T Th 10.30-12.20 pm (CMU 226)
Prof. Hollmann (hollmann@u.washington.edu).
Office hours: Denny M262E Th 1-2 or by appointment, zoom by request
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND AIMS
A theme-based introduction to the religions of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Using primary texts and images and some secondary literature we will explore how each of the religions approaches the following: polytheism, gods and heroes, the dead and the underworld, animal sacrifice, offerings and libations, prayer, priesthood, sanctuaries and place, festivals and calendars, mystery cult, divination, magic. By the end of the course students should have a good sense of these categories and the structure of the religions, how we know what we know about them, and how to approach and interpret primary sources.
CLASS STRUCTURE
Each class will be structured around a theme and will generally involve a formal presentation from me for part of the time, but with plenty of opportunity for questions from students and discussion before, during, and after. I ask students to get together in class to react to questions and then submit their responses, which will receive a joint grade. All readings are provided and posted on the course's website, along with any images and texts presented in class (these will appear as PowerPoint presentations). Students will take two in-class, closed-book exams (midterm and final). The midterm covers material discussed in class from beginning of the course through the last class before the midterm, while the final exam covers material discussed in class from after the midterm through the last class. Students should provide themselves with blue books to write their answers in.
Main readings extracted from:
Price, Simon. Religions of the Ancient Greeks. 1991. Cambridge UP
Scheid, John. Introduction to Roman Religion. 2003. Indiana UP
Warrior, Valerie. Greek Religion: A Sourcebook. 2009. Focus
Warrior, Valerie. Roman Religion: A Sourcebook. 2002.
Further optional reading:
Parker, Robert. On Greek Religion. Cornell UP, 2011
Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Harvard UP
Rüpke, Jörg. Religion of the Romans. Polity Press,Malden, MA 2007
Beard, North, Price. Religions of Rome. vol 1 and 2. Cambridge UP 1998
COURSE COMPONENTS:
Group responses to in-class prompts (20%): Short written responses to specific questions about material assigned for a class. These are submitted as a joint google doc during class.
Midterm assessment (40%) T April 29: brief definitions of terms or names, identification and discussion of short passages from primary sources or images. Administered in class, no additional materials other than pen and bluebook permitted.
Final assessment (40%) M June 9: similar to midterm assessment, covers material after the midterm (i.e. not cumulative). No additional materials other than pen and bluebook permitted.
LATE WORK
Please consult me as soon as possible if you are not able to meet a due date or miss an in-class assignment.
EXTRA CREDIT
Please note I do not offer assignments for extra credit.
DRS ACCOMMODATIONS
Students with DRS accommodations should reach out to me so that we can sign an agreement.
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS
SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITH NOTICE
Latest version: 3/31/2025
WEEK ONE
T April 1: Introduction. Powerpoint here.
Th April 3: Polytheism and Pantheon (Greek). Powerpoint here.
Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, "The Gods in Hesiod's Theogony and Homer's Iliad", pp. 13-33. PDF
[Optional reading: Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, "Gods, myths and festivals", pp. 11-25. PDF]
[Optional reading: Parker, On Greek Religion, "Analyzing Greek gods", pp. 64-102. PDF]
WEEK TWO
T April 8: Polytheism and Pantheon (Roman) Powerpoint here
Scheid, Intro. to Roman Religion, "The double life of the Roman gods", pp. 147-170 PDF
Warrior, Roman Religion: A Sourcebook, "Accepting new gods, cults and rituals", pp. 83-97 PDF
Warrior, Roman Religion: A Sourcebook, "Becoming a god", pp. 127-138 PDF
[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Gods and Men.” pp. 65-85 in Religion of the Romans PDF]
Th April 10: Heroes and hero cult (Greek).
Collection of hero biographies (word doc.)
[Optional reading: Parker, “The Nature and Power of Heroes.” pp. 103–123 in On Greek Religion. PDF]
WEEK THREE
T April 15: Heroes cont'd (no additional reading) Powerpoint here.
Th April 17: Sacrifice (Greek) There will be an in-class assignment today. Powerpoint here.
Warrior, Greek Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 55-74 ("Prayer and Sacrifice") PDF.
[Optional reading: Parker, “Killing, Dining, Communicating.” pp. 124–170 in On Greek Religion. PDF]
WEEK FOUR
T April 22: Sacrifice (Roman). Powerpoint here.
Scheid, An introduction to Roman religion, pp. 79-110 ("Sacrifice") PDF
Warrior, Roman Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 40-45 ("Sacrifice") PDF
[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Social Rules: Sacrificing and Feasting.” pp. 137-153 in Religion of the Romans. PDF]
Th April 24: Other offerings. Powerpoint here.
Prayer (Greek and Roman). Powerpoint here.
Warrior, Roman Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 37-40 PDF
Scheid, An introduction to Roman religion, pp. 97-106 ("3.1 Prayer") PDF (contained in "Sacrifice" PDF)
WEEK FIVE
T April 29: MIDTERM EXAM. Information about format here.
Th May 1: Priests and priesthood (Greek). Powerpoint here.
Price, Religions of the ancient Greeks, pp. 67-73 PDF, 76-88 PDF
[Optional reading: Parker, “Religion without a church: Religious Authority in Greece.” pp. 40-63 in On Greek Religion PDF]
WEEK SIX
T May 6: Priests and priesthood (Roman)
Scheid, An introduction to Roman religion, pp. 129-146 ("Priestly figures") PDF
Warrior, Roman Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 47-58 ("Priests and Religious Authority") PDF
[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Specialists and Professionals. pp. 215–235 in Religion of the Romans PDF]
Th May 8: Sanctuary (Greek and Roman)
Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 47-66 PDF
Warrior, Greek Religion: Sourcebook, pp. 95-112 PDF
Scheid, Intro. to Roman Religion, pp. 60-76 PDF
WEEK SEVEN
T May 13: Festival (Greek)
Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 25-46 PDF
Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 113-134 PDF
[Optional reading: Parker, “The Experience of Festivals.” pp. 171-223 in On Greek Religion PDF]
Th May 15: Festival (Greek) continued.
WEEK EIGHT
T May 20: Festival (Greek) cont'd, Festival (Roman).
Scheid, Intro. to Roman Religion, pp. 41-59 PDF
Warrior, Roman Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 59-69 PDF
[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Co-ordination: Time and the Calendar.” in Religion of the Romans, pp. 186–201 PDF]
[Optional reading: Beard, "A complex of times: no more sheep on Romulus' birthday" PDF]
Th May 22: Divination. Powerpoint here.
Read Maurizio “Anthropology and spirit possession: a reconsideration of the Pythia’s role at Delphi” and be ready to discuss in groups in class.
Optional reading:
Price, 73–76 PDF (oracles)
Warrior, Greek religion: sourcebook, 75–94 PDF
Scheid 111–126 PDF
WEEK NINE
T May 27: Mystery Cult (introduction).
Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 108-125 PDF
Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 187-203 PDF
Warrior, Roman Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 99-113 PDF
Th May 29: Mystery cult cont'd. Eleusinian mysteries:
WEEK TEN
T June 3: Mystery cult cont'd. Bacchic mysteries.
Magic
Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 229-238 PDF
Warrior, Roman Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 139-150 PDF
[Optional reading: Graf PDF]
Th June 5: Magic cont'd
EXAM WEEK
M June 9 FINAL EXAM 10.30am – 12.20pm, CMU 226 (our usual classroom)
Academic Integrity
University of Washington students are expected to practice high standards of academic and professional honesty and integrity as outlined in this Academic Responsibility page: https://www.washington.edu/cssc/for-students/academic-misconductLinks to an external site.. In particular, note that use of ChatGPT or other Ai tools is not allowed unless specifically permitted as part of an assignment. I want to hear what *you* have to say about the materials we are working with.
GRADING SCALE
I use the following scale for converting percentage points to GPA
|
Percentage Earned |
Grade-Point Equivalent |
74 |
2.1 |
|
100-95 |
4.0 |
73 |
2.0 |
|
94 |
3.9 |
72 |
1.9 |
|
93 |
3.8 |
71 |
1.8 |
|
92 |
3.7 |
70 |
1.7 |
|
91 |
3.6 |
69 |
1.6 |
|
90-89 |
3.5 |
68 |
1.5 |
|
88-87 |
3.4 |
67 |
1.4 |
|
86 |
3.3 |
66 |
1.3 |
|
85 |
3.2 |
65 |
1.2 |
|
84 |
3.1 |
64 |
1.1 |
|
83 |
3.0 |
63 |
1.0 |
|
82 |
2.9 |
62 |
0.9 |
|
81 |
2.8 |
61 |
0.8 |
|
80 |
2.7 |
60 |
0.7 |
|
79 |
2.6 |
59 and x < 59 |
0.0 |
|
78 |
2.5 |
|
|
|
77 |
2.4 |
|
|
|
76 |
2.3 |
|
|
|
75 |
2.2 |
|
|