LLT 325
Greek
Civilization
Fall 2012
Dr. Edwin Carawan
http://courses.missouristate.edu/ECarawan
office hours: 10:30 MWF; 12:30
TTh, Siceluff 115
ECarawan@missouristate.edu ph.
836-4831
Objectives: This course is an introduction to the Classical Greek World
with particular emphasis on the rise and fall of Athens, the birthplace of
democracy, the cradle of tragedy and comedy, and the showcase for advances in
art and architecture. We draw on primary sources to establish a basic
understanding of the culture that gave rise to these developments, in two
sections: 'The New World Order' that emerged after the Persian Wars and 'The
Invention of Athens' as a national identity.
Requirements: the course
grade consists of 2-3 Quizzes and 1-2 Essays (totaling 75%) and a Final Exam (25%).
You have the option of Essay 2 or Quiz 3.
The Quizzes and the Final include short-answer, brief
identification, and discussion questions. The Essays should present a coherent
argument (thesis, evidence and conclusion), based upon the readings and class
discussions. The assigned readings should be completed for the scheduled date,
so that you can make an informed contribution. Class participation will be
essential and may be valued as much as a letter-grade.
Any academic dishonesty will be subject to sanctions
proportional to the offense: no credit for Quiz; F for the course for
plagiarism on Essays; XF on Final. See Student
Academic Integrity. To make-up missed work or to make special
arrangements to take or turn in required work at another time you should have a
documented necessity. See also Policy Statement
regarding Essays and electronic
submissions.
Special considerations: We
strongly support University policies to accommodate students with disabilities
and to prevent or remedy discrimination of any kind. If you have a concern or
special need, please advise the instructor. In regard to disabilities, you may
also contact Disability Services (836-4192)
http://www.missouristate.edu/disability; regarding discrimination,
the Equal Opportunity Officer (836-4252) or go to http://www.missouristate.edu/human/eoaa.htm.
Texts: Herodotus.
On the War for Greek Freedom, Shirley transl. (2003); also online
at sacred-texts.
Sophocles, Four Tragedies (Ajax etc.), Meineck &
Woodruff trans.
Aristophanes I Clouds, Wasps, Birds, Meineck transl.
Readings from Thucydides and Xenophon (linked to this syllabus)
Further materials will be
provided in handout and online.
Additional
resources can be found at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu
Aug. 21 . . .Introduction: a scene from Odyssey 2
Unit I. The Persian Wars and the Rise
of Athens Aug. 23 . . . Background:
birth of the polis. Reading: Herodotus intro. pp.
vii-xviii, and 1-17 Herodotus 1.1-71 -- 'Croesus and
Cyrus' Persian Empire
(map) Aug. 28 ... Cyrus and the Conquest of Asia pp. 17-50 ( 1.72-216) Custom and the Egyptians Aug. 30 ... Fall of Cambyses, Rise of Darius: pp.51-89 (books 2-5) Sept. 4 ... Miletus to Marathon:
pp. 90-118 (books 5- 6) Battle at Lade A tale of 3 cities: evolving government much simplified Spartans at Thermopylae. Book 7, pp. 119-51
Sept. 6 ... Salamis and Plataea,
Bks. 8-9, pp. 151-82. Sept. 11 . . .
Quiz 1 guide -- Practice Quiz--
In-class exercise in drawing national character Sept. 13 ... Quiz 1 Unit II. The New World Order
Sept. 18 . . . History
and Tragedy: Art Overview. Temple of Aphaia: West
Pediment; East Pediment
Delian League to Athenian Empire;
Outline, Chronology 479-31
Aeschylus Persians 759-842
Sept. 20 . .
. Sophocles' Ajax
fragment of song: from
a classical chorus on Ajax (?) Sept. 25 . . . Sophocles' Trachiniae ('Women of
Trachis') Sept. 27 . . . Trachiniae
and Ajax (Discussion). Prepare for in-class exercise on key themes,comparing one character from each play, 2 defining passages for each
character. Oct. 2 ...Preview your Essay: Brief thesis statement and Outline, listing key passages; send
your outline as e-mail attachment Sophists and speechwriters: Anaxagoras (precursor of the Atomists)
and Antiphon (Murder by Poisoning),
Intro, Art of the Empire: Tour of the Parthenon; Architectural Terms Myron's Diskobolos (model of rhythmos) |
Oct. 9 . . . Essay
1: End of the Heroic Ethos
Submit your Essay as e-mail
attachment Unit III. The Invention of Athens Oct. 6-20 ... Readings from Thucydides, 1-10 Chronology Oct. 4 ...Study questions on Thuc. 1
& 2. [1] 'Thucydides on the early History of Hellas' Oct. 9... (essay due)
Study questions on Thuc. 3-5 Oct. 11 ... Study questions on Thuc. 6-7
[6] Civil War on Corcyra
[7] Melian Dialogue Oct. 16 ... Study questions on Thuc. 8-10
[8] Debate on Sicily Map
[9] Alcibiades in Sparta
[10] Disaster in Sicily Map Oct. 23 ...
Sophocles' Electra Oct. 25 ...Acropolis made plain.....Later Acropolis Buildings Gorgias' Helen ....Protagoras and Gorgias on Reality Oct. 30 . . . Review and discussion for Quiz 2
(link below) Nov. 1. . . . Quiz 2
Nov. 6 ... Aristophanes
Wasps: comedy and
social commentary snapshot from Acharnians: Megarian comes to
market
Nov. 8-13 ......
Birds
and Lysistrata [full text] Agon
& End
Chronology 411-322 Attica (map) Nov. 15 . . . Sophocles' Philoctetes Nov. 20É Fall of Athens: Readings 11-12 Study
Guide The Restoration of Democracy Art at the End of Empire Nov. 27 É Essay
2: Deciding Identity
or Quiz 3
Epilogue: Individual and Polis Nov. 29 . . . Aristophanes Clouds Dec. 4 . . . Plato, Apology of Socrates ... (Text
online) Dec. 6 . . . Review and Discussion: Final Guide Art after Empire (cont.) One last democratic reform. Dec. 13 (Thur.) 11 am . . .
Final Exam |