Courses

Courses

Spring 2006

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Archaeology

203. Temples, Shrines, and Holy Places of Ancient Greece
James Higginbotham T 1:00 - 2:25, TH 1:00 - 2:25
Surveys the archaeological remains associated with Greek cult practice and traces its development from the emergence of Greece in the Dark Ages of the eighth century b.c.e to the Roman conquest. Architecture and artifacts are examined with the purpose of understanding cult practice and the religious institutions of ancient Greece. Particular attention is paid to the regional sanctuaries of Delphi, Delos, and Olympia, to what these sites can reveal about the growth of pan-Hellenism, and to how their development was affected by historical events.
307. The Art of Trade: Archaeology and Commerce in the Ancient Mediterranean
James Higginbotham T 10:00 - 11:25, TH 10:00 - 11:25
Commerce in the ancient world functioned on a number of different but interdependent planes. Examines the place of trade in the ancient Mediterranean as can be gleaned from the archaeological record. Explores the characteristics of commerce at the local, regional, and international levels through the study of select historical examples. Connections between the Near East and the Aegean highlight the study of trade during the Bronze Age. Collapse of this network at the end of the second millennium b.c.e. precipitated a virtual ?Dark Age? that was to last for nearly two centuries. The colonial push by the Phoenicians and Greeks in the eighth century b.c.e. helped reestablish the international links in the Mediterranean and forged contacts on a local level with indigenous peoples living near these colonies. The development of monetary systems first by the Lydians and then exploited by the Greeks had profound implications for trade. In addition to its obvious economic role, trade provided an important conduit for the transmission of culture between peoples and fueled many of the changes in social status, religious beliefs, and ethnic diversity. Employs a variety of visual materials and artifacts in the Bowdoin College Museum of Art.

Classics

101. Classical Mythology
Barbara Boyd T 8:30 - 9:55, TH 8:30 - 9:55
Focuses on the mythology of the Greeks and the use of myth in Classical literature. Other topics considered are: recurrent patterns and motifs in Greek myths; a cross-cultural study of ancient creation myths; the relation of mythology to religion; women?s roles in myth; and the application of modern anthropological, sociological, and psychological theories to classical myth. Concludes with an examination of Ovid?s use of classical mythology in the Metamorphoses.
203. Temples, Shrines, and Holy Places of Ancient Greece
James Higginbotham T 1:00 - 2:25, TH 1:00 - 2:25
Surveys the archaeological remains associated with Greek cult practice and traces its development from the emergence of Greece in the Dark Ages of the eighth century b.c.e to the Roman conquest. Architecture and artifacts are examined with the purpose of understanding cult practice and the religious institutions of ancient Greece. Particular attention is paid to the regional sanctuaries of Delphi, Delos, and Olympia, to what these sites can reveal about the growth of pan-Hellenism, and to how their development was affected by historical events.
211. History of Ancient Greece: Bronze Age to the Death of Alexander
Irene Polinskaya M 1:00 - 2:25, W 1:00 - 2:25
Surveys the history of Greek-speaking peoples from the Bronze Age (c. 3000?1100 b.c.e.) to the death of Alexander the Great in 323 b.c.e. Traces the political, economic, social, religious, and cultural developments of the Greeks in the broader context of the Mediterranean world. Topics include the institution of the polis (city-state); hoplite warfare; Greek colonization; the origins of Greek ?science,? philosophy, and rhetoric; and fifth-century Athenian democracy and imperialism. Necessarily focuses on Athens and Sparta, but attention is also given to the variety of social and political structures found in different Greek communities. Special attention is given to examining and attempting to understand the distinctively Greek outlook in regard to gender, the relationship between human and divine, freedom, and the divisions between Greeks and barbarians (non-Greeks). A variety of sources?literary, epigraphical, archaeological?are presented, and students learn how to use them as historical documents.

Greek

102. Elementary Greek
Jennifer Kosak M 9:30 - 10:25, W 9:30 - 10:25, F 9:30 - 10:25
A continuation of Greek 101; introduces students to more complex grammar and syntax, while emphasizing the development of reading proficiency. Includes readings, both adapted and in the original, of Greek authors such as Plato and Euripides. Focuses on Attic dialect.
204. Homer
Jennifer Kosak M 2:30 - 3:55, W 2:30 - 3:55
At least one advanced Greek course is offered each year. The aim of each of these courses is to give students the opportunity for sustained reading and discussion of at least one major author or genre representative of classical Greek literature. Primary focus is on the texts, with serious attention given as well both to the historical context from which these works emerged and to contemporary discussions and debates concerning these works.

Latin

102. Elementary Latin
Irene Polinskaya M 9:30 - 10:25, W 9:30 - 10:25, F 9:30 - 10:25
A continuation of Latin 101. During this term, readings are based on unaltered passages of classical Latin.
204. Studies in Latin Literature
Irene Polinskaya M 10:30 - 11:25, W 10:30 - 11:25, F 10:30 - 11:25
An introduction to different genres and themes in Latin literature. The subject matter and authors covered may change from year to year (e.g., selections from Virgil?s Aeneid and Livy?s History, or from Lucretius, Ovid, and Cicero), but attention is always given to the historical and literary context of the authors read. While the primary focus is on reading Latin texts, some readings from Latin literature in translation are also assigned. Equivalent of Latin 203 or three to four years of high school Latin is required. Latin 205 and 206 are offered in alternate years.
392. Horace: The Career of an Augustan Poet
Barbara Boyd T 11:30 - 12:55, TH 11:30 - 12:55
Focuses on the varied poetic works of Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65-8 B.C.E.). Students read selections from all of his extant works, including Epodes, Satires, Odes, and Epistles; special attention is paid to the reflection of contemporary life and politics in Horace?s work, and to Horace?s literary relationship to other ancient poets.

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