Associate Professor Siegel; Assistant Professor Hay; Visiting Assistant Professor Schueller.
Chair: Janice F. Siegel
CLASSICAL STUDIES
All Classical Studies courses are suitable for all students. All readings are in English. No knowledge of Greek or Latin is presumed or required.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 201. (3)
CLASSICAL ROOTS OF ENGLISH WORDS. In this etymology course, students will learn key words derived from the Greek and Latin languages that are often used in combination (as roots, prefixes, and suffixes) to form English vocabulary words. In addition to basic word-building, the course will also introduce students to a wide variety of topics in classical antiquity and explain how these ancient languages and cultures have heavily influenced modern English (and other languages) and cultures. No knowledge of Greek or Latin is presumed or required. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 202. (3)
CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY. An introduction to classical mythology through the study of the literature, art, archaeology, architecture, and other material culture of the ancient world. We will apply different interpretations of mythology to understand why these traditional tales were so central to the lives of the ancient Greeks and Romans. We will also explore how and why these characters, plots, themes, and images have remained so popular in the art and literature of every age subsequent to antiquity, including our own. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 203. (3)
GREEK LITERATURE IN ENGLISH. In this survey course, students will read English translations of major works of classical Greek literature representing a variety of genres and time periods, presented in their political, cultural, and historical contexts. Students will learn how these authors use rhetorical devices to enhance their works, and how their writings influence later traditions. Assigned authors may include Homer, Hesiod, Aeschylus, Euripides, Aristophanes, Thucydides, Plato, Apollonius, and others. No knowledge of Greek is presumed or required. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 204. (3)
LATIN LITERATURE IN ENGLISH. In this survey course, students will read English translations of major works of classical Latin literature representing a variety of genres and time periods, presented in their political, cultural, and historical contexts. Students will learn how these authors use rhetorical devices to enhance their works, and how their writings influence later traditions. Assigned authors may include Terence, Cicero, Lucretius, Catullus, Horace, Propertius, Tibullus, Livy, Virgil, Ovid, Seneca, and others. No knowledge of Latin is presumed or required. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 207. (3)
THE GOLDEN AGE OF ATHENS. A study of the major political, military, and cultural events and personages of ancient Athens from 508-399 BCE. Emphasis will be placed on the lived experiences of everyday people in Athens (including women, slaves, and marginalized communities) as well as Athenian achievements in architecture, philosophy, and statecraft. We will examine and learn to evaluate literary, epigraphic, archaeological, and material evidence. Readings may include the historiography of Herodotus and Thucydides, the dramas of Aeschylus and Aristophanes, and the ideas of Socrates. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 208. (3)
THE WORLD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT. A study of the major political, military, and cultural events and personages of the classical world from 359-301 BCE, primarily the career of Alexander the Great. Attention will also be paid to the influence of Philip II on the Greek world before Alexander’s rise and to the legacy of the Hellenistic kingdoms after Alexander’s death. We will also reflect on the ways that Alexander has been remembered and depicted in the medieval world and in modern Anglophone media. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 209. (3)
THE FALL OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC. A study of the major political, military, and cultural events and personages of ancient Rome in the final century of its Republic (roughly 133-31 BCE). We will chart the turning points in Roman history that led to the destruction of norms and erosion of barriers meant to thwart tyranny. We will examine and learn to evaluate literary, epigraphic, archaeological, and material evidence. Emphasis will also be placed on the lived experiences of everyday people in Rome (including women, slaves, and marginalized communities). Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 210. (3)
THE HEIGHT OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. A study of the major political, military, and cultural events and personages of the Roman Empire from the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty under Nero to the peak of the Antonine dynasty under Marcus Aurelius (roughly 54-180 CE). We will encounter virtuous and vicious emperors, courageous and cowardly statesmen, lofty and vulgar poetry, and a spectrum of real lives from different regions, identity groups, and social strata. We will examine and learn to evaluate literary, epigraphic, archaeological, and material evidence. We will also reflect on the ways that the Roman Empire is remembered and depicted in modern Anglophone media. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 211. (3)
GREEK AND ROMAN EPIC LITERATURE IN ENGLISH. A cross-cultural study of Greek and Roman epic poems presented in their political, cultural, and historical contexts: war epics, adventure/quest epics, didactic poems, epyllia, and mock epics. We will consider the authors’ use of figurative language and rhetorical devices, how and why the Romans adopted and adapted Greek models, the influence of these ancient poets on later literary traditions, and why these epic themes still resonate with readers today. Primary texts may include those by Homer, Hesiod, Apollonius, Virgil, Lucretius, Ovid, Lucan, and Statius, among others. All readings are in English; no knowledge of Greek or Latin is presumed. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 212. (3)
GREEK AND ROMAN DRAMA IN ENGLISH. A cross-cultural study of Greek and Roman drama presented in its cultural, historical, and performative contexts, this course examines the evolution of ancient drama over time; the very different religious, social, and political realities it reflects; and the enduring influence of these classical dramatic traditions on later ages. Primary texts may include plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, Terence, Plautus, and Seneca, among others. All readings are in English: no knowledge of Greek or Latin is presumed. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 215. (3)
MYTHIC ELEMENTS IN TELEVISION AND FILM. This course teaches students to identify and explore the kinds of mythic tropes that allow the boundaries of human existence to be transcended, thereby illuminating what it means to be human. Students will first read English translations of some texts from the classical mythological tradition by authors such as Homer, Apollonius, Virgil, and Ovid to see under what circumstances and with what consequences humans can overstep their bounds. We will then turn our attention to selected television shows and films from the genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy that capture this same mythic essence in unique, profound, and sustained ways, even though these screened texts feature neither characters nor settings from classical mythology. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 216. (3)
SCREENED ODYSSEYS. In this course, students will undertake a comprehensive study of one of classical literature’s most seminal texts, Homer’s Odyssey (read in English translation) and then critically explore its legacy on screen in the form of dramatizations, adaptations, and modern reinventions called “Modysseys.” Live-action films, television shows, and animated productions from a wide variety of countries (USA, France, Australia, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Germany, Canada, Japan, etc.) stand as evidence of The Odyssey’s ability to transcend the boundaries of time, geography, and culture. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 218. (3)
PRE-MODERN EXPERIENCES OF NATURE. We will discuss how various ancient cultures (from the Mediterranean world and beyond) addressed questions about “Nature” and its relationship with human civilization. We will also examine how the ancient environment affected human history, as well as how ancient humans affected environmental history. Course topics will include: geomythology; deforestation, mining, and ancient climate change; scientific and moral discourse about nature; plants and animals, and their relation to humanity; plagues and diseases; archaeology and archaeobotany. No prior knowledge of ancient history, culture, or languages is required for students enrolled in this course. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 219. (3)
JEWS AND CHRISTIANS IN ANTIQUITY. A study of the lives and writings of Jews and Christians living in the Greco-Roman world of classical antiquity, from the death of Alexander the Great to the rise of Constantine. Readings will be drawn from both Biblical (e.g., Maccabees, Acts) and Classical (e.g., Philo, Josephus) sources and will be complemented with modern scholarship. We will examine how ancient Jews and Christians created and adapted their identities both in opposition to, and alongside, the dominant Greco-Roman cultures that surrounded them. Prerequisite: none.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 301. (3)
HUMANISM IN ANTIQUITY. An intellectual history of the ancient world, ranging from Hesiod’s Theogony-an account of the genesis of the Greek Gods-to Boethius, the man who undertook to synthesize Plato and Aristotle. Readings include works by major figures, like Herodotus, Plato, and Augustine, as well as some by minor figures, like Minucius Felix and Basil. Emphasis is placed on such questions as what the ancients meant by “happiness,” “human,” and “nature,” and how their views developed under paganism and Christianity. Prerequisite: Any of the following: Western Culture 101; History 271, 272; Latin or Greek at the 200-level or above; any Classical Studies course; or permission of the instructor. Offered in spring semester of alternate years.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 302. (3)
THEMES IN THE CLASSICAL TRADITION. A study of Greek and Roman themes in the ancient world and in Western and other cultures. The course may focus on a genre (e.g., epic), character (e.g., Hercules), theme (e.g., revenge), location (e.g., Olympia), or idea (e.g., progress). Students study a variety of materials, which may include literature, art, music, and film. Prerequisite: Any Classical Studies course or permission of the instructor. Offered in rotation with Classics 301 and 303.
CLASSICAL STUDIES 303. (3)
LIFE IN THE ANCIENT WORLD. A study of the material life of the ancients that focuses on the way people lived and confronted their environment. Topics may include both the humdrum artifacts of everyday life and the grand religious and political monuments left by the great civilizations, as well as ancient trade and agriculture, plagues and famines, city-planning, and engineering. Materials studied include those in the literary, epigraphic, archaeological, and artistic record. Prerequisite: Any Classical Studies course or permission of the instructor. Offered in rotation with Classics 301 and 302.
HISTORY 271. (3)
GREEK HISTORY. An historical survey of the cultural, political, economic, and social aspects of Greek civilization to the time of the late Roman Empire. This course does not assume a knowledge of Greek and does not satisfy any of the language requirements. It carries credit toward a History major. Offered: fall semester of even-numbered years.
HISTORY 272. (3)
ROMAN HISTORY. A comprehensive survey of the rise and decline of Rome as a world-state and as the matrix of subsequent Western civilization. Primary emphasis is placed on the social, political, economic, and diplomatic forces in the evolution of Roman supremacy in the Mediterranean. This course does not assume a knowledge of Latin and does not satisfy any of the language requirements. It carries credit toward a History major. Prerequisite: none. Offered: spring semester of odd-numbered years.
GREEK
The introductory Greek language sequence begins in the spring semester with Greek 101, which presumes no knowledge of Greek. Students who wish to take a higher-level Greek course and have not fulfilled the stated prerequisites should contact the Department Chair to inquire about language placement procedures.
GREEK 101. (3)
ELEMENTARY GREEK (PART I). Students will learn the forms of most Greek nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and verb forms. Also covered are basic usages and constructions including prepositional phrases and relative clauses. Students will build a good foundation in Greek vocabulary of about 250 words. From the beginning of the semester, students will be translating Greek sentences and stories. Prerequisite: none. Offered: every spring semester.
GREEK 102. (3)
ELEMENTARY GREEK (PART II). Students continue their Greek study with the introduction of more complicated grammar, including participle formation and usage, advanced verb constructions, specialized usage of noun cases, and the formation and usage of the subjunctive and optative moods of verbs. Vocabulary building and regular translation assignments will prepare students to read unadapted Greek. Prerequisite: Greek 101 or equivalent. Offered: every fall semester.
GREEK 201. (3)
INTERMEDIATE GREEK (PART I). This Greek reading course is for students who have completed their study of Greek grammar. After a brief review of introductory concepts, students will begin reading unadapted Greek prose literature with the help of glosses and level-appropriate commentaries. Prerequisite: Greek 101-102 or equivalent. Offered: every spring semester.
GREEK 202. (3)
INTERMEDIATE GREEK (PART II). This Greek reading course is for students who have completed their study of Greek grammar and are experienced with reading unadapted Greek prose. Students will begin reading unadapted Greek epic (usually Homer) with the help of glosses and levelappropriate commentaries. Prerequisite: Greek 201 or equivalent. Offered: fall semester (with sufficient interest).
GREEK 301. (3)
GREEK DRAMA. Two plays (usually one by Sophocles and one by Euripides, perhaps one by Aristophanes or Menander) with study of literary form, myths, and relevant social, political, religious, and philosophical issues. Prerequisite: Greek 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
GREEK 302. (3)
GREEK PROSE. Works of one or more Greek prose writers, excluding Plato and the Greek Orators. Possible authors include Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Aristotle. Prerequisite: Greek 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
GREEK 303. (3)
THE GREEK BIBLE. Close study of passages from the Septuagint, the Synoptic Gospels, Acts, and perhaps some other books. Due attention is given to peculiarities of koiné Greek and to textual problems, especially those with theological implications. Prerequisites: Greek 202 or equivalent. Offered: on sufficient demand.
GREEK 304. (3)
PLATO. The reading of one or more of the dialogues (or selections thereof) with attention paid to literary and philosophical elements. Prerequisite: Greek 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
GREEK 305. (3)
GREEK POETRY. Readings in poetry, excluding Homer and the dramatists, will be drawn from among the archaic lyric and elegiac poets (e.g., Sappho, Archilochus, and Solon), the Epinikian poets (Pindar, Bacchylides, and Simonides), and the Hellenistic poets (Apollonius, Theocritus, and Callimachus). Introduction to Greek metrics and literary dialects with an emphasis on close reading and critical analysis of the poems. Prerequisite: Greek 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
GREEK 306. (3)
GREEK ORATORY. Readings from extant orators (Andocides, Lysias, Demosthenes, and Isocrates) with study of rhetorical issues as discussed in ancient theoreticians of oratory (Alcidamus, Aristotle, Plato, and Thucydides). Prerequisite: Greek 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
GREEK 307. (3)
HOMER. Selected books of the Iliad, Odyssey, or both. Prerequisite: Greek 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
LATIN
The introductory Latin language sequence begins in the fall semester with Latin 101, which presumes no knowledge of Latin. Students who wish to take a higher-level Latin course and have not fulfilled the stated prerequisites should contact the Department Chair to inquire about language placement procedures.
LATIN 101. (3)
ELEMENTARY LATIN (PART I). Students will learn the forms of all Latin nouns, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, and most verb forms (except subjunctive). Also covered are basic usages and constructions including prepositional phrases and relative clauses. Students will build a good foundation in Latin vocabulary of about 450 words. From the beginning of the semester, students will be translating Latin sentences and stories. Prerequisite: none. Offered: every fall semester.
LATIN 102. (3)
ELEMENTARY LATIN (PART II). Students continue their Latin study with the introduction of more complicated grammar, including participle formation and usage, advanced verb constructions, specialized usage of noun cases, and especially, the formation and usage of the subjunctive mood of verbs. Vocabulary building and regular translation assignments will prepare students to read unadapted Latin. Prerequisite: Latin 101 or equivalent. Offered: every spring semester.
LATIN 201. (3)
INTERMEDIATE LATIN (PART I). This Latin reading course is for students who have completed their study of Latin grammar. After a brief review of introductory concepts, students will begin reading unadapted Latin prose literature with the help of glosses and level-appropriate commentaries. Prerequisite: Latin 101-102 or equivalent. Offered: every fall semester.
LATIN 202. (3)
INTERMEDIATE LATIN (PART II). This Latin reading course is for students who have completed their study of Latin grammar and are experienced with reading unadapted Latin prose. Students will begin reading unadapted Latin epic (Virgil or Ovid) with the help of glosses and level-appropriate commentaries. Prerequisite: Latin 201 or equivalent. Offered: spring semester (with sufficient interest).
LATIN 301. (3)
ROMAN DRAMA AND SATIRE. Readings in Terence, Plautus, and Seneca (for drama), and Horace, Juvenal, Seneca, and Petronius (for satire), with attention paid to the interplay of moral voice and sense of humor, relations between philosophy and satire, rhetoric and poetry. Prerequisite: Latin 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
LATIN 302. (3)
ROMAN HISTORIANS. Selected readings from Sallust, Bellum Catilinae, Bellum Iugurthinum, Livy, Ab Urbe Condita, or Tacitus’ Annales, with their interpretation of Rome’s past by historians of the era of transition from republic to empire. Prerequisite: Latin 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
LATIN 303. (3)
EPICS OF VERGIL AND OVID. Selected readings in the Aeneid and Metamorphoses; the development of Vergilian and Ovidian poetic techniques; the civilized and national epic as a new form and its influence on Roman and later cultures; Greek literary precedents and the Romans’ originality. Prerequisite: Latin 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
LATIN 304. (3)
CICERO. Readings from Cicero’s speeches, essays, or letters, with special attention to language, subject matter, rhetoric, literary artistry in general, and historical setting. Prerequisite: Latin 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
LATIN 305. (3)
LATIN POETRY. Readings in Latin poetry excluding the epic of Vergil and Ovid. Selections from the poetry of Catullus, Propertius, Tibullus, and Horace will be read, along with critical analysis of their art and Greek models. The intention of this course is to discover to students the rich variety in Latin poetry. Prerequisite: Latin 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
LATIN 306. (3)
ROMAN THOUGHT. The poetry of Lucretius, some of the essays of Cicero and Seneca will be studied for the ways in which they present Roman versions of Greek ideas to a Roman audience, on the subjects of nature, religion, politics, and the goals of life. Prerequisite: Latin 202 or equivalent. Offered every three years.
updated 7/28/2025