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LLT 325 Study Guide - Essay Topics

                                                                                                   Iliad

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Herodotus Questions

1. How does Herodotus connect the story of Solon and Croesus to the rest of his work?  Please provide at least three examples from the text of situations which match this opening theme.

2. Which aspects of Greek culture and values seem to have persisted from the time that Homer describes (Bronze Age) to the period described by Herodotus?  Please discuss, citing at least three specific examples of values or customs from Herodotus to illustrate your points.

3. Which social customs of the archaic age Greeks seem most different from our own?  What roles did these customs play for the Greeks?  Please discuss, citing (with details) at least three specific examples from Herodotus to illustrate your points.

4. Which three stories from Herodotus seems to you most to typify Greek culture?  Please explain with details from Herodotus.

5. What qualities most distinguished the Greeks (Hellenes) from the rest of the world in Herodotus’ view? Discuss the markers of Greek culture, citing at least 3 specific examples of ‘Greekness’ shown in behavior narrated by Herodotus to illustrate your points. 

6. Athens is often thought of as the ‘cradle of democracy.’  How is Athens governed in Herodotus’ Histories?  Describe 6^th and early 5^th century democracy, providing at least three detailed examples from both the Histories to illustrate your points.  How similar, in fact, was Athenian government to American democracy?

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Renault/Plato Essay Questions

1. As Renault depicts them, what were the most important values of the Athenian family unit of the late 5^th century?  Are they very different from American values of the early 21^st century?  Please discuss, citing at least three specific examples from Renault’s novel to illustrate your points.
2. Most of the novel is concerned with the maturation of Alexias.  How is his experience growing up in Athens during the Classical Age different from growing up in America today?  How is it the same?  Please discuss, citing at least three specific examples from Renault’s novel to illustrate your points.
3. Is the Socrates of Renault’s novel similar to or different from the Socrates that Plato presents in his dialogue The Republic?  Please compare the two characters, citing at least three specific episodes from the novel and from the dialogue to illustrate your points.
4. What do you learn about the Greek view of ‘justice’ in Book 1 of The Republic?
   Is it very different from your own view?  Please discuss, citing at least three specific examples from the dialogue to illustrate your points.
5. How is Plato’s ideal state as described in The Republic different from the Athens that he lived in as described in Renault’s novel?  Please discuss, citing at least three specific examples from Renault’s novel to illustrate your points.
6. What in your view, based on Renault’s novel, were the three worst problems that Athenians had late in the 5^th century?  Please discuss, citing at least three specific examples from Renault’s novel to illustrate your points.

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Essay Questions – Xenophon

       1. What qualities of leadership are valued among the Greeks as Xenophon presents them?  Discuss,
            citing at least three specific examples to support your views.

       2.   What are common codes of conduct in ancient warfare as presented by Xenophon?  What behavior
              is valued?  How does it compare with the standards of Homer?  Discuss, citing at least three specific examples
              to support your views.

3         How does the terrain and weather of Persia affect Xenophon and the ‘Ten Thousand’?  What ways do the Greeks
 adapt and improvise to cope with geography and climate?  Discuss, citing examples to support your views.

      4.  What problems do ancient Greek officers have that are common with those of modern US military
            officers, as you understand them.  Please discuss, citing at least three specific examples from
            Xenophon and the others to support your views.

5.       What aspects of the combat experience, as you know it from Xenophon, are also presented in the film, The Warriors?  What features of urban gang warfare are common to ancient combat?  Please discuss, citing specific examples from the film and from your texts to support your views.

6.       Modern soldiers ‘adapt and overcome’.  How well do Xenophon and the ‘Ten Thousand’ follow the contemporary ideal?  Please discuss, citing at least three specific examples from Xenophon to support your views.

7.       Which of the Greek generals would you prefer to serve under (if you had to select one)?  Why?  Please discuss, citing at least three specific examples from the text to support your views.

8.       Compose and respond to a question of your own over Xenophon.  Discuss, citing at least three specific examples to support you views.

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