aCademiC Catalog 2013-2014 - Lorenzo de Medici

chapters of the Iliad and the Odyssey, students will get in
contact with the aristocratic world and heroes described by
Homer in 8-7th century BCE, in order to reconstruct the society
of early Greece in the Mycenaean period. The stories presented
in the Iliad and Odyssey, considered the “Bible” of classical
civilization, show how Greeks used myth to express archetypal
values which became immortal for successive generations.
Myths are analyzed not only as amazing stories but also as
bearers of important messages about life within society, and
as primary forms of communication and instruction in a nonliterate
and oral society. The great influence of Greek myths on
Roman legends will also be seen through the reading of some
passages of the Aeneid - the national poem of Rome written
by Virgil in the 1st century BCE - focusing on the link between
Roman history and Greek tradition. The hero of the work,
Aeneas, was the survivor of the fall of Troy and the ancestor of
Rome’s leaders. A comparison between Aeneas’ and Odysseus’
wanderings will conclude the course.
Greek and Roman Mythology
CLA 310 T
Cr: 3; Contact hrs: 45
The traditional stories about the Greek gods and heroes have
always been a fundamental part of Western art and literature,
especially since their “rediscovery” by Renaissance humanism.
A selection of the great works of ancient Greek literature will
present the most important stories, and will also show how the
Greeks used myth to express the traditional ideals and personal
reflections that captivated and shaped subsequent European
culture. The pictorial narratives, so common in Greek and Roman
monuments and objects, will introduce the sophisticated visual
language created by the Greeks to tell such elaborate tales,
the first such iconographic system and one which was to some
extent “revived”, together with the gods, heroes and heroines,
in Renaissance art. To know Roman mythology and understand
its similarities and differences with Greek mythology is to
understand the real essence of the ideals and aspirations of a
great people that built a great empire. In particular, Virgil and
Ovid, the most widely known writers of Roman mythology, and
also other Roman writers, will help students develop a new
interest for Roman myth, history and art.
History
Western Civilization
HIS 130 T
Cr: 3; Contact hrs: 45
Survey of cultural, social and political developments in the
western tradition between its origins in the Ancient Near East
and the present. Themes include: the Judeo-Christian and Greco-
Roman heritages, medieval to modern Europe, nationalism,
industrialization, western imperialism, totalitarianism and
two World Wars, challenges of the later 20th and early 21st
centuries.
Medieval Civilization and Culture
HIS 212 T
Cr: 3; Contact hrs: 45
This course explores the remarkable series of transitions
that Western civilization underwent between the years 313
and 1400 CE, dates corresponding to Emperor Constantine’s
official acceptance of Christianity, and the imposition of
humanistic culture. In culture, politics and society, this long
period witnessed a reorientation of values and enormous
shifts in the configuration of Europe. In the visual arts,
efforts to interpret classical artistic language were flanked
by innovative contributions from different cultures. As
students study historical and literary sources, archaeology as
well as architecture, sculpture and painting, they acquire a
chronological map of the essential developments, learning to
distinguish between eras, and to interrelate political, social,
economic and cultural trends. Rejecting the popular notion of
a “dark age” of culture in the Middle Ages, we shall emphasize
the concept of historic evolution. Topics include: the Late
Roman Empire, the Barbarian invasions, monasticism, medieval
Christianity, the Crusades, the rise of the Italian city-states, the
Black Death, and the roots of the Renaissance; Early Christian,
Carolingian, Ottonian, Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic Art.
Italian developments and monuments receive special attention,
and site visits in Tuscania, neighboring towns (such as Viterbo,
Bolsena, Orvieto), and Rome, form an essential component of
the course.
The Age of Geographical Discovery
HIS 270 T
Cr: 3; Contact hrs: 45
This course explores the relationship between various
perceptions of physical reality experienced as a result of
geographical inquiry, from the ancient Greeks to the eighteenth
century, with particular focus on the Renaissance. Using travel
journals and maps, the course investigates the ways in which
geographical discoveries had an impact on how the world,
and man’s place within it, was perceived. It thus examines the
causes and consequences of geographical discovery through
the evolution of text and image, within a context of myths
and legends and real accounts and experiences. Tuscania will
provide a living example of the relationship between reality and
imagination, through a tour of the city where the method of
observation, description and interpretation will be applied.
Archaeology Field School: Tuscania (Italy)
HIS 282-283 T; Dual listed: ANT 282-283 T / CLA 282-283 T
Cr: 6; Contact hrs: 148
This four-week intensive course in archaeology is held at a
specific site representing a distinctive ancient Mediterranean
culture. The course offers students a unique combination
of supervised on-site fieldwork and specialized academic
instruction by archaeologists and other specialists. Participants
contribute to the ongoing excavation and preservation of the
site, learning essential practical archaeological techniques. The
particular civilization represented by the site is analyzed in terms
of its material culture, artistic production, and society (including
political organization, religion, economy, and everyday life). The
course includes weekly visits to sites, monuments and museums
of relevance. Participants work alongside students from the
University of Florence. The course is offered in collaboration
with the Center for Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern
Studies (CAMNES). Offered at various sites, including two
sponsored by the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute. One of the
richest sites for Etruscan culture, Tuscania in northern Latium
is situated in the southern area of the region inhabited by this
people between the 9th to the 1st centuries BCE. Many features
of the site and the wide range of artefacts discovered belong to
later Etruscan culture (Hellenistic period). The course focuses
on Etruscan culture in a period of cosmopolitan expansion and
assimilation to Roman culture. Learning activities may include
visits to Cerveteri, Tarquinia, and the Museo di Villa Giulia in
Rome. Excavation has been overseen by the University of
Florence, Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute, and CAMNES.
Note: HIS 282 T / ANT 282 T / CLA 282 T is offered also as a
3-Credit (two week) Field School
Ancient Mediterranean Civilization
HIS 294 T; Dual listed: CLA 294 T
Cr: 3; Contact hrs: 45
This course presents a survey of the extraordinarily rich
civilizations that thrived in Italy and the Mediterranean from the
8th century BCE to the 5th century CE. Students investigate
the political, social, cultural and religious dimensions of the
Greek, Roman and Etruscan civilizations, engaging with
surviving literature, art and architecture. Themes covered
may include: the principal historical developments; political
trends in the Mediterranean world; classical literature;
major issues in philosophy; spirituality and cults; cultural
and commercial exchange in the Mediterranean. Site visits
enhance understanding of the chronology and the enduring
achievements of ancient Mediterranean culture.
Modern Italy
HIS 296 T; Dual listed: POL 296 T
Cr: 3; Contact hrs: 45
The main goal of the course is for students to gain a general
understanding of the way Italian history and culture has
developed in the last 50 years, especially in the arena of
public policies and social interactions. The course will be
loosely divided in three main segments. The first one, relying
School of Arts & Sciences TUSCANIA
LdM Academic Catalog 2013-2014
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