This seminar is an introduction to some dimension of the history of a nation, region, people, culture, institution, or historical phenomenon selected by the respective instructor. Students will come to understand, and develop an appreciation for: the origins and evolution of the people, cultures, and/or political, economic, and/or social institutions of a particular region(s) of the world. They may explore how human encounters shaped individual and collective identities and the political, economic, and social orders of the region/nation/communities under study. Instructors prioritize critical reading, engaged participation, and focused writing assignments.

Ancient and medieval historians paid little attention to women. When they did, it was either to praise them lavishly or disparage them irredeemably. Their impoverished view of women’s lives stands in stark contrast to the material available from other sources, both textual and artistic. In this class we shall consider the gamut of women’s experiences, such as social, religious and gender roles, economic and legal rights, faith, passions, and religious responsibilities. We will read about Greek priestesses and Christian martyrs, wives and queens, poets and benefactors. Our viewpoint will be based on the critical examination of two types of sources: textual and visual. We’ll be challenged to reconstruct women’s lives from documents, such as inscriptions, martyr’s acts, and letters. Equally robustly, we’ll engage with learning from artifacts, such as statuary, coins. The class will be organized chronologically and will cover select topics from ancient Greece, Rome, and early Byzantium.

Repeat Rules

Requirements class fulfills