17 courses with the subject CLAS, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
CLAS 108Greek Tragedy This course reads selected English translations of tragedies written by Aeschylus
Sophocles, and Euripides. Their plays are not only important as fascinating stories in their own right, but because of the extraordinary influence they have exerted over the subsequent literature, art, philosophy, and even science of European and American culture. In this course, then, each play is read as a work of art in its own right and as cultural nexus connecting to broader issues, e.g., how it relates to its contemporary context as a religious, mythological, and political production; how it might have been received by its original audience (i.e., its cultural context); how ancient plays were produced and acted; or how these ancient texts were received over the course of history, and how they have been received and performed in the modern world. The course also considers possible definitions of ‘tragedy’ and why art is not “just” entertainment or a peripheral concern, but a human practice of extraordinary cultural signif- icance (Offered every three years). CLAS 202 Athens in the Age of Pericles This course is a survey of the history of ancient Greece, from the earliest days to the time of Alexander the Great. At the course’s center is the great age of Athenian democracy, so fertile in its influence on our own culture. Particular attention is paid to the social and political history of Periklean Athens, but we will also spend a lot of time considering the culture of Ancient Greece. The heroic Age, oral poetry, religion, HWS.EDU/CATALOGUE 142 2023 - 2024 CATALOGUE
CLAS 230Gender and Sexuality in Antiquity Ancient Greek and Roman literature were powerful forces in shaping
attitudes toward and expectations for men and women that have continued into the 21st century. Through readings (in English translation) of Greek and Roman literature from what were very patriarchal societies, students explore the attitudes of these ancient peoples toward issues of sex, sexuality, and gender. Students examine material written by both men and women from different classes and cultures, with a view to assessing how ancient attitudes towards sex and gender have informed our own. (Offered every four years) CLAS 240 Classics in Cinema Films dealing with ancient subjects like history or mythology often fare quite well at the box office. In fact, throughout the history of film, movies dealing with Greco-Roman antiquity, in particular, have broken countless box office records. Why are we so fascinated with historical narratives describing events that happened millennia ago, or narratives recreating the fantastical worlds of mythology? Is it ‘just’ pure escapism, or is there another reason why these films draw audiences? What does it mean that films about ancient worlds still speak to us? The study of Classics in film is important for many reasons. From a Classicist’s perspective, films about antiquity are important because - regardless of their historical accuracy - they are a chief source of popular knowl- edge about ancient Greece and Rome. But from an audience’s perspective, we should ask: Why do films choose the stories they do (and which stories don’t get told)? How accurate are films about the distant past? How can we verify their accuracy? To whom are these versions of the ancient world beholden? What interpretive decisions are made and why? Are films about ancient subjects really about the past? (Offered every three years)
CLAS 251The Romans: Republic to Empire This course surveys the “Roman Revolution,” from 140 BCE to CE 70
the Destruction of the Republic by Julius Caesar and Augustus’ founding of the Empire. Students trace the political evolution of Rome through these two centuries and read several central works by ancient authors of this period. The course also Considers the “everyday life” of the Romans - the conditions of the rich, poor, and slave, the changing status of women, and religious and philosophical pluralism within the Empire. The course thus aims to be an intro- duction to Roman History and culture during its central era. (Offered every three years)
CLAS 275Special Topics Different topics taken up each time the course is taught. Course man be repeated
CLAS 281 Fall of the Roman Empire Invasions and Germanic hordes, repressive regimes of late antiquity, problems with its armies, an emperor’s adoption of Christianity and a corrupt Roman government - writers, both ancient and modern, have examined these and other issues concerning the fall of the Roman Empire. The present course will approach these topics with an emphasis on reading and analyzing the primary sources in an effort to discern for ourselves the nature of the so-called decline of the Roman Empire. We will examine the Empire’s economy, culture, HWS.EDU/CATALOGUE 143 2023 - 2024 CATALOGUE
CLAS 290Ancient Law and Morality What did the law protect? How did the ancient Greeks and Romans adminis
ter justice? How did the courts operate and what were the penalties? How were law and morality connected and, how were they distinct? In this course, we will read court speeches, documents, and philosophies from ancient Athens and Rome. We will examine the ways in which rhetoric and law converged, justice was administered, and where morality and law were connected and remained distinct. We will, therefore, study how the ancients defined, developed, and exercised law within their own cultural beliefs; law as an idea, then, is as central to this course as the practices and procedures of the ancient court system. (Offered every four years)
CLAS 310Sparta: The Warrior Heroes of Ancient Greece When news of the battle of Thermopylae reached the rest
of the Greek world the myth of the Warrior-Heroes of Greece was complete and over the next hundred years Sparta was a dominant culture within the Greek world. The Spartan culture has attracted many people to its study, both ancient and modern, but due to the reticent nature of the Spartans most of our understanding of their culture comes from outside their city-state. A history of Sparta, then, is as much an account of the rise and fall of the Spartan soci- ety as it is an examination of the mythic representation of this city-state by other Greeks and later writers. Dedicated classroom participation and preparation will be assumed as we explore the mirage and realities of this unique and powerful society. (Offered every three years) CLAS 330 Greek Archaeology This course will provide a basic background in Greek (or rather, Aegean Basin) archae- ology, ranging from the Stone Age to the death of Alexander the Great (in 323 BCE). Students will be introduced those sites, artifacts and concepts that are representative of their eras or styles, as well as those to which a begin- ning student of Greek archaeology ought to be exposed. Further, whenever possible, students will examine some of the field’s more famous controversies. Other questions to consider are as follows: How much can we really know about any culture from its artifacts? How much do our own biases affect our interpretations? Is archaeology ‘loot- ing’? Who can ‘legitimately’ claim to ‘possess’ an artifact? (Offered every four years)
CLAS 460 Senior Seminar in Classics This Senior Seminar in Classics is designed for majors in Greek, Latin, Classics, and Greek & Roman Studies and, as such, provides a capstone experience in Classics. The seminar’s focus is the senior thesis, but it will also examine past and current scholarship across the discipline of Classics. Students will lead discussions of sources, texts, and scholarship as they consider a common topic or theme. Although the content varies each year, in each seminar students will gain a familiarity with the methodologies, critical approaches and research tools used in classical scholarship. During the first half of the course students work together on a common topic or theme to become familiar with classical scholarship. Then, during the second half of the course, students pursue their own research and produce their own senior thesis.
