and experiences of the ancient world, and its relevance to the modern world. The course assumes no previous knowledge of Greek antiquity.

Location

(TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

This course will introduce students to key problems in the study of Ancient Greece. The course will begin with the Mycenaean and Minoan civilizations of the late Bronze Age and will end with the Hellenistic kingdoms that emerged after the death of Alexander the Great, and will consider select topics in political, social, and cultural history. Considerable attention will be devoted to questions of method: how do we answer questions about the Greek past? All sources will be read in English translation.

Location

(TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM)

Homer, Virgil, and Ovid. Greek tragedy and comedy: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes. The Hebrew Bible -- Abraham and Isaac, Moses and Pharaoh, Esther and Judith -- and Christianity's New Testament. The two great traditions studied in this introductory course -- classical and Biblical -- have been pondered by generations of writers and artists for thousands of years. A great deal of literary history is the story of intricately rewriting and adapting the core texts of these traditions; it has been said that the European philosophical tradition is a series of footnotes to Plato. While doing justice to any one of these authors or traditions in a single semester would be a challenge, the goal of this class is to read as much as possible of the classical and scriptural tradition in the short time we have, giving you a solid introduction to some of the key stories and ideas that have generated so much thought, conflict, and human creativity over the past two dozen centuries. First-years welcome!

Location

(MW 11:50AM - 1:05PM)

Examination of the intersection of religion and healing by examining the range of ways in which people understood and responded to the experience of illness and physical suffering in Greco-Roman antiquity and the various means by which they sought healing. Drawing on a range of sources, such as medical treatises, religious texts, and archaeological evidence, focus will be on: “Medicine” (the development of ‘professional’ medicine in ancient Greece and Rome), “Magic” (magical practices, texts, and magicians as healers) and “Miracles” (miracle workers such as Jesus and Apollonius of Tyana, healing religions such as the Asklepios cults and the emerging Christian movement).

Location

(MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

This course examines traditions of ancient Greek and Roman theatre through its rich material record. It will draw on figurines, frescoes, mosaics, inscriptions, illuminated manuscripts, theatre structures, and victory monuments, and explore interdisciplinary methodologies from classics, art history, and archaeology. Students will gain a comprehensive knowledge of ancient drama and its representation in the material record, a diverse skillset for exploring how ancient texts and objects can inform one another, and an appreciation of the lasting impact that dramatic monuments have on subsequent art and architecture.

Location

(MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

This course provides undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue in-depth, independent exploration of a topic not regularly offered in the curriculum, under the supervision of a faculty member in the form of independent study, practicum, internship or research. The objectives and content are determined in consultation between students and full-time members of the teaching faculty. Responsibilities and expectations vary by course and department.  Registration for Independent Study courses needs to be completed through the Independent Study Registration form (https://secure1.rochester.edu/registrar/forms/independent-study-form.php)​

Location

( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)

This course provides undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue in-depth, independent exploration of a topic not regularly offered in the curriculum, under the supervision of a faculty member in the form of independent study, practicum, internship or research. The objectives and content are determined in consultation between students and full-time members of the teaching faculty. Responsibilities and expectations vary by course and department. Registration for Independent Study courses needs to be completed through the Independent Study Registration form (https://secure1.rochester.edu/registrar/forms/independent-study-form.php)

Location

( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)