Ancient Greece and Rome (HIST*2850)

Code and section: HIST*2850*01

Term: Fall 2022

Instructor: John Walsh

Details

Method of Delivery: 

This course will have a mix of in-person (M/W) and online (F) lectures. Online lectures will be recorded and remain available for viewing until the end of scheduled classes. The in-person lectures will not be recorded for later viewing.

Course Synopsis:  

The course examines the history of Ancient Greece and Rome from the Bronze Age to the collapse of the Roman Empire. Topics will include: Minoan-Mycenaean Civilizations, Homer and the Trojan War, Greek colonization, the rise of the city-state, the Persian Wars, the Athenian democracy and empire, the Peloponnesian War, Alexander the Great, the Hellenistic world, the foundation of Rome, the Etruscans and early Rome, Rome’s rise to the dominant Mediterranean power, the fall of the Roman Republic, Augustus and the Founding of the Roman Empire, Rome’s major Emperors, and the collapse of the Roman Empire.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. analyze, critique, and evaluate a range of ancient and scholarly source material;
2. appraise literary and historical sources of ancient Greek and Roman culture;
3. integrate literary and historical sources with other genres of ancient sources, such as archaeological, numismatic, and epigraphic material, to synthesize a comprehensive understanding of Graeco-Roman antiquity;
4. describe and assess methods used by historians and archaeologists in the craft of historical study, and
5. express a critical understanding of the historical experience of ancient Greek and Roman societies.

Methods of Evaluation and Weights:

Weekly Quizzes (online) -- 10%
Midterm Exam -- 20%
Research Assignment -- 30%         
Final Exam -- 40%
Total -- 100%

Texts and/or Resources Required:

Sarah B. Pomeroy et al., A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society and Culture. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2019.

Mary T. Boatwright, Daniel J. Gargola and Richard Talbert, A Brief History of the Romans. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014.

*Please note: This is a preliminary web course description only. The department reserves the right to change without notice any information in this description. The final, binding course outline will be distributed in the first class of the semester.