DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICS

GREEKS AND ROMANS

Courses and Programs Offered at the

University of Virginia

Spring 2015

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THE GREEKS AND ROMANS

at the

University of Virginia

SPRING, 2015

Each semester the faculty of the Department of Classics and their colleagues in other departments

offer a rich program of courses and special events in classical studies. The Greeks and Romans

is published to inform the University community of the wealth of opportunities for study during

the spring semester, 2015. These are described in the next pages under the following headings:

I. GREEKS: Courses in the Greek language and literature, and

in Greek art, ideas, history, and other aspects of

Greek civilization.

II. ROMANS: Courses in the Latin language and Roman literature,

and in Roman art, ideas, history, and other aspects

of Roman civilization.

III. COMPARATIVE: Courses presenting Classical studies in relation to

other subjects.

IV. SPECIAL PROGRAMS

AND EVENTS

******************************************

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I. THE GREEKS

The Greek World

CLAS 2040 GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Mr. Dillery <jdd4n> MW 1000-1050

Discussion R 0930-1020

R 1100-1150

R 1230-0120

F 0900-0950

F 1000-1050

F 1100-1150

F 1200-1250

F 1300-1350

F 1400-1450

An introduction to Greek mythology with some attention to the Near Eastern background. The

course will focus on readings from primary texts, including the Gilgamesh epic, Homer, Hesiod,

tragedy, and the Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes. We will explore these works as literary

artifacts and in relation to their cultural and historical background. We will also give some

attention to theories of myth and mythological interpretation, and to the role of myth in modern

culture.

CLAS 3100 AGE OF ODYSSEUS

Ms. Stelow <ars5x> MWF 1100-1150

As our primary texts, we will read the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Hesiodic poems, and the major

Homeric Hymns, as well as other bits and pieces from the Epic Cycle and Catalogue of Women.

Within this literary context, we will examine the culture of Greece from 1200 to700, including

the Mycenean period, the "Dark Ages" and the beginnings of the polis. We will explore early

Greek notions concerning the gods, human beings, society and nature as they are reflected in the

texts we read. Select elements of the material culture of this period will be discussed. There will

be short written assignments, a midterm and final, and a short paper. This is a discussion course

rather than a lecture course.

CLAS 3559 ANCIENT INTO MODERN: THE CLASSICAL LEGACY IN MODERN

AND CONTEMPORARY POETRY

Mr. Jasnow <bbj9t> TR 1100-1215

Does the ancient Muse sing on? How do modern poets wrestle with the past? In this class we will

discuss the works of ancient Greek and Roman poets in translation as well as the modern and

contemporary English-language poets they have inspired. Ancient authors will include Homer,

Sappho, Sophocles, Vergil and Ovid. We will read modern works by T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound,

Derek Walcott, Anne Carson, Seamus Heaney and Sylvia Plath, among others. Each modern poet

will be examined through the lens of an ancient forbear.

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CLAS 3559 MAGIC AND MYSTERIES

Mr. Litwa <mdl2dj> MWF 1400-1450

What is magic in classical and late antiquity? What is the distinction, if any, between magic and

religion? How was magic practiced? By whom was it practiced, and for what purposes? These

are the questions we will address in part one of this course. In part two, we examine three

mystery cults in antiquity: Orphic/Dionysian, Eleusinian, and finally Samothracian. Questions

here include: What makes a religion a mystery religion? How did they differ from other

manifestations of ancient religion? What are the sources for the mysteries? What were the

religious goals and expectations of initiates?

This course will be writing intensive. Course requirements include weekly responses to readings,

two class presentations, and a research paper.

ARTH 3559 THE ART OF BYZANTINE WARFARE

Ms. Kondyli <fk8u> MW 1530-1645

In Game of Thrones the siege of King’s Landing is not entirely a product of Martin’s imagination

but rather inspired by Byzantine warfare. In this course we will examine the socio-economic and

political history of Byzantine warfare (AD 400-1500) based on fortifications, weapons, and

artistic representations of war. We will focus on the people engaged in warfare, on military

technology, logistics, borders and the impact of religion on warfare.

ARTH 4591-001 ARCHITECTURE AND IDENTITY IN THE BYZANTINE CITY

Ms. Kondyli <fk8u> T 1300-1530

This seminar explores the development of Byzantine cities in relation to Byzantium’s political

and socio-economic structures (4th

-15th

century AD). It aims at examining cities as lived spaces,

investigating their architecture and topography as well as a range of urban experiences from

mundane daily deeds to public processions. Emphasis will also be placed on the different social

groups responsible for the transformation of Byzantine urban spaces.

HIEU 3559-2 HISTORY OF THE HELLENISTIC AGE

Mr. Jasnow <bbj9t> TR 0930-1045

This lecture-and-discussion class will focus on the tumultuous period of Ancient Greek history

known as the Hellenistic Age, from the death of Alexander in 323 BC to the death of Cleopatra

in 30 BC. This was a time of radical growth for Hellenic culture, when the Greek world stretched

all the way to India and incorporated vast numbers of non-Greek peoples. It was also a period of

great chaos, a time of warring kings, during which the traditional Greek polis (city-state) ceased

to be the center of power. Accompanying the political changes of the Hellenistic Age were great

cultural changes. This was the era of Alexandria and its library, a period of innovation in art,

literature, science, and religion. This course will begin with the conquests of Alexander that set

the stage for the Hellenistic world, and then concentrate on the political and cultural history of

the European, Asian, and Egyptian realms ruled by his successors, until the death of Cleopatra

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and with it the fall of the last Hellenistic kingdom to Rome. There will be a midterm, final, one

5-6 page paper, and one 8-10 page paper. Readings will include:

Errington, R. Malcolm. 2008. A History of the Hellenistic World, 323-30 BC. Malden,

Mass.

Diodorus, Library of History

Livy, The History of Rome

Plutarch, Lives

Polybius, The Histories

Readings on Collab

PHIL 3120 ARISTOTLE

Mr. Devereux <dtd2e> TR 1530-1645

An introduction to the philosophy of Aristotle, focusing on the theories and ideas of lasting

importance in the history of Western philosophy. Readings will be drawn from his works on

metaphysics, theory of science, natural philosophy, ethics, and political philosophy. (This class

will satisfy the second writing requirement.)

PHIL 7120 ARISTOTLE’S POLITICS

Mr. Devereux <dtd2e> W 1300-1530

The seminar will begin with a look at those parts of the Nicomachean Ethics which will be useful

background for the study of the Politics (we will discuss Aristotle's view of the relationship

between politics and ethics). The parts of the Politics we will focus on are: Books I, III-IV, and

VII-VIII; chief among the questions to be investigated are: What is a constitution?; What are the

different types of constitutions, and how are they distinguished?; How does Aristotle rank

constitutions?; What is his theory of citizenship?; What is his conception of political justice, and

how does it differ from Plato's?

RELC 1220 NEW TESTAMENT AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY

Ms. Spittler <jes9cu> MW 0900-0950

This course is an introduction to the 27 individual books that the New Testament comprises. Our

goal is to reach a better understanding of what each of these texts meant in its ancient context,

and to learn something about the individuals and communities that produced and used them.

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The Greek Language

GREE 1020 ELEMENTARY GREEK II

Mr. Kovacs <pdk7g> MWF 1000-1050

Discussion TR 1100-1215

TR 1230-1345

This course, which presupposes Greek 1010, is intended to give a solid grounding in

the elements of ancient Greek (forms of verbs, nouns, and adjectives, rules of syntax, vocabulary)

and some practice in reading easy Greek. It is a preparation for either the classical sequence

2010, 2020 (Xenophon and Plato; Herodotus and Euripides) or the New Testament sequence

2230, 2240 (Gospels, Epistles).

GREE 2020 INTERMEDIATE GREEK II

Mr. George <chg4n> MWF 1000-1050

In the fourth semester of Greek, we venture forth beyond Attic prose for the first time. We begin

with selections from the Histories of Herodotus, who wrote a delightful, easy-going Ionic Greek.

Afterwards, as an introduction to the language of Greek tragedy, we’ll read (most of) Euripides’

Medea, with its tense portrayal of a “barbarian” woman scorned.

GREE 2240 NEW TESTAMENT II

Mr. Dillery <jdd4n> MWF 1200-1250

The aims of this course are to solidify your knowledge of Hellenistic Greek grammar and

vocabulary and to gain speed and proficiency in reading and translating the Greek letters of Saint

Paul. Prerequisite: Greek 1010-1020 or permission of the instructor.

GREE 3020 ADVANCED READING IN GREEK

Ms. Clay <jsc2t> MWF 1100-1150

In this course we will read Books 1, 6, 9, and 24 of the Iliad. As we read about the rage of

Achilles, the domestic harmony of Hector and Andromache, and the grief the Trojans feel for

their dead hero, we will pay close attention to the language the epic poet uses to tell his story,

especially the implications of oral composition for how we understand the epithets and formulae

so characteristic of the poem. There will be quizzes, a final, and a paper.

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GREE 5140 AESCHYLUS

Mr. Kovacs <pdk7g> MWF 1200-1250

In this graduate-level course we will read two plays of Aeschylus' Orestes trilogy (Agamemnon

and Eumenides) with particular attention to the problems of constituting the text and the

problems of interpreting it both as a literary creation and as a historical document. Students may

write either a long interpretative paper or a series of textual discussions. There will be regular

quizzes consisting of translation of Aeschylus' Greek and comment in the manner of the

commentary exams.

GREE 5559 GREEK LINGUISTICS

Mr. George <chg4n> MW 1400-1515

This course will examine some of the major issues in Greek linguistics, including, but not limited

to, the Indo-European background of Greek, Mycenaean Greek (Linear B), the Greek dialects and

the language of Homer, the pragmatics of Greek particles, word order, and tense usage, and the

development of Koine Greek.

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II. THE ROMANS

The Roman World

CLAS 2020 ROMAN CIVILIZATION

Mr. Hays <bgh2n> TR 0930-1045

Discussion F 0900-0950

F 1000-1150

F 1100-1250

F 1300-1350

This course serves as a general introduction to the history, literature, social life, institutions, and

ideology of ancient Rome, from the origins to the 2nd century AD. We will look especially at the

ways in which the Romans constructed a collective cultural identity for themselves, with

attention also to groups marginal to or excluded from that identity (e.g. women, slaves,

barbarians). Readings will focus on the ancient texts and sources, including the comedies of

Plautus, Vergil's epic Aeneid, historical writing by Sallust and Tacitus, biographies by Plutarch

and Suetonius, the love poetry of Ovid, and Petronius's novel Satyrica. Requirements include

midterm and final exams, weekly journal entries, and a paper.

CLAS 3600 MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS AT UVA (J-TERM ONLY)

Mr. Hays <bgh2n> MTWRFS 0900-1500

An introduction to the study of medieval manuscripts, built around the holdings of the Small

Special Collections Library at UVA. We will look at the production and use of books in medieval

culture and at some particular types of manuscript (Bibles, Books of Hours). We will also

consider the manuscript as an object of collecting in the modern age and the problems (including

ethical issues) involved with manuscript fragments. We will conclude with the move from

manuscript to print in the fifteenth century, and the impact on manuscripts of the "post-print"

culture of the twenty-first. On a concrete level we will practice reading the three most common

medieval script families (Carolingian, Gothic and Humanistic). Most days will include hands-on

time in Special Collections. Student responsibilities will include secondary reading and some

transcription exercises, plus a short (3 pp.) writing assignment. As a culminating project, each

student will give a 20-minute illustrated presentation on a manuscript or fragment in the UVA

collection. No previous familiarity with manuscripts is assumed. Some knowledge of Latin

would be handy, but is not a prerequisite.

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HIEU 2041 ROMAN REPUBLIC & EMPIRE

Ms. Meyer <eam2n> MW 1200-1250

Discussion W 1400-1450

W 1500-1550

W 1800-1850

R 1500-1550

R 1700-1750

R 1800-1850

A survey of the political, social, and institutional growth of the Roman Republic, with close

attention given to its downfall and replacement by an imperial form of government; and the

subsequent history of that imperial form of government, and of social and economic life in the

Roman Empire, up to its own decline and fall. Readings of ca. 120 pages per week; midterm,

final, and one seven-page paper.

Readings will be drawn from the following:

Sinnegan and Boak, A History of Rome (text)

Livy, The Early History of Rome

Plutarch, Makers of Rome

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars

Tacitus, Annals of Imperial Rome

Apuleius, The Golden Ass

R. MacMullen, Roman Social Relations

and a course packet

HIEU 5061 ROMAN IMPERIALISM

Ms. Meyer < eam2n> M 1530-1800

(Prerequisite: HIEU 2041, HIEU 3021, HIEU 3041, or instructor permission)

How and why did the Romans come to dominate the known world by 140 BC? This course

explores the relations between the martial tenor of Roman society, the army, war aims, and

diplomacy and internal politics. Was the Roman empire assembled intentionally or

unintentionally? Did the Romans of the Middle Republic have a foreign policy, or a strategic

sense, at all? A discussion seminar open to graduate students and advanced undergraduates.

Readings average 200 pages per week; one seven-to-ten-page paper, one ten-to-fifteen-page

paper, one brief oral report, and a final. This course fulfills the undergraduate second writing

requirement.

Readings will be drawn from Livy, Polybius, and Plutarch; a selection of modern scholars,

including W. V. Harris and A. Eckstein; and a course packet.

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RELC 5559 RELIGIONS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Ms. Spittler < jes9cu > W 1530-1800

In this course we will study the diverse religious landscape of the Greco-Roman world from the

end of the Roman Republic through the rise of Christianity. We will consider a variety of

religious practice and expression, including the Roman public religion, Dionysiac/Orphic cult,

Isis cult, Mithras cult, Cybele cult, Greco-Roman Magic, Hellenistic Judaism and early

Christianities. We will work with a variety of ancient sources, including literature, images and

other material culture in an effort to understand these ancient cults and the people who

participated in them. While most have long since ceased to be practiced, two of these ancient

religions are still around today. In the last weeks of the course, we will make a special effort to

place Judaism and Christianity within their Roman context, alongside the other “religious

options” of the period.

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The Latin Language

LATI 1020 ELEMENTARY LATIN II

Ms. Myers <ksm8m> MWF 1100-1150

Discussion TR 0930-1045

TR 1100-1215

TR 1230-1345

This course is a continuation of Latin 1010. The basics of Latin grammar and syntax are

continued. Translation of continuous Latin passages is also introduced. The course prepares the

student to enter Latin 2010.

LATI 2010 INTERMEDIATE LATIN I

Mr. Rich <nr3pf> MWF 1000-1050

Mr. Merkel <em7ec> MWF 1200-1250

Introductory readings from Latin literature.

LATI 2020 INTERMEDIATE LATIN II

Mr. Waters <etw4jd> MWF 0900-0950

Ms. Miller <sjm8v> MWF 1100-1150

Staff <staff> MWF 1300-1350

Selected readings from Latin literature.

LATI 3030 CICERO

Mr. Hays <bgh2n > TR 1400-1515

In this course we will be reading Cicero's De senectute ("On Old Age"), an imaginary dialogue

between Cato the Elder and some younger friends, including Scipio Aemilianus, the future

conqueror of Carthage. The Cato maior (as it is also known) is one of Cicero's most relaxed and

accessible philosophical works. In its relatively brief compass it offers us a vivid glimpse of

upper-class Roman society and an array of anecdotes and reflections—some moving, some

amusing—on a topic most of us will sooner or later have to confront.

LATI 3110 OVID

Ms. Clay <jsc2t> MWF 1300-1350

In this course we will read selections from Ovid's Metamorphoses including the first murderer,

Apollo's first love affair, Phaethon's incineration, Icarus' crash landing, and how it feels to be a

cow. Thrills and tears galore from the greatest wit of the Roman world! Quizzes, a final,

midterm, and a paper.

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LATI 4559 PLINY, LETTERS

Mr. Woodman <ajw6n> MWF 1400-1450

The letters of the younger Pliny—long a source of information about life, literature, politics and

society at the turn of the first century AD—have in recent years become recognized as important

texts in their own right, both as representatives of the important genre of epistolography and as

specimens of brilliant Latin prose: no one writes clearer or more sparkling Latin than Pliny.

LATI 4559 VERGIL, AENEID BOOK 6

Mr. Miller <jfm4j> TR 0930-1045

In this course we will study Book 6 of Virgil’s Aeneid in several ways: through careful reading of

the text along with the commentaries, close comparison with the most important models like

Odyssey 11 and Cicero’s Somnium Scipionis, analysis of the book’s structure, attention to matters

of style, characterization, and meter. We will also look at the ways in which Book 6 is

illuminated by archaeology, art, and the reception of Virgil in later poetry, especially later Latin

poetry. There will be a brief report, some writing assignments, quizzes, and a final examination.

LATIN 5040 PROSE COMPOSITION

Mr. Woodman <ajw6n> MW 1530-1645

This course centers around a weekly assignment of translating a passage of English prose into

Latin. The passages for translation are graded in difficulty, starting with fairly straightforward

English and becoming more challenging as the weeks progress; they also vary in genre and

period. The ambition is to reach a passage of James Bond. Entry to this course is by Instructor

Permission only.

LATI 5060 ROMAN COMEDY

Mr. Miller <jfm4j> TR 1400-1515

In this course we will read four plays, two by Terence and two by Plautus. There will be a report,

commentary midterm, and paper.

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III. COMPARATIVE

ARTH 1500 INTRODUCTORY ART HISTORY SEMINAR: ART AND DEVOTION

Ms. Smith <tjs6e> TR 0930-1045

What is the relationship between art and religion across cultures and at different times in history?

How do objects and images of devotion teach us about beliefs and ritual practices? This

Introductory Seminar in Art History is intended for first- and second-year students, and it will

emphasize reading, writing, and discussion about these topics. Artistic examples and assignments

will range from the ancient and medieval Mediterranean worlds to India and the modern United

States.

ARTH 4051 ART HISTORY: THEORY, METHOD AND PRACTICE

Ms. Smith <tjs6e> W 1300-1530

Discussion T 1600-1650

This course introduces art history majors to the basic tools and methods of art historical research,

and to the theoretical and historical questions of art historical interpretation. The course will

survey a number of current approaches to the explanation and interpretation of works of art, and

briefly address the history of art history. Prerequisite: Major or minor in art history.

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IV. SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

The Arthur F. Stocker Lectureship The Arthur F. Stocker Endowment Fund for Classical Lectures was established in 1984 by the colleagues, friends, and former students of Arthur F. Stocker, in recognition of his contributions to the field of Classics. This year the Stocker Lecture will be held on April 20, 2015. The speaker will be Cynthia Damon from the University of Pennsylvania.

The James S. Constantine Lectureship The James S. Constantine annual lectureship was established in 1987 by the colleagues, friends, and former students of James S. Constantine, in recognition of his contributions to the teaching and study of the Classics. The Constantine lecture usually takes place every fall semester. This year, however, the Constantine Lecture will be held on January 22, 2015. The speaker will be Dee Clayman from City University of New York.

The Classics Graduate Association

The Classics Graduate Association sponsors an annual colloquium, at which graduate students from the University of Virginia and other universities, and a distinguished senior scholar, present papers on a selected theme. The next CGA Colloquium will be held in the Spring of 2015.

Tuesday Luncheons

At Tuesday Luncheons during the academic year, students, faculty of the Classics Department, and other persons with classical interests hear and discuss papers relevant to the Classics.

The Virginia Senior Classical League The Virginia Senior Classical League is a statewide organization of college students who are interested in the ancient world. The VSCL assists the Virginia Junior Classical League at the VJCL Convention each fall. Each year the VSCL also runs two Certamina (academic competitions for high school Latin students) for the VJCL. Students interested in joining should e-mail president@vscl.org.

The Classics Club at UVA

The purpose of the Classics Club is to promote community both among Classics Majors and other interested undergraduates through the facilitation of educational, social, and service-related activities. For further information send an e-mail to: classicsclub@virginia.edu.

The Archaeological Institute of America The Archaeological Institute of America is an educational and scientific society of archaeologists and others interested in archaeological study and research. There is a chapter of the AIA in Charlottesville, and those interested in joining should contact Professor John Dobbins <dobbins>. The AIA sponsors a series of lectures, which are free and open to the public.