Dr. Naomi J. Norman

Park Hall 227; 542-2187
email: nnorman@uga.edu

Welcome to Dr. Norman's section of CLAS 1000, Greek Culture. This section will introduce you to Greek culture through close readings of Greek literature in translation and through an examination of some of the archaeological remains of the Greek world. As a practicing archaeologist, I believe that it is important to look at literature, history, and archaeology together to come to any understanding of Greek culture. Goethe said that "scholarship without any notion of art was one-eyed." I think this is especially true of Greek culture. Literature gives us a window onto the world of the elite in Greek culture; art and archaeology enlarge the picture and illuminate the lives of the non-elite.

The major themes for the course are

• the Greek heroic ideal
• natural law vs. social law and the rise of democracy
• gender roles in antiquity
• Greeks vs. barbarians the ancient definitions of Hellenism
• historical and cultural context for Greek literature