Course Description
Archaeology, art, culture, and history of Greece and the East from the rise of Alexander to Rome's annexation of Egypt.
Athena Title
The Hellenistic World
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in CLAS 4040, CLAS 6040
Non-Traditional Format
This version of the course will be taught as writing intensive, which means that the course will include substantial and ongoing writing assignments that a) relate clearly to course learning; b) teach the communication values of a discipline—for example, its practices of argument, evidence, credibility, and format; and c) prepare students for further writing in their academic work, in graduate school, and in professional life. The written assignments will result in a significant and diverse body of written work (the equivalent of 6000 words or 25 pages) and the instructor (and/or the teaching assistant assigned to the course) will be closely involved in student writing, providing opportunities for feedback, and substantive revision.
Prerequisite
CLAS 1000 or CLAS 1000E or CLAS 1000H or CLAS 3000 or CLAS(ANTH) 3015 or CLAS(ANTH) 3015E or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. Students will review the basic history of the hellenistic era. 2. Students will become familiar with the major artistic monuments of the hellenistic cities and will learn both how they derive from classical Greek prototypes and how they influence Roman monuments. 3. Students will study and learn how to document archaeologically the process of hellenization -- how the hellenistic rulers used classical Greek artistic, architectural, religious, urban, literary and philosophical prototypes to unify their kingdoms. 4. Students will, in particular, learn how numismatics and pottery can be used by the archaeologist to document hellenization. 5. Students will engage in critical analysis and synthesis of the various categories of evidence for hellenization. 6. Students will produce writing appropriate to the subject matter of hellenization and to the disciplines of classics and classical archaeology. There are three major writing assignments for this course: 1. A short (e.g., ca. 900-1000 words, excluding Works Cited) “autobiography” of your Hellenistic identity; this may take the form of a diary entry/ies, correspondence, a more formal essay or any other format selected by the student. This is a low stakes assignment due early in the semester and designed to introduce the extensive bibliography on the Hellenistic period to the student. 2. Workshop Postmortems: short (e.g., 300-400 words) discussions of workshops that occur throughout the semester. These are low stakes assignments; there are generally four or five workshops per semester. Each postmortem is due by class time of the next class after the workshop. 3. A research paper (including a prospectus, bibliography, abstract, and first draft, each of which will be read and commented on by the professor and WIP TA). This is a high stakes assignment, with four due dates: one for prospectus, one for bibliography, etc. The final draft is due near the end of the semester. For all assignments, students should consult the “Manual for Writing Papers in Classical Archaeology” and the “Information about Writing Assignments” posted on eLC for special tips, information, directions, etc.
Topical Outline
I. The Macedonian house and the rise of Alexander. II. Alexander's successors and the division of his empire. III. The archaeology of Macedonia -- the palace at Pella and the recently discovered tombs. IV. The art and archaeology of the hellenistic capitals -- Seleucia, Antioch, and Alexandria. V. Hellenistic Athens and hellenistic kings in Greek Sanctuaries. VI. Pergamon and the rise of Rome.