Mail Code: 2145
Phone: (650) 723-0479
Email: classics@stanford.edu
Web Site: http://classics.stanford.edu
Courses offered by the Department of Classics are listed on the Stanford Bulletin's ExploreCourses web site under the subject code CLASSICS.
The study of Classics has traditionally centered on the literature and material culture of ancient Greece and Rome, including Greek and Latin language, literature, philosophy, history, art, and archaeology. At Stanford, Classics also explores connections with other ancient cultures and with the modern world, as well as specialized fields such as ancient economics, law, papyrology, and science. The department’s faculty approaches Classics from an interdisciplinary perspective that crosses geographical, temporal, and thematic territories. Studying ancient epic poetry can lead to looking at modern cinema afresh; ancient Athenian politics opens new perspectives on modern politics; and the study of Rome presents parallels with other empires just as Latin illuminates the history of English and the Romance languages. In short, Classics at Stanford is an interdisciplinary subject concerned not only with Greek and Roman civilization but also with the interaction of cultures and societies that influenced the ancient Mediterranean basin and continue to influence human society across the globe.
Mission of the Undergraduate Program in Classics
The mission of the undergraduate program in Classics is to provide students with a broad background centered on the literature and material culture of ancient Greece and Rome, including Greek and Latin language, literature, philosophy, history, art, and archaeology. At Stanford, students in the Classics program also explore the connections between ancient cultures and the modern world as well as specialized fields such as ancient economics, law, papyrology, and science. The program's faculty approaches Classics from an interdisciplinary perspective that crosses geographical, temporal and thematic territories. The program is concerned not only with Greek and Roman civilization but also with the interaction of cultures and societies that influenced the ancient Mediterranean basin and continue to influence human society across the globe.
Learning Outcomes (Undergraduate)
The department expects undergraduate majors in the program to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are used in evaluating students and the department's undergraduate program. Students are expected to demonstrate:
- The ability to develop effective and nuanced lines of interpretation.
- Critical thinking skills using primary source materials.
- Facility with the methodologies and presuppositions underlying interpretive positions in secondary literature and in their own work.
- Well-developed analytical writing skills and close reading skills.
Learning Outcomes (Graduate)
The purpose of the master's program is to further develop knowledge and skills in Classics and to prepare students for a professional career or doctoral studies. This is achieved through completion of courses, in the primary field as well as related areas, and experience with independent work and specialization.
The Ph.D. is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research and analysis in Classics. Through completion of advanced course work and rigorous skills training, the doctoral program prepares students to make original contributions to the knowledge of Classics and to interpret and present the results of such research.
Course Numbering
CLASSICS courses are numbered according to level and area of study.
Digit | Area |
---|---|
001-099 | Introductory Courses |
001-030 | Beginning and Intermediate Language and Introductory Seminars |
031-050 | General Topics |
051-075 | Art And Archaeology |
076-099 | Ancient History |
100-199 | Undergraduate Language, Core, Electives, and Independent Study |
100-110 | Advanced Language |
111-150 | General Topics |
151-175 | Art and Archaeology |
176-196 | Ancient History |
197-199 | Independent Study |
200-299 | Graduate Language Surveys and Electives |
200-210 | Language |
211-250 | General Topics |
251-275 | Art and Archaeology |
276-297 | Ancient History |
298-299 | Independent Study |
300-399 | Graduate Seminars and Dissertation Research |
300-310 | Workshops |
311-350 | General Topics |
351-375 | Art and Archaeology |
376-398 | Ancient History |
399 | Independent Study (dissertation research) |
Bachelor of Arts in Classics
Those interested in majoring in Classics are encouraged to declare by spring of sophomore year, but are urged to discuss their plans with the undergraduate director as early as possible. Students who choose the Greek and Latin field of study (option 5 below) should begin the curriculum as soon as possible because it is difficult to complete the language requirements without an early start; those with no previous knowledge of Latin or Greek should begin study in the freshman year, in a summer program following freshman year, or at the beginning of the sophomore year.
How to Declare
To declare the major, a student must fill out the Declaration of Major on Axess and meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Classics. At that time, the Director Undergraduate Studies assigns the student a department adviser. To build a mentoring relationship, students should meet with their adviser at least once a quarter. At the time of declaration, the student should also schedule an orientation with the Department of Classics' student services officer. Each student’s progress towards fulfillment of the major requirements is recorded in a file kept in the student services officer’s office. It is the student’s responsibility to work with the adviser and student services officer to keep this file up to date.
Grade and Course Requirements
A letter grade is required for all courses taken for the major. No course receiving a grade lower than ‘C’ is counted toward fulfilling major requirements. Enrollment in an independent study section (CLASSICS 198 Directed Readings) requires the prior approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and a maximum of three such enrollments for a maximum total of 10 units may be counted toward the major. University credit earned by placement tests or advanced placement work in secondary school is not counted towards any major requirement in the department. Work done at other universities or colleges is subject to department evaluation and the university's transfer credit process. Counting graduate courses or cognate courses towards the major requires advance approval by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students are encouraged to meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies to discuss options for pursuing a period of study in the Mediterranean region (see Study Abroad below).
The B.A. degree may be earned by fulfilling the requirements for one of the following fields of study. These fields of study are declared on Axess; they appear on the transcript but not on the diploma. The fields of study are:
- Classical Studies
- Ancient History
- Greek
- Latin
- Greek and Latin
The Philosophy and Literature focus described below may be added to some of the major plans. This focus is not declared on Axess, and does not appear on the transcript or diploma.
A. Classical Studies
This major is recommended for students who wish to study classical civilizations in depth but do not wish to study the languages to the extent required by the Greek, Latin or Greek and Latin options described below. It is not suitable for students who wish to do graduate work in Classics or to teach Latin or Greek in high school, as the language work is insufficient for these purposes.
Units | ||
---|---|---|
Students must complete at least 60 units of approved courses including: + | ||
CLASSICS 150 | Majors Seminar | 5 |
at least two courses in Latin or Greek at the intermediate-level or higher 1 | 6-20 | |
Intermediate Latin: Introduction to Literature | ||
Intermediate Latin: Petronius and Martial | ||
Intermediate Latin: Selections from Vergil's Aeneid, Books 7 - 12 | ||
Advanced Latin: Tacitus | ||
Advanced Latin: Virgil's Eclogues and Georgics | ||
Advanced Latin: Letters of Cicero and Pliny | ||
Intermediate Greek: Prose | ||
Intermediate Greek: Euripides' Medea | ||
Intermediate Greek: Homer's Iliad | ||
Advanced Greek: Plato on Poetry | ||
Advanced Greek: Funeral Orations by Lysias, Gorgias, Thucydides and Plato | ||
Advanced Greek: Aristophanes' "The Frogs" | ||
or one course in one of the languages at the intermediate-level or higher, plus the beginning series of the other language 1 | ||
Beginning Latin | ||
Beginning Latin | ||
Beginning Latin | ||
Beginning Greek | ||
Beginning Greek | ||
Beginning Greek | ||
remaining units from your choice of CLASSICS courses 2 | 35-49 | |
Total Units | 60 |
+ | Students enrolled in the CS+Classics joint major program must complete the Major's Seminar (5 units), all language courses (10 or 20 units), ePortfolio (2 units), senior capstone project (5 units), and additional CLASSICS courses for a total minimum of 55 units. See the Joint Major with CS tab for more information. |
1 | Language courses may be repeated for credit towards the degree only with advance written permission from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. |
2 | Up to 8 units of THINK 10, THINK 16, THINK 35/THINK 35A (note that this is the same course), ESF 7/ESF 7A (note that this is the same course), IHUM 39A,B, IHUM 69A, the Autumn Quarter of SIMILE, or SLE may be counted toward the major; IHUM courses are no longer offered. |
B. Ancient History:
Units | ||
---|---|---|
Students must complete at least 60 units of approved courses and must satisfy the following requirements: + | ||
Writing in the Major (WIM) | 5 | |
CLASSICS 150 | Majors Seminar | 5 |
Core Requirement | 6-10 | |
Complete two survey courses in ancient history; some such courses offered this year include: | ||
Ancient Empires: Near East | ||
The Egyptians | ||
The Greeks | ||
The Romans | ||
Depth Requirement | 33 | |
Complete at least 33 units of ancient history and civilization courses, drawn from CLASSICS 31-99 and CLASSICS 110-197. 1,2 | ||
Breadth Requirements | ||
Complete at least 4 units in each of the following three areas 3 | ||
1. Archaeology and art; suggested courses include CLASSICS 51-75 and CLASSICS 151-175: 4 | 4-5 | |
2. Comparative ancient civilizations: complete a course on the ancient world outside the Mediterranean and western Asia. Suggested courses include: | 4-5 | |
Introduction to Prehistoric Archeology | ||
Maya Hieroglyphic Writing | ||
Lifeways of the Ancient Maya | ||
The Aztecs and Their Ancestors: Introduction to Mesoamerican Archaeology | ||
Ancient Civilizations: Complexity and Collapse | ||
Ancient Cities in the New World | ||
Incas and their Ancestors: Peruvian Archaeology | ||
Peoples and Cultures of Ancient Mesoamerica | ||
Maya Mythology and the Popol Vuh | ||
Forgotten Africa: An Introduction to the Archaeology of Africa | ||
Emergence of Chinese Civilization from Caves to Palaces | ||
3. Historical and social theory. Suggested courses include: | 4-5 | |
Introduction to Cultural and Social Anthropology | ||
Theory of Cultural and Social Anthropology | ||
Social Theory in the Anthropological Sciences | ||
Introduction to Sociology at Stanford | ||
Introduction to Social Stratification | ||
Sociology of Gender | ||
Classics of Modern Social Theory | ||
Culture, Evolution, and Society | ||
Total Units | 60 |
+ | Students enrolled in the CS+Classics joint major program must complete the Major's Seminar (5 units), two history core courses (10 units), courses in ancient history and civilization (21 units), ancient history breadth courses (12 units), ePorfolio (2 units) and the senior capstone project (5 units) for a total minimum of 55 units. See the Joint Major with CS tab for more information. |
1 | 4 units of THINK 10, THINK 16, THINK 35A, IHUM 39A or B, IHUM 69A, or Autumn Quarter of SIMILE may be counted toward this requirement (IHUM courses are no longer offered). |
2 | Latin and Ancient Greek courses may also count toward this requirement if approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. |
3 | The courses chosen must be approved in advance by the undergraduate director, and are normally chosen from the list of areas noted. |
4 | IHUM 40B may be counted toward this requirement (this course is no longer offered). |
C. Greek
Units | ||
---|---|---|
Students must complete at least 60 units of approved courses including: + | ||
CLASSICS 150 | Majors Seminar | 5 |
At least 31 units of Ancient Greek courses at the intermediate-level or higher. It is recommended that these include CLASSICS 105A/B, though this series should not be taken until students have completed three years of Greek. 1 | 31 | |
Intermediate Greek: Prose | ||
Intermediate Greek: Euripides' Medea | ||
Intermediate Greek: Homer's Iliad | ||
Advanced Greek: Plato on Poetry | ||
Advanced Greek: Funeral Orations by Lysias, Gorgias, Thucydides and Plato | ||
Advanced Greek: Aristophanes' "The Frogs" | ||
At least three additional CLASSICS courses from CLASSICS 31-99 or 110-197 2 | 9-15 | |
Recommended additional coursework in Latin, Sanskrit, Biblical Greek or ancient history. | ||
Beginning Latin | ||
Beginning Latin | ||
Beginning Latin | ||
Biblical Greek | ||
Biblical Greek | ||
First-Year Sanskrit, First Quarter | ||
First-Year Sanskrit, Second Quarter | ||
Ancient Empires: Near East | ||
The Egyptians | ||
The Greeks | ||
The Romans | ||
Total Units | 60 |
+ | Students enrolled in the CS+Classics joint major program must complete the Major's Seminar (5 units), Greek courses at the intermediate-level or higher (31 units), additional CLASSICS courses (12 units), ePorfolio (2 units) and the senior capstone project (5 units) for a total minimum of 55 units. See the Joint Major with CS tab for more information. |
1 | Language courses may be repeated for credit towards the degree only with advance written permission from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. |
2 | Up to 8 units of THINK 10, THINK 16, THINK 35/THINK 35A (note that this is the same course), ESF 7/ESF 7A (note that this is the same course), IHUM 39A/B, IHUM 69A, the Autumn Quarter of SIMILE, or SLE may be counted toward the major (IHUM courses are no longer offered). |
D. Latin
Units | ||
---|---|---|
Students must complete at least 60 units of approved courses including: + | ||
CLASSICS 150 | Majors Seminar | 5 |
At least 31 units of Latin courses at the intermediate-level or higher. It is recommended that this include CLASSICS 104A/B, though this series should not be taken until students have completed three years of Latin. 1 | 31 | |
Intermediate Latin: Introduction to Literature | ||
Intermediate Latin: Petronius and Martial | ||
Intermediate Latin: Selections from Vergil's Aeneid, Books 7 - 12 | ||
Advanced Latin: Tacitus | ||
Advanced Latin: Virgil's Eclogues and Georgics | ||
Advanced Latin: Letters of Cicero and Pliny | ||
At least three additional CLASSICS courses from CLASSICS 31-99 or 110-197 2 | 9-15 | |
Recommended additional coursework in Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek or ancient history | ||
Beginning Greek | ||
Beginning Greek | ||
Beginning Greek | ||
Biblical Greek | ||
Biblical Greek | ||
Ancient Empires: Near East | ||
The Egyptians | ||
The Greeks | ||
The Romans | ||
Total Units: | 60 |
+ | Students enrolled in the CS+Classics joint major program will need to complete the Major's Seminar (5 units), Latin courses at the intermediate-level and above (31 units), additional CLASSICS courses (12 units), ePorfolio (2 units) and the senior capstone project (5 units) for a total minimum of 55 units. See the Joint Major with CS tab for more information. |
1 | Language courses may be repeated for credit towards the degree only with advance written permission from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. |
2 | Up to 8 units of THINK 10, THINK 16, THINK 35/THINK 35A (note that this is the same course), ESF 7/ESF 7A (note that this is the same course), IHUM 39A/B, IHUM 69A, the Autumn Quarter of SIMILE, or SLE may be counted toward the major (IHUM courses are no longer offered). |
E. Greek and Latin
Units | ||
---|---|---|
Students must complete at least 65 units of approved courses including: + | ||
CLASSICS 150 | Majors Seminar | 5 |
At least 30 units of Latin courses at the intermediate-level and higher. 1, 2 | 30 | |
OR at least 30 units of Latin at the beginning-level and higher, as long as Greek is at the intermediate-level and higher | ||
Beginning Latin | ||
Beginning Latin | ||
Beginning Latin | ||
Intermediate Latin: Introduction to Literature | ||
Intermediate Latin: Petronius and Martial | ||
Intermediate Latin: Selections from Vergil's Aeneid, Books 7 - 12 | ||
Advanced Latin: Tacitus | ||
Advanced Latin: Virgil's Eclogues and Georgics | ||
Advanced Latin: Letters of Cicero and Pliny | ||
Latin Syntax | ||
Latin Syntax | ||
At least 30 units of Ancient Greek courses at the intermediate-level or higher. 1, 2 | 30 | |
OR at least 30 units of Greek at the beginning-level and higher, as long as Latin is at the intermediate-level and higher | ||
Beginning Greek | ||
Beginning Greek | ||
Beginning Greek | ||
Intermediate Greek: Prose | ||
Intermediate Greek: Euripides' Medea | ||
Intermediate Greek: Homer's Iliad | ||
Advanced Greek: Plato on Poetry | ||
Advanced Greek: Funeral Orations by Lysias, Gorgias, Thucydides and Plato | ||
Advanced Greek: Aristophanes' "The Frogs" | ||
Greek Syntax: Prose Composition | ||
Greek Syntax: Prose Composition | ||
Recommended additional coursework in Biblical Greek, Sanskrit or ancient history 3 | ||
First-Year Sanskrit, First Quarter | ||
First-Year Sanskrit, Second Quarter | ||
Second-Year Sanskrit, First Quarter | ||
Second-Year Sanskrit, Second Quarter | ||
Second-Year Sanskrit, Third Quarter | ||
Biblical Greek | ||
Biblical Greek | ||
Ancient Empires: Near East | ||
The Egyptians | ||
The Greeks | ||
The Romans | ||
Total Units: | 60 |
+ | Students enrolled in the CS+Classics joint major program must complete the Major's Seminar (5 units), Latin courses (24 units), Greek courses (24 units), ePorfolio (2 units) and the senior capstone project (5 units) for a total minimum of 60 units. See the Joint Major with CS tab for more information. |
1 | Language courses may be repeated for credit towards the degree only with advance written permission from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. |
2 | It is recommended that this include CLASSICS 104A and CLASSICS 104B (for Latin); and CLASSICS 105A and CLASSICS 105B (for Greek). But this series should not be taken until completion of advanced-level course work in the relevant language. |
3 | Sanskrit is only allowed if both Greek and Latin requirements are fulfilled with course work at the intermediate-level and above. |
F. Philosophy and Literature Focus:
Students may apply a focus in Classics and Philosophy to the Classical Studies, Latin, or Greek major tracks. A focus is not reflected in the transcript or diploma, but provides a guided curriculum for those interested in this interdisciplinary study. Students who choose this focus must still complete the Majors' Seminar and language courses required by their chosen track. In addition, all students must take a set of core requirements and breadth requirements as described below.
Core Requirements for all Philosophy and Literature Focuses
Units | ||
---|---|---|
PHIL 81 | Philosophy and Literature | 5 |
PHIL 80 | Mind, Matter, and Meaning | 5 |
one course in each of the following areas: | ||
1. aesthetics, ethics, and social and political philosophy | 3-5 | |
Ethical Theory | ||
Trust and Trustworthiness | ||
2. philosophy of language, mind, metaphysics, and epistemology | 3-5 | |
Metaphysics | ||
Realism, Anti-Realism, Irrealism, Quasi-Realism | ||
3. history of philosophy (course with subject code PHIL at the 100-level or above) | 3-5 | |
Two related courses in Classics or Philosophy. Discuss your course selection in advance with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. | 6-10 | |
One capstone seminar. Discuss your course selection in advance with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. | 3-5 |
Breadth Requirements for Classical Studies: Philosophy and Literature Focus
Units | ||
---|---|---|
one CLASSICS course in ancient history | 3-5 | |
one CLASSICS course in art and archaeology | 3-5 | |
one CLASSICS course in literature in translation | ||
one CLASSICS course in philosophy and history of science | 3-5 | |
one CLASSICS course in religion/mythology | 3-5 |
Breadth Requirements for Greek: Philosophy and Literature Focus
Units | ||
---|---|---|
one CLASSICS course in ancient history or archaeology | 3-5 | |
one CLASSICS course in religion, philosophy, or ancient science | 3-5 | |
one CLASSICS course in literature in translation | 3-5 |
Breadth Requirements for Latin: Philosophy and Literature Focus
Units | ||
---|---|---|
one CLASSICS course in ancient history or archaeology | 3-5 | |
one CLASSICS course in literature in translation | 3-5 | |
one CLASSICS course in religion, philosophy, or ancient science | 3-5 |
Honors Program
A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.6 within the major is required for students to enroll in the honors program. To be considered for honors in Classics, the student must select a professor who can supervise his or her honors thesis. A preliminary proposal, approved by the supervisor, is due April 15 of the junior year, and a final version is due at the beginning of the senior year. The proposal must outline the project in detail, list relevant courses that have been taken, and name the supervisor. The department gives approval only if a suitable faculty supervisor is available and if it is satisfied that the student has a sufficient basis of knowledge derived from department course work in the general areas the thesis covers, such as art, Greek, Latin, history, literature, or philosophy. If the proposal is approved, the student may sign up for CLASSICS 199 Undergraduate Thesis: Senior Research, during the senior year for a maximum of 6 units per term, up to an overall total of 10 units. These units may be counted towards fulfillment of the student’s major requirements if relevant. Honors are awarded only if the essay receives a grade of ‘B+’ or higher from the supervisor and a second reader, who is chosen by the department. In addition, students must graduate with a GPA of 3.6 or higher within the major to receive honors.
Study Abroad
Classics students may travel for several reasons: to complete accredited coursework (typically language courses or history surveys) for transfer towards the degree, to participate in archaeological digs of ancient sites, and to perform independent travel-research related to an honors project or independent study. Students considering academic programs sponsored by other institutions are encouraged to review Stanford's policies on transfer credit and to discuss possible programs with the Director of Undergraduate Studies before applying. Students seeking archaeological dig experience should inquire for opportunities through the Classics Department and through the Stanford Archaeology Center (http://archaeology.stanford.edu). Students who would like to construct an independent travel-research project should discuss their goals and itinerary with the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
While Classics-specific coursework is not always available through the Bing Overseas Program, students sometimes find Classics faculty at Bing campuses who are willing to provide independent instruction for credit. Pre-approval of courses and independent study syllabi by the Director of Undergraduate Studies is required for credit towards the major or minor.
Some departmental funding is available for summer language programs in the United States, and departmental funds are also available for travel and study in the Mediterranean. Students are encouraged to seek out multiple sources of funding, including offerings from UAR, to supplement their departmental applications. After discussing their plans with the Director of Undergraduate Study, applicants submit a departmental research grant application that includes expenses, a statement of purpose, and an endorsement by the student's faculty adviser. Food expenses are not normally reimbursed. Limited funding is available each year; preference is shown to majors and students with strong records.
Joint Major Program: Classics and Computer Science
The joint major program (JMP), authorized by the Academic Senate for a pilot period of six years beginning in 2014-15, permits students to major in both Computer Science and one of ten Humanities majors. See the "Joint Major Program" section of this bulletin for a description of University requirements for the JMP. See also the Undergraduate Advising and Research JMP web site and its associated FAQs.
Students completing the JMP receive a B.A.S. (Bachelor of Arts and Science).
Because the JMP is new and experimental, changes to procedures may occur; students are advised to check the relevant section of the bulletin periodically.
Classics Major Requirements in the Joint Major Program
See the "Computer Science Joint Major Program" section of this bulletin for details on Computer Science requirements.
Students majoring in the joint major program in Classics and Computer Science complete the degree requirements for Classics with the following changes:
- Completion of 5 less overall units than a usual Classics major. The + footnote on each track describes where the unit relief may be taken.
- ePortfolio course (2 units): The ePortfolio is preparation for the capstone project, and as such, must be taken by Spring quarter of the Junior year. The ePortfolio will reflect on the intersections (and possible disjunctions) between Computer Science and Classics. This may be an independent study or group seminar class. Topics might center on critical review of existing projects that join Computer Science and Classics, including analyses and reflections on two-to-three different digital humanities projects in the field of Classics. It might also include a commentary from a Classicist perspective on work in foundational Computer Science courses, an analysis of the implications of computational technology for historical or literary study in Classics, or the application of Classicists' methodologies to technological problems or issues.
- Senior capstone project (5 units): The capstone project will be an original and integrative research project, guided by advisers in both departments, drawing on knowledge and skills in both areas, and counting towards the joint major on the Classics side. This will likely be independent study with Classics faculty or a course with a required project. It is also possible for honors thesis work in Classics to count towards this requirement, if the thesis project has a significant computational component. Projects might include analysis of archaeological or historical data, digital editions of texts, analyses of ancient corpora, digital representations and engagements with historical problems in the study of the ancient world, study of natural language processing as applied to literary analysis of ancient texts.
Declaring a Joint Major Program
To declare the joint major, students must first declare each major through Axess, and then submit the Declaration or Change of Undergraduate Major, Minor, Honors, or Degree Program. The Major-Minor and Multiple Major Course Approval Form is required for graduation for students with a joint major.
Dropping a Joint Major Program
To drop the joint major, students must submit the Declaration or Change of Undergraduate Major, Minor, Honors, or Degree Program. . Students may also consult the Student Services Center with questions concerning dropping the joint major.
Transcript and Diploma
Students completing a joint major graduate with a B.A.S. degree. The two majors are identified on one diploma separated by a hyphen. There will be a notation indicating that the student has completed a "Joint Major". The two majors are identified on the transcript with a notation indicating that the student has completed a "Joint Major".
Minor in Classics
The Director of Undergraduate Studies meets with each student who opts for the minor to discuss curriculum choices and assigns the student an adviser in the relevant field. Students are required to work closely with their advisers to create a cohesive curriculum within each area. Students who minor in Classics are required to take CLASSICS 150 Majors Seminar, which is writing intensive. Completion of the minor requires a minimum of 20 units.
Students may choose among four fields of study for the minor in Classics:
- Classical Languages
- Ancient History
- Literature and Philosophy
- Classical Studies
These fields of study are declared on Axess; they do not appear on the transcript or the diploma.
I. Classical Languages
Students are required to take a minimum of five courses in Greek or in Latin. In addition to the five required courses, students must take CLASSICS 150 Majors Seminar. Students wishing to combine Greek and Latin may only do so if courses for one of the two languages are all intermediate level or above. Choose from the following courses this year:
Units | ||
---|---|---|
CLASSICS 1L | Beginning Latin | 5 |
CLASSICS 2L | Beginning Latin | 5 |
CLASSICS 3L | Beginning Latin | 5 |
CLASSICS 11L | Intermediate Latin: Introduction to Literature | 5 |
CLASSICS 12L | Intermediate Latin: Petronius and Martial | 5 |
CLASSICS 13L | Intermediate Latin: Selections from Vergil's Aeneid, Books 7 - 12 | 5 |
CLASSICS 101L | Advanced Latin: Tacitus | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 102L | Advanced Latin: Virgil's Eclogues and Georgics | 4-5 |
CLASSICS 103L | Advanced Latin: Letters of Cicero and Pliny | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 1G | Beginning Greek | 5 |
CLASSICS 2G | Beginning Greek | 5 |
CLASSICS 3G | Beginning Greek | 5 |
CLASSICS 11G | Intermediate Greek: Prose | 5 |
CLASSICS 12G | Intermediate Greek: Euripides' Medea | 5 |
CLASSICS 13G | Intermediate Greek: Homer's Iliad | 5 |
CLASSICS 101G | Advanced Greek: Plato on Poetry | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 102G | Advanced Greek: Funeral Orations by Lysias, Gorgias, Thucydides and Plato | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 103G | Advanced Greek: Aristophanes' "The Frogs" | 3-5 |
II. Ancient History
Students are required to take a minimum of five courses in history, art history, and archaeology (any course within CLASSICS 51-99 or CLASSICS 151-197). Courses taken outside of the department may be substituted for one or more of these courses with prior, written approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. In addition to the five required courses, students must take CLASSICS 150 Majors Seminar. Courses offered in Latin and Greek that focus on historical topics or authors may count toward this minor with prior, written approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students may count up to 4 units of IHUM 69A or the fall quarter of SIMILE towards the breadth requirement; note that IHUM courses are no longer offered. Choose from the following courses this year:
Units | ||
---|---|---|
CLASSICS 51 | Introduction to Greek Archaeology | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 52 | Introduction to Roman Archaeology | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 54 | Introduction to World Architecture | 5 |
CLASSICS 56 | Introduction to the Visual Arts: Prehistoric through Medieval | 5 |
CLASSICS 76 | Global History: The Ancient World | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 81 | Ancient Empires: Near East | 4-5 |
CLASSICS 82 | The Egyptians | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 83 | The Greeks | 4-5 |
CLASSICS 84 | The Romans | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 88 | Origins of History in Greece and Rome | 4-5 |
CLASSICS 151 | Ten Things: An Archaeology of Design | 3 |
CLASSICS 153 | Ancient Urbanism | 5 |
CLASSICS 154 | Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Maritime Archaeology of the Ancient Mediterranean | 3-4 |
CLASSICS 156 | Design of Cities | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 158 | Iconoclasm | 5 |
CLASSICS 164 | Roman Gladiators | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 166 | The Body in Roman Art | 4-5 |
CLASSICS 167 | Archaeology of Roman Slavery | 4-5 |
CLASSICS 159 | Appropriations of Greek Art | 4-5 |
CLASSICS 161 | Introduction to Greek Art I: The Archaic Period | 4 |
CLASSICS 162 | Introduction to Greek Art II: The Classical Period | 4 |
CLASSICS 163 | Greek Art In and Out of Context | 4-5 |
CLASSICS 168 | Engineering the Roman Empire | 4-5 |
CLASSICS 169 | Archaeology of Britannia | 3-4 |
III. Literature and Philosophy
Students are required to take a minimum of five courses in classical literature or philosophy, including classical science. Courses taken outside of the department (for instance, from the Philosophy department) may be substituted for one or more of these courses with prior, written approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. In addition to the five required courses, students must take CLASSICS 150 Majors Seminar. Courses offered in Latin and Greek that focus on philosophical or literary topics or authors may count toward the minor. Choose from the following courses this year:
Units | ||
---|---|---|
CLASSICS 16N | Sappho: Erotic Poetess of Lesbos | 4-5 |
CLASSICS 35 | Becoming Like God: An Introduction to Greek Ethical Philosophy | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 42 | Philosophy and Literature | 5 |
CLASSICS 121 | Ecology in Philosophy and Literature | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 136 | The Greek Invention of Mathematics | 3-5 |
CLASSICS 181 | 4-5 |
IV. Classical Studies
Students are required to take a minimum of five courses in Classics (any course with subject code CLASSICS) plus CLASSICS 150 Majors Seminar. Students may count up to 4 units of THINK 10, THINK 16, THINK 35 (no longer offered), IHUM 39A, IHUM 69A (IHUM courses no longer offered), SLE or fall quarter of SIMILE towards the breadth requirement.
Master of Arts in Classics
University requirements for the master’s degree are described in the “Graduate Degrees” section of this bulletin.
I and II. Language and Literature, and Philosophy Fields of Study
Students who have completed an undergraduate major in Classics (Greek, Latin, or Greek and Latin fields of study) or equivalent may be accepted as candidates for the M.A. degree in Classics and may expect to complete the program in twelve months (usually three quarters of course work plus three months study for the thesis or examination). Students with an undergraduate major in Classics (Ancient History or Classical Studies fields of study) or without an undergraduate major in Classics may also be accepted as candidates, though they may require a longer period of study before completing the requirements for the degree. These requirements are:
- Attaining a standard of scholarship such as would be reached by three quarters of study in the department after fulfilling the requirements for an undergraduate major in the department. Normally, this means completing at least 25 units of graduate courses and 20 units of work at the 100 level or higher.
- Completion of one Greek language course at the 100 level (if the undergraduate major field of study was Latin) or one Latin language course at the 100 level (if the undergraduate major field of study was Greek). This requirement is waived for students with an undergraduate major in Classics (Greek and Latin field of study).
- Passing an examination testing the candidate’s ability to translate into English from a selected list of Greek and/or Latin authors. This exam is a minimum of two hours, requiring a grade of "B" or higher to pass.
- Completion of the syntax sequence in at least one language. For Latin, this is CLASSICS 204A Latin Syntax and CLASSICS 204B Latin Syntax. For Greek, this is CLASSICS 205A Greek Syntax: Prose Composition and CLASSICS 205B Greek Syntax: Prose Composition.
- Writing a thesis, or passing of an examination on a particular author or topic, or having written work accepted by the graduate committee as an equivalent. Three completed and satisfactory seminar papers are normally an acceptable equivalent, provided each paper has earned the grade of B+ or higher.
- Students must pass a reading exam in one of the following languages: German, French or Italian. In exceptional circumstances, the Graduate Committee will permit a different language, e.g. Modern Greek or Russian, to be substituted in keeping with research plans. As of September 2014, modern language exams will be based on individualized reading lists: five academic monographs or equivalent, chosen by the student in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies and agreed in writing at least two months in advance. Students will be allowed to use paper and online dictionaries. Exams will be offered twice a year: at the start of the Fall term and the end of the Spring term. Incoming graduates may choose to be tested as early as the Fall term exam. The department strongly encourages students to take modern language exams as early as possible in the program. If the first attempt to pass the exam is unsuccessful, the student will be allowed to retake the test only once. Failing the second examination will mean automatic dismissal from the program. A grade of B- or higher is required to pass.
- Completion and approval of a Program Proposal for a Master’s Degree form during the first quarter of enrollment, at least five days prior to the Final Study List deadline.
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in Classics may also, on the recommendation of the department, become candidates for the M.A. degree. In this case, requirement 5 above is waived provided that the student has completed some work beyond the course requirements listed under requirements 1 and 2 above. Current Stanford graduate students in other degree programs may be considered for the M.A. degree, but must be admitted into the program and must complete all requirements listed above.
III. Classical Archaeology
Students who have completed an undergraduate major in Classics with a Classical Archaeology field of study, or in a closely related field, may be accepted as candidates for the M.A. degree in Classics with a Classical Archaeology field of study, and may expect to complete the program in twelve months (usually three quarters of course work plus three months study for the thesis or examination). Students without an undergraduate major in Classics with a Classical Archaeology field of study may also be accepted as candidates, though they may require a longer period of study before completing the requirements for the degree. These requirements are:
- Attaining a standard of scholarship such as would be reached by three quarters of study in the department after fulfilling the requirements for an undergraduate major in the department. Normally, this means completing at least 25 units of graduate courses and 20 additional units of work at the 100 level or higher.
- Completion with a grade of ‘B’ or higher of at least 15 units of graduate-level courses in classical archaeology, in addition to CLASSICS 331 Words and Things in the History of Classical Scholarship. (see 4).
- Passing an examination testing the candidate’s ability to translate into English from a selected list of Greek and/or Latin authors. This exam is a minimum of two hours, requiring a grade of "B" or higher to pass.
- Completion with a grade of ‘B’ or higher of CLASSICS 331 Words and Things in the History of Classical Scholarship, or an equivalent course on the history of thought in classical archaeology approved by the Classics department’s graduate committee.
- Writing a thesis, or passing an exam on a particular topic, or having written work accepted by the graduate committee as an equivalent. Three completed and satisfactory seminar papers are normally an acceptable equivalent, provided each paper has earned the grade of B+ or higher.
- Students must pass a reading exam in one of the following languages: German, French or Italian. In exceptional circumstances, the Graduate Committee will permit a different language, e.g. Modern Greek or Russian, to be substituted in keeping with research plans. As of September 2014, modern language exams will be based on individualized reading lists: five academic monographs or equivalent, chosen by the student in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies and agreed in writing at least two months in advance. Students will be allowed to use paper and online dictionaries. Exams will be offered twice a year: at the start of the Fall term and the end of the Spring term. Incoming graduates may choose to be tested as early as the Fall term exam. The department strongly encourages students to take modern language exams as early as possible in the program. If the first attempt to pass the exam is unsuccessful, the student will be allowed to retake the test only once. Failing the second examination will mean automatic dismissal from the program. A grade of B- or higher is required to pass.
- Completion and approval of a Program Proposal for a Master’s Degree form during the first quarter of enrollment, at least five days prior to the Final Study List deadline.
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree may also, on the recommendation of the department, become candidates for the M.A. degree. In their case, requirement 5 above is waived provided that the student has completed some work beyond the course requirements listed under requirements 1 and 2 above. Current Stanford graduate students in other degree programs may be considered for the M.A. degree, but must be admitted into the program and must complete all requirements listed above.
IV. Ancient History
Students who have completed an undergraduate major in Classics with an Ancient History field of study, or in a closely related field may be accepted as candidates for the M.A. degree in Classics with an Ancient History field of study, and may expect to complete the program in twelve months (usually three quarters of course work plus three months study for the thesis or examination). Students without an undergraduate major in Classics with an Ancient History field of study may also be accepted as candidates, though they may require a longer period of study before completing the requirements for the degree. These requirements are:
- Attaining a standard of scholarship such as would be reached by three quarters of study in the department after fulfilling the requirements for an undergraduate major in the department. Normally, this means completing 30 units of graduate courses and 15 additional units of work at the 100 level or higher.
- Satisfactory completion of 20 units of graduate-level courses in Classics and of 10 units of graduate-level courses in other programs.
- Satisfactory completion of 15 additional units of courses in either ancient Greek or Latin at the 100 level or higher.
- Writing a thesis, or passing an exam on a particular topic, or having written work accepted by the Graduate Committee as an equivalent. Three completed and satisfactory seminar papers are normally an acceptable equivalent, provided each paper has earned the grade of B+ or higher.
- Students must pass a reading exam in one of the following languages: German, French or Italian. In exceptional circumstances, the Graduate Committee will permit a different language, e.g. Modern Greek or Russian, to be substituted in keeping with research plans. As of September 2014, modern language exams will be based on individualized reading lists: five academic monographs or equivalent, chosen by the student in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies and agreed in writing at least two months in advance. Students will be allowed to use paper and online dictionaries. Exams will be offered twice a year: at the start of the Fall term and the end of the Spring term. Incoming graduates may choose to be tested as early as the Fall term exam. The department strongly encourages students to take modern language exams as early as possible in the program. If the first attempt to pass the exam is unsuccessful, the student will be allowed to retake the test only once. Failing the second examination will mean automatic dismissal from the program. A grade of B- or higher is required to pass.
- Completion and approval of a Program Proposal for a Master’s Degree form during the first quarter of enrollment, at least five days prior to the Final Study List deadline.
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree may also (on the recommendation of the department) become candidates for the M.A. degree. In their case, requirement 4 above is waived provided that they have completed some work beyond the course requirements listed under requirements 1 and 2 above. Current Stanford graduate students in other degree programs may be considered for the M.A. degree, but must be admitted into the program and must complete all requirements listed above.
Coterminal Master's Degree in Classics
Stanford students in any undergraduate major who wish to pursue graduate work in Classics may apply for Stanford's coterminal master's program. Students considering a coterm are encouraged to consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the department's student services officer about their plans before filing an application. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.7 in the major, and no Incomplete grades on record. Undergraduate course work in Greek and Latin and one of the required modern languages is normally a prerequisite for graduate-level work.
To apply, students submit the Application for Admission to Coterminal Master's Program form, two letters of recommendation from Classics faculty, a sealed, official copy of their undergraduate transcript, a 1-3 page statement of purpose and a 10-15 page writing sample to the student services officer. GRE scores are not required. Applications are due in early January of the intended graduation year for the undergraduate degree; please see the departmental web site for the specific deadline.
University Coterminal Requirements
Coterminal master’s degree candidates are expected to complete all master’s degree requirements as described in this bulletin. University requirements for the coterminal master’s degree are described in the “Coterminal Master’s Program” section. University requirements for the master’s degree are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.
After accepting admission to this coterminal master’s degree program, students may request transfer of courses from the undergraduate to the graduate career to satisfy requirements for the master’s degree. Transfer of courses to the graduate career requires review and approval of both the undergraduate and graduate programs on a case by case basis.
In this master’s program, courses taken during or after the first quarter of the sophomore year are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career; the timing of the first graduate quarter is not a factor. No courses taken prior to the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.
Course transfers are not possible after the bachelor’s degree has been conferred.
The University requires that the graduate adviser be assigned in the student’s first graduate quarter even though the undergraduate career may still be open. The University also requires that the Master’s Degree Program Proposal be completed by the student and approved by the department by the end of the student’s first graduate quarter.
Doctor of Philosophy in Classics
University requirements for the Ph.D. are described in the “Graduate Degrees” section of this bulletin. There are four specializations within the Classics Ph.D. program: language and literature; classical archaeology; ancient history; and the joint program in ancient philosophy. These specializations will appear on the transcript and the diploma.
I. Language and Literature
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in Classics with specialization in language and literature must fulfill the following requirements:
- Complete 135 units of academic credit or equivalent in study beyond the bachelor’s degree no later than the end of the fourth year. These must include the following courses:
Units CLASSICS 201L Survey of Latin Literature: Literature of the Roman Republic 3-5 CLASSICS 202L Survey of Latin Literature: Augustan Age Latin 3-5 CLASSICS 203L Survey of Latin Literature: Imperial Latin 3-5 CLASSICS 201G Survey of Greek Literature: Archaic Greek 3-5 CLASSICS 202G Survey of Greek Literature: Classical Greek 3-5 CLASSICS 203G Survey of Greek Literature: Hellenistic and Late Greek 3-5 CLASSICS 204A Latin Syntax 4 CLASSICS 204B Latin Syntax 2 CLASSICS 205A Greek Syntax: Prose Composition 2 CLASSICS 205B Greek Syntax: Prose Composition 4 CLASSICS 206A The Semantics of Grammar 2 CLASSICS 206B The Semantics of Grammar 2 Plus twelve graduate seminars, nine of which must be Classics seminars, and one of the remaining three of which must be outside the department. The other two seminars may be in Classics, from other departments (with the graduate director’s approval), and/or directed readings. 1,2 1 No more than two directed readings may be counted towards this requirement.
2 Classics seminars are sometimes offered for a spread of units (3, 4 or 5). In some cases, instructors allow a student to complete a seminar for less units without requiring a written paper but with completion of all other requirements.
- Maintain satisfactory progress throughout the degree program. The Classics department sets a higher standard for satisfactory progress than the University minimum requirements. To maintain that standard, students are expected to:
- Maintain good grades (within the Classics department, this normally means grades in the A range; an accumulation of grades of B+ or lower may indicate problems).
- pass all required exams by the required deadlines
- write a minimum of three seminar papers per year in the first three years
- demonstrate high quality research and writing
- take no more than one incomplete grade at a time (unless given special permission by the Director of Graduate Studies)
- take incomplete grades only occasionally and finish any Incompletes in a timely manner
- demonstrate effective teaching when serving as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching Fellow
- Students must apply and be approved to advance to candidacy by the end of Summer Quarter of their second year.
- Examinations:
- As soon as students arrive, they must take diagnostic exams in Greek and Latin. Depending on performance, students may be required to enroll in undergraduate language classes in that language to improve their skills to the level required for graduate work.
- Students must take Greek and Latin translation exams at the end of each survey sequence (Spring Quarter of the first and second years). Students are exempted from the final exam in Spring Quarter Survey in order to prepare for these translations exams. These exams are based on the Greek and Latin reading lists available on the Classics Department web site. Greek and Latin survey courses cover less than half of the material on which the translation exams test, and students need to prepare much of the work on their own. It is possible to take both exams in the first year if the student chooses. However, the student cannot choose to delay the first year exam to take both in the second year. The exam consists of a choice of six of eight passages, and students are allowed three hours. A grade of ‘B-’ or higher, on every passage, is required to pass. If a student does not attain a ‘B-’, the exam must be retaken and passed later in the summer before registering for the Autumn Quarter, in order to continue in the program. The exam can only be retaken once.
- Students must pass two modern language translation exams: (1) German and (2) French or Italian. In exceptional circumstances, the Graduate Committee will permit a different language, e.g. Modern Greek or Russian, to be substituted for (2), in keeping with dissertation research plans. Students are allowed to use paper and online dictionaries. Exams will be offered once per quarter. Incoming graduates may choose to be tested as early as the Fall term of their first year. The department strongly encourages students to take modern language exams as early as possible in the program (at least one modern language by the end of the first year), and certainly after any summer language courses they may have taken. Students will have two opportunities to the pass the modern language examinations. Failing the second opportunity will mean automatic dismissal from the program. At the latest, students are required to pass the first modern language exam by the end of the second year, and the second modern language exam by the end of the third year, in order to maintain satisfactory progress. A grade of B- or higher is required to pass.
- Students must take general examinations in Greek literature and Latin literature, and choose two more exams from the following fields: Ancient Philosophy, Greek history, Roman history, Greek archaeology and Roman archaeology. The first exam is administered in Fall Quarter of the second year, while the remaining three exams are administered in Fall Quarter of the third year. Moving the timing of any of the exams, or increasing the number of exams requires prior consultation and approval by the Director of Graduate Studies. All exam choices must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in the Spring Quarter prior to examination. To prepare for the exams, students must take at least one course in each of their chosen exam fields (in the case of ancient philosophy, a seminar or its equivalent) and may also consult with the faculty examiner. Reading lists for each of the exams are posted on the Classics website.
- The University oral examination, which is a defense of the candidate’s dissertation. In order to take this exam, a significant portion of the dissertation must be completed and approved by the dissertation adviser(s), the exam committee must have been established and approved by the Chair, and a date and time must have been arranged with the department. The exam consists of a public presentation with question and answer period (no longer than an hour), followed by a private examination between the student and the exam committee (also no longer than an hour).
- During the third year, the candidate, in consultation with the dissertation proposal director, prepares a dissertation proposal which is examined by the dissertation proposal defense committee (set up by the dissertation proposal director and consisting of the dissertation proposal director and two other faculty members, one of whom may be from outside the department), no later than the end of the first quarter of the fourth year. If the proposal is deemed unsatisfactory, this proposal examination is repeated in the following quarter and must be passed. Failure to pass this re-examination results in dismissal. Subsequently, each candidate, in consultation with the graduate director and the dissertation proposal director, selects a dissertation director who must be a member of the Academic Council. The candidate and the dissertation director collaborate to select an appropriate dissertation reading committee in accordance with University rules.
- Students are required to undertake the equivalent of four one-quarter courses of teaching under department supervision. This teaching requirement is normally completed during the second and third years of study. Under certain circumstances, summer teaching may satisfy this requirement.
II. Classical Archaeology
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in Classics with a specialization in classical archaeology must fulfill the requirements following below.
Students are encouraged to enroll in or audit other undergraduate courses that may fill gaps in their undergraduate training. All students are expected to take part in archaeological fieldwork in the classical world areas. At least three consecutive quarters of course work must be taken at Stanford.
- Complete 135 units of academic credit or equivalent in study beyond the bachelor’s degree at the end of the candidate’s fourth year, including:
Units CLASSICS 331 Words and Things in the History of Classical Scholarship 1 4-5 At least three graduate (200 or 300) level courses in Latin and/or Greek literature 3 9-15 Survey of Latin Literature: Literature of the Roman Republic Survey of Latin Literature: Augustan Age Latin Survey of Latin Literature: Imperial Latin Survey of Greek Literature: Archaic Greek Survey of Greek Literature: Classical Greek Survey of Greek Literature: Hellenistic and Late Greek The interdepartmental graduate core sequence in archaeology. The Archaeology Center announces the courses which fulfill this requirement. The core sequence currently comprises a seminar in archaeology theory and a course on archaeological methods. Introduction to Archaeological Theory Archaeological Methods At least one further course outside the Classics department. 2 3-5 At least five graduate seminars in classical archaeology. 2 15-25 Doing Business in Classical Antiquity: Mediterranean Exchange Archaeology: Post-Humanist Agendas Landscape & Archaeology Mediterranean Regionalism The Archaeology of Ancient Mediterranean Environments Mediterranean Networks Archaeology of Roman Slavery Reception and Literacy in Roman Art At least three graduate seminars in ancient history. Suggested courses this year include: 2 9-15 Art, Ekphrasis, and Music in Byzantium and Islam Animation, Performance, Presence in Medieval Art Ancient Greek Law and Justice Ancient Empires CLASSICS 381High-Stakes Politics: Case Studies in Political Philosophy, Institutions, and Interests Ancient Greek Economic Development Ancient Greek Economic Development Early Empires: Han and Rome Humanities+Design: Visualizing the Grand Tour -
Maintain satisfactory progress throughout the degree program. The Classics department sets a higher standard for satisfactory progress than the University minimum requirements. To maintain that standard, students are expected to:1 Must be take as early as possible in the candidate's Stanford career.
2 Students may petition to count independent study courses in place of up to two required courses, but no more.
3 Students who enter the program with only one ancient language at the level needed for graduate study are strongly encouraged to take additional course work to reach graduate (200 and above) level in another language.
- Maintain good grades (within the Classics department, this normally means grades in the A range; an accumulation of grades of B+ or lower may indicate problems).
- pass all required exams by the required deadlines
- write a minimum of three seminar papers per year in the first three years
- demonstrate high quality research and writing
- take no more than one incomplete grade at a time (unless given special permission by the Director of Graduate Studies)
- take incomplete grades only occasionally and finish any Incompletes in a timely manner
- demonstrate effective teaching when serving as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching Fellow
- Students must apply and be approved to advance to candidacy by the end of Summer Quarter of their second year.
- Examinations:
- As soon as students arrive, they must take diagnostic exams in Greek and Latin. Depending on performance, students may be required to enroll in undergraduate language classes in that language to improve their skills to the level required for graduate work.
- Students must pass two modern language translation exams: (1) German and (2) French or Italian. In exceptional circumstances, the Graduate Committee will permit a different language, e.g. Modern Greek or Russian, to be substituted for (2), in keeping with dissertation research plans. Students are allowed to use paper and online dictionaries. Exams will be offered once per quarter. Incoming graduates may choose to be tested as early as the Fall term of their first year. The department strongly encourages students to take modern language exams as early as possible in the program (at least one modern language by the end of the first year), and certainly after any summer language courses they may have taken. Students will have two opportunities to the pass the modern language examinations. Failing the second opportunity will mean automatic dismissal from the program. At the latest, students are required to pass the first modern language exam by the end of the second year, and the second modern language exam by the end of the third year, in order to maintain satisfactory progress. A grade of B- or higher is required to pass.
- Students must demonstrate graduate-level competency with an ancient language in one of two ways:
- Option 1: A translation examination from Latin or Greek into English. This examination must be taken Spring Quarter of the first year or Spring Quarter of the second year. A grade of ‘B-’ or higher on every passage is required to pass. If a student does not meet that standard, the exam must be retaken and passed later in the summer before registering for Autumn Quarter, in order to continue in the program. The exam can only be retaken once.
- Option 2: Students must complete the course and take the final offered at the end of each quarter of Greek or Latin survey. Students must earn a 'B-' or higher on each final to pass.
- Students must take general examinations in Greek archaeology and Roman archaeology, and choose two more exams from the following fields: Ancient Philosophy, Greek history, Roman history, Greek literature and Latin literature. The first exam is administered in Fall Quarter of the second year, while the remaining three exams are administered in Fall Quarter of the third year. Moving the timing of any of the exams, or increasing the number of exams requires prior consultation and approval by the Director of Graduate Studies. All exam choices must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in the Spring Quarter prior to examination. To prepare for the exams, students must take at least one course in each of their chosen exam fields (in the case of ancient philosophy, a seminar or its equivalent) and may also consult with the faculty examiner. Reading lists for each of the exams are posted on the Classics website.
- The University oral examination, which is a defense of the candidate’s dissertation. In order to take this exam, a significant portion of the dissertation must be completed and approved by the dissertation adviser(s), the exam committee must have been established and approved by the Chair, and a date and time must have been arranged with the department. The exam consists of a public presentation with question and answer period (no longer than an hour), followed by a private examination between the student and the exam committee (also no longer than an hour).
- During the third year, the candidate, in consultation with the dissertation proposal director, prepares a dissertation proposal which is examined by the dissertation proposal defense committee (set up by the dissertation proposal director and consisting of the dissertation proposal director and two other faculty members, one of whom may be from outside the department), no later than the end of the first quarter of the fourth year. If the proposal is deemed unsatisfactory, this proposal examination is repeated in the following quarter and must be passed. Failure to pass this re-examination results in dismissal. Subsequently, each candidate, in consultation with the graduate director and the dissertation proposal director, selects a dissertation director who must be a member of the Academic Council. The candidate and the dissertation director collaborate to select an appropriate dissertation reading committee in accordance with University rules.
- Students are required to undertake the equivalent of four one quarter courses of teaching under department supervision. This teaching requirement is normally completed during the second and third years of study. Under certain circumstances, summer teaching may satisfy this requirement.
III. Ancient History
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in Classics with specialization in ancient history must fulfill the following requirements:
- Complete 135 units of academic credit or equivalent in study beyond the bachelor’s degree at the end of the fourth year. These must include:
HISTORY 304 Approaches to History 5 Two proseminars. These introduce students to primary sources of evidence for ancient history that require special training: papyrology, epigraphy, paleography, numismatics, and archaeology. 1,2 8-10 Proseminar: Documentary Papyrology Ancient Numismatics Paleography of Medieval and Early Modern Manuscripts Advanced Paleography Three skills courses relevant to the individual student's chosen research approach. For example, a student could take classes in economics, demography, legal history, or anthropology. Courses can also be used to learn other ancient or modern languages, either by course work or directed reading. 1 9-15 Ten graduate seminars (200-level or above). At least five of these seminars must be taken in the department. 2,3 30-50 ANCIENT LANGUAGE COURSEWORK Option 1: Students focus more on one ancient language by taking 15 units of one survey series (CLASSICS 201L/202L/203L or CLASSICS 201G/202G/203G) and 5 units of the alternate series, plus the following courses: 4 30 The Semantics of Grammar The Semantics of Grammar Latin Syntax Latin Syntax Greek Syntax: Prose Composition Greek Syntax: Prose Composition Option 2: Student emphasize broader linguistic skills. This requires students to take both ancient language surveys. 30 Survey of Latin Literature: Literature of the Roman Republic Survey of Latin Literature: Augustan Age Latin Survey of Latin Literature: Imperial Latin Survey of Greek Literature: Archaic Greek Survey of Greek Literature: Classical Greek Survey of Greek Literature: Hellenistic and Late Greek 1 Students must consult their advisers and the graduate director to determine the appropriate coursework.
2 With the approval of their advisers and graduate director, students may take seminars outside of the department or at another university with which Stanford has an exchange agreement to fulfill this requirement.
3 Two of these seminars may be replaced by directed readings with adviser and graduate director approval.
4 Students who select Greek for their primary language should consult with the graduate director for a course to replace the Semantics of Grammar requirement.
- Maintain satisfactory progress throughout the degree program. The Classics department sets a higher standard for satisfactory progress than the University minimum requirements. To maintain that standard, students are expected to: Students who fail to maintain satisfactory progress will have travel and discretionary funds withheld until the situation is redressed.
- Maintain good grades (within the Classics department, this normally means grades in the A range; an accumulation of grades of B+ or lower may indicate problems).
- pass all required exams by the required deadlines
- write a minimum of three seminar papers per year in the first three years
- demonstrate high quality research and writing
- take no more than one incomplete grade at a time (unless given special permission by the Director of Graduate Studies)
- take incomplete grades only occassionally and finish any Incompletes in a timely manner
- demonstrate effective teaching when serving as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching Fellow
- Students must apply and be approved to advance to candidacy by the end of Summer Quarter of their second year.
- Examinations:
- As soon as students arrive, they must take diagnostic exams in Greek and Latin, as well as Greek and Roman history. Depending on performance, students may be required to enroll in undergraduate language classes in that language to improve their skills to the level required for graduate work. The history exams are mainly on narrative history, especially important names, dates, and events. Depending on performance, students may be asked to sit in on the undergraduate history courses and take a directed reading or a graduate survey if offered.
- Students must take the final offered at the end of each quarter of Greek or Latin survey (for Option 1 above) or both Greek and Latin surveys (for Option 2 above). Students must earn a ‘B-’ or higher on each final to pass.
- Students must pass two modern language translation exams: (1) German and (2) French or Italian. In exceptional circumstances, the Graduate Committee will permit a different language, e.g. Modern Greek or Russian, to be substituted for (2), in keeping with dissertation research plans. Students are allowed to use paper and online dictionaries. Exams will be offered once per quarter. Incoming graduates may choose to be tested as early as the Fall term of their first year. The department strongly encourages students to take modern language exams as early as possible in the program (at least one modern language by the end of the first year), and certainly after any summer language courses they may have taken. Students will have two opportunities to the pass the modern language examinations. Failing the second opportunity will mean automatic dismissal from the program. At the latest, students are required to pass the first modern language exam by the end of the second year, and the second modern language exam by the end of the third year, in order to maintain satisfactory progress. A grade of B- or higher is required to pass.
- Students must take general examinations in Greek history and Roman history, and choose two more exams from the following fields: Ancient Philosophy, Greek archaeology, Roman archaeology, Greek literature and Latin literature. The first exam is administered in Fall Quarter of the second year, while the remaining three exams are administered in Fall Quarter of the third year. Moving the timing of any of the exams, or increasing the number of exams requires prior consultation and approval by the Director of Graduate Studies. All exam choices must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in the Spring Quarter prior to examination. To prepare for the exams, students must take at least one course in each of their chosen exam fields (in the case of ancient philosophy, a seminar or its equivalent) and may also consult with the faculty examiner. Reading lists for each of the exams are posted on the Classics website.
- The University oral examination, which is a defense of the candidate’s dissertation. In order to take this exam, a significant portion of the dissertation must be completed and approved by the dissertation adviser(s), the exam committee must have been established and approved by the Chair, and a date and time must have been arranged with the department. The exam consists of a public presentation with question and answer period (no longer than an hour), followed by a private examination between the student and the exam committee (also no longer than an hour).
- During the third year, the candidate, in consultation with the dissertation proposal director, prepares a dissertation proposal which is examined by the dissertation proposal defense committee (set up by the dissertation proposal director and consisting of the dissertation proposal director and two other faculty members, one of whom may be from outside the department), no later than the end of the first quarter of the fourth year. If the proposal is deemed unsatisfactory, this proposal examination is repeated in the following quarter and must be passed. Failure to pass this re-examination results in dismissal. Subsequently, each candidate, in consultation with the graduate director and the dissertation proposal director, selects a dissertation director who must be a member of the Academic Council. The candidate and the dissertation director collaborate to select an appropriate dissertation reading committee in accordance with University rules.
- Candidates are required to undertake the equivalent of four one quarter courses of teaching under department supervision. This teaching requirement is normally completed during the second and third years of study. Under certain circumstances, summer teaching may satisfy this requirement.
IV. Joint Program in Ancient Philosophy
This specialization is jointly administered by the departments of Classics and Philosophy and is overseen by a joint committee composed of members of both departments. It provides students with the training, specialist skills, and knowledge needed for research and teaching in ancient philosophy while producing scholars who are fully trained as either philosophers or classicists.
Graduate students admitted by the Classics department receive their Ph.D. from the Classics department. This specialization includes training in ancient and modern philosophy. Each student in the program is advised by a committee consisting of one professor from each department.
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in Classics with specialization in ancient philosophy must fulfill the following requirements:
Units | ||
---|---|---|
Students must take three courses in the Philosophy department 1 | 9-15 | |
One course in logic which can be fulfilled at the 100-level or higher | ||
One course in aesthetics, ethics, or political philosophy (200-level or higher) | ||
One course in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, or philosophy of science. | ||
At least three courses in ancient philosophy at the 200 level or above, one of which must be in the Philosophy department. 1 | 9-15 |
-
Complete 135 units of academic credit or equivalent in study beyond the bachelor’s degree at the end of the fourth year. This includes all the requirements listed for the language and literature specialization in the graduate program in Classics (see above). Students must also take the below courses focusing on philosophy.1 All courses taken in the Philosophy department count for seminar credit (i.e., as contributing to the 12-seminar requirement in the Language and Literature track in the Classics department).
- Examinations: The requirements are the same as those listed in the language and literature specialization, except that one of the four areas of general examination must be taken in ancient philosophy in addition to the exams in Greek literature and Latin literature.
- Dissertation Proposal: The requirements are the same as those listed in the language and literature specialization.
- Teaching: The requirements are the same as those listed in the language and literature specialization.
Classics and a Minor Field
The Ph.D. in Classics may be combined with a minor in another field, such as anthropology, history, humanities, or classical linguistics. Requirements for the minor field vary, but can include about six graduate-level courses in the field and one written examination, plus a portion of the University oral exam (dissertation defense). Students must consult with the department in which the minor is offered for exact requirements. Students who pursure this are expected to take five years. The department encourages such programs for especially able and well prepared students. The following timetable would be typical for a five-year program:
- First Year: course work, almost entirely in Classics. One translation exam taken in June. One or both modern language exams taken.
- Second Year: course work, both in Classics and the minor field. Second translation exam completed. French and German exams completed.
- Third Year: course work, both in Classics and the minor field. General examinations in Classics.
- Fourth Year: remaining course work, both in Classics and the minor field. General examination in the minor field. Preparation for dissertation.
- Fifth Year: dissertation, University oral examination.
Ph.D. Minor in Classics
For a graduate minor, the department recommends at least 20 units in Latin or Greek at the intermediate-level or above, and at least one course at the graduate (200) level or above. Students interested in this minor must discuss their proposed course plan with the Director of Graduate Studies as well as their Ph.D. department before obtaining Classics department approval.
Emeriti: (Professors) Mark W. Edwards, Marsh H. McCall, Jr.*, Susan Treggiari
Chair: Grant Parker
Director of Graduate Studies: Susan A. Stephens
Director of Undergraduate Studies and Joint Major Advisor: John Klopacz
Professors: Alessandro Barchiesi (on leave), Andrew M. Devine, Richard P. Martin, Ian Morris, Reviel Netz (on leave), Andrea Nightingale, Josiah Ober (Classics, Political Science; on leave Aut, Win), Anastasia-Erasmia Peponi (on leave), M. Rush Rehm (Classics, TAPS; on leave Aut), Richard Saller (Classics, History), Walter Scheidel (Classics, History; on leave), Michael Shanks, Susan A. Stephens
Associate Professors: Giovanna Ceserani, Christopher B. Krebs (on leave), Jody Maxmin (Art and Art History, Classics), Grant Parker, Jennifer Trimble
Assistant Professor: Justin Leidwanger
Courtesy Professors: Fabio Barry (Art and Art History), Chris Bobonich (Philosophy), Alan Code (Philosophy), Charlotte Fonrobert (Religious Studies), Ian Hodder (Anthropology), Bissera Pentcheva (Art and Art History), Caroline Winterer (History), Yiqun Zhou (East Asian Languages and Cultures)
Visiting Professor: Bernhard Woytek
Lecturers: Maud Gleason (on leave), Catherine Kearns, John Klopacz
* Recalled to active duty.
Courses
CLASSICS 1G. Beginning Greek. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 1.) No knowledge of Greek is assumed. Vocabulary and syntax of the classical language.
CLASSICS 1L. Beginning Latin. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 1.) Vocabulary and syntax of the classical language. No previous knowledge of Latin is assumed.
CLASSICS 2G. Beginning Greek. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 2.) Continuation of CLASSICS 1G. Vocabulary and syntax of the classical language.
CLASSICS 2L. Beginning Latin. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 2.) Vocabulary and syntax of the classical language. Prerequisite: CLASSICS 1L or equivalent placement.
CLASSICS 3G. Beginning Greek. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 3.) Vocabulary and syntax of the classical language. Prerequisite: CLASSICS 2G or equivalent placement. CLASSICS 3G fulfills University language requirement.
CLASSICS 3L. Beginning Latin. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 3.) Vocabulary and syntax of the classical language. Prerequisite: CLASSICS 2L or equivalent placement. CLASSICS 3L fulfills the University language requirement.
CLASSICS 4L. Intensive Beginning Latin. 12 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 10/210) Equivalent to a year of beginning Latin (three quarters; CLASSICS 1L, 2: and 3L), this course is designed to teach the fundamentals of the Latin language in eight weeks. We will focus primarily on acquiring the basics of Latin grammar, morphology, and vocabulary and developing basic reading skills. At the end of the course, students should be able to read easy Latin prose and poetry. We will be using Wheelock's Latin textbook and meeting three hours a day, four days a week. Grades will depend on class participation and on performance in weekly quizzes and in a final written exam. Classics majors and minors must take course for letter grade. CLASSICS 4L fulfills the University language requirement.
CLASSICS 6G. Biblical Greek. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 5.) This is a one term intensive class in Biblical Greek. After quickly learning the basics of the language, we will then dive right into readings from the New Testament and the Septuagint, which is the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. No previous knowledge of Greek required. If demand is high for a second term, an additional quarter will be offered in the Spring.
Same as: JEWISHST 5, RELIGST 171A
CLASSICS 7G. Biblical Greek. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 6) This is a continuation of the Winter Quarter Biblical Greek Course. Pre-requisite: CLASSICS 6G (Formerly CLASSGRK 5) or a similar introductory course in Ancient Greek.
Same as: JEWISHST 5B
CLASSICS 11G. Intermediate Greek: Prose. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 101.) Transition to reading narrative Grammar review and vocabulary-building.
CLASSICS 11L. Intermediate Latin: Introduction to Literature. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 101.) Phonology, morphology, semantics, and syntax. Readings in prose and poetry. Analysis of literary language, including rhythm, meter, word order, narrative, and figures of speech.
CLASSICS 12G. Intermediate Greek: Euripides' Medea. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 102.) The Medea of Euripides was first performed in 431 BCE at the Great Dionysia of Athens, where it won last place. Euripides¿ vision of the Colchian princess as a spurned spouse and a murderous mother, however, would triumph in the imaginations of Western readers for millennia. In this class, we will study the script and stagecraft of the Medea in the original Greek in order to better appreciate how the artistry of the tragic poet made Medea a source of both admiration and terror. We will read selections from Medea and relevant secondary readings on Greek tragedy and the reception of Euripides after the fifth century. Our primary objective in this class is to achieve fluid reading ability with Euripides¿ vocabulary, syntax, and meter. Secondary goals include revisiting grammar concepts and learning about the historical contexts surrounding Medea¿s production. Classics majors and minors may repeat for credit with advance approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
CLASSICS 12L. Intermediate Latin: Petronius and Martial. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 102.) Selections from Petronius "Satyrica" and Martial's epigrams. Our primary goal will be to read these texts in their original Latin with attention to the idiosyncrasies of each author's language and style. We will discuss the literary qualities of the works as well as the cultural contexts in which Petronius and Martial wrote. Classics majors and minors may repeat for credit with advance approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
CLASSICS 13G. Intermediate Greek: Homer's Iliad. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 103.) Classics majors and minors may repeat for credit with advance approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
CLASSICS 13L. Intermediate Latin: Selections from Vergil's Aeneid, Books 7 - 12. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 103.) Vocabulary, forms and syntax. Discussion of biographical, political, and literary issues in the text. The connection between art and propaganda as you examine how Vergil either contributes to or subverts the vision of Rome's imperial destiny and civilizing mission. Classics majors and minors may repeat for credit with advance approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
CLASSICS 14. Greek and Latin Roots of English. 3 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 9) Goal is to improve vocabulary, comprehension of written English, and standardized test scores through learning the Greek and Latin components of English. Focus is on patterns and processes in the formation of the lexicon. Terminology used in medicine, business, education, law, and humanities; introduction to principles of language history and etymology. Greek or Latin not required.
CLASSICS 16N. Sappho: Erotic Poetess of Lesbos. 4-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 24N.) Preference to freshmen. Sappho's surviving fragments in English; traditions referring to or fantasizing about her disputed life. How her poetry and legend inspired women authors and male poets such as Swinburne, Baudelaire, and Pound. Paintings inspired by Sappho in ancient and modern times, and composers who put her poetry to music.
Same as: FEMGEN 24N
CLASSICS 16SC. Memorials, Museums and Memory. 2 Units.
The last time you walked past a public monument, did you stop to read the plaque (if there was one) or otherwise contemplate its meaning and commemorative purpose? Your answer may well reflect your familiarity with the terrain in which that monument stood. In any case, for various reasons we will want to discuss, monuments often struggle to convey the meanings intended, if indeed we can reconstruct those original intentions. This difficulty is especially true of monuments made in traditional form, yet more experimental forms are by no means safe from oblivion and indifference. Paradoxically, the longer a monument exists ¿ and some have lasted for millennia ¿ the further it is removed from its original context, a situation which engenders both problems of communication between creator and audience and at the same time rich histories, for objects too can have eventful life-histories.n In this course, both object biographies and their long-term communicatory challenges will be part of a broader discussion. Our task will be to explore the commemorative landscape, including our own campus ¿ established by grieving parents in 1891 with the goal of remembering their fifteen-year-old son, who had died of typhoid while travelling in Italy. Apart from the university per se, statues and a museum were central to the elder Stanfords¿ commemoration of Leland jr. (1868-84). nThrough the tragic Stanford family story and other case studies, we will rethink the very nature of collective memory. What forms has it taken? What difference does materiality make? Why do some scholars insist on a difference between monuments (often triumphalist in character) and memorials (typically more reflective and somber), and is that a feasible distinction in practice?nWe shall discuss such themes with reference to core readings. Beyond that, students will work in groups to focus consistently on selected histories, as determined by collective identities. Students will regularly contribute to class discussions on the basis of these specializations.nBy way of a final project, students will design a memorial of their own choosing. They will motivate their choice of what or whom they are commemorating; likewise they will explain their choice of medium, location and form. The success of these memorials will hinge, in large measure, on the thoughtfulness of their choices and ultimately their ability to engage with viewers. Students will present their evolving projects to each other for formal peer critique (itself graded). Final public presentations of these memorials will be part of the symposium in the final week. nThe course will be timely in several senses: the nationwide remembrance of September 11th, 2001 coincides with the first week of classes; the university celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2016; and more generally emerging technologies both offer and demand new approaches to public commemoration. Sophomore College course, applications required. Submit by April 5, 2016 at http://soco.stanford.edu .
CLASSICS 17N. To Die For: Antigone and Political Dissent. 4 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 6N.) Preference to freshmen. Tensions inherent in the democracy of ancient Athens; how the character of Antigone emerges in later drama, film, and political thought as a figure of resistance against illegitimate authority; and her relevance to contemporary struggles for women's and workers' rights and national liberation. Readings and screenings include versions of Antigone by Sophocles, Anouilh, Brecht, Fugard/Kani/Ntshona, Paulin, Glowacki, Gurney, and von Trotta.
Same as: TAPS 12N
CLASSICS 18N. The Artist in Ancient Greek Society. 3 Units.
Given the importance of art to all aspects of their lives, the Greeks had reason to respect their artists. Yet potters, painters and even sculptors possessed little social standing. n nWhy did the Greeks value the work of craftsmen but not the men themselves? Why did Herodotus dismiss those who worked with their hands as "mechanics?" What prompted Homer to claim that "there is no greater glory for a man¿ than what he achieves with his own hands," provided that he was throwing a discus and not a vase on a wheel?n nPainted pottery was essential to the religious and secular lives of the Greeks. Libations to the gods and to the dead required vases from which to pour them. Economic prosperity depended on the export of wine and oil in durable clay containers. At home, depictions of gods and heroes on vases reinforced Greek values and helped parents to educate their children. Ceramic sets with scenes of Dionysian excess were reserved for elite symposia from which those who potted and painted them were excluded.n nSculptors were less lowly but even those who carved the Parthenon were still regarded as "mechanics," with soft bodies and soft minds (Xenophon) "indifferent to higher things" (Plutarch).n nThe seminar addresses these issues. Students will read and discuss texts, write response papers and present slide lectures and gallery talks on aspects of the artist's profession.
Same as: ARTHIST 100N
CLASSICS 21Q. Eight Great Archaeological Sites in Europe. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 21Q.) Preference to sophomores. Focus is on excavation, features and finds, arguments over interpretation, and the place of each site in understanding the archaeological history of Europe. Goal is to introduce the latest archaeological and anthropological thought, and raise key questions about ancient society. The archaeological perspective foregrounds interdisciplinary study: geophysics articulated with art history, source criticism with analytic modeling, statistics interpretation. A web site with resources about each site, including plans, photographs, video, and publications, is the basis for exploring.
Same as: ARCHLGY 21Q
CLASSICS 24N. What is a Map?. 4 Units.
Exploration of the nature of maps via an overview of premodern mapping practices, combining theory and history of maps. Hands-on research involving Stanford's rare and historical maps, and chance to create own maps.
CLASSICS 26N. The Roman Empire: Its Grandeur and Fall. 4 Units.
(Formerly CLASSHIS 24N.) Preference to freshmen. Explore themes on the Roman Empire and its decline from the 1st through the 5th centuries C.E.. What was the political and military glue that held this diverse, multi-ethnic empire together? What were the bases of wealth and how was it distributed? What were the possibilities and limits of economic growth? How integrated was it in culture and religion? What were the causes and consequences of the conversion to Christianity? Why did the Empire fall in the West? How suitable is the analogy of the U.S. in the 21st century?.
Same as: HISTORY 11N
CLASSICS 28N. Inequality: the Last 100,000 Years. 3 Units.
(Formerly CLASSHIS 13N.) This seminar traces the evolution of resource inequality from the Stone Age to the present. Only this long-term perspective reveals the forces that drive inequality and allows us to address two key questions: what causes inequality, and what factors have been capable of reducing it, at least for a while? We are going to confront challenging arguments: that inequality has been closely tied up with overall economic and human development, and that over the long course of history, war, revolution and pestilence were the most effective equalizers of income and wealth. This class will help you appreciate contexts and complexities that are usually obscured by partisan polemics and short-term thinking. Seminar participants will be directly involved in the instructor's current research project on the history of inequality.
Same as: HISTORY 15N
CLASSICS 31. Greek Mythology. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 18.) The heroic and divine in the literature, mythology, and culture of archaic Greece. Interdisciplinary approach to the study of individuals and society. Illustrated lectures. Readings in translation of Homer, Hesiod, Herodotus, and the poets of lyric and tragedy. Weekly participation in a discussion section is required.
CLASSICS 34. Ancient Athletics. 3-4 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 34.) How the Olympic Games developed and how they were organized. Many other Greek festivals featured sport and dance competitions, including some for women, and showcased the citizen athlete as a civic ideal. Roman athletics in contrast saw the growth of large-scale spectator sports and professional athletes. Some toured like media stars; others regularly risked death in gladiatorial contests and chariot-racing. We will also explore how large-scale games were funded and how they fostered the development of sports medicine. Weekly participation in a discussion section is required; enroll in sections on coursework.
CLASSICS 35. Becoming Like God: An Introduction to Greek Ethical Philosophy. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 35.) This course investigates key ethical philosophies in classical Greece. After reading several Greek tragedies (representing traditional Greek values), we examine the Greek philosophers' rejection of this tradition and their radically new ethical theories. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle offered different ethical theories, but they shared basic conceptions of goodness and happiness. They argues that we could "become like gods" by achieving philosophic wisdom. What kind of wisdom is this? How does it make us ethically good and supremely happy people?.
CLASSICS 36. Gender and Power in Ancient Rome. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 119.) Interactions of gender and power in ancient Roman politics, religion, spectacles, and daily life. Masculinity and femininity in founding legends and public rituals; the ambiguous status of Vestal Virgins; gendered behavior in the Roman Forum; the spatial logic of prostitution; sexual characterizations of good vs. bad emperors in ancient texts; gender and time in Roman houses; inversions of gender and space in early Christian martyr narratives. Readings include modern gender theory as well as ancient Roman texts and material culture.
CLASSICS 41. Herodotus. 4-5 Units.
For Ancient History field of study majors; others by consent of instructor. Close reading technique. Historical background to the Greco-Persian Wars; ancient views of empire, culture, and geography; the wars and their aftermath; ancient ethnography and historiography, including the first narrative of ancient Egypt.
CLASSICS 42. Philosophy and Literature. 5 Units.
Required gateway course for Philosophical and Literary Thought; crosslisted in departments sponsoring the Philosophy and Literature track. Majors should register in their home department; non-majors may register in any sponsoring department. Introduction to major problems at the intersection of philosophy and literature, with particular focus on the question of value: what, if anything, does engagement with literary works do for our lives? Issues include aesthetic self-fashioning, the paradox of tragedy, the paradox of caring, the truth-value of fiction, metaphor, authorship, irony, make-believe, expression, edification, clarification, and training. Readings are drawn from literature and film, philosophical theories of art, and stylistically interesting works of philosophy. Authors may include Sophocles, Chaucer, Dickinson, Proust, Woolf, Borges, Beckett, Kundera, Charlie Kaufman; Barthes, Foucault, Nussbaum, Walton, Nehamas; Plato, Montaigne, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and Sartre. Taught in English.
Same as: COMPLIT 181, ENGLISH 81, FRENCH 181, GERMAN 181, ITALIAN 181, PHIL 81, SLAVIC 181
CLASSICS 43. Exploring the New Testament. 4 Units.
The New Testament is many things to many people. Around the globe, it is and has been for two millennia a source of culture, law, and faith. It has been used both to undergird battles for civil rights and to fight against them. It has been used both to justify wars and to argue that all war is unjust. Yet, many people haven¿t read the New Testament and still more haven¿t looked at it from historical, sociological, comparative and literary frameworks. This course will provide you the opportunity to read the New Testament and to study it closely. We will ask questions of the New Testament about the early Jesus movement, how it fits into its historical context and how it developed. We will look at the range of opinions and views about Jesus present in this literature. We will explore the different genres used by early Christians. We will examine how this set of Early Christian texts came to be considered the canon.
Same as: RELIGST 86
CLASSICS 51. Introduction to Greek Archaeology. 3-5 Units.
An introduction to the archaeology of ancient Greece, from the first city states through the cultural achievements of classical Athens to the conquest by Rome.
Same as: ARCHLGY 51
CLASSICS 52. Introduction to Roman Archaeology. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 81.) This course will introduce you to the material culture of the ancient Roman world, from spectacular imperial monuments in the city of Rome to cities and roads around the Mediterranean, from overarching environmental concerns to individual human burials, from elite houses and army forts to the the lives of slaves, freedmen and gladiators. Key themes will be change and continuity over time; the material, spatial and visual workings of power; how Roman society was materially changed by its conquests and how conquered peoples responded materially to Roman rule.
Same as: ARCHLGY 81
CLASSICS 54. Introduction to World Architecture. 5 Units.
This lecture course surveys the history of architecture and urbanism, from the first societies to the present, in Europe, West and East Asia, the Americas, and Africa. The course progresses by case studies of exemplary monuments and cities, and examines the built environment as both cultural artifact and architectural event. It considers the social and political circumstances of architectural invention as well as plumbing the depth of artistic context by which particular formal choices resonate with an established representational culture.
Same as: ARTHIST 3
CLASSICS 56. Introduction to the Visual Arts: Prehistoric through Medieval. 5 Units.
A survey of the art and architecture from the cave paintings of Lascaux to the Gothic Cathedrals of France; the material is organized both chronologically and thematically and covers a multiplicity of religions: pagan, Christian, and Islamic.
Same as: ARTHIST 1A
CLASSICS 76. Global History: The Ancient World. 3-5 Units.
World history from the origins of humanity to the Black Death. Focuses on the evolution of complex societies, wealth, violence, and hierarchy, emphasizing the three great turning points in early history: the evolution of modern humans, the agricultural revolution, and the rise of the state.
Same as: HISTORY 1A
CLASSICS 81. Ancient Empires: Near East. 4-5 Units.
Why do imperialists conquer people? Why do some people resist while others collaborate? This course tries to answer these questions by looking at some of the world's earliest empires. The main focus is on the expansion of the Assyrian and Persian Empires between 900 and 300 BC and the consequences for the ancient Jews, Egyptians, and Greeks. The main readings come from the Bible, Herodotus, and Assyrian and Persian royal inscriptions, and the course combines historical and archaeological data with social scientific approaches. Weekly participation in a discussion section is required.
CLASSICS 82. The Egyptians. 3-5 Units.
Overview of ancient Egyptian pasts, from predynastic times to Greco-Roman rule, roughly 3000 BCE to 30 BCE. Attention to archaeological sites and artifacts; workings of society; and cultural productions, both artistic and literary. Participation in class is required.
Same as: AFRICAAM 30, HISTORY 48, HISTORY 148
CLASSICS 83. The Greeks. 4-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSHIS 101.) 250 years ago, for almost the first time in history, a few societies rejected kings who claimed to know what the gods wanted and began moving toward democracy. Only once before had this happened--in ancient Greece. This course asks how the Greeks did this, and what they can teach us today. It uses texts and archaeology to trace the material and military sides of the story as well as cultural developments, and looks at Greek slavery and misogyny as well as their achievements. Weekly participation in a discussion section is required.
Same as: HISTORY 101
CLASSICS 84. The Romans. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSHIS 60.) How did a tiny village create a huge empire and shape the world, and why did it fail? Roman history, imperialism, politics, social life, economic growth, and religious change. Weekly participation in a discussion section is required; enroll in sections on Coursework.
Same as: HISTORY 102A
CLASSICS 87. Egyptomania! The Allure of Ancient Egypt Over the Past 3,500 Years. 5 Units.
Why does Egypt fascinate us? From Napoleon's invasion to Katy Perry's latest music video, we have interpreted ancient Egyptian history and mythology for centuries; in fact, this obsession dates back to the Egyptians themselves. This seminar explores Egyptomania from the Pharaonic period to the 20th century. Topics include: ancient Egypt, Greek historians, medieval Arabic scholars, hieroglyphic decipherment, 19th century travel, 20th century pop culture, and how historians have interpreted this past over the centuries.
Same as: AFRICAAM 87, HISTORY 244
CLASSICS 88. Origins of History in Greece and Rome. 4-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSHIS 117.) The beginnings and development of historical writing in the ancient world. Emphasis on major classical historians and various models of history they invented, from local to imperial, military, cultural, biographical, world history and church history. Focus on themes of power, war, loss, growth and decline, as put by the ancients into historical narrative forms and probed by way of historical questioning and explanation. Attention to how these models resonate still today. Readings in translation: Herodotus, Thucydides, Tacitus, Livy and others. Participation in a weekly discussion section is required.
Same as: HISTORY 114
CLASSICS 101G. Advanced Greek: Plato on Poetry. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 111.) Plato¿s discussions on poetry's inspiration, performance, and its relationship to philosophy had an immense influence on literary reception and aesthetics in classical antiquity. In this class, we will read Plato¿s Ion and selections from the Republic in order to better understand these and related topics in the original Greek language. Our primary objective will be to achieve a fluid reading ability for Plato¿s language and syntax. We will also participate in larger discussions of historical and literary contexts, and review difficult grammar concepts.
CLASSICS 101L. Advanced Latin: Tacitus. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 111.) We will read Book 4 of Tacitus¿ "Annals", a crucial piece in this famed historian¿s bleak depiction of the Roman empire. We will focus on the portrait here of the emperor Tiberius, which has long exemplified how to understand political power in psychological terms, and has been the model since for innumerable tyrannical figures in literature and arts. How did Tacitus the historian achieve such powerful, long lasting influence? Close attention to language, style and narrative techniques. Classics majors and minors must take for a letter grade and may repeat for credit with advance approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
CLASSICS 102G. Advanced Greek: Funeral Orations by Lysias, Gorgias, Thucydides and Plato. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 112.) The funeral oration (epitaphios logos) is an important genre of speech whose performance in Classical Athens involved central aspects of the polis' life, such as collective memory, interpretation of the past, civic values, politics and, indeed, the art of speaking well. This genre was performed in real occasions (as archeological/historical sources show), and it was closely imitated in other genres such as philosophy and history. We will read the funeral orations by Lysias and Gorgias, the speech of Pericles in Thucydides (book II) and the speech of Aspasia, Pericles' mistress, preserved in one of Plato's most enigmatic dialogues, the Menexenus. Classics majors and minors may repeat for credit with advance approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
CLASSICS 102L. Advanced Latin: Virgil's Eclogues and Georgics. 4-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 112.) Detailed reading of Virgil's poems written before the Aeneid. Discussion of poetic style and to Triumviral and Augustan literary history. Special attention to the evolution of ancient pastoral (and comparison with modern pastoral); and didactic poetry. Classics majors and minors must take for a letter grade and may repeat for credit with advance approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
CLASSICS 103G. Advanced Greek: Aristophanes' "The Frogs". 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 113.) Classics majors and minors must take for a letter grade and may repeat for credit with advance approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
CLASSICS 103L. Advanced Latin: Letters of Cicero and Pliny. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 113.) We will read selections from the letters of Cicero and Pliny, and explore the lives and careers of both statesmen as well as the social, cultural, and political world of the Late Republic and High Empire as revealed through their correspondence. Emphasis on improving reading fluency and analyzing letters as historical and biographical as well as literary documents. Classics majors and minors must take course for a letter grade and may repeat for credit with advance approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
CLASSICS 104A. Latin Syntax. 4 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 175A/275A.) Intensive review of Latin syntax. Begins Autumn Quarter and continues through the fifth week of Winter Quarter. See CLASSICS 206A/B for supplemental courses. Prerequisite for undergraduates: three years of Latin. First-year graduate students register for CLASSICS 204A.
Same as: CLASSICS 204A
CLASSICS 104B. Latin Syntax. 2 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 175B/275B) Intensive review of Latin syntax. Began with 104A/204A in Autumn Quarter and continues through the fifth week of Winter Quarter. See CLASSICS 206A/B for supplemental courses. Prerequisite for undergraduates: three years of Latin. First-year graduate students register for CLASSICS 204B.
Same as: CLASSICS 204B
CLASSICS 105A. Greek Syntax: Prose Composition. 2 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 175A/275A.) Review of Greek grammar and instruction in Greek prose composition skills. Begins sixth week of Winter Quarter and continues through Spring Quarter. Prerequisite for undergraduates: three years of Greek. First-year graduate students register for 205A/B.
Same as: CLASSICS 205A
CLASSICS 105B. Greek Syntax: Prose Composition. 4 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 175B/275B.) Review of Greek grammar and instruction in Greek prose composition skills. Begins sixth week of Winter Quarter and continues through Spring Quarter. Prerequisite for undergraduates: three years of Greek. First-year graduate students register for 205A/B.
Same as: CLASSICS 205B
CLASSICS 112. Introduction to Greek Tragedy: Gods, Heroes, Fate, and Justice. 4 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 110.) Gods and heroes, fate and free choice, gender conflict, the justice or injustice of the universe: these are just some of the fundamental human issues that we will explore in about ten of the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
Same as: TAPS 167
CLASSICS 121. Ecology in Philosophy and Literature. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 116.) The basic principles of ecological thinking, exploring the ways that different writers represent and relate to the natural world. Some key questions: What is nature, and where do humans fit in the natural world? How exactly do humans differ from other animals? Do these differences make us superior beings? What are our ethical responsibilities towards the earth and its inhabitants? In what ways have the technologies of writing, television, and computers affected humankind's relationship to the natural world?.
CLASSICS 124. Ancient and Modern Medicine. 3-4 Units.
Imagine a world where the Universe has a built-in purpose and point. How would this belief impact man's place in nature? Imagine a world where natural substances have "powers." How might this impact diet and pharmacology? Magical vs. scientific healing: a clear divide? Disease and dehumanization: epilepsy, rabies. Physical and mental health: black bile and melancholy. The ethical and scientific assumptions hidden in medical language and imagery. How ancient medicine and modern medicine (especially alternative medicine) illuminate each other.
CLASSICS 136. The Greek Invention of Mathematics. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 103.) How was mathematics invented? A survey of the main creative ideas of ancient Greek mathematics. Among the issues explored are the axiomatic system of Euclid's Elements, the origins of the calculus in Greek measurements of solids and surfaces, and Archimedes' creation of mathematical physics. We will provide proofs of ancient theorems, and also learn how such theorems are even known today thanks to the recovery of ancient manuscripts.
Same as: MATH 163
CLASSICS 137. Ancient Dance and its Modern Legacy. 3-5 Units.
Descriptions of dance in the Greek and Greco-Roman world; theories about dance in antiquity; dance and the senses; modern and modernist dancers and choreographers discussing ancient dance.
Same as: CLASSICS 237, TAPS 165C, TAPS 265C
CLASSICS 142. Emperor, Explorer, and God: Alexander the Great in the Global Imagination. 3 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 109.) This course will survey the changing image of Alexander the Great from the Hellenistic world to the contemporary. We shall study the appropriation of his life and legend in a variety of cultures both East and West and discuss his reception as both a divine and a secular figure by examining a variety of media including texts (primary and secondary) and images (statues, coins, mosaics, illuminated manuscripts, film, and TV) in the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Jewish, Islamic, Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern contexts. In concluding the quarter, students will evaluate contemporary representations in film and popular culture, such as Alexander directed by Oliver Stone and Pop Art in order to better appreciate his enduring legacy.
Same as: RELIGST 109
CLASSICS 143. Images of Women in Ancient China and Greece. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 153/253.) Representation of women in ancient Chinese and Greek texts. How men viewed women and what women had to say about themselves and their societies. Primary readings in poetry, drama, and didactic writings. Relevance for understanding modern concerns; use of comparison for discovering historical and cultural patterns.
Same as: CHINGEN 143, CHINGEN 243, CLASSICS 243
CLASSICS 145. Early Christian Gospels. 4 Units.
An exploration of Christian gospels of the first and second century. Emphasis on the variety of images and interpretations of Jesus and the good news, the broader Hellenistic and Jewish contexts of the gospels, the processes of developing and transmitting gospels, and the creation of the canon. Readings include the Gospel of John, the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary and other canonical and non-canonical gospels.
Same as: RELIGST 132D
CLASSICS 146. Winged Bulls and Sun Disks: Religion and Politics in the Persian Empire. 3-5 Units.
Stretching from India to Ethiopia, the Persian Empire¿the largest empire before Rome¿has been represented as the exemplar of oriental despotism and imperial arrogance, a looming presence and worthy foil for the ¿West¿ and Greek democracy. This course will provide a general introduction to the Persian Empire, beginning in the 6th century BCE to the fall of Persia to Alexander the Great in 331 BCE. We shall not only examine the originality of the first world empire of antiquity, but the course will also attempt to present a broad picture of the diverse cultural institutions and religious practices found within the empire. Readings in translation from the royal edicts and the inscriptions of Cyrus, Darius, and Xerxes will allow us to better appreciate the subtle ways in which these Persian kings used religion to justify and propagate the most ambitious imperial agenda the world had ever seen. In concluding the quarter, students will evaluate contemporary representations of Persia and the Persians in politics and popular culture in a wide array of media, such as the recent film 300 and the graphic novel on which it is based, in an attempt to better appreciate the enduring legacy of the Greco-Persian wars.
Same as: CLASSICS 246, RELIGST 229, RELIGST 329
CLASSICS 147. Priests, Prophets, and Kings: Religion and Society in Late Antique Iran. 4-5 Units.
This course is designed as a broad introduction to the religious and social history of the Sasanian Empire, encompassing the period from 224-651 CE as well as the early years of Islamic rule in Iran. Among the topics we will discuss are: the lives and deeds of the powerful Iranian emperors such as Shapur I and II in relation to the the Roman emperors Diocletian and Constantine; the transformation of Zoroastrianism into a powerful official religion of the state and its subsequent orthodoxy; the emergence of the prophet Mani and the confrontation of Manicheism with the Zoroastrian priesthood; the conversion of Constantine to Christianity and its political and social ramifications in Iran; the establishment of an independent Iranian Christian church; the importance of Armenia in the Sasanian- Roman conflict; and a brief discussion of the history of the Jewish community under the Sasanians. We will end the quarter by examining the Arab¿Islamic¿conquests of Iran and the profound social changes experienced by the Zoroastrian communities in the early centuries of Islam in Iran.
Same as: CLASSICS 247, RELIGST 209, RELIGST 309
CLASSICS 148. Imperishable Heroes and Unblemished Goddesses: Myth, Ritual, and Epic in Ancient Iran. 3-5 Units.
Designed as a broad introduction to the world of ancient Iran, students will be introduced to the Indo-European inheritance in ancient Iranian culture; the shared world of ritual, religion, and mythology between Zoroastrianism in Iran and Vedic Hinduism in India; and to the contours of early Zoroastrian religious thought. We will also survey mythoepic literature in translation from the archaic Avesta through the late antique Zoroastrian Middle Persian corpus to the early medieval national epic of Iran, the Book of Kings of Ferdowsi.
Same as: CLASSICS 248, RELIGST 209E, RELIGST 309E
CLASSICS 150. Majors Seminar. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 176.) Required of Classics majors and minors in junior or senior year; students contemplating honors should take this course in junior year. Advanced skills course involving close reading, critical thinking, editing, and writing. In-class and take-home writing and revising exercises. Final paper topic may be on any subject related to Classics. Fulfills WIM requirement for Classics.nnWinter Quarter topic: investigating a wide range of ethical dilemmas raised by the ownership of the classical past in the 21st centurynSpring Quarter topic: TBD.
CLASSICS 151. Ten Things: An Archaeology of Design. 3 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 113/213.) Connections among science, technology, society and culture by examining the design of a prehistoric hand axe, Egyptian pyramid, ancient Greek perfume jar, medieval castle, Wedgewood teapot, Edison's electric light bulb, computer mouse, Sony Walkman, supersonic aircraft, and BMW Mini. Interdisciplinary perspectives include archaeology, cultural anthropology, science studies, history and sociology of technology, cognitive science, and evolutionary psychology.
Same as: ARCHLGY 151
CLASSICS 153. Ancient Urbanism. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 112/212.) Archaeology of Greek, Roman and early Islamic cities and urbanism in the Mediterranean and western Asia. Comparison and contrast of the shaping role of religion and politics; definitions of public and private space, monumental buildings, houses, streets, infrastructure. Special themes are city and country connections; the problems of giant cities; cities in the longue durée. Case studies include Athens, Olynthos, Rome, Pompeii, Constantinople, Damascus and Cairo.
Same as: ARCHLGY 153, URBANST 119
CLASSICS 154. Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Maritime Archaeology of the Ancient Mediterranean. 3-4 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 145.) Why do we care about shipwrecks? What can sunken sites and abandoned ports tell us about our past? Focusing primarily on the archaeological record of shipwrecks and harbors, along with literary evidence and contemporary theory, this course examines how and why ancient mariners ventured across the "wine-dark seas" of the Mediterranean for travel, warfare, pilgrimage, and especially commerce. We will explore interdisciplinary approaches to the development of maritime contacts and communication from the Bronze Age through the end of Roman era. At the same time, we will engage with practical techniques of maritime archaeology, which allows us to explore the material record first hand.
Same as: ARCHLGY 145
CLASSICS 156. Design of Cities. 3-5 Units.
Long-term, comparative and archaeological view of urban planning and design. Cities are the fastest changing components of the human landscape and are challenging our relationships with nature. They are the historical loci of innovation and change, are cultural hotspots, and present a tremendous challenge through growth, industrial development, the consumption of goods and materials. We will unpack such topics by tracking the genealogy of qualities of life in the ancient Near Eastern city states and those of Graeco-Roman antiquity, with reference also to prehistoric built environments and cities in the Indus Valley and through the Americas. The class takes an explicitly human-centered view of urban design and one that emphasizes long term processes.
Same as: ARCHLGY 156
CLASSICS 157. The Archaeology of Cyprus. 3-5 Units.
This seminar course introduces students to the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean and its archaeology, from the origins of human occupation to the end of antiquity. Readings and discussions of material culture and texts will explore the history and practice of Cypriot archaeology in relation to those of Greece and the Near East. Key themes will include: islands and insularity, continuity vs. change, sex and identity, the rise of the state, regionalism, and imperial conquest. Suitable for both graduate and undergraduate students.
Same as: CLASSICS 257
CLASSICS 158. Iconoclasm. 5 Units.
Iconoclasm, iconophobia, and aniconism as markers of cultural transformation of the Mediterranean in the 7th-9th centuries. The identity crisis in the region as the Arabs established the Umayyad caliphate, conquering the Holy Land, Egypt, and Spain. The West consolidated around the Carolingians versus the East split between the Byzantines and the Arabs. How each of these three empires emerged from the ashes of late antique culture and carved an identity out of a common cultural foundation. The course will take place in the seminar room of the Art and Architectural Library located in the Cummings Art Building.
Same as: ARTHIST 209C, ARTHIST 409, CLASSICS 258, REES 409
CLASSICS 159. Appropriations of Greek Art. 4-5 Units.
Upper division seminar. The history of the appropriation of Greek art by Rome, the Renaissance, Lord Elgin, and Manet. Enrollment limited to 6. Prerequisite: ARTHIST 102 or consent of instructor.
CLASSICS 161. Introduction to Greek Art I: The Archaic Period. 4 Units.
In the decades 480-460, just before work began on the Parthenon, the sculptor Myron, creator of the Discus-Thrower, was even more celebrated for his bronze cow. Ancient authors describe an image so palpably alive that shepherds threw stones at her, thinking that she had strayed from the herd, and bulls vied for her attention. A century later, the quest for mimesis prompted a contest between two artists. Zeuxis painted a bunch of grapes seductive enough to attract hungry birds; Parrhasios then added a linen curtain, which Zeuxis asked to be removed from his painting. Zeuxis conceded defeat since he had fooled only birds, whereas Parrhasios had deceived an artist. nnThis course explores the art and culture of the ancestors of these men. The Greeks of the archaic period (1000-480) would have understood the painters¿ competitive zeal, but only toward the end of the period would they have recognized naturalism as an artistic aim. nnEarlier Greek art is more abstract than life-like, closer to Calder than Michelangelo. In the eighth century Homer¿s descriptions of the rippling muscles (and egos) of his heroes, and the grief of Achilles¿ horses, evoke living men and sentient animals, but his fellow sculptors and painters prefer abstraction.nnThis changes in the seventh century as a result of commercial contacts with the Near East and Egypt. Imported bronzes, ivories and other Near Eastern exotica alerted Greek artists to a wider range of subjects, techniques and intentions, including naturalism. Later in the century, Greek expatriates learned the art of carving hard stone from Egyptian masters and soon marble sculpture and architecture spread throughout Greece. nnIn the course of the sixth and early fifth centuries Greek artists assimilate what they had borrowed, compete with one another, obey and disobey their teachers, test the tolerance of the gods and eventually produce works of art that speak with a Greek accent. When the Persians invaded the Acropolis in 480 and 479, they encountered artifacts with little trace of alien influence or imprint and, at Salamis and Plataea, fought decisive battles in which the Greeks prevailed. In the aftermath of the war, as the Greeks rebuilt their cities and their lives, Myron¿s cow reminded them of their debts to other cultures and their resolve to remain true to their own.
Same as: ARTHIST 101
CLASSICS 162. Introduction to Greek Art II: The Classical Period. 4 Units.
The class begins with the art, architecture and political ideals of Periclean Athens, from the emergence of the city as the political and cultural center of Greece in 450 to its defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 404. It then considers how Athens and the rest of Greece proceed in the fourth century to rebuild their lives and the monuments that define them. Earlier artistic traditions endure, with subtle changes, in the work of sculptors such as Kephisodotos. Less subtle are the outlook and output of his son Praxiteles. In collaboration with Phryne, his muse and mistress, Praxiteles challenged the canons and constraints of the past with the first female nude in the history of Greek sculpture. His gender-bending depictions of gods and men were equally audacious, their shiny surfaces reflecting Plato¿s discussion of Eros and androgyny. Scopas was also a man of his time but pursued different interests. Drawn to the inner lives of men and woman, his tormented Trojan War heroes and victims are still scarred by memories of the Peloponnesian War, and a world away from the serene faces of the Parthenon. His famous Maenad, a devotee of Dionysos who has left this world for another, belongs to the same years as Euripides' Bacchae and, at the same time, anticipates the torsion and turbulence of Bernini and the Italian Baroque. In the work of these and other fourth century personalities, the stage is set for Alexander the Great and his conquest of a kingdom extending from Greece to the Indus River. (Formerly CLASSART 102).
Same as: ARTHIST 102
CLASSICS 163. Greek Art In and Out of Context. 5 Units.
The seminar considers Greek artifacts in the context of Greek life (including the life of the workshop), and the endless ways in which craftsmen served the needs of Greek society. Their foundries, factories and ceramic studios produced the material goods that defined Greek life: temples, statues and other offerings for the gods; arms and armor for warriors; sporting equipment and prizes for athletes; houses, clothing and crockery for the family; ships and sailcloth, wagons and ploughs, wine and oil-presses for a thriving domestic and overseas economy; gravestones and funeral vases for the dead. (Formerly CLASSART 109.) nMost of the antiquities exhibited in museums, or purchased by private collectors from galleries and auction houses, survive because they were buried with people who used and cherished them. The Greeks¿ belief that the artifacts they valued in life would serve them in the afterlife informs the second part of the seminar, which is devoted to the recent history of tomb looting and the illicit trafficking in antiquities.
Same as: ARTHIST 203
CLASSICS 164. Roman Gladiators. 3-5 Units.
Description TBD.
Same as: ARCHLGY 165
CLASSICS 166. The Body in Roman Art. 4-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 105.) Ancient and modern ideas about the body as ideal and site of lived experience. Themes include representation, portrayal, power, metamorphosis, and replication. Works that exemplify Roman ideas of heroism and power versus works portraying nude women, erotic youth, preserved corpses, and suffering enemies. Recommended: background in ancient Mediterranean art, archaeology, history, or literature. May be repeated for credit.
Same as: ARCHLGY 166
CLASSICS 167. Archaeology of Roman Slavery. 4-5 Units.
The archaeology of Roman slavery embodies a paradox: slavery was ubiquitous in Roman society but did not leave distinct material traces that archaeologists can easily identify. Explore that paradox by examining ancient writings on Roman slavery in conjunction with built spaces, visual images, and artifacts. Discuss more recent slave societies for purposes of comparison and contrast. Learn to analyze different kinds of historical and archaeological evidence, how to reconstruct social and spatial dynamics, and how ancient Roman slavery and society worked.
CLASSICS 168. Engineering the Roman Empire. 4-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 117.) Enter the mind, the drafting room, and the building site of the Roman architects and engineers whose monumental projects impressed ancient and modern spectators alike. This class explores the interrelated aesthetics and mechanics of construction that led to one of the most extensive building programs undertaken by a pre-modern state. Through case studies ranging from columns, domes and obelisks to road networks, machines and landscape modification, we investigate the materials, methods, and knowledge behind Roman innovation, and the role of designed space in communicating imperial identity.
Same as: ARCHLGY 118
CLASSICS 169. Archaeology of Britannia. 3-4 Units.
Life in the Roman Empire: this course is a broad introduction to the archaeology of one of the best known provinces of the empire.
Same as: ARCHLGY 169
CLASSICS 171. Byzantine Art and Architecture, 300-1453 C.E.. 4 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 106/206.) This course and its study trip to the Getty (Los Angeles) to view the new Byzantine exhibition explores the art and architecture of the Eastern Mediterranean: Constantinople, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch, Damascus, Thessaloniki, and Palermo, 4th-15th centuries. Applying an innovative approach, we will probe questions of phenomenology and aesthetics, focusing our discussion on the performance and appearance of spaces and objects in the changing diurnal light, in the glitter of mosaics and in the mirror reflection and translucency of marble.
Same as: ARTHIST 106, ARTHIST 306
CLASSICS 172. Art & Architecture in the Medieval Mediterranean. 4 Units.
Chronological survey of Byzantine, Islamic, and Western Medieval art and architecture from the early Christian period to the Gothic age. Broad art-historical developments and more detailed examinations of individual monuments and works of art. Topics include devotional art, court and monastic culture, relics and the cult of saints, pilgrimage and crusades, and the rise of cities and cathedrals.
Same as: ARTHIST 105, ARTHIST 305
CLASSICS 173. Hagia Sophia. 5 Units.
By employing a methodology based in psychoacoustics, semiotics, and phenomenology, this course explores the relationship among sound, water, marble, meaning, and religious experience in the sixth-century church of HagianSophia built by emperor Justinian in Constantinople. We will read medieval sources describing the interior and ritual, make short movies exploring the shimmer of marble in buildings on campus, and study the acoustics of domed buildings through computer auralization done at Stanford's CCRMA (Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics).
Same as: ARTHIST 208, ARTHIST 408, CLASSICS 273
CLASSICS 174. Art and Religious Experience in Byzantium and Islam. 5 Units.
This course presents a comparative study of Christian and Islamic paradigms (sixth to the thirteenth centuries) in the construction of religious experience through the material fabric of the building, the interior decor, objects, and rituals. We will read medieval ekphrastic texts and poetry, which stirred the viewer/participant to experience the building/object as animate. Among the sites we will study are: Hagia Sophia, the Ka'ba, the Dome of teh Rock, the Mosque at Damascus and at Cordoba. We will read Byzantine and Arabic writers such as Paul the Silentiary, Patriarch Germanos, Maximus Confessor, Shahrawardi, and Ibn Arabi.
Same as: ARTHIST 209, ARTHIST 309
CLASSICS 175. Architecture, Acoustics and Ritual in Byzantium. 1-3 Unit.
Onassis Seminar "Icons of Sound: Architecture, Acoustics and Ritual in Byzantium". This year-long seminar explores the creation and operations of sacred space in Byzantium by focusing on the intersection of architecture, acoustics, music, and ritual. Through the support of the Onassis Foundation (USA), nine leading scholars in the field share their research and conduct the discussion of their pre-circulated papers. The goal is to develop a new interpretive framework for the study of religious experience and assemble the research tools needed for work in this interdisciplinary field.
Same as: ARTHIST 208C, ARTHIST 408C, MUSIC 208C, MUSIC 408C, REES 208C, REES 408C, RELIGST 208C, RELIGST 308C
CLASSICS 177. Roman History. 3-5 Units.
TBD.
CLASSICS 178. Ancient Greek Political Thought. 3-5 Units.
This class traces some of the intellectual roots of modern political thought to authors of classical antiquity, such as Herodotus, Thucydides, Plato, Xenophon, and Aristotle. We will read portions of their work, in translation, as well as discuss the historical background. Topics will include: political duty, citizenship, and leadership; the origins and rise of Athenian direct democracy; the development of Greek law, constitutional change, and responses to civic strife and civil war.
CLASSICS 183. Economy and Economics of Ancient Greece. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSHIS 114.) Cultural and political background for Athens of the 5th and 4th century BC. Athenian economy of the 4th century BC. Economic ideas of Plato, Aristotle, and Xenophon. Pros and Cons of utilitarianism in light of the ethical theories of Plato and Aristotle. Economy and economics of ancient Greece will be compared to the same of ancient China. There is an interesting parallel.
Same as: ECON 114
CLASSICS 184. Ancient and Modern Slavery. 3-5 Units.
The ancient Greeks and Roman created the largest and most durable slave system in world history. It formed one of the foundations of classical civilization. While cruelty and exploitation were ever-present features, ancient slavery was not race-based and many slaves came to be freed and fully integrated into society. We will investigate this complex institution from a comparative perspective and in the context of the experience of modern colonial slavery.
CLASSICS 198. Directed Readings. 1-15 Unit.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 160.) May be repeated for credit.
Same as: Undergraduate
CLASSICS 199. Undergraduate Thesis: Senior Research. 2-10 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 199.) May be repeat for credit.
CLASSICS 201G. Survey of Greek Literature: Archaic Greek. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 208A.) Required two-year sequence focusing on the origins, development, and interaction of Greek and Latin literature, history, and philosophy. Greek and Latin material taught in alternate years.
CLASSICS 201L. Survey of Latin Literature: Literature of the Roman Republic. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 207A.) One-year sequence focusing on the origins, development, and interaction of Latin literature, history, and philosophy. Greek and Latin material taught in alternate years. Focus is on translation, textual criticism, genre, the role of Greece in shaping Roman literature, and oral versus written discourse.
CLASSICS 202G. Survey of Greek Literature: Classical Greek. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 208B.) Required two-year sequence focusing on the origins, development, and interaction of Greek and Latin literature, history, and philosophy. Greek and Latin material taught in alternate years.
CLASSICS 202L. Survey of Latin Literature: Augustan Age Latin. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 207B.) Required two-year sequence focusing on the origins, development, and interaction of Greek and Latin literature, history, and philosophy. Texts of Augustan literature required by the graduate syllabus, emphasizing poetry and major authors.
CLASSICS 203G. Survey of Greek Literature: Hellenistic and Late Greek. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 208C.) Required two-year sequence focusing on the origins, development, and interaction of Greek and Latin literature, history, and philosophy. Greek and Latin material taught in alternate years.
CLASSICS 203L. Survey of Latin Literature: Imperial Latin. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 207C.) One-year sequence focusing on the origins, development, and interaction of Latin literature, history, and philosophy. Greek and Latin material taught in alternate years.
CLASSICS 204A. Latin Syntax. 4 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 175A/275A.) Intensive review of Latin syntax. Begins Autumn Quarter and continues through the fifth week of Winter Quarter. See CLASSICS 206A/B for supplemental courses. Prerequisite for undergraduates: three years of Latin. First-year graduate students register for CLASSICS 204A.
Same as: CLASSICS 104A
CLASSICS 204B. Latin Syntax. 2 Units.
(Formerly CLASSLAT 175B/275B) Intensive review of Latin syntax. Began with 104A/204A in Autumn Quarter and continues through the fifth week of Winter Quarter. See CLASSICS 206A/B for supplemental courses. Prerequisite for undergraduates: three years of Latin. First-year graduate students register for CLASSICS 204B.
Same as: CLASSICS 104B
CLASSICS 205A. Greek Syntax: Prose Composition. 2 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 175A/275A.) Review of Greek grammar and instruction in Greek prose composition skills. Begins sixth week of Winter Quarter and continues through Spring Quarter. Prerequisite for undergraduates: three years of Greek. First-year graduate students register for 205A/B.
Same as: CLASSICS 105A
CLASSICS 205B. Greek Syntax: Prose Composition. 4 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGRK 175B/275B.) Review of Greek grammar and instruction in Greek prose composition skills. Begins sixth week of Winter Quarter and continues through Spring Quarter. Prerequisite for undergraduates: three years of Greek. First-year graduate students register for 205A/B.
Same as: CLASSICS 105B
CLASSICS 206A. The Semantics of Grammar. 2 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 205A.) Supplements CLASSICS 104A/204A. 206A: Tense, Aspect, Argument Structure, Location. 206B: Quantification, Plurality, Modification, Negation, Modality.
CLASSICS 206B. The Semantics of Grammar. 2 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 205B.) Supplements CLASSICS 104B/204B. 206A: Tense, Aspect, Argument Structure, Location. 206B: Quantification, Plurality, Modification, Negation, Modality.
CLASSICS 207L. The Pastoral in Post-Classical Literature. 1 Unit.
For modern readers, the words ¿pastoral¿ and ¿bucolic¿ evoke picturesque scenes of pastureland and flocks of sheep ¿ an Arcadian paradise first envisaged by the classical poets Theocritus and Virgil. This weekly reading group traces the long legacy of pastoral poetry in post-classical Latin literature, including the works of Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Sannazaro, and Milton. Through the songs of their shepherds, we will rediscover the pastoral landscape as a site of ¿intergenerational conflict¿ between poets from antiquity to the Renaissance. All readings will be done in the original Latin. Prerequisite: at least one full year of Latin or permission of instructor. Course may be taken independently or as an optional extra weekly session of CLASSICS 102L Advanced Latin: Virgil's Eclogues and Georgics (in the latter case, please register for CLASSICS 102L).
CLASSICS 213. Proseminar: Documentary Papyrology. 3-5 Units.
The focus will be on documentary papyrology. Students will be introduced to the basics of the discipline.
CLASSICS 214. Ancient Numismatics. 3-5 Units.
Graduate proseminar. Basic skills course required for ancient history graduate students; others by consent of instructor. Focus is on Greek and Roman coinage and monetary history; related material from the ancient Near East and Europe.
CLASSICS 215. Paleography of Medieval and Early Modern Manuscripts. 3-5 Units.
Introductory course in the history of writing and of the book, from the late antique period until the advent of printing. Opportunity to learn to read and interpret medieval manuscripts through hands-on examination of original materials in Special Collections of Stanford Libraries as well as through digital images. Offers critical training in the reading of manuscripts for students from departments as diverse as Classics, History, Philosophy, Religious Studies, English, and the Division of Languages Cultures and Literatures.
Same as: DLCL 209, HISTORY 309G, RELIGST 204
CLASSICS 216. Advanced Paleography. 5 Units.
This course will train students in the transcription and editing of original Medieval and Early Modern textual materials from c. 1000 to 1600, written principally in Latin and English (but other European languages are possible, too). Students will hone their archival skills, learning how to describe, read and present a range of manuscripts and single-leaf documents, before turning their hand to critical interpretation and editing. Students, who must already have experience of working with early archival materials, will focus on the full publication of one individual fragment or document as formal assessment.
Same as: HISTORY 315, RELIGST 329X
CLASSICS 237. Ancient Dance and its Modern Legacy. 3-5 Units.
Descriptions of dance in the Greek and Greco-Roman world; theories about dance in antiquity; dance and the senses; modern and modernist dancers and choreographers discussing ancient dance.
Same as: CLASSICS 137, TAPS 165C, TAPS 265C
CLASSICS 243. Images of Women in Ancient China and Greece. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 153/253.) Representation of women in ancient Chinese and Greek texts. How men viewed women and what women had to say about themselves and their societies. Primary readings in poetry, drama, and didactic writings. Relevance for understanding modern concerns; use of comparison for discovering historical and cultural patterns.
Same as: CHINGEN 143, CHINGEN 243, CLASSICS 143
CLASSICS 244. Classical Seminar: Rethinking Classics. 4-5 Units.
Literary and philosophical texts from Antiquity (including Homer, the Greek tragedians, Plato, Aristotle, Virgil, and Augustine). In each case, we will examine the cultural contexts in which each text was composed (e.g. political regimes and ideologies; attitudes towards gender and sexuality; hierarchies of class and status; discourses on "barbarians" and resident aliens). We will study various theoretical approaches to these books in an effort to "rethink" these texts in the 21st century.
Same as: DLCL 321
CLASSICS 246. Winged Bulls and Sun Disks: Religion and Politics in the Persian Empire. 3-5 Units.
Stretching from India to Ethiopia, the Persian Empire¿the largest empire before Rome¿has been represented as the exemplar of oriental despotism and imperial arrogance, a looming presence and worthy foil for the ¿West¿ and Greek democracy. This course will provide a general introduction to the Persian Empire, beginning in the 6th century BCE to the fall of Persia to Alexander the Great in 331 BCE. We shall not only examine the originality of the first world empire of antiquity, but the course will also attempt to present a broad picture of the diverse cultural institutions and religious practices found within the empire. Readings in translation from the royal edicts and the inscriptions of Cyrus, Darius, and Xerxes will allow us to better appreciate the subtle ways in which these Persian kings used religion to justify and propagate the most ambitious imperial agenda the world had ever seen. In concluding the quarter, students will evaluate contemporary representations of Persia and the Persians in politics and popular culture in a wide array of media, such as the recent film 300 and the graphic novel on which it is based, in an attempt to better appreciate the enduring legacy of the Greco-Persian wars.
Same as: CLASSICS 146, RELIGST 229, RELIGST 329
CLASSICS 247. Priests, Prophets, and Kings: Religion and Society in Late Antique Iran. 4-5 Units.
This course is designed as a broad introduction to the religious and social history of the Sasanian Empire, encompassing the period from 224-651 CE as well as the early years of Islamic rule in Iran. Among the topics we will discuss are: the lives and deeds of the powerful Iranian emperors such as Shapur I and II in relation to the the Roman emperors Diocletian and Constantine; the transformation of Zoroastrianism into a powerful official religion of the state and its subsequent orthodoxy; the emergence of the prophet Mani and the confrontation of Manicheism with the Zoroastrian priesthood; the conversion of Constantine to Christianity and its political and social ramifications in Iran; the establishment of an independent Iranian Christian church; the importance of Armenia in the Sasanian- Roman conflict; and a brief discussion of the history of the Jewish community under the Sasanians. We will end the quarter by examining the Arab¿Islamic¿conquests of Iran and the profound social changes experienced by the Zoroastrian communities in the early centuries of Islam in Iran.
Same as: CLASSICS 147, RELIGST 209, RELIGST 309
CLASSICS 248. Imperishable Heroes and Unblemished Goddesses: Myth, Ritual, and Epic in Ancient Iran. 3-5 Units.
Designed as a broad introduction to the world of ancient Iran, students will be introduced to the Indo-European inheritance in ancient Iranian culture; the shared world of ritual, religion, and mythology between Zoroastrianism in Iran and Vedic Hinduism in India; and to the contours of early Zoroastrian religious thought. We will also survey mythoepic literature in translation from the archaic Avesta through the late antique Zoroastrian Middle Persian corpus to the early medieval national epic of Iran, the Book of Kings of Ferdowsi.
Same as: CLASSICS 148, RELIGST 209E, RELIGST 309E
CLASSICS 257. The Archaeology of Cyprus. 3-5 Units.
This seminar course introduces students to the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean and its archaeology, from the origins of human occupation to the end of antiquity. Readings and discussions of material culture and texts will explore the history and practice of Cypriot archaeology in relation to those of Greece and the Near East. Key themes will include: islands and insularity, continuity vs. change, sex and identity, the rise of the state, regionalism, and imperial conquest. Suitable for both graduate and undergraduate students.
Same as: CLASSICS 157
CLASSICS 258. Iconoclasm. 5 Units.
Iconoclasm, iconophobia, and aniconism as markers of cultural transformation of the Mediterranean in the 7th-9th centuries. The identity crisis in the region as the Arabs established the Umayyad caliphate, conquering the Holy Land, Egypt, and Spain. The West consolidated around the Carolingians versus the East split between the Byzantines and the Arabs. How each of these three empires emerged from the ashes of late antique culture and carved an identity out of a common cultural foundation. The course will take place in the seminar room of the Art and Architectural Library located in the Cummings Art Building.
Same as: ARTHIST 209C, ARTHIST 409, CLASSICS 158, REES 409
CLASSICS 273. Hagia Sophia. 5 Units.
By employing a methodology based in psychoacoustics, semiotics, and phenomenology, this course explores the relationship among sound, water, marble, meaning, and religious experience in the sixth-century church of HagianSophia built by emperor Justinian in Constantinople. We will read medieval sources describing the interior and ritual, make short movies exploring the shimmer of marble in buildings on campus, and study the acoustics of domed buildings through computer auralization done at Stanford's CCRMA (Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics).
Same as: ARTHIST 208, ARTHIST 408, CLASSICS 173
CLASSICS 298. Directed Reading in Classics. 1-15 Unit.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 260.).
Same as: Graduate Students
CLASSICS 301. Gateways to Classics. 1 Unit.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 300A.) Focus on skills, methodologies and approaches in the study of Classics topics, with attention both to histories of the disciplines and to new developments. Required for first-year Classics graduate students.
CLASSICS 302. Workshop on Teaching in Classics. 1 Unit.
Introduction to pedagogical theories and techniques relevant to careers as Classics instructors. Classics faculty and advanced graduate students will lead sessions on language instruction, class discussions, assignments and feedback, and course design. Participants will read selections from modern scholarship on teaching and learning and engage in hands-on exercises.
CLASSICS 304. Developing a Classics Dissertation Prospectus. 1-3 Unit.
This workshop concentrates on the development process of writing a successful dissertation proposal and clarifies expectations of the defense process. Includes peer reviews of draft proposals with an aim to present provisional proposals by the end of term. Highly recommended for current third-year Classics Ph.D. students.
CLASSICS 315. Aristotle and the Object of Mathematical Reasoning. 4 Units.
The concept of definition plays a central role in Aristotle's treatment of both philosophical and scientific inquiry, as well as explanation. A definition is an account of what something is, and some definitions are used to guide causal inquiry whereas others function as explanatory starting points. In this course we will examine texts from his logic, natural science and metaphysics in order to see what the different kinds of definition are, how they obtained, and how they are capture the nature or essence of a definable object. Particular attention will be given to the role of matter in the definition of the form of a natural substance, state, process or activity. For instance, what role does a specification of physiological processes play in the definitions of emotions such as anger? No knowledge of Greek is required. May be repeat for credit.
Same as: PHIL 318
CLASSICS 318. Aristophanes: Comedy, and Democracy. 4-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 304.) Intensive study of three plays in Greek (Knights, Peace, Ecclesiazusae) and the rest of the corpus in English, with reference to formal features and a focus on how Old Comedy related to the democratic practices of Athens.
CLASSICS 320. The Odes and Epodes of Horace. 3-5 Units.
Critical analysis of poetic texts, strengthening and updating the understanding of Latin language and style, and discussion of some of the most influential lyric poetry of all time. Topics include language, style and meter, and also poetics, historical context, gender, ethics, genre, and the history of Western lyric poetry. Classics undergraduates as well as graduate students familiar with other traditions of poetry are welcome.
CLASSICS 327. Petronius and Apuleius. 4-5 Units.
Petronius' Satyricon and Apuleius' Metamorphoses represent the surviving Latin novel. Differences between them. Readings include Petronius' dinner at Trimalchio's and Apuleius' love story of Cupid and Psyche. Philological analysis, history of the novel, and social history of the Roman empire. The afterlife of these texts. Recent scholarship.
CLASSICS 328. Augustine on Memory, Time, and the Self. 3-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 336.) This course examines Augustine's "Confessions" as an autobiographical discourse. It investigates his theories of memory and of time and address different theories of the "self." How does memory and the passing of time affect the notion of the self? Does Augustine's "subjective" theory of time offer an identifiable self? Is the self constructed by narratives? We will locate these issues in their cultural context by investigating Christian and pagan discourses and practices in Late Antiquity.
CLASSICS 330. Satire. 3-5 Units.
The concept of "satire" as a social and literary force will be examined with equal attention given to examples in Greek and Latin. Texts to be analyzed include Greek iambos from the 7th century BC to early Byzantine times; selected portions of Old Comedy; Herodas; Lucian; Lucilius; Horace, Ovid, Juvenal, Persius, and Martial. Particular attention will be paid to authorial self-fashioning; limitations on verbal abuse; and ideas of propriety. All texts to be read in the original languages, with supplementary readings in English and on occasion French, German or Italian.
CLASSICS 331. Words and Things in the History of Classical Scholarship. 4-5 Units.
How have scholars used ancient texts and objects since the revival of the classical tradition? How did antiquarians study and depict objects and relate them to texts and reconstructions of the past? What changed and what stayed the same as humanist scholarship gave way to professional archaeologists, historians, and philologists? Focus is on key works in the history of classics, such as Erasmus and Winckelmann, in their scholarly, cultural, and political contexts, and recent critical trends in intellectual history and the history of disciplines.
Same as: HISTORY 303F
CLASSICS 335. Ekphrasis in Antiquity. 3-5 Units.
What is "ekphrasis"? How was it theorized and practiced in antiquity? Description, interpretation, and the senses; The relationship between the verbal and the visual in antiquity from Homer to Philostratus.
CLASSICS 336. Plato on Eros and Beauty. 3-5 Units.
We read Plato's Symposium and Phaedrus; topics: love, beauty, language (oral and written). Graduate seminar, but open to seniors.
Same as: PHIL 306C
CLASSICS 337. The Second Sophistic. 3-5 Units.
The class will introduce students to the most important aspects of the Second Sophistic: linguistic and literary classicism, rhetoric and performance, typical literary forms. Particular emphasis will be on the social and political background of the movement (Greek identity, social distinction, sophists and gender). For students who wish to take the class for 4 or 5 units, part of the readings will be in the original Greek.
CLASSICS 352. Doing Business in Classical Antiquity: Mediterranean Exchange. 3-5 Units.
Exchange was everywhere in the Mediterranean, from the individual household to the state. Yet the specific models by which goods changed hands were as varied as the ideas and values that moved alongside them. This seminar will explore theoretical approaches to commercial and non-commercial exchange, drawing primarily on the crucial but uneven bodies of archaeological evidence and historical sources in an effort to investigate the simple but hardly straightforward question of how business was undertaken in the Greco-Roman world.
Same as: ARCHLGY 327
CLASSICS 353. Archaeology: Post-Humanist Agendas. 3-5 Units.
How do people and their artifacts connect? Just what is the subject of archaeological history? A seminar reviewing the latest materialist approaches in archaeology and heritage studies.
Same as: ARCHLGY 353
CLASSICS 355. Landscape & Archaeology. 3-5 Units.
TBD.
Same as: ARCHLGY 355
CLASSICS 356. Mediterranean Regionalism. 3-5 Units.
The ancient world enjoys scholarly traditions of both grand pan-Mediterranean narratives and focused studies of the individual landscapes and peoples who comprise them. Within archaeology, these latter explorations generally rely on expedient geographical designations, modern political boundaries, or survey areas as focused ¿regions¿ for discussion. Defining and interrogating the regions created and experienced by ancient peoples and assembling these into a coherent larger ancient picture proves far more difficult. This seminar explores the varied forms of ancient regionalisms¿from archaeological (architecture, ceramics, coinage, sculpture, etc.) to social (language, religion, etc.)¿and tools for investigating such patterns of human interaction.
Same as: ARCHLGY 356
CLASSICS 358. The Archaeology of Ancient Mediterranean Environments. 4-5 Units.
This seminar examines the interplay between classical archaeologists¿ conceptions and analyses of ancient Mediterranean environments. These themes loom large now - during what might be called the ¿environmental turn¿ of the Anthropocene in the humanities and social sciences - and their increasing resonance provides the basis for critical reflection of the discipline¿s past and future trends. Topics will include: environmental determinism, ¿non-human¿ agency, the role of science in archaeological/historical practice, and the compartmentalization of environment/climate as analytic focus.
CLASSICS 367. Mediterranean Networks. 3-5 Units.
The the ancient Mediterranean was highly interconnected is common knowledge, and the idea of integration has become a defining factory in current approaches to Greco-Roman cultural identities. Yet how connectivity functiond, and how we should effectively analyze it, are less well understood. This seminar highlights emerging network approaches--both broad theoretical network paradigms and specific network science methodologies--as conceptual tools for archaeological and historical investigations of cultural interaction (economic, religious, artistic, colonial, etc.) across the Mediterranean world.
Same as: ARCHLGY 367
CLASSICS 372. Archaeology of Roman Slavery. 4-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 342.) The archaeological study of Roman slavery has been severely limited by a focus on identifying the traces of slaves in the material record. This seminar explores a range of newer and more broadly conceived approaches to understanding slavery and slaves' experiences, including spatial analysis, bioarchaeology, epigraphy, visual imagery, and comparative archaeologies of slavery. Students will learn about the current state of research, work with different kinds of evidence and a range of methodologies, and develop original research projects of their own.
Same as: ARCHLGY 342
CLASSICS 373. Reception and Literacy in Roman Art. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 322.) Beyond a focus on artists and patrons: how Roman art was seen and understood by its contemporary viewers. Themes include memory, performance, gender, replication, and constructions of space. Goal is to draft a differentiated model of viewing and literacy, with attention to collective experience, hierarchy, access, and subversion.
Same as: ARTHIST 422
CLASSICS 376. Art, Ekphrasis, and Music in Byzantium and Islam. 5 Units.
Focus is on the interrelation of art, architecture, verbal description, poetry, and music, including the singing of psalms and recitation of the Qur'an. How ekphrasis, the style of writing vividly intended to transform the listeners into spectators, structures the perception of and response to artistic production be it an art object, building, or a musical performance. The role of ekphrasis in animating the inanimate and the importance of breath and spirit, which become manifest in visual, acoustic, olfactory, and gustatory terms. Religious and courtly settings: Hagia Sophia, the Great Palace of Constantinople, the Dome of the Rock, the palaces of Baghdad and Samarra, the mosque at Cordoba, Medinat al-Zahra and the Alhambra. Greek and Arabic writers on ekphrasis in translation, juxtaposing the medieval material to the ancient theories of ekphrasis and modern scholarship.
Same as: ARTHIST 405
CLASSICS 377. Animation, Performance, Presence in Medieval Art. 5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSART 311.) This course will explore concepts of animacy, performance, and presence in the art of Byzantium, focusing on the concept of image understood as the living bodies of the saints, the space of Hagia Sophia and its Eucharist ritual, the polymorphism of the mixed-media icon, and the interaction with these objects in prayer and recitation of epigrams.
Same as: ARTHIST 411
CLASSICS 378. Ancient Greek Law and Justice. 3-5 Units.
The development and practice of law and legal procedure in the ancient Greek world, emphasizing the well documented case of classical Athens. Constitutional, criminal, and civil law, approached through analysis of actual laws and speeches by litigants in Athenian courtrooms. Review of a growing scholarship juxtaposing Greek law to other prominent legal traditions and exploring the role of law in Greek social relations, economics, and literature, and its relationship to Greek conceptions of justice.
Same as: POLISCI 337L
CLASSICS 380. Ancient Empires. 4-5 Units.
What is an empire? How did they begin? Why have some imperialists been successful, while others failed dismally? Why do some people collaborate with imperialism, while others resist fiercely? This seminar examines the empires of the ancient East Mediterranean between 800 and 300 BC, focusing on two great imperial powers (Assyria, Persia) and three smaller societies on the receiving end of imperial conquest (Israel, Egypt, Greece), and asking why societies that were successful in resisting imperialism often then tried to create empires themselves. The evidence used comes mainly from epigraphy, the Hebrew Bible, and Herodotus. Some background in ancient history and/or comparative politics preferred.
CLASSICS 382. High-Stakes Politics: Case Studies in Political Philosophy, Institutions, and Interests. 3-5 Units.
Normative political theory combined with positive political theory to better explain how major texts may have responded to and influenced changes in formal and informal institutions. Emphasis is on historical periods in which catastrophic institutional failure was a recent memory or a realistic possibility. Case studies include Greek city-states in the classical period and the northern Atlantic community of the 17th and 18th centuries including upheavals in England and the American Revolutionary era.
Same as: POLISCI 231, POLISCI 331
CLASSICS 384A. Ancient Greek Economic Development. 4-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSHIS 330A.) Drawing on Herodotus and other literary sources, ancient historians have traditionally seen classical Greece as a very poor land. Recent research, however (much of it conducted here at Stanford), suggests that Greece in fact saw substantial economic growth and rising standards of living across the first millennium BCE. This seminar tests the poor Hellas/wealthy Hellas models against literary and archaeological data. We will develop and test hypotheses to explain the rate and pace of economic change in the Greek world.
Same as: POLISCI 430A
CLASSICS 384B. Ancient Greek Economic Development. 1-5 Unit.
(Formerly CLASSHIS 330B.) Drawing on Herodotus and other literary sources, ancient historians have traditionally seen classical Greece as a very poor land. Recent research, however (much of it conducted here at Stanford), suggests that Greece in fact saw substantial economic growth and rising standards of living across the first millennium BCE. This seminar tests the poor Hellas/wealthy Hellas models against literary and archaeological data. We will develop and test hypotheses to explain the rate and pace of economic change in the Greek world.
Same as: POLISCI 430B
CLASSICS 391. Early Empires: Han and Rome. 4-5 Units.
(Formerly CLASSHIS 344.) This course systematically compares the Han Empire and the Roman Empire in order to provide insight into the distinctive features of the empires as a political and social type. Topics examined will include geographic frames, the nature of the ruler, the role of the city, the form and function of military forces, religious aspects, legal codes, structures of kinship, and the relation of these states to the outside world.
CLASSICS 396. Humanities+Design: Visualizing the Grand Tour. 4-5 Units.
Study of the eighteenth-century Grand Tour of Italy through visualization tools of the digital age. Critical readings in both visual epistemology and current Grand Tour studies; interrogating the relationship between quantitative and qualitative approaches in digital humanities; what new insights in eighteenth-century British travel to Italy does data visualization offer us? Students will transform traditional texts and documents into digital datasets, developing individual data analysis projects using text mining, data capture and visualization techniques.
Same as: DLCL 396, HISTORY 336E
CLASSICS 399. Dissertation Research in Classics. 1-10 Unit.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 360.).
CLASSICS 801. TGR M.A. Project. 0 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 801.).
CLASSICS 802. TGR Ph.D. Dissertation. 0 Units.
(Formerly CLASSGEN 802.).