2010-2011 - Sweet Briar College

2010-2011 Catalog classics, philosophy, and religionCLAS 207 (3)–The Rise and Fall of theRoman RepublicThis course covers the history, literature, andculture of the Roman people from the periodof Etruscan influence to the end of the Republicand beginning of the reign of the first emperorAugustus (seventh through first centuries B.C.).Primary emphasis will be on the last century ofthe Republic, the “Roman Revolution” from 133to 31 B.C., which also saw the flowering of classicalLatin literature and culture. Attention will begiven to the influence of Etruscan and especiallyGreek culture on the development of Romancivilization, especially in the areas of literature,religion, art and political thought. Authors readinclude: Plautus, Terence, Livy, Catullus, Ciceroand Sallust. Offered alternate years. May becounted as an adjunct course toward the minor ingender studies. V.1, V.2.CLAS 208 (3)–Society and Culture in theRoman EmpireThis course looks at the history, literature, andculture of the Roman world from the reign ofAugustus to the end of Roman rule in the West(31 B.C.-476 A.D.). The course will be dividedinto three parts: (1) a survey of political andcultural developments under the Julio-Claudianand Flavian emperors; (2) Roman culture at theheight of the Empire, focusing on some of themost important aspects of Roman social andcivic life (slavery, women and the family, law,religion and art); (3) the rise of Christianity,from the second century to the end of the fourthcentury. Attention will also be given to the diversityof cultures found within the limits of theRoman Empire, and the legacy of Roman civilizationto later European and Mediterraneancultures. Authors read include: Vergil, Ovid,Tacitus, Suetonius and Apuleius. Offered alternateyears. May be counted as an adjunct coursetoward the minor in gender studies. V.1, V.2.CLAS 211 (3)–Roman Archaeology and ArtThis course will cover Roman material culture (artand architecture) including its roots in Etruscanarchitecture and sculpture (8th-6th century B.C.),the development of portraiture during the Republic,the art and architecture of the Roman Empire(including Pompeii), and the art and architectureof the Constantinian period (4th c. A.D.). Includedwill be readings and discussions regarding theproblems of chronology and dating of ancient artifacts,as well as the use of ancient literary sourcesto place artifacts in their context. Students will doa project utilizing Sweet Briar’s classical antiquitiescollection. Offered alternate years. May be countedtoward the major and minor in archaeology. V.1,V.6a.CLAS 219 (3)–Ancient Philosophers in ContextThis course focuses on the historical and culturalcontexts in which ancient philosophy waspracticed, while also tracing various themesthroughout the ancient philosophical tradition.Major differences between modern and ancientnotions of the philosophical method and wayof life are also considered. Course readings willcome from Pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, theStoics, Epicureans, Romans, and late-antiquephilosophers. May be counted toward the major inphilosophy. V.1.CLAS 224 (3)–The Greek Novel: Text andContextIn this course we will explore the emergence ofthe Greek novel during the Roman Empire andthe cultural context that produced this nascentgenre. Through tales of true love, romance,faked deaths, and encounters with pirates, wewill investigate questions of genre, gender, andstatus as well as examine the nature of Greek lifeand literature under Roman rule. V.2.CLAS 261 (1, 2, or 3)–Directed StudyPrerequisites: One CLAS course and permissionof the instructor. The study of introductorylevel material by an individual student or bya small group of students under the immediatesupervision of a faculty member.CLAS 307 (3)–Gender and Sexuality inthe Ancient MediterraneanPrerequisite: Sophomores admitted by permission;a 100- level course in classical studiesor in gender studies is recommended. Studyof the cultural constructs of sex and gender asseen in the literature, law and material cultureof Greek and Roman societies (including Egyptand the Near East in the Greco-Roman period).Explores societal stereotypes regarding women’sabilities and behavior and the strategies77­