History 221, Classical Greece
Spring 2015
Dept. of History
U. of Richmond
Walt Stevenson
NC 214 Office Hours: MW 2:30-3:30 (or by appt.)
Course Description: The classical period in Greece will always be remembered for its awe-inspiring innovations in political systems, art, literature and philosophy. Democratic Athens cannot help but be at the center of the course, but we will also try to understand the context of Greek-speakers' classical achievements within their global context: how the independent city-state (polis) evolved, what role Persia and the Near East played in this development, and the conditions that led to the imperialistic decline of the independent city-state. Particular attention will be paid to the first written histories, Herodotus' and Thucydides', that not only chronicle the period lucidly, but also create a new type of political discourse. Archaeological evidence will also be explored in conjunction with the historical narratives.
Requirements: The following will be required of all students taking the course:
- attend classes with a look of intense intellectual curiosity
- complete all the assigned reading carefully taking notes and thinking about the inherent issues
- read Pomeroy et al. and take a test on the basic background
- write out a developed problem with the reading for the day (for discussion days)
- contribute thoughtfully to class discussion
- prove competence on a midterm and final exam
- complete one of the following projects (original work is required here):
- 10 page research paper.
- 10 page narrative from an ancient perspective.
- 5 page critical review of a scholarly book (requires instructor's approval).
- 5 page critical review of a historical novel (requires instructor's approval).
Grading:
- Test: 10% [January 26]
- Class Participation: 20%
- Midterm: 20% [March 6]
- Project: 30% [due March 27, 5PM, electronically submitted]
- Final: 20% [April 28, 2PM]
Schedule:
Introduction and General Background: Origins of Civilization and Distinct States
1. (January 12) Introduction to the Course
2. (January 14) Civilization Before Greece [read Saggs on reserve]
3. (January 16) Origins and Definition of "Greece" [read Scarre/Fagan on reserve]
4. (January 21) Ancient Chronology [read Pomeroy/Burstein chapters 3-5]
5. (January 23) Overview of Classical Period [read Pomeroy/Burstein chapters 6, 8 and 9]
6. (January 26) Test on Background Information
Origins of the Greek Polis
7. (January 28) Lecture: What is a Greek Polis?
(photos)
8. (January 30) Polis in early Literature? Homer's Iliad book 1 and book 5
9. (February 2) Modern View of Homer and the Polis [read Raaflaub on reserve]
10. (February 4) Greek Battle: the Hoplite Formation [read Hanson on reserve]
11. (February 6) Religion and Games versus military as unifying force [read Morgan on reserve]*
12. (February 9) Leadership Competition: Tyrants versus Aristocrats [read Herodotus: Pisistratus 1.55-65/pp. 23-8; Polycrates and
Periander 3.39-56/pp. 187-195, 3.120-8/pp. 222-6; Cleisthenes of Sicyon 5.66-8/pp. 335-6, 6.125-31/pp. 404-8]
13. (February 11) The End of Tyranny in Athens [read Herodotus 5.55-76/pp. 331-9 and pp. 157-166 of Aristotle's Athenian Constitution on reserve]
Persian Conflicts
14. (February 13) Persians versus Ionian Greeks [read Herodotus 1.141-70/pp. 64-75, 4.88-119/pp. 270-80, 5.98-126/pp. 351-9]
15. (February 16) Persian War: Marathon and Thermopylae [read Herodotus 6.97-117/pp. 394-403, 7.172-228/pp. 476-95]
16. (February 18) Persian War: Battle of Salamis and Plataea [read Herodotus 7.138-43/pp. 460-4, 8.74-112/pp. 525-40, 9.25-81/pp. 563-87]
17. (February 20) Persia and Greek view of Persia after wars [read Cook pp. 278-291 and Aeschylus' Persians on reserve]*
Athenian Democracy versus Spartan Aristocracy
18. (February 23) Lecture: Naval Warfare
19. (February 25) Athenian Democracy [read Aristotle's Athenian Constitution on reserve]*
20. (February 27) Sparta: Ancient Perspective [read Plutarch's Lycurgus on reserve]
21. (March 2) Spartan Society [read Spartan Women by Paul Cartledge on electronic reserve]
22. (March 4) Spartan Tradition [read Spartan Tradition II by Paul Cartledge on electronic reserve]
23. (March 6) Midterm Exam
The Peloponnesian War
24. (March 18) The Peloponnesian War: Pericles' Funeral Oration [read Thucydides pp. 136-64/2.18-65]
25. (March 20) The Revolt of Mytilene [read Thucydides pp. 194-223/3.1-50]
26. (March 23) Athenian Demagogues: Cleon [read Aristophanes
Knights on reserve]
27. (March 25) Athenian Expansion: The Melian Dialogue [read Thucydides pp. 400-8/5.84-116; 35-49/1.1-23 (Thuc.'s introduction)]
28. (March 27) {PROJECT DUE} Lecture: Greek Architecture and Engineering (photos)
29. (March 30) Athenian Expansion II: The Sicilian Expedition [read Thucydides pp. 409-29/6.1-32]
30. (April 1) Athenian Legal System [read Aristophanes' Wasps on reserve]
31. (April 3) Democracy Overthrown: the 400 in Athens [read Thucydides pp. 562-599/8.45-98]
32. (April 6) Democracy and Imperialism reviewed: Athens' own view [read Euripides "Trojan Women" on reserve]
33. (April 8) Democracy and Imperialism reviewed II: Epigraphical Evidence [read Fornara on reserve]
34. (April 10) Democracy and Imperialism reviewed III: the contemporary Greek view [read Pseudo-Xenophon on reserve]
Sunset/Evening of the Sovereign Polis
35. (April 13) The Life of a Greek Mercenary [read Xenophon's Anabasis on reserve]
36. (April 15) Lecture: The Fall of Spartan Hegemony
37. (April 17) Lecture: Fall of Thebes and the Rise of Macedon
38. (April 20) Philip II of Macedon in Athens' Eyes [read
Demosthenes' Olynthiacs]
39. (April 22) Lecture: the Fate of the Polis under Hellenistic Kings
40. (April 24) Review for Final Exam
41. (April 28, 2 PM) FINAL EXAM
[readings students have found especially challenging are marked with a *]
Texts:
- Herodotus: The Histories, translated by Aubrey de Selincourt.
- Thucydides: The Peloponnesian War, tr. by Rex Warner.
- Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece, R. Morkot.
- A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture, Pomeroy, Burstein et al.
- Selected readings on library electronic reserve.
Attendance: Since class participation is a significant graded percentage
of this course, each class a student misses will detract from this grade. Several
absences will not do permanent damage, but more than 8 (out of 42 meetings -- i.e.
almost 20%) will be serious.
Honor Policy: Like any academic work at UR all work done for this course
falls under the honor code. If you have any doubt what constitutes "unauthorized assistance,"
please come and talk to the instructor before trying it.
N.B. The instructor does not allow make up tests under any circumstances, nor does he accept late work.
last modified 2-23-2015