Courses

The 5th century BCE, beginning with the Persian Wars, when the Athenians fought off the might of the Persian Empire, and ending with the conclusion of the Peloponnesian War in 404, is generally considered the "Golden Age" of ancient Athens. This is the century when Athenian drama, both tragedy and comedy, throve; when the Greeks began to develop philosophy at Athens, centered around the so-called "Sophistic movement" and Sokrates; when classical Greek art and architecture approached perfection in the monuments and sculptures of the great Athenian building programs on and around the Akropolis. This seminar will cover the political, military, economic, social, and cultural history of Athens' "Golden Age". Much of the course reading will be drawn from the ancient Athenian writing themselves, in translation. Everyone will be required to read enough to participate in weekly discussions; and all students will prepare two oral reports on topics to be determined. The course grade will be based on a ca. 20-25 page research paper to be written on an agreed upon topic. Group(s): A Field(s): *ANC