Course Description
A survey of the Greek and Roman theatre and spectacle entertainment and its legacy, including the genres of tragedy, comedy, mime, and pantomime within their cultural contexts of festivals, games, processions, and staged executions.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be required to write and present a
detailed research paper on a chosen topic or theme that will
demonstrate advanced research skills and engagement with primary
and secondary source material.
Athena Title
The Ancient Theatre
Prerequisite
CLAS 1000 or CLAS 1000E or CLAS 1000H or CLAS 1010 or CLAS 1010E or CLAS 1010H or CLAS 1020 or CLAS 1020E or CLAS 1020H or CLAS 3000 or CLAS 3010 or CLAS(ANTH) 3015 or CLAS(ANTH) 3015E or CLAS 3030 or CLAS 3040 or CLAS3050 or permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will examine the development of theatre architecture in the ancient Mediterranean area from the Greek Archaic period in the 6th century BCE to the Roman Imperial periods that saw empire-wide construction of theatres in the 2nd century CE. A related objective is to examine the development of spectacle entertainment inside and outside the theatre in its dramaturgical and cultural contexts, especially the performance genres of tragedy and comedy from the leading dramatists, including Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Plautus, Terence, and Seneca and their legacy on Classical and Modern theatre.
Topical Outline
1. Origins of Greek drama: Thespis 2. Development of Greek theatre architecture 3. Greek tragedy: Aeschylus; Sophocles; Euripides 4. Greek comedy: Aristophanes; Menander 5. Origins of Roman drama: Livius Andronicus; Naevius; Ennius 6. Roman tragedy: Pacuvius; Accius 7. Roman comedy: Plautus; Terence 8. Development of Roman theatre architecture 9. Roman tragedy: Seneca 10. Spectacle entertainment: Mime; Pantomime; Staged executions; processions 11. Legacy of ancient theatre on Classical and Modern theatre