CLS 217/ ARH 217 Greek Art and Archaeology (4 Credits)

Offered as CLS 217 and ARH 217. This course is a contextual examination of the art and architecture of Ancient Greece, from the end of the Bronze Age through the domination of Greece by Rome (ca. 1100-168 BCE) and handles an array of settlements, cemeteries and ritual sites. It tracks the development of the Greek city-state and the increasing power of the Greeks in the Mediterranean, culminating in the major diaspora of Greek culture accompanying the campaigns of Alexander the Great and his followers. The course takes a broadly chronological approach, and the question of a unified Greek culture is stressed. Continuing archaeological work is considered. {A}{H}

Fall, Spring, Alternate Years

CLS 218 Hellenistic Art and Archaeology (4 Credits)

This course examines the art, architecture and material culture of the Hellenistic period, spanning the years from 323 to 31 BCE and representing one of the most exciting and dynamic eras of Greek history. Beginning with the expansionist campaign of Alexander the Great and ending with the conquests of the future emperor Augustus, it is a time of fast-paced change, experimentation and diversity. In addition to examining the archaeology of this period, the course explores ideas about the accessibility of archaeological material and how this may be facilitated through digital collections and virtual reconstructions. {A}{H}

Fall, Spring, Alternate Years

CLS 227 Classical Mythology (4 Credits)

The principal myths as they appear in Greek and Roman literature, seen against the background of ancient culture and religion. Focus on creation myths, the structure and function of the Olympian pantheon, the Troy cycle and artistic paradigms of the hero. Some attention to modern retellings and artistic representations of ancient myths. {A}{L}

Fall, Spring, Alternate Years

CLS 228 Archaeology of Greek Mythologies (Global Flex) (2 Credits)

This course considers how the Greek past is conceptualized and narrativized at various stages in history, from the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1600-1100 BCE) to the modern period. It is carried out over the course of a 12-day trip to Greece through the Global FLEX program, and students must apply through this program. Course goals include the critical assessment of Greece’s long-term symbolic position as the “West” in opposition to an ill-defined “East.” Students acquire a working knowledge of Greek history, culture, mythology, and archaeology. Enrollment limited to 20. Instructor permission required. (E) {A}{H}{S}

Spring, Variable

CLS 233 Gender and Sexuality in Greco-Roman Culture (4 Credits)

The construction of gender, sexuality, and erotic experience is one of the major sites of difference between Greco-Roman culture and our own. What constituted a proper man and a proper woman in these ancient societies? Which sexual practices and objects of desire were socially sanctioned and which considered deviant? What ancient modes of thinking about these issues have persisted into the modern world? Attention to the status of women; the role of social class; the ways in which genre and convention shaped representation; the relationship between representation and reality. {H}{L}

Fall, Spring, Alternate Years

CLS 237 Artifacts of Daily Life in the Ancient Mediterranean (4 Credits)

This course uses the artifacts of the Van Buren Antiquities Collection as a starting point for investigating the daily life of the Greek and Roman worlds. In particular, students select and research an object or objects for which to develop an "object biography," through which the people who produced, used, and re-used these objects might be accessed. Additional attention is given to the place of objects in archaeological practice and narratives. Enrollment limited to 10. {H}{S}

Fall, Spring, Alternate Years

CLS 238 The Age of Heroes: Archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean Bronze Age (4 Credits)

The Mediterranean Bronze Age is often associated with mythological events like the Trojan War. But how did the people of the Bronze Age actually live? This course surveys the archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean Bronze Age, including Egypt and the Aegean, among others, from 3000 to 1100 BCE. The course explores not only the pyramids and palaces of the period, but also the evidence for day-to-day living, from crafts production to religion. The class also examines how these cultures interacted and the Mediterranean networks that both allowed them to flourish and led to their collapse. Enrollment limited to 40. {A}{H}

Fall, Spring, Alternate Years

CLS 400 Special Studies (1-4 Credits)

For majors, minors and advanced students. Prerequisites: Three classics or other courses on the ancient world and two intermediate courses in Greek or Latin. Instructor permission required.

Fall, Spring

CLS 430D Honors Project (4 Credits)

Department permission required.

Fall, Spring