Classics 001. The Ancient Near East and Early Greece: 3000-500 B.C.E. (4 units)
Tim Brelinski
Course Description: This course introduces students to the literature, history, and political institutions of Greece and the ancient Near East from 3000-500 B.C.E. No prior knowledge of the subject is assumed. We will read and discuss original texts, including the Epic of Gilgamesh, selections from the Iliad and Odyssey, and some additional early Greek poetry and philosophy. There will also be slides illustrating the art, architecture, and physical world of the ancient Near East and early Greece.
Requirements: Two exams, weekly quizzes, several short papers, and participation in a discussion section (with some writing).
Prerequisite: None.
GE credit (New): Arts & Humanities, World Cultures and Writing Experience.
Format: Lecture - 3 hours; Term Paper.
Textbooks:
- Myths from Mesopotamia, translated by Stephanie Dalley (Oxford University Press, 2009)
- The Epic of Gilgamesh, translated by Andrew George (Penguin Classics, 2003)
- Hesiod, Theogony and Works and Days, translated by Stanley Lombardo (Hackett Classics, 1993)
- Homer, The Illiad, translated by Robert Fagles (Penguin Classics, 1998)
- Homer, The Odyssey, translated by Robert Fagles (Penguin Classics, 1997)