Required Texts:

• Robin Osborne, Greece in the Making, 1200-479 BCE. (Routledge Press)
• Robin Osbourne, Archaic and Classical Greek Art. (Oxford University Press)
• Hesiod: Theogony, Works and Days, trans. by A. Athanassakis. (Johns Hopkins University Press)

Course Objectives:

• to examine the archaeological, literary & environmental evidence for the Archaic period of the Greek-speaking world
• to examine the phenomenon of Greek colonization
• to explore the strengths and limits of regionalism in Archaic Greek culture
• to know the key archaeological sites and museum collections for Archaic Greece
• to know how to use a variety of primary (including archaeological) and secondary (including web) resources to reconstruct a comprehensive picture of Archaic Greece
• to understand the place of Archaic Greece within the wider Mediterranean world
• to understand the nature of archaeological evidence and how to interpret it
• to improve your writing in classics

No background knowledge of archaeology is necessary, but familiarity with Greek history and culture (especially of the 9th - early 5th centuries BCE) is required.

Course Mechanics:

Class attendance and participation are essential; do not confuse attendance with participation. You must keep up with the assigned homework and be prepared to discuss it in class. Excessive absences may result in your being dropped from the course; please note that it is within my prerogative to assign a grade of WF even to those who drop or are dropped from the course before the midpoint of the semester, depending on the quality of work up to that point.

This is an advanced undergraduate / graduate course. Therefore I expect that everyone enrolled the course has some background in ancient Greek culture and history. If you do not have the requisite background, you should not take this course.

If you enroll in this course, you have made a commitment to attend and to do the work. If you are unwilling to attend and participate, drop the course now.

Additional comments: do not be late for class and do not leave early; come to class prepared; do all of the assigned homework on time; turn off your cell phone when you enter the classroom and keep it off.

Workshops:

Periodically, throughout the semester, I will prepare packets of primary evidence (e.g., literary sources, inscriptions, works of art, archaeological data etc.) for workshops. Everyone will examine the material and come to class on the assigned day prepared to discuss and analyze it. I do not want anyone to do any outside reading or research on the assigned source material; the idea is to approach the material with a fresh perspective, to think deeply and critically about it and thereby to develop strategies for interpreting archaeological data. For example, first ask yourself what kinds of information you have been given and then determine what kinds of questions you can legitimately ask of this particular set of material and only then try to interpret it. My goal is to train you in how to analyze material and develop hypotheses about it, not to ask you to memorize established interpretations of that material.

Writing Assignment / Major Research Paper:

It is well-known that writing within a discipline helps you learn within that discipline. To help you master the content of this course, as well as the special characteristics of writing within the discipline of Classics, I include one major writing assignment in this course: a major research paper on a topic of your choice.

The research paper should be 10-12 pp. for undergraduate students and 20 pp. for Honors Option and graduate students. All topics must first be approved by me.

I encourage you to do multiple drafts of your paper. Writing is a process and going over drafts of your paper will significantly improve your final product.

Important note for all students:Consult the writing information posted on the website for specific formatting instructions and special tips for writing in classics. Failure to follow the guidelines posted there will impact your grade.

Consult the syllabus for the due date, including the date by which your paper topic must be approved by me.

Honors Option Students or Students Enrolled at the 6000-level:

Honors Option students or students enrolled at the 6000-level will present their research to the class in an oral presentation using PowerPoint.

Testing:

There will be two tests and a final exam in this course: see syllabus for all dates. Each test will include both Slide Identifications and Short Answer questions from assigned readings and class discussion. The final examination will be a comprehensive take-home essay.

Excessive absences will effect your final grade.

Grading:

Make-up tests will be given only in the event of an approved absence from class and
require an excuse signed by a doctor, university official or the like.