History of Ancient Greece

Hist 430/CLHU 440/HIST 530/CLHU 540: 3 credits
Fall 2009
TTh 2-3:15

Mr Lehmann
Office Hours:11-12 TTh and by appointment
East Hall 210, 677-5573
clehmann@usd.edu; www.usd.edu/~clehmann

This course surveys the history of ancient Greece from the end of the Bronze Age to the Roman conquest. Lectures, readings, discussions, and slides will introduce students to the principal cultural, social, and political developments in Greece over this period. The archaic, classical, and Hellenistic periods--from the time of Homer to the Roman conquest--will receive special attention. Moreover, the lectures, discussions, and term papers will give students theoretical and practical instruction in the method and practice of ancient history.

Each student must complete midterm and final examinations and a term paper of about ten pages on a problem in Greek history. Students should consult with the instructor as they choose their topics and secure his approval by 4 Oct. An annotated bibliography that shows clear evidence of research is due 1 Nov and the paper is due 27 Nov. Papers may be resubmitted by 11 Dec for a higher grade. Papers should conform to Chicago style: see K L Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th ed (Chicago: Univ of Chicago Press, 2007), or The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed (Chicago: Univ of Chicago Press, 2003). Graduate students will have to make theirs major research papers based on ancient sources and demonstrating familiarity with and a critical reception of modern interpretations. For their in-class presentation, they will present the results of their research.

The final grade will depend on the two exams and the paper (50 points each). Students should attend all meetings, read all assignments, and participate actively in discussions. A student who expects to miss more than three meetings should confer with the instructor before the end of the second week. The instructor may remove from enrollment students who cannot meet these requirements.

Required Books

Pomeroy, Sarah, Stanley M Burstein, Walter Donlan, and Jennifer Roberts. A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture. New York and Oxford: Oxford Univ Press, 2004. 0195156811
Homer. The Odyssey. Trans Richmond Lattimore. Harper Perennial Modern Classics. New York: Harper Perennial, 2007. 006124418X
Herodotus. The Histories. Trans Aubery de Selincourt, rev John M Marincola. London and New York: Viking Penguin, 2003. 0140449086
Greek Tragedies. Ed David Grene and Richmond Lattimore. Vol 3. 2d edition. Chicago: Univ of Chicago Press, 1991. 0226307913
Plato. The Symposium. Trans Robin Waterfield. Oxford World Classics. Oxford: Oxford Univ Press, 1998. 0199540195

Reference Works

Oxford Classical Dictionary, 3d ed (Ref DE5O9)
Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft (Ref DE5.P33)
L'année philologique (Z7016.M35A); also available on-line in I D Weeks library (you have to be in the library to make this work)
Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites (Ref DE59.P7)
Cambridge Ancient History (Ref D57.C252)
Tables of Contents of Journals of Interest to Classicists

Schedule of Lectures and Assignments: Click here for report topics and assignments.

1 Sept	General introduction to Greek history
3 Sept	Introduction to evidence and methods; Ancient Greece, Introduction Discussion on Greek historiography: Herodotus and Thuc (handout)
8 Sept	Greek prehistory; Ancient Greece, ch 1
10 Sept	The Dark Ages and the Greek Renaissance; Ancient Greece, ch 2 Reports: archaeology and Greek history
15 Sept	The Homeric World Discussion on Homer's Odyssey
17 Sept	Social and economic tensions in the Greek polis; Ancient Greece, ch 3
22 Sept	Disc: Herodotus 1, 3.39-60, 4.144-67
24 Sept	The Spartan mirage and Lycurgan Sparta; Ancient Greece, ch 4
29 Sept	Aristocratic Athens; Ancient Greece, ch 5; Herodotus 6.121-31, 5.55-78 HAVE PAPER TOPIC APPROVED
1 Oct	The Persian Wars
6 Oct	Disc: Herodotus 5.48-105, 6.98-117, 7-8
8 Oct	Reports: reconstructing ancient battles
13 Oct	Early Greek art
15 Oct	Early Greek architecture
20 Oct	MIDTERM EXAMINATION
22 Oct	From Delian League to Athenian Empire; Ancient Greece, ch 6
27 Oct	Discussion on Aeschylus, The Eumenides SUBMIT ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
29 Oct	Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War; Ancient Greece, ch 7
3 Nov	Success and failure, Ancient Greece, ch 8 Reports: the popularity of the Athenian Empire
5 Nov	Athenian society at century's end Reports: Presocratic philosophers
10 Nov	Discussion on Euripides, The Bacchae
12 Nov	Classical Greek art
17 Nov	Classical Greek architecture SUBMIT TERM PAPER
19 Nov	Discussion on Plato, Symposium
24 Nov	Hegemonial politics in the fourth century; Ancient Greece, ch 9
1 Dec	Graduate student reports
3 Dec	Philip V of Macedon; Ancient Greece, ch 10 Reports: death of Philip; identification of Philip's tomb
8 Dec	Alexander III and the conquest of the world; Ancient Greece, ch 11 SUBMIT REVISED TERM PAPER
10 Dec	The Hellenistic kingdoms and the coming of Rome; Ancient Greece, ch 12
15 Dec	12:30-2:30 PM FINAL EXAMINATION