Ancient Studies

Overview

From its temples to its togas, from its alphabet to its government, the world of the ancient Greeks and Romans continues to influence our lives. Whether we study the epics of Homer and Virgil, the lyric verse of Sappho and Catullus, the speeches of Demosthenes and Cicero, the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, the histories of Herodotus and Livy, the tragedies of Sophocles and Seneca, or the comedies of Aristophanes and Plautus, we come to realize how profoundly indebted we are to classical antiquity.

An interdisciplinary major in Ancient Studies gives students a broad acquaintance with Graeco-Roman civilization, spanning the more than two millennia between Greece's Bronze Age and the fall of the Roman Empire. Combining art, history, language, literature, philosophy, and religion, it provides a useful grounding in the humanities for students interested in virtually any career, from law to medicine, from teaching to preaching, from journalism to archaeology.

Every student majoring in Ancient Studies takes two required courses and three ancient language courses, then designs the rest of the major with electives. Ancient Studies majors often have a second major in a specific field such as art, English, history, mathematics, philosophy, political science, or speech-theater.

General Education Credit

The Ancient Studies courses that fulfill General Education requirements are listed in the Class and Lab Schedule.

Requirements for the Major

Required Courses: History 210 (Middle East and Greece) or 211 (Rome) or 302 (Greek Civilization) or 303 (Roman Civilization); Philosophy 235 (Ancient and Medieval).

Language Courses: either Greek 111, 112, and 231 (or any three courses in Greek) or Latin 111, 112, and 231 (or any three courses in Latin).

Elective Courses: four electives, one of which must be an independent research.

Courses

Electives

Art 150, Classics 241, 243, Great Conversation 113, 115, Greek 253, 372, 373, 374, 375, Latin 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, Philosophy 374, Political Science 259, Religion 221, 223, 231, 241, 248, 270, 273, 274, 277 , 290, 291, 391, 392, 396, Speech-Theater 270, 383, 389, Independent Study, Independent Research.

Interim courses and other courses offered occasionally or only once (including courses at Carleton College) may also be used as electives.

Interim

The following courses, offered in January 1996, were approved as electives for an Ancient Studies major:

Classics 126: Ancient Comedy: A Funny Thing Happened
Classics 251: Classical Studies in Greece (off-campus)
Great Conversation 115A-C: The Romans and the Christians
Religion 220: Jesus
Religion 222: The Biblical God
Religion 259: Religion and Culture in Rome (off-campus)
Religion 275: Historical Geography and the Bible (off-campus)
Speech-Theater 386: Classical Rhetoric

Faculty

The faculty of interdisciplinary programs are drawn from a variety of departments. See faculty listing under department for individual degree information.

Anne H. Groton (Director)
Associate Professor of Classics, 1981-

David Booth
Associate Professor of Religion, 1985-

J. Laurel Carrington
Associate Professor of History, 1988-

Karen Cherewatuk
Associate Professor of English, 1986-

Adrienne Daniels
Assistant Professor of Speech-Theater, 1994-

Yosi Gordon
Visiting Lecturer in Religion, 1990-

James Hanson
Instructor in Religion, 1992-

Vicki Lynn Harper
Assistant Professor of Philosophy, 1979-

Gerald Hoekstra
Professor of Music, 1981-

Joel Kaminsky
Assistant Professor of Religion, 1994-

James M. May
Professor of Classics, 1977-

Margaret Odell
Assistant Professor of Religion, 1994-

Richard A. Olson
Associate Professor of History, 1967-

William R. Poehlmann
Associate Professor of Religion, 1973-

Steve Reece
Assistant Professor of Classics, 1994-

Gary Stansell
Professor of Religion, 1973-

Charles Umbanhowar, Sr.
Associate Professor of Political Science, 1978-

Steven Weiss
Assistant Professor of Speech-Theater, 1978-

Charles A. Wilson
Professor of Religion, 1973-77, 1981-