This course examines the ever-changing relationship between language and ideas in order to better understand the continuing impact of classical Greece and Rome on modern cultures. We explore topics like mythology, medicine, politics, and philosophy, as well as the English words that derive from Greek and Latin. Classics 101 gives you a sense of the words, ideas, and stories that we have adopted from the ancient Greeks and Romans, and helps you identify and contextualize the classical influences you encounter every day.
Knowledge of Latin or Greek is not required.
Schedule
All readings and assignments are due on the day they are listed on the syllabus. Your assignments are bulleted. Please note that page numbers are for the physical copy of the book and do not apply to the electronic version. If you are using the electronic version, use the headings to navigate to the relevant pages.
Week 1: Linguistics and word building
Tuesday, January 7: Introduction and Proto-Indo European language and linguistics
Thursday, January 9: Word building
- Read Chapter 1 – Word Building Basics (pgs. 1–15)
- Read Appendices I–III (pgs. 251-256)
Week 2: Mythology
Tuesday, January 14: Introduction to mythography; Titans and Olympians
- Read Chapter 4 – Mythology (pp. 75-99)
- Memorize Greek Nouns/Adjectives (pgs. 19-25)
Thursday, January 16: The Trojan War cycle
- Memorize Greek Adverbs/Verbs (pgs. 25–29)
Week 3: Mythology (cont.) and quiz 1
Tuesday, January 21: Mortals, heroes, and the underworld
- Memorize Greek Prefixes/Suffixes (pgs. 29–36)
Thursday, January 23: Quiz 1 (Word building and mythology)
Week 4: History and historiography
Tuesday, January 28: Greek history and historiography
- Read Chapter 9 – History (pgs. 227–246)
Thursday, January 30: Roman history and historiography
- Read “Why I Became a Historical Novelist” (Mantel; also available on Canvas)
- Memorize Latin Nouns/Verbs (pgs. 45–48)
Week 5: Medicine and psychology
Tuesday, February 4: Ancient medicine
- Read Chapter 5 – Medicine (pgs. 105–139)
- Memorize Latin Prefixes (pgs. 48–55)
Thursday, February 6: Modern psychology and the classics
- Read the second half of Chapter 8 – Philosophy and Psychology (pgs. 206–219)
- Memorize Latin Suffixes (pgs. 55–63)
Week 6: Philosophy and quiz 2
Tuesday, February 11: Introduction to the philosophers
- Read the first half of Chapter 8 – Philosophy and Psychology (pgs. 191–206)
Thursday, February 13: Quiz 2 (History, medicine, psychology, and philosophy)
Week 7: Law and politics
Tuesday, February 18: Greek law and politics
- Read Chapter 6 – Politics and Law (pgs. 145–164)
- Memorize Key Words Derived from Greek: Suffixes and Combining Forms (pgs. 130–132)
Thursday, February 20: Roman law and politics
- Read “Roman Law and Latin Literature” (Lowrie; available on Canvas)
- Memorize Key Words Derived from Greek: Bases (pgs. 133–138)
Week 8: Economics and enslavement
Tuesday, February 25: Commerce and the economy
- Read Chapter 7 – Commerce and Economics (pgs. 169–187)
- Memorize Key Words Derived from Latin (pgs. 138–139)
- Extra credit assignment posted
Thursday, February 27: Enslavement in Greece and Rome
- Read “Greek and Roman Slaveries: Methodological Issues” (Vlassopoulos; available on Canvas)
Week 9: Quiz 3 and literature
Tuesday, March 4: Quiz 3 (Politics, commerce, and enslavement)
Thursday, March 6: Greek Literature
- Reading TBA
Week 10: Literature (cont.) and review
Tuesday, March 11: Roman Literature
- Reading TBA
- Extra Credit Assignment Due (optional)
Thursday, March 13: Course Review
- Review all material and bring questions