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Academic Year 2002/2003


The Archaeology of the Greek City/State
CCIV 321 SP

Crosslistings:
ARHA 204
ARCP 321
Clusters:

Urban Studies

This seminar will deal with the Greek polis, or city-state, often defined as a town together with its territory, including secondary settlements. The type is exemplified by Athens, the best-documented and arguably most important polis in antiquity. We will use Athens as our model but will consider other city-states, e.q., Sparta, Thebes, or Syracuse in Sicily, and also another type of Greek community organized around different principles, the so-called "ethnos." The course will draw on a variety of sources, but the emphasis will be on the material culture of everyday life from the 6th to 4th centuries BCE. Questions we will consider: What was life like in a city such as Athens at different times, for different individuals? How did poor people worship, eat, make their livings, entertain themselves? What did they do when they were ill? What were the uses and meanings of art, writing, music in different communities? By contrast, what was life like in the countryside, or in those communities without the political structures that mark the polis? In effect, was there a "Greek way of life"?

MAJOR READINGS

Selected ancient sources and modern scholarship including:
C. Berard et al., A CITY OF IMAGES
J. Camp, THE ATHENIAN AGORA
E.D. Francis, IMAGE AND IDEA IN 5TH C. GREECE
J. Hurwit, THE ATHENIAN ACROPOLIS: HISTORY, MYTHOLOGY AND ARCHAEOLOGY
R. Osborne, CLASSICAL LANDSCAPE WITH FIGURES
R.E Wycherley, THE STONES OF ATHENS

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Class presentation of research topic and final research paper.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Some background in art history, ancient history, or ancient literature. Not an introductory course. Course will make extensive use of web resources.

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: NONE    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: NONE Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-18-2003


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