Classics 220: The Classical Tradition (Part 1)

*Note: This is an old document. Most of the links are broken.*
Instructor:

John Bauschatz
Time/Location: M/W/F, 10:00–10:50 a.m.; Social Sciences 100
Contact Info:

Office: Learning Services Building 215
Phone: (520) 621-7422 (office)
email: jbausch1@email.arizona.edu

OVERVIEW

Classics 220 traces the political, social, literary and cultural history of Greece and Rome over a more than 3000-year period: from the time of the Minoans (ca 2700 B.C.) to the fall of the Roman Empire (A.D. 476). We will explore our subject primarily through the texts of Greek and Roman prose writers and poets, as well as modern historians; but we will also employ archaeological remains, artwork and other types of material culture to obtain a well-rounded view of the Greco-Roman world.

GOALS

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Identify the major cultural sites of the ancient Mediterranean.
  • List the eastern Mediterranean civilizations from whom the Greeks and Romans borrowed much of their culture and describe these civilizations in detail.
  • List ten or more Greek and Roman authors and provide detailed information about their lives and works.
  • Describe the characteristics of Greek and Latin poetry and prose and the motivations and agendas of the men and women who wrote it.
  • Describe the religion of the Greeks and Romans, drawing not only on mythology, but also on the ample evidence for temples, cults, religious festivals and athletic contests.
  • Compare and contrast the evidence for Greco-Roman civilization in the literature with that provided by art, architecture and other material culture.
  • Trace major developments in science, technology, political thought, religion and philosophy over our more than 3000-year period.

PREREQUISITES

The prerequisite for CLAS 220 is two courses from Tier One, Traditions and Cultures (catalog numbers 160A, B, C and/or D).

READINGS

The required texts are as follows:

  • Thomas Martin. Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times. Updated edition. Yale UP, 2000.
  • Christopher Mackay. Ancient Rome: A Military and Political History. Cambridge UP, 2007.

These books will be available in the bookstore, though you might want to try amazon, Barnes & Noble or abe Books (where you can probably find used copies for cheaper).

There is one additional required text for this course:

  • John Bauschatz, ed. Classics 220: The Classical Tradition, Part 1. Revised Edition. University Readers, 2011.

This is a sourcebook of primary readings for Classics 220 available exclusively from University Readers (www.universityreaders.com). Students must order this text directly from the publisher. Follow these steps to obtain your copy:

  1. Log on to https://students.universityreaders.com/store/.
  2. Create an account or log in if you have an existing account to purchase.
  3. Easy-to-follow instructions will guide you through the rest of the ordering process. Payment can be made by all major credit cards or with an electronic check.
  4. After purchasing, you can access your partial e-book (FREE 20% PDF) by logging into your account and clicking My Digital Materials to get started on your readings right away.

Orders are typically processed within 24 hours and the shipping time will depend on the selected shipping method and day it is shipped (orders are not shipped on Sundays or holidays). If you experience any difficulties, please email orders@universityreaders.com or call 800.200.3908 ext. 503.

There may be additional reading assignments for this course. If so, they will be available for download from the D2L website for CLAS 220 as pdf files: see the "Readings" area of the "content" section. To view/download them, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download available here).

GRADING

Grading for the course will be based on the following breakdown:

  • Quizzes (25%): On the Friday of each week of the semester (with a few exceptions - see schedule, below), students are required to take a 10-minute reading quiz on D2L. These are simple multiple-choice and true/false quizzes with randomly generated questions designed to test whether students have done the readings assigned during the past week, including the day of the quiz. Each quiz will be available to be taken on D2L for 24 hours, from midnight the Thursday before until midnight on that Friday. Your quiz grade will be the average of your scores on these quizzes, and your lowest four (of fourteen) grades will be dropped.

  • Short Papers (25%): Students in Classics 220 will be required to write two 3- to 5-page papers based on course readings. These are exercises in analytical thinking and will not require additional readings or research. The topics for the papers will be announced over the course of the semester. The papers are due in class at the beginning of class on Friday, September 9 and Friday, October 21. Late papers will lose one letter grade for each day late (Saturdays and Sundays included). (Note: if you miss the in-class submission deadline for a paper, your paper is already a day late!)
  • Monocle CAT (5%): In-class participation. See below for details!
  • Hour Exams (30%): Two hour (well, 50-minute) exams based on course lectures will occur in CLAS 220. The first is scheduled for Friday, September 30; the second for Friday, November 4. Do not miss the exams.
  • Final Exam (15%): The 2-hour final exam for CLAS 220 will take place on Wednesday, December 14 from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Do not miss the final.

MONOCLE CAT

In an effort to make class sessions more interactive, we'll be using a new tool in CLAS 220 this Fall: Monocle CAT (Computer Assisted Teaching). According to the company that manufactures it, "Monocle CAT is a web-based system that allows immediate interactive feedback and graphical simulations to both aid and assess understanding of the course material." To put it more simply, this system will allow us to use technology to ask each other questions in our gigantic class in real time. Fun!

Use of Monocle CAT in CLAS 220 is required. Students enrolled in CLAS 220 will need to sign up for a subscription to the service during the first week of the semester via the Top Hat Monocle website at the following address:

http://www.tophatmonocle.com/register/

The directions for creating an account should be pretty simple. A semester-long subscription to the service costs $20, but since we are the first class at the U of A to use the service, you will only have to pay $15. (I will email you a coupon code to get the discounted rate during the first week of the semester, so don't register for the service just yet!) Incidentally, if you want to take a leap of faith that the service will catch on at the U of A and buy a longer subscription—for unlimited classes over 5 years!—they're currently offering a special for $38.

Once you have signed up for the service, you'll be able to ask and answer questions in class via cellphone (texting), smartphone or laptop. I will assume that you have and will bring to EVERY CLASS SESSION one of the devices just mentioned, so that you can participate in the in-class Q&A. In order to make sure that as many students as possible participate, ***5% of your overall grade in CLAS 220 will come from your score on the Monocle CAT questions asked in class.*** (The questions will be based on the stuff we're covering in class on a given day and won't be very difficult. The 5% is thus really a participation grade more than anything else.) If you don't have a laptop, smartphone or texting-enabled cellphone, please contact your TA immedtaiely for other accommodations.

I'll explain this new tool in more detail during the first week of class. My hope is that it won't prove to be too confusing, and will prove to be more than a little bit entertaining.

TEACHING ASSISTANTS AND OFFICE HOURS

There are two teaching assistants (TAs) for this course. Each student enrolled in CLAS 220 is assigned to a TA alphabetically (see breakdown, below). Your TA will help with classroom management, will answer your questions about course policies, readings and assignments, and will be responsible for grading much of your written work over the course of the semester. The TAs are the first points of contact for all questions about the course. You should not come to me with questions or complaints until you have first spoken with your TA and have been unable to resolve your issue with him/her.

TAs for CLAS 220, Fall 2011:

  • Mike Baker (bakermj@email.arizona.edu), last names starting with A–M

office hours: Tu, 9:45–10:45 a.m.; W, 11–12 noon; Th, 9:45–10:45 a.m.; F, 11–12 noon

  • Matt Pihokker (mpihokker@email.arizona.edu), last names starting with N–Z

office hours: M, 1–2 p.m.; F, 1–2 p.m.

Unless otherwise specified by your TA, all TA office hours will be held in the Classics Department GAT Office (room 209) on the second floor of the Learning Services Building (LSB), which is itself located at the corner of First and Vine (i.e., here).

In addition, I will also hold weekly office hours: M–Th, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 noon in my office, LSB 215. These times are reserved for honors students, those with issues that they have been unable to resolve with the TAs, or students with general questions about the course.

OTHER (IMPORTANT!) COURSE POLICIES: READ CAREFULLY

  • Course Content: Course lectures and readings will regularly contain brutally violent, sexually graphic and/or otherwise potentially offensive material. I assume that all students enrolled in CLAS 220 are mature enough to handle such material and suggest that anyone easily offended by such material not take the course.
  • Honors Contracts: Students wishing to earn Honors in CLAS 220 must select their own topics for their short papers and have these topics pre-approved by the instructor. Honors students may also choose to write a 10-page final paper in lieu of the final exam for Classics 220. This last is a research paper which will require additional readings and research.
  • Make-Ups: There are no make-ups for quizzes. Students' lowest four quiz grades will be automatically dropped, and this should allow for the occasional unexpected event to occur without negatively impacting a student's grades. There are also no make-ups for tests (the hour exams and the final). Exceptions to this rule will only be made when notification of an absence is submitted with documentation 24 hours before the scheduled test, or when a valid medical emergency is documented within 24 hours after the test. In the case of such exceptions, only one particular day and time will be arranged for all those taking the make-up test.
  • D2L: As mentioned above, students in CLAS 220 will be expected to be familiar with D2L ("Desire2Learn"), the University's online course content management system. Our use of D2L in CLAS 220 will be extensive: we will use D2L not only as a repository for course documents (additional readings, PowerPoint presentations, lecture and reading guides and course handouts) and as a place to post grades, but also for quizzes and for email updates about the course. Students should check their D2L email regularly. If you are unfamiliar with D2L, see the D2L help homepage.
  • Reading and Lecture Guides: Speaking of course documents, you'll note that the CLAS 220 D2L site contains a number of Lecture Guides—one for each lecture—and Reading Guides—one for each reading assignment. These are not required assignments, but are provided for your convenience as a way to focus your note-taking. Material on the Lecture Guides is used by the instructor to design the exams—which are based primarily on material discussed in lectures—and material on the Reading Guides should prove helpful when reviewing for reading quizzes and writing papers—both of which focus on material discussed in the course readings.
  • Copyright: The instructor owns the copyright on the Lecture and Reading Guides for CLAS 220. ***Selling completed Lecture and Reading Guides in hard or electronic copy to other students is a violation of copyright. Any such materials discovered by the instructor will be confiscated, and buyer and seller punished to the full extent of the law.***
  • Grades: All quiz grades for CLAS 220 will be generated immediately on the D2L site. Grades on other assignments—tests, papers—will be entered on D2L within two weeks of the assignment due date. Written work will be made available for review in room 209 in the Classics Department (for location, see above). Because of the potential for cheating, students are *NOT* allowed to take tests out of the Classics Department.
  • Paper Grading: The following rubric will be used to compile your grades on papers in CLAS 220 (with thanks to Jennifer Kendall!):

    Point Category Description Max Points

    1.) Paper Mechanics

    15 points: The essay adheres to all of the mechanical requirements (formatting, length, margins, proper citations and following any specific instructions for content in the paper assignment).

    10 points: The essay has one or two mechanical errors.

    5 points: The essay has numerous mechanical errors.

    0 points: The essay has numerous mechanical errors and/or is less than the required length.
    15

    B.) Grammar/Spelling/Composition

    15 points: No/almost no spelling, grammar, punctuation or other compositional errors are present. The essay clearly appears to have been proofread and edited.

    10 points: There are a few grammar, spelling, punctuation or other compositional errors but the essay appears to have been proofread and edited.

    5 points: There are many grammar, spelling, punctuation or other compositional errors present.

    0 points: Numerous errors make the essay difficut to read and/or excessively long quotations or paraphrases are used.

    15

    C.) Content

    70 points: The depth of analysis greatly exceeds expectations, details are many and organization is excellent.

    55 points: The depth of analysis is good, as are details and organization, and minimum expectations are exceeded.

    40 points: The essay is basic with an adequate analysis.

    25 points: The essay is poor all around, but there is at least an attempt to follow directions.

    10 points: The essay is poor all around, and there is little to no evidence that the author followed instructions. But at least he/she handed something in!

    70
    Total Possible Points:
    100
  • Final Grades: For the final grade, the following breakdown will be used:

    A+ = 98–100 A = 93–97 A- = 90–92
    B+ = 88–89 B = 83–87 B- = 80–82
    C+ = 78–79 C = 73–77 C- = 70–72
    D+ = 68–69 D = 63–67 D- = 60–62
    F+ = 58–59 F = 53–57 F- = 0–52

    Final grades ending in .5 or higher will be rounded up; those ending in .49 or lower will be rounded down.

  • Writing: If you would like help with your writing, the University’s Writing Skills Improvement Program (http://wsip.web.arizona.edu/) may be a valuable resource. The Program offers professional individual tutoring in writing for students referred by faculty. If you are interested in such tutoring, please inform your TA and it can be arranged. The program also hosts weekly writing workshops. These are free, open to the public and require no advance registration. The Fall semester workshops will be held on Mondays from 4–5 p.m. (location TBA). A schedule of dates and topics can be found here.
  • Preceptors: For the first time this fall we will be using student preceptors in CLAS 220. My hope is that those who choose to serve as preceptors will be able to run review sessions and study groups and help with peer review of written assignments. There will be a brief recruitment presentation in class during the first week of the semester. Listen up and consider serving! For more information on the student preceptor program, see the homepage of the Teaching Teams Program.
  • Cheating: Surprise! Cheating is not allowed. If you cheat, and I find out, you will receive a grade of 0 for the assignment and other bad things will happen. (See the U of A's code of academic integrity.)

COURSE SCHEDULE

What follows is a sketch outline of the Fall semester. Assignments are due on the dates specified. Numbers in (bold parenthesis) refer to class number.

Check this page often. Readings and assignments are subject to change. I'll try to give a heads-up in class if a major shake-up is imminent. I'll also try to have readings posted on the D2L site at least a week before the due date.
Week Monday Wednesday Friday
1

8/22 (1) Introduction, Class Business, Geography

 

8/24 (2) Beginnings; Minoans and Mycenaeans

READ: Martin (chapters 1 and 2, pp1–35)

8/26 (3) The Greek Dark Ages

READ: Martin (chapters 3 and 4, pp36–69)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #1
2

8/29 (4) Greece in the Eighth Century; Troy

READ: Bauschatz (Homer, Iliad, book 1, pp1–21)

3/31 (5) The World of Homer and the "Homeric Question"

READ: Bauschatz (Homer, Odyssey, books 8 and 9, pp23–45)

9/2 (6) Epic Poetry; Hesiod

READ: Bauschatz (Hesiod, Works and Days, pp47–69)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #2

3

9/5 Labor Day: no class

9/7 (7) Greece in the Seventh Century; Greek Lyric Poetry

READ: Martin (chapter 5, pp70–93)

9/9 (8) Sparta (and Xenophon); Greek Philosophy (1)

READ: Bauschatz (Xenophon, Politeia of the Spartans, pp71–83)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #3

*Paper #1 due IN CLASS at 10 a.m.*

4

9/12 (9) Greek Philosophy (2); Athens (and Aristotle)

READ: Bauschatz (Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians, pp85–102)

9/14 (10) The Persian Wars

READ: Martin (chapter 6, pp94–123)

9/16 (11) Greek Tragedy

READ: Bauschatz (Sophocles, Oedipus the King, pp103–134)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #4
5

9/19 (12) Women in Ancient Greece

READ: Bauschatz (Sophocles, Oedipus the King, pp134–166)

9/21 (13) Classical Athens

READ: Martin (chapter 7, pp124–146)

9/23 (14) Crime and Punishment

READ: Bauschatz (Plato, Apology of Socrates, pp167–187)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #5
6

9/26 (15) Greek Comedy

READ: Bauschatz (Aristophanes, Clouds, pp189–231)

9/28 (16) Greek Sexuality

READ: Bauschatz (Aristophanes, Clouds, pp231–272)

9/30 (17) Hour Exam #1

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #6
7

10/3 (18) The Peloponnesian Wars

READ: Martin (chapter 8, pp147–173)

10/5 (19) Greece in the Fourth Century and Alexander the Great

READ: Martin (chapter 9, pp174–197)

10/7 (20) The Hellenistic Period

READ: Martin (chapter 10, pp198–221)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #7
8

10/10 (21) Rome: Beginnings

READ: Mackay (chapters 1 and 2, pp5–39)

10/12 (22) Rome vs. Italy

READ: Mackay (chapters 3 and 4, pp40–75)

10/14 (23) Rome vs. Carthage

READ: Mackay (chapters 5–7, pp76–99)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #8
9

10/17 (24) Rome vs. the Hellenistic Kingdoms

READ: Mackay (chapters 8 and 9, pp103–142)

10/19 (25) The "Roman Revolution"

READ: Mackay (chapters 10–12, pp143–176)

10/21 (26) The Late Republic

READ: Mackay (chapters 13 and 14, pp179–209)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #9

*Paper #2 due IN CLASS at 10 a.m.*

10

10/24 (27) Augustus and the Principate

READ: Bauschatz (Virgil, Aeneid, book 2, pp273–299)

10/26 (28) The Julio-Claudians

READ: Bauschatz (Suetonius, Nero, pp301–315)

10/28 (29) The Flavians

READ: Bauschatz (Suetonius, Nero, pp315–330)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #10
11

10/31 (30) The Antonines

READ: Mackay (chapters 15 and 16, pp210–235)

11/2 (31) The Crisis of the Third Century A.D.

READ: Mackay (chapters 17 and 18, pp236–260)

11/4 (32) Hour Exam #2

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #11
12

11/7 (33) Sex and Sexuality in Roman Culture

READ: Bauschatz (Catullus, selections, pp331–351)

11/9 (34) Entertainment

READ: Bauschatz (Ovid, The Art of Love, book 1, pp353–365; Martial, On the Spectacles, pp367–373)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #12

11/11 Veterans Day: no class
13

11/14 (35) Religion (1): Magic

READ: Bauschatz (Lucian, Alexander the Quack Prophet, pp409–430)

11/16 (36) Religion (2): Mystery Cults

READ: Bauschatz (Apuleius, Metamorphoses, book 11, pp431–445)

11/18 (37) Religion (3): Jews and Christians

READ: Mackay (chapters 19 and 20, pp263–290)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #13
14

11/21 (38) Roman Government: the cursus honorum

READ: Bauschatz (Pliny, Letters, book 10, pp375–407)

11/23 (39) Life in the Provinces

READ: Mackay (chapters 21 and 22, pp291–315)

11/25 Thanksgiving recess: no class
15

11/28 (40) Science and Technology

READ: Bauschatz (Vitruvius, On Architecture, book 1, pp447–465)

11/30 (41) Roman Philosophy

READ: Bauschatz (Lucretius, On the Nature of Things, book 1, pp467–506)

12/2 (42) Decline and Fall

READ: Mackay (chapters 23 and 24, pp316–356)

TAKE TODAY: D2L Quiz #14
16

12/5 (43) Papyrology

 12/7 (44) Wrap-Up, Evaluations

12/9 Exam Week: no class

17 12/12 Exam Week: no class 12/14 *Final Exam: 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.* 12/16 Semester over!

U of A | Classics | Bauschatz