Additional Course Information

Fall 2009 - Spring 2010

Suggestions for Spring Semester 2010:

For first-year students and sophomores, CLS 114, CLS 148, CLS 173, FND 180, and/or an appropriate-level Latin or Greek course are good choices.

Juniors and seniors should consider a Greek and/or Latin course at the appropriate level and an advanced Classics course.

All faculty members can be reached via e-mail and will welcome your inquiries!!!

Send E-mail to

• Zachary P. Biles zachary.biles@fandm.edu

• Alexis Q. Castor alexis.castor@fandm.edu

• Gretchen E. Meyers gretchen.meyers@fandm.edu

• Shawn O'Bryhim shawn.obryhim@fandm.edu

• Abram Ring abram.ring@fandm.edu

• Ann Steiner ann.steiner@fandm.edu

• Athanassios Vergados athanassios.vergados@fandm.edu

Sophomores who declare a major or minor in the Department of Classics are eligible to compete for the 2010 Departmental Summer Foreign Travel Award.

The major and minor programs in the Department of Classics can be found in the catalog.

Ancient Greek

GRK 101 Elementary Ancient Greek I - MWF 10:00-10:50 - Biles
GRK 201 Introduction to Greek Prose - MWF 1:30-2:20 - Biles
GRK/LIT 372 Greek Hymns - TR 9:00-10:20 - Vergados
In this course we will examine selections from the Homeric Hymns, the hymns of Callimachus, and cult poems preserved on inscriptions. Class time will be devoted to translation and interpretation. We will pay due attention to the religious, cultic, and performative context (including music where appropriate), as well as the transmission of these texts. Prerequisite: GRK 201 or placement.

LAT 101 Elementary Latin I - MWF 12:30-1:20 - Meyers
LAT 201A/B Introduction to Latin Prose - MWF 9:00-9:50 - Ring/Vergados
LAT/LIT 316 Latin Tragedy - MWF 12:30-1:20 - Ring

CLS/WGS 271 Gender and Sexuality in Antiquity - MW 2:30-3:50 - Meyers
The aim of this course is to explore the cultural constructions of gender and sexuality in the ancient societies of Greece and Rome. We will approach questions such as the status of women and the context of misogyny, the societal role of same-sex relations, the presentation and visualization of sexuality, desire and the body. We will examine archaeological, visual and literary evidence through assigned readings and class discussion. This interdisciplinary approach will allow us to gain an understanding of gender and sexuality in antiquity and will offer insights into the shaping of our own cultural and personal attitudes. Same as WGS 271.

CLS/ART 149 Roman Art and Archaeology - MWF 11:00-11:50 - Meyers
This course provides an overview of the archaeological monuments of ancient Rome. Coursework will focus on methodological approaches to analyzing building techniques, trends, styles and the social, political, and religious functions of art and monumental architecture in ancient Roman society. Topics covered in lecture and classroom discussion will include archaeological and art historical interpretations of sacred and public architecture, urbanism, three-dimensional sculpture, relief sculpture, painting, and decorative arts. There is a required field trip. Same as ART 149.

Students should consult the listings for the Art, Philosophy, and Religious Studies departments for other courses that might be appropriate for a major or minor in Classics.

Ancient Greek

GRK 102 Elementary Ancient Greek II - MWF 10:00-10:50 - Biles

GRK 202 Introduction to Greek Poetry - TR 12:45-2:05 - Biles

GRK 320 Greek Philosophy - Plato - MWF 12:30-1:20 - Ring

LAT 102 Elementary Latin II - MWF 9:00-9:50 - Ring

LAT 171 Accelerated Latin - MWF 9:00-9:50 - Vergados
This is a course for students with previous experience in Latin that covers the material of the year-long course in elementary Latin (LAT 101 and 102) in one semester. Class time will be devoted to instruction in grammar and drills, while towards the end of the semester we will read excerpts from Caesar's Gallic War. Prerequisite: placement or permission of the instructor.

LAT 202 Introduction to Latin Poetry - MW 1:00-2:20 - Vergados

LAT 319 Latin Letters - MWF 3:30-4:20 - Ring

***We will offer GRK 101 and LAT 101 in Fall ‘10, so students may begin their study of either or both languages then!***

CLS 114 History of Ancient Rome - MWF 11:00-11:50 - Castor

CLS 148 Greek Art and Archaeology - TR 10:00-11:20 - Meyers

CLS 471 Art of the Augustan Age - TR 2:15-3:35 - Meyers
This seminar looks closely at the art and architecture of the Augustan Age in ancient Rome (c. 31 B.C.E.-14 C.E.). Our investigations will utilize various types of artistic, archaeological and cultural evidence from ancient Rome. We will look at the relationship between the iconographic and stylistic features of visual material and the vast amount of written evidence from these years. We will explore the major scholarly issues related to the art and architecture of the Augustan age, though readings and discussions about topics such as the visual development of the Roman urban image, the features of Augustan portrait typology, and the relationship of public and private images in Augustan painting and minor arts. Same as ART 471.

CLS 173 Masterpieces of Greek Literature - MWF 1:30-2:20 - Biles
This course is a survey of the major authors and works of Greek literature from the Archaic to Hellenistic period. Students will be introduced to the major genres of Greek poetry, with particular attention to both their historical development and their relevance to the study of broader cultural themes. Authors included in the course are: Homer, Hesiod, Archilochus, Sappho, Pindar, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, Theocritus, Callimachus, Apollonius. Same as LIT 173.

FND 180 Foundations Antiquity - MW 1:00-2:20 - Castor
This course is the first part of a two-course sequence ("Foundations Antiquity - Foundations Modernity"). This two-semester sequence of courses is designed to offer students a chance to complete the Foundations requirement in a way designed to provide an overview of some of the major developments of the intellectual heritage of Western Civilization, concentrating on the foundational idea of society, human nature, ethics, and religion. "Foundations Antiquity" begins with the civilizations of the ancient Near East (Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the biblical world), proceeds to the worlds of ancient Greece, Rome, and early Christianity, and concludes with the Medieval West.

Students should consult the listings for the Art, Philosophy, and Religious Studies departments for other courses that might be appropriate for a major or minor in Classics.

GRK 271 Ancient Greek Life and Culture - May 2010 - Vergados
An introduction to Ancient Greece that combines a week of coursework at F&M with two weeks of intensive travel and study at museums and archaeological sites throughout Greece. Literary, historical, and artistic evidence will be examined in direct relation with the physical remains of such places as the Athenian Acropolis, Apollo's shrine at Delphi, Mycenae, Olympia, and Knossos. For more information contact Athanassios Vergados (athanassios.vergados@fandm.edu).

CLS 353 Poggio Colla Archaeological Field School - June 26-August 6, 2010 -
Meyers, Steiner (Application deadline December 18, 2009)
A hands-on study of Etruscan material culture, excavation theory and techniques, survey, conservation, and the basic methodology of archaeological research. For complete information, go to http://www.smu.edu/poggio/.

CLS 27x The Ancient Romans in Italy (F&M) [Not offered in Summer 2010]
An on-site study of Roman civilization in Rome, Florence, and southern Italy. Students reconstruct aspects of ancient Roman civilization through an examination of their physical and literary sources. Diverse fields (e.g., archaeology, architecture, art, literature, politics, and religion) are brought to bear on problems such as city construction, cultural assimilation, the use of political propaganda, the reliability of historical sources, and the role of religion in society. We will travel to Rome, Cerveteri, Florence, Fiesole, Pisa, Verona, Venice, Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Pozzuoli, and Sorrento. 1 credit. Students enrolled in a Latin course will have first priority.

GRK 271 Ancient Greek Life and Culture (F&M) [Summer]
An introduction to Ancient Greece that combines a week of coursework at F&M with two weeks of intensive travel and study at museums and archaeological sites throughout Greece. Literary, historical, and artistic evidence will be examined in direct relation with the physical remains of such places as the Athenian Acropolis, Apollo's shrine at Delphi, Mycenae, Olympia, and Knossos. For more information contact Athanassios Vergados (athanassios.vergados@fandm.edu).

CLS 353 Poggio Colla Archaeological Field School (F&M) [Summer]
A hands-on study of Etruscan material culture, excavation theory and techniques, survey, conservation, and the basic methodology of archaeological research. For complete information, go to http://www.smu.edu/poggio/.

College Year in Athens [Academic Year, One Semester, or Summer]
A study abroad program focused upon the history and civilization of Greece and the East Mediterranean region. Its mission is to offer each student an academically rigorous program of studies combined with the vibrant experience of day-to-day contact with the people, monuments, and landscape of Greece - a rapidly changing country with a uniquely varied past.

Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome [Academic Year or One Semester]
A program that includes courses in Greek, Latin, and the Art, Archaeology, and History of Rome. Courses in Renaissance/Baroque Art and in Italian are also available. Students divide their time between classroom work and field trips to the major monuments of Rome, where they often get to go "behind the fence" to see excavations or museum displays inaccessible to mere tourists. The program also includes guided trips to the sites of Paestum, Pompeii, and Sicily.

The Department of Classics recommends that students study abroad in the Spring Semester of their Junior year (i.e., after one year of both Greek and Latin for Greek and Latin majors). However, students may enroll in summer programs at any time.