Fall 2003
2:40 pm odd days Quad 254
Instructor: Margaret L. Cook
Office Quad 255A
Phone 363-3103
Office Hours:
11 AM – noon Odd days,
2:15 –- 3:30 Even days,
or by appointment
(Actually, I'm in my office most of the time; feel free to drop
in)
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 | (note: AW: The Ancient World: A Social and Cultural History; |
| AWR: The Ancient World: Readings in Social and Cultural History) |
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Day |
Date |
Topic and Readings |
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Wed |
8/27 |
Introduction; Computer on Wheels demonstration of the History 130 web page |
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Fri |
8/29 |
Evolution and the Origins of Man Web work You will be using the Stone Age section of the course page. Spend some time on at least one of the first four links under Evolution. Then go to the Neanderthal section and and examine enough links to answer the following questions. |
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Wed |
9/3 |
Readings: The Agricultural Revolution AW 1 - 9 |
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Fri |
9/5 |
Early Mesopotamia Readings: AW 9 – 21, AWR 6 -7, 10-12, 37-39; The Epic of Gilgamesh. Web work: on Mesopotamia: There are a number of collections of images and some useful chronologies. You may find the link to Sumerian mythology helpful in reading Gilgamesh. There are also a number of links to summaries, study questions, and relevant images in the Gilgamesh section. You can see (and virtually build) a ziggurat, which is what the original tower of Babel was.
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Tues |
9/9 |
Early Egypt Readings: AW 21 – 35 AWR 8 -10 Web work: on Egypt . Quite a lot of information and physical remains have survived to tell us about the Egyptians. Not only do we have the pyramids, mummies and many grave goods, we also have texts that tell us about Egyptian beliefs. Spend some time with the web resources to be able to answer at least three of the following questions:
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Thurs |
9/11 |
Early Empires, Mesopotamia & Hittites Readings: AW 35 –43 AWR 38 –39, 43-44, 47 – 49, 53 -59 (Code of Hammurabi) Web Work: Most of the assigned reading in AWR consists of selections from the Code of Hammurabi. The full text, if you are interested, is available at several sites on the Web, and there are also a number of websites related to the Code. The one called "Hammurabi's Managed Health Care" is especially interesting. There is less material available for the Hittites, but you can get some idea of the power of the Hittite state, and the rather technical article on the Hittites' use of metals helps to explain that power. Treaties that the Hittites made with other great states are the earliest treaties to survive. |
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Mon |
9/15 |
Egyptian Empire and Decline Readings: AW 43 –55 AWR 19-23, 24 – 32, 39-40, 49 – 50; 60 -62. Web work: In connection with AWR 60-62, look also at the British Museum site's section on writing and view the rather lavish tomb of a scribe. |
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Wed |
9/17 |
Study Questions for the first exam are now available New Peoples of the Near East, Readings: Assyria & Babylon AW 55 –70 AWR 40 – 43, 44 - 46 Web work: Surviving Assyrian inscriptions will tell you a lot about the way Assyrians viewed other nations, and why they were hated so much. The book of Nahum, in the Old Testament, preserves a celebration at the fall of Nineva in 612 BC.. |
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Fri |
9/19 |
The Persians and the Israelites Readings: AW 70 – 87 AWR 12 –19, 41 – 42, 50-52, 63 -68; the Book of Exodus. (Exodus is the second book of the Old Testament. If you do not have a Bible, you can read it on line: Book of Exodus )
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Tues |
9/23 |
half hour exam; slides of Minoan/Mycenean civilization includes map quiz: See map "The Ancient Near East" (AW pg 2) Be able to locate: Egypt, the Nile, the Delta, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Babylon, Phoenicia, Assyria, Mesopotamia, and the Hittites. (no reading, web assignments or pre-class questions today.) |
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Thur |
9/25 |
Bronze Age Greece Readings: AW 88 –99, AWR 101 - 105, Handout with the text of some Linear B tablets Web Work: Have a look at Knossos in the Minoan section of the "Greece" web page, then use the Mycenean section to look at Mycenae and Pylos. If you prefer, one of the best sources for all Greek periods will be the Perseus database, much of which is available on the Web as well as on the campus network. For the Bronze Age, go to the Browser, choose "site", and choose to search by Period. This will give you a list of the sites at which there are remains from that period. Click on "view thumbnails," then click on the name of the site. Mycenae and Pylos have the most Bronze Age remains still intact, because those sites were not leveled and rebuilt in later periods. Perseus does not have pictures of Knossos. The Linear B tablets at Pylos were accidentally preserved by a fire, which gives us access to palace records.
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Mon |
9/29 |
Dark Ages, Archaic Period Readings: AW 99 –109, AWR 72-82; 88-91; 108 - 119 Web work: the Olympic Games were founded in the Archaic period.
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Wed |
10/1 |
The Polis Readings: AW 109 –132; AWR 69 - 72; 91-101 Web work: There is not a lot about Sparta on the web, and in particular there are few pictures because Sparta did not build large buildings which lasted. There are some written sources in addition to those in AWR, and the Perseus website (or the networked version) do have some photographs.
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Fri |
10/3 |
The Persian Wars and the Delian League Readings: AW 133 –142; AWR 138 - 149 Web Work: start with the Persia section of the Ancient Near East page. Look at the Map of Persia under Darius and the royal inscriptions, particularly DPe, listing the lands Darius claimed. In class, video segment from "War and Civilization:" recreations of the battles of Marathon and of Salamis. (Warning: the Pheidippides story is apocryphal; the real story is actually more impressive. And Greek hoplites did not fight barefoot!) |
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Tues |
10/7 |
Finances of the Athenian Empire: The Athenian Tribute Lists | |
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Long Weekend |
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Mon |
10/13 |
The Peloponnesian War and aftermath Reading: AW 143 –153; AWR 150 - 170 Web Work: Color map of the Athenian Empire in 450 BC: you can see a picture of a Herm in the Agora of Athens. (click on the small square on the inside of the NW corner.) Look at the Perseus web site's pictures of a trireme and, if you haven't already done so, look at some hoplite armor. (There are also many images of hoplites in Perseus. Whether in the networked version or the web version, go to the Browser, then choose Vases, index by Keywords, and choose "Weapons.") Since the strength of the Athenians was in their navy, and the strength of the Spartans was in their army, what would you expect a war between them to be like? |
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Wed |
10/15 |
Classical Athens Reading: AW 154 –178 , Last Of The Wine No assigned web work, but looking at the networked Perseus or the web-based Perseus Browser (site: Athens) will let you follow Alexias and Lysis around Athens. Renault translates place names with a view to their meaning: "High City" means the Acropolis, the Agora is the market. and Aigospotami is "Goat's Creek." Slides, and possibly some images from Perseus, in class |
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Fri |
10/17 |
Classical Athens
Readings: AW 165 - 186; AWR Chapter 7 (pp. 120 - 137) Web work: This would be a good time to explore the site of Athens and some of the art of the Athenian Acropolis. You can do this through the networked Perseus or through some of the links in the Athens section of the Greece page. There is also quite a lot of sculpture in the Perseus database. If you set the sculpture index to "Period," and choose "late classical," you will find many relief sculptures from various honorary or other decrees. This reflects the value placed on public actions being publicly known. Frequently there are personified versions of Democracy, or Demos (the people as a whole.) |
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Tues |
10/21 C1 |
Athenian Society Reading: AW 186 - 200 Web work: look at the evidence for literacy and the links to depictions of daily life in the "Miscellanous" section of the web page on Greece. Also, view The Structure of the Athenian Government . In class: a short segment of a video "War and Civilization" concerning Alexander and the Macedonian army. |
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Thurs |
10/23 |
Philip and Alexander the Great Reading: AW 201 – 216, AWR 173 - 178, look at the map "Campaigns of Alexander" ( AW 206) for a map quiz next class. Be able to trace (approximately) the route of Alexander the Great, noting the sites of Issus, Tyre, Alexandria, the Oracle of Amnon, Gaza, Gaugamela, Babylon, Susa, Persepolis, Ecbatana, and Alexandria Eschate. (Include the Tigris , Euphrates, and Indus rivers) Web work: Look at Alexander the Great's Home Page . Try to understand what it would take to move that many men, on foot, so far from home. Consider the question of what Alexander would have done had he lived longer. Some historians believe that Alexander had a vision of a united state without prejudice concerning ethnic groups (i.e. without the assumed superiority of Greek & Macedonian over Persian and other foreigners) Can you find any evidence for or against this? |
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Mon |
10/27 |
The Hellenistic
World
Reading: AW 212 – 234, AWR 178 - 193 Web Work: Alexandria in Egypt was the first of several cities of that name, founded by Alexander, and became one of the most important centers of civilization for many centuries to come after one of Alexander's generals and successors chose to use it as the capital of Egypt. The library founded there was the greatest in the world, and scholars came from all over the ancient world to work there. Look at the Ancient Library of Alexandria and it's destruction (Hellenistic section of the Greece page). Map of the world as Alexander would have imagined it (Look at the Eratosthenes/Strabo map.) |
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Wed |
10/29 |
The Hellenistic World Reading: AW 234 - 252, AWR 193 - 201 Web Work: look at the resources on Greek mathematics in the Hellenistic section. You might also look at the Archimedes site; though he did not work at Alexandria, he was a great Hellenistic mathematician, and an inventor of a number of engineering marvels. He also invented a number of defensive weapons, but failed to save his city from the Romans.
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Fri |
10/31 |
Hour-long Exam on Greek History (study questions will be available here one week before exam.) |
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Tues |
11/4 |
Early Rome AW 253 –274 AWR 202 - 219 Web work:
Very soon after the establishment of the Roman Republic, The Laws of the Twelve Tables were set down. Look at the laws relating to the power of the father, and the laws concerning women. They are quite similar in spirit to the laws attributed to Romulus and Numa. |
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Thurs |
11/6 |
Building of an Empire AW 275 -294 AWR chapter 11 (220-236) Web work:
Quiz on Map 4.2 ( AW pg 292) Be able to locate Rome, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and Carthage
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Mon |
11/10 |
Roman Republican Culture AW 295 – 314 AWR ch 12 237 -249 Web work: The Roman Republican "Constitution" gives further details of the structure of the magistrates. Senate, and other institutions of government beyond what I will cover in class. Read Polybius's description of Roman Republican Government. Polybius (c. 200 - 118 BC) was a Greek who was detained indefinitely in Rome after serving as diplomat on the wrong side in the war between Rome and the Achaean League in Greece. He came to be a great admirer of Rome, and wrote a history of their rise to power in the Mediterranean. Note that Polybius believes that there was some sense in which the government of Rome was democratic. To some extent this reflects his philosophical background, with an admiration of the so-called "mixed constitution" going back to Aristotle. Web work: The basis for Roman power as it expanded beyond Italy was her army. Spend some time looking at the sources for the army on the web page. In class: video segment from "War and Civilization" about the Roman army. |
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Wed |
11/12 |
Transformation of the Republic AW 314 – 324 AWR 250-252, 258 -262 Web work Explore the sources for daily life and women's life in Rome. It's important to understand the power held by the "paterfamilias," the head of the family, not only within the home, but also for forming political alliances. The heads of a handful of families in Rome had tremendous power as Rome advanced from a town on the Tiber to a world power. If you have time, look at The Roman Name , a short explanation of how Romans were identified -- by your name, you are placed into a family which either did or did not have "clout." Note that the woman's name merely identifies her as a member of the clan, interchangeable (as far as her name goes) with any other women of that clan. A marriage, among the powerful families, was an agreement between men, with the woman serving as the link.
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Fri |
11/14 |
Gracchan Reforms and the Roman Revolution AW – 324 – 338 AWR 252-258
Web work:
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Tues |
11/18 |
Fall of the Republic AW 338 – 349* Handouts: copy of part of Virgil's Aeneid, a selection from Ovid, and Horace's "Cleopatra" Ode, and the preface to Livy's history of Rome Web work: read Cicero's comments about Octavian. in his letters, mostly to his brother. |
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Thurs |
11/20 |
Reforms of Augustus and the Early Empire AW 350 – 366 AWR 262 -267 Web work: Octavian (later called Augustus) brought an end to many years of civil war, and some contemporaries admired him greatly. You have read in AW 235-240 Suetonius' generally positive account. For some contrary views, read Select Testimonia on the Emperor Augustus particularly the comments of Tacitus. For Augustus' own account of his career, read Selections from the Acts of the Divine Augustus. You can read some of the details of The Lex Julia: Marriage Laws in which Augustus attempted some moral reforms. A list of all Augustan legislation is also available. Another way that Augustus put forth a positive picture of his career is through art (have a look at Augustus: Images of Power, particularly the Ara Pacis and the Statue of Augustus at Prima Porta.) |
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Mon |
11/24 |
Rise Of Christianity, read Acts Of The Apostles and the letter of Pliny about the Christians, AWR 299 - 301 or online Web work: One of Christianity's major competitors in the first few centuries was Mithraism, a religion with Eastern origins, which was very popular among the soldiers. Find out a little about it on the web: the Mithraism site will tell you something about the history, the myth, and archaeological remains, and The Cosmic Mysteries of Mithras explains a theory linking Mithraism with astronomical or astrological ideas. You can even Visit a Virtual Mithraeum.
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Thanksgiving Recess |
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Mon |
12/1 |
the Pax Romana AW 367 – 387 AWR CH 15 284 – 308 Web work: Go to the Pompeii and Hurculaneum section of the resource page. This is a chance to get some picture of everyday life in a Roman town. Look also at Roman sources on the Jews and Dii Consentes . If you haven't already done so, visit Roman Arena: Gladiatorial games, Roman Baths, and Roman Technology. |
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Wed |
12/3 |
Pax Romana: Government, Army and Society AW 387 - 402, AWR Ch 14 pp. 268 -283 Map quiz: Using the (corrected) map distributed in class, be able to locate at least 20 of the provinces on an outline map: Mauretania, Africa, Numidia, Cyrenaica, Libya, Egypt, Arabia Petraea, Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Assyria, Armenia, Cappadocia, Cilicia, Galatia, Pontus, Bithynia, Asia, Greece, Illyria, Achaea, Crete, Cyprus, Thrace, Macedonia, Noricium, Rhaetai, Gaul (extra credit for subdivisions Cisalpine, Narbonensis, Aquitania, Lugdunensis), Baetica, Lusitania, Tarraconensis, Balaearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, and Britain, Dalmatia, upper (sub.) and lower (inf.) Pannonia, Noricum, Raetia, Lower and Upper Moesia and Dacia. Extra Credit for more than 20. Web work: One of the ways that the Romans left their mark on their huge empire is in the building of baths, roads, aquaducts, theaters, and so on. Go to the Art and Archaeology of Rome section of the course page and spend some time looking at Roman remains in Britain, Luxembourg, and in the Virtual tours of Colonia Ulpia Traiana , a colony of Germany, and Caistor, a Roman town in England. Look at the site on Hadrian's Wall in Great Britain, a huge undertaking. Have a look at Trajan’s column, which depicted his conquests. (See items #46-54). If you are curious about some other Roman province, try Romarch: A Resource for the Art and Archeology of Ancient Italy and the Provinces of Rome , where you can click on a map of the Empire to find resources for that province. |
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Fri |
12/5 |
Third Century Crisis, Anarchy, Diocletian and Constantine
Course Evaluation. Please think about how the use of the Web has affected your learning in this class. Web Work: By the time of Constantine, Roman culture has changed and in many ways declined. You can see in Art and Architecture of Constantine the Great that his triumphal arch in Rome is partly decorated with bits of sculpture from earlier arches -- Rome no longer had the sculptors needed to make a new one. |
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Tues |
12/9 |
Collapse of the Western Empire, Rise of the Byzantine Empire, New Religious Environment AW 411-414, 420-433, AWR 224-5, 331-334, 341-354 The Study Questions for the Final Exam will be available here Web Work: Constantine is most famous for the fact that he stopped the persecution of the Christians, and eventually converted to Christianity himself, although it is not clear how whole-hearted he was about this until he was on his deathbed. Look at a little bit of Eusebius's biography of Constantine, and consider how reliable it seems as a primary source. After Constantine converted, and then made Christianity the official state religion, he called a council to resolve some religious disputes. Read sections 5-14 of Book 3 (the Council of Nicea) and consider whether or not you think having an official state religion is a good thing. There is a considerably less emotional article about Constantine in De Imperatoribus Romanis |
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Thurs |
12/11 |
Transformed Empire: Administration, Army, Barbarians AW 415 – 419 and 433 – 444 Web work:
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Wed |
12/17 |
Final exam 5 – 7 PM |
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