The following list includes graduate courses taught by faculty members of the Graduate Group and graduate courses offered by other programs and departments. Graduate students are also strongly encouraged to explore courses in other fields and disciplines that align with their scholarly interests.
ANCH 535 Problems in Greek/Roman History: Problems in Roman Imperial History
Grey, Cam
T 9:00 AM-12:00 PM
This course will explore some of the pressing and problematic scholarly debates in the historiography of the Roman imperial period, from the accession of the first emperor, Augustus, to the reign of Justinian (ruled 527-363 CE). Students will gain a familiarity with both the broad historical narratives of the Roman empire and the details of specific scholarly disagreements in the intellectual, political, socio-economic, and cultural history of the period.
CLST 605 Archeo of Subalternity
Bowes, Kimberly
M 0900AM-1200PM
This course addresses the various areas and approaches to "otherness" in ancient Mediterranean archaeology, and the power dynamics of oppression. We'll not only examine disempowerment around cultural identity, class, gender and sexuality, and race/ethnicity, but we'll spend equal time pondering how those subjects have been studied - or ignored - by classical archaeologists. The power relationships both inherent in the subjugation of various kinds of people in the ancient world, and in the academic discourses around them, are the themes of the course. While this course will be focused on the Bronze Age through late antique Mediterranean, those with other period/interests are most welcome. Students will be asked to bring their own interests to the course, which help shape the course. Upper-level courses in archaeology, anthropology, or ancient history are recommended prior to enrollment.
CLST 559 Myth through Time and in Time
Kuttner, Ann; Brisman, Shira
T 0300PM-0600PM
The textual and physical remains of Greek and Roman culture and belief as 'myth' entranced the post-antique European world and its neighbors. Makers, patrons and viewers manipulated those survivals to challenge and speak to a contemporary world. This course focuses on how and why artists and their patrons engaged the mythic and examines the various areas of political and religious life that sought animation through an evocation of narratives from the past. Readings and case studies will engage with very late antique, medieval, and early modern art, turning to the modern and contemporary as well. Moving to the modern lets us examine, among other things, how artists address the exclusionary histories of the past, to enable critiques of myths of supremacy by one gender, race, or culture over others.
AAMW 529 Hellenistic Cities
Zarmakoupi, Mantha
W 2:00-5:00 PM
A new form of city and of urban life developed and spread during the Hellenistic period. The new political social and economic conditions resulting from the victories of Alexander the Great and the emergence of the Macedonian kingdoms deeply affected civic life and form. Hellenistic cities were not independent poleis but subject to absolute monarchs and were open to all residents regardless of their geographical origins. Civic life assumed a cosmopolitan character and the urban setting became an arena for the propaganda of the Hellenistic rulers. This course will examine the architectural and urban developments of the Hellenistic period together with central political institutions and religious and social practices that were associated with them. In studying a diversity of visual, material and textual evidence - such as urban form, architectural and sculptural monuments, as well as literary sources and epigraphic evidence - the course will address both the structure of the urban fabric and the socio-political situation of the Hellenistic polis. The purpose of the course will be to shed light on the principles of urban planning as well as the realities of civic life in the Hellenistic period.
CLST 613 Landscapes and Seascapes
Tartaron, Thomas
R 0100PM-0400PM
The Mediterranean environment is both diverse and unique, and nurtured numerouscomplex societies along its shores in antiquity. This seminar offers a primer on theoretical and methodological approaches to studying landscapes and seascapes of the Mediterranean from the Bronze Age to the early modern era, at scales from local to international and on land and underwater. Concepts from processual, post-processual, and current archaeologies will be considered, and field techniques including excavation and surface survey, remote sensing and geophysics, GIS modeling, and ethnography/ethnoarchaeology are examined. Course content and discussion focus on case studies that illustrate how these tools are used to reconstruct the appearance and resources of the natural environment; overland and maritime routes; settlement location, size, function, and demography; social and economic networks; and agricultural, pastoral, and nomadic lifeways. Seminar participants will develop case studies of their own geographical and chronological interest.
GREK 605 Herodotus
Murnaghan, Sheila
T 0200PM-0500PM
An overview of Herodotus' Histories with attention both to its place in Greek literary history and to its uses and limitations as an historical source. We will consider the Histories in relation to questions of ethnic identity, cultural contact, and the construction of East and West. In their individual projects, students will explore the relevance of this protean, polyvocal text to their particular interests and scholarly perspectives.
GREK 614 Greek Dialogue
Ker, James
MW 0200PM-0330PM
In this course we will examine the various manifestations of dialogue in ancient Greek literature. We will read some whole dialogues (such as those by Plato and Lucian; some dialogues in drama and dialogue episodes in historiography). We will also study, and experiment with, the linguistic and discursive phenomena associated with dialogue.
LATN 541 Latin Literary History
Damon, Cynthia
R 0100PM-0400PM
In this course we survey an extensive range of readings in a variety of authors in both prose and poetry, and consider the problems and opportunities involved in literary history
ARAB 533 Readings in Islamic Law
Lowry, Joseph
TBA
This advanced readings course provides students with the opportunity to study Arabic-language Islamic legal texts from all periods, including the Qur'an, Hadith, premodern and Ottoman-period texts, and modern positive legislation and constitutions to the extent that they are related to or invoke Islamic law.
NELC 575 History and Society of Early Mesopotamia
Tinney, Stephen J.
R 01:30 PM-04:30 PM
The fourth millennium BCE saw the rise of cities and the birth of writing in ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). This class traces the history of Mesopotamia from about 3000 BCE to about 1600 BCE (the end of the Old Babylonian Period), examining political history and changes in social organization as well as developments in religion, literature and art.
CLST 698 Prospectus Workshop
Wilker, Julia
W 0200PM-0500PM
Designed to prepare graduates in any aspect of study in the ancient world to prepare for the dissertation prospectus. Course will be centered around individual presentations and group critique of prospectus' in process, as well the fundamentals of large-project research design and presentation.
CLST 607 Roman Humor
Brassel, Kate
M 0200PM-0500PM
This seminar will explore Roman humor in epigram, iambic, oratory, and satire as a method of constructing and policing norms of sexuality, the body, and social identity. We will read from a wide range of authors including Catullus, Martial, Cicero, Quintilian, Petronius, and Juvenal, as well as texts that discuss or depict laughter and ridicule. Beyond focused analysis of the works at hand, we will evaluate modern theories of humor and laughter according to the ancient evidence and develop models for understanding Roman humor. In addition to weekly readings, students will be responsible for class presentations, contributing to works-in-progress workshops, and a final research paper.
CLST 419 Mining Archaeology
Smit, Douglas
F 0900AM-1200PM
In ancient times, materials such as stone and metals were used to produce artifacts including pigments, jewelry, tools, and weapons. This course is designed to introduce students to research on the early exploitation of mineral resources. Which techniques were used to access and process raw materials in antiquity? Which archaeological methods can be used to investigate these features and artifacts? The course will provide worldwide examples through time, ranging from Stone Age flint mining, Iron Age rock salt mining to Medieval silver mining. Ethnographic studies and hands-on activities will contribute to our understanding of mining in archaeology, and artifacts from the Museum's collections will undergo scientific analysis in the Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials. Prerequisite: Desired but not mandatory: ANTH 221/521 Material World in Archaeological Science
CLST 512 Petrography of Cultural Materials
Boileau, Marie-Claude
W 1000AM-0100PM
Introduction to thin-section petrography of stone and ceramic archaeological materials. Using polarized light microscopy, the first half of this course will cover the basics of mineralogy and the petrography of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The second half will focus on the petrographic description of ceramic materials, mainly pottery, with emphasis on the interpretation of provenance and technology. As part of this course, students will characterize and analyze archaeological samples from various collections. Prior knowledge of geology is not required
CLST 568 Lvng Wrld In Arch Sci: Living World In Archaeological Science
Moore, Katherine; Monge, Janet; White, Chantel
TR 1200PM-0130PM
By focusing on the scientific analysis of archaeological remains, this course will explore life and death in the past. It takes place in the new Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials (CAAM) and is team taught in three modules: human skeletal analysis, analysis of animal remains, and analysis of plant remains. Each module will combine laboratory and classroom exercises to give students hands-on experience with archaeological materials. We will examine how organic materials provide key information about past environments, human behavior, and cultural change through discussions of topics such as health and disease, inequality, and food.