Texts:

Sarah B. Pomeroy, Stanley M. Burstein, Walter Donlan, and Jennifer Tolbert Roberts. Ancient Greece: A Political, Social, and Cultural History. 
        Oxford UP: New York. 1999.

Robin Waterfield (trans.). Plutarch: Greek Lives. Oxford UP: Oxford. 1998.

Karl Christ. The Romans. U of California P: Berkeley. 1984.

Robert Graves (trans.). Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars. Penguin: London. 1979.

Quizzes (3):15% each

Class Participation: 10%

Paper:45%
 

Paper : This paper has been conceived of as a creative exercise that will afford students the possibility of exploring the aspects of Greek and Roman life most interesting to them in some considerable depth. The style of the is that of a journal or diary. Students will be expected to recount their life experiences (as a citizen of either ancient Greece or Roman Italy) for the period of one month. These experiences must include a minimum of two “spectacles.” The possibilities are endless for such a writing exercise. In composing a journal, it is not necessary to write every day; for instance, illness or a particularly hectic schedule may prevent this.  Students may assume any persona and any gender. Remember that all sorts of events and activities can be included in a journal entry, however mundane they may appear. Think about the whole day, from sunrise to sunset and beyond. What would a Greek or a Roman do upon waking up? What later in the morning?… and so on. Where do you live? Where do you work? What do you do for relaxation and entertainment? Who are your family and friends? 
When research is undertaken for a particular aspect of life, sources of the information recounted must be documented employing proper footnote format (MLA guidelines). You may quote from ancient sources and include illustrations. The sky is pretty much the limit here. Above all, this exercise should be enjoyable. If you have any questions or worries at any time, please contact me. It would be advisable to start thinking about this project very early on in the course. Make a folder to collect ideas that you have as the semester progresses. It is also advisable to submit a draft of the first 1/4 or 1/3 of your paper in draft form prior to the deadline stipulated in the syllabus. The paper should be a minimum of 7,000 words in length (not nearly as hard as you think because it is a “creative” project) and is due on the last day of class. Grading criteria can be found on our course web page.

Guide to grading- autheniticity and descriptive "quality"  in the representation of : character  (20 pts), plot (20 pts), daily life (20 pts), spectacles (20 pts); presentation (10 pts), variety and quality of sources (10 pts)

Honors Section: Course requirements are slightly adjusted: quizzes 40%, class participation 10%, group project 10%, paper 40% / The group project (an activity to be completed in teams of 2 or 3) can be an in-class presentation (approx. 10 minutes) or a model-making exercise (building a simple model of a house, the Colloseum, a bedroom, whatever). The idea is that by participating in a group activity, Honors students will exchange ideas about daily life in classical antiquity and have some fun in the process. Please clear your “topic” with me before you embark on it.