CLA 010: Greek, Roman, & Near Eastern Mythology (3 units)

CLA 010: Greek, Roman, & Near Eastern Mythology (3 units)

Melissa Stem

Description of Course:  This course introduces the principal stories, characters, and contexts of myths of the ancient Mediterranean world. We will examine stories of origins: of the world, of goddesses and gods, of mortals, of heroes, and of monsters. We will then focus on particular gods, their powers, and the ideas about the world that these representations communicate. The many myths that address fertility and death form a third thematic unit. We will then turn to legends of heroes and heroines, with their focus on human interactions and the challenges of mortality. The course focuses primarily on Greek myths, but will also look at Near Eastern and Roman myths. The class emphasizes common themes and motifs in these myths, explores their origins and development, and examines their relationship to political, cultural, and religious movements in the ancient world. Awareness and understanding of these myths enable a richer understanding of the many later literary and visual representations that continue to draw on the myths for inspiration.

GE credit: Arts & Humanities, Visual Literacy, World Cultures