Classical Studies is concerned primarily with the cultures of Greece and
Rome and their contributions to Western civilization. It is unique among modern academic
disciplines in the breadth of its approach to its subject. Classics is a field in
which the specialist must be simultaneously linguist, literary critic, anthropologist,
sociologist, and historian, not only of politics, but also of religion and art.
The cultures of Greece and Rome are fascinating and important in themselves, but seen in the
context of their legacy the very special value that we attach to them comes to light. For
many elements of our own culture - its language and literature, its social and political
patterns, and its ideals - are deeply rooted in the experience and achievement of Greece
and Rome.
The Department of Classics at Mount Allison offers the opportunity to study these
ancient cultures through courses in history, mythology, art, archaeology, language, and
literature. The history and literature of Greece and Rome can be approached either in the
original languages or through courses using English translation. The study of ancient
literature in translation makes it possible to gain an acquaintance with the thought and
literary art of antiquity without studying Greek and Latin. But those deeply interested in
the subject should bear in mind the importance of the languages themselves; the direct
experience of the ancients through study of Greek and Latin, in order to be fruitful,
should begin as early as possible in the university career.
The Humanities 1600 series is intended to provide an
introduction to Humanities disciplines. These three-credit courses offered by the
participating disciplines of Classics, History, Philosophy and Religious Studies are
designed to acquaint beginning students with the methodologies typical of these
disciplines and to familiarize them with the approaches taken, as well as the sorts of
themes pursued and questions raised in those disciplines.
CLASSICAL STUDIES COURSES
Note: The listing of a course in the Calendar is not a guarantee that the
course is offered every year.
Note: Students must obtain a grade of at least C- in all courses used to
fulfill prerequisite requirements. Otherwise, written permission of the
appropriate Department Head or Program Co-ordinator must be obtained.
CLAS/HIST 1631 (3CR)
GREECE AND ROME: THE FOUNDATIONS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION
Format: lecture 3 hours
Note: This course is cross-listed as HIST 1631 and may therefore count as 3 credits in
either discipline.
The political and social history of ancient Greece and Rome will be surveyed with a
focus on the themes of Law, Politics, War, and Society. Special attention will be paid to
Athens in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C.E. and to Rome under Caesar Augustus.
CLAS 1641 (3CR)
CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY: THE HERO'S QUEST
Format: lecture 3 hours
An introduction to the heroes and heroines of classical myth through the literature
and art of ancient Greece and Rome. The course will examine the major cycles of Greek
heroic saga, including stories about the Trojan War, the Wanderings of Odysseus, the
exploits of Hercules, and the Voyage of Jason and the Argonauts, as well as the
adventures of Aeneas and the foundation myths of Rome.
CLAS 1651 (3CR)
CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY: GODS, GODDESSES, AND THE CREATION OF ORDER
Format: lecture 3 hours
An introduction to the gods and goddesses of classical myth in the literature, art,
and religion of ancient Greece and Rome. The course will examine cosmogonies and divine
myths in order to shed light on the views held by the Greeks and Romans about the nature
of the relationship between mortal and immortal.
CLAS/HIST 2021 (3CR)
ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE HELLENISTIC WORLD
Format: lecture 3 hours
Note:
This course is cross-listed as HIST 2021 and may therefore count as 3 credits in either
discipline.
Exclusion: CLAS/HIST 3011
An examination of the career of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic era that
followed his conquest of the eastern Mediterranean. Among the main themes included will
be the goals of Alexander, the new political climate of kingship and patronage that he
helped create, the interaction of the Greeks with the civilizations of Egypt and the
East, and the integration of new cultural ideas into Greek society.
CLAS/HIST 2051 (3CR)
WOMEN IN ANTIQUITY
Format: lecture 3 hours
Note: This course is cross-listed as HIST 2051 and may therefore count as 3 credits in
either discipline.
Using written and material evidence, this course will explore the economic, social
and political roles of women in the societies of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as the
development of the Western idea of the female in antiquity. Secondarily, it will
introduce and explore the social theories commonly applied to the study of gender in
history.
CLAS 2501 (3CR)
INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY
Format: lecture 3 hours
An introduction to the methods of archaeological excavation. This course aims to
acquaint the student with the theory and basic techniques of archaeology. Examples
showing both past and present archaeological research done in the Old and New Worlds will
be used to illustrate the topics under discussion.
CLAS 2521 (3CR)
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF DAILY LIFE IN THE GREEK AND ROMAN WORLD
Format: lecture 3 hours
An examination of the evidence used by archaeologists to recreate the social
history of ancient Greece and Rome. The course will consider how archaeology can shed
light on such topics as the lives of men, women, and children; the home; government; the
economy; the army; and entertainment.
CLAS 2531 (3CR)
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF RELIGION IN THE GREEK AND ROMAN WORLD
Format: lecture 3 hours
An examination of the evidence used by archaeologists to recreate the religions of
the ancient Greeks and Romans. The course will consider how archaeology reveals ancient
views and practices involved in the worship of the Olympian Gods; the religions of Egypt
and the Near East; Royal and Emperor cults; Mithraism and mystery cults; Judaism; and
early Christianity.
CLAS/HIST 3001 (3CR)
DEMOCRACY AND IMPERIALISM IN CLASSICAL GREECE
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics or History course at the
1000 or 2000 level; or permission of the Department
Note:
This course is cross-listed as HIST 3001 and may therefore count as 3 credits in either
discipline.
An examination of archaic and classical Greek history and civilization from the
emergence of the polis to the fall of the Athenian empire. Main themes include the
development of political institutions, warfare, and gender relations. Emphasis is placed
on historical methods and the interpretation of ancient evidence.
CLAS/HIST 3021 (3CR)
CONQUEST AND EXPANSION: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics or History course at the
1000 or 2000 level; or permission of the Department
Note: This course is cross-listed as HIST 3021 and may therefore count as 3 credits
in either discipline.
An examination of the development of Rome from a small city-state into the leading
power in the Mediterranean. Main themes include the conflict between Rome and Carthage,
the conquest of the Hellenistic East, and the political and social changes in Roman
society. There will be an emphasis on the analysis and interpretation of primary sources
in translation.
CLAS/HIST 3031 (3CR)
THE ROMAN EMPIRE: CENTRE AND PERIPHERY
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics or History course at the
1000 or 2000 level; or permission of the Department
Note: This course is cross-listed as HIST 3031 and may therefore count as 3 credits
in either discipline.
An examination of the history of imperial Rome from the age of Augustus to
that of Constantine. Main themes include the imperial form of government, the Roman
army, urban development and its impact on society, and the conflicts between Romans
and other cultures. There will be an emphasis on the analysis and interpretation of
primary sources in translation.
CLAS/HIST 3051 (3CR)
HEALTH AND MEDICINE IN THE ANCIENT WORLD
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics, History, or Philosophy
course; or permission of the Department
Note: This course is cross-listed as HIST 3051 and may therefore count as 3 credits in
either discipline.
Employing both material and literary evidence, this course surveys the conditions
of life and common ailments and treatments of the inhabitants of the Greek and Roman
world from ca. 1000 B.C.E. to ca. 500 C.E.. It also examines the origins of Western
medicine in Greek and Roman science, alongside its alternatives, such as magic.
CLAS 3201 (3CR)
GREEK TRAGEDY
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics or History course at the
1000 or 2000 level; or permission of the Department
A study of Greek tragic drama as it developed in Athens of the fifth century B.C.E.
The course will examine (in translation) the main surviving plays of Aeschylus,
Sophocles, and Euripides.
CLAS 3211 (3CR)
GREEK AND ROMAN COMEDY
Format: lecture 2 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics or History course at the
1000 or 2000 level; or permission of the Department
A study of Greek and Roman comic drama (in translation) as represented by the work
of Aristophanes, Menander, Plautus, and Terence.
CLAS 3401 (3CR)
THE LYRIC POETRY OF GREECE AND ROME
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics or History course at the
1000 or 2000 level; or permission of the Department
A study of Greek and Roman poetry that expresses universal feelings of love and
fear, celebration and personal aspiration. The course will examine the themes and forms
of lyric poetry, as well as the role of the poet in society. The poems of Sappho,
Archilochus, Pindar, Catullus, Propertius, Ovid, and others will be read in English
translation.
CLAS 3411 (3CR)
THE EPIC POETRY OF GREECE AND ROME
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics course at the 1000 or
2000 level; or permission of the Department
An examination of the epic genre as it developed in ancient Greece and Rome. The
focus of the course will be on Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and Virgil's Aeneid, with
attention given to other representative works. The poems will be studied (in translation)
both as products of their respective societies and in light of their influence on later
European literature.
CLAS 3501 (3CR)
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD COURSE
Format: field course
Note: This course is only available to students through
the Department of Continuous Learning during the Spring/Summer term. Enrollment is limited
and students should be aware of the additional costs of travel and participation fees.
Prereq: Permission of the Department
Exclusion: ANTH 3321 or 3911 if these were taken as archaeological field schools in which
credit was received for excavation of material remains.
This course involves participation in an archaeological field project, through which students gain experience
in archaeological methods such as site survey, supervised excavation, recording and
interpretation of evidence, and the processing of finds. The field location
varies according to the project.
CLAS 3511 (3CR)
LABORATORY METHODS IN CLASSICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Format: field course
Prereq: Permission of the Department
Exclusion: ANTH 3321 or 3911 if these were taken as
archaeological field schools in which credit was received for laboratory analysis of material remains.
Note: This course is only available to students through the Department of Continuous Learning during
the Spring/Summer term. Enrollment is limited and students should be aware of the additional costs of
travel and participation fees.
Coreq: CLAS 3501
This course introduces students to the laboratory methods used by Classical archaeologists in
the study of materials recovered from Greek and Roman sites. The field location and nature of the
remains studied vary according to the project.
CLAS 3601 (3CR)
THE BIRTH OF GREEK ART
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics course at the 1000 or
2000 level or FINA 2001 or 2011; or permission of the Department
A study of the art and archaeology of the Greek world from the Bronze Age to the
end of the Persian invasion. This period saw the rise and fall of two Bronze Age
civilizations, and the emergence of Athens as the cultural and political leader of the
Mediterranean world. The architecture, painting, sculpture, and minor arts will be
studied with attention to their historical and cultural contexts.
CLAS 3611 (3CR)
THE SPLENDORS OF CLASSICAL AND HELLENISTIC GREEK ART
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics course at the 1000 or
2000 level or FINA 2001 or 2011; or permission of the Department
A study of the art and archaeology of the Greek world from the Persian invasion to
the coming of the Romans. This period saw the achievements of Athenian democracy, the
subsequent dissolution of Athenian power, the domination of the Macedonians under
Alexander, and the spread of Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean and beyond. The
architecture, painting, sculpture, and minor arts will be studied with attention to their
historical and cultural contexts.
CLAS 3701 (3CR)
ETRUSCAN AND EARLY ROMAN ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics course at the 1000 or
2000 level or FINA 2001 or 2011; or permission of the Department
A study of the art and archaeology of peninsular Italy from the Iron Age to the
period of the Julio-Claudian emperors. It will examine Etruscan culture and its
interaction with the Greeks and Romans, the rise of Rome, and the transitions from
republic to empire. The material culture of Italy will be explored through the
architecture, sculpture, painting, and minor arts.
CLAS 3711 (3CR)
THE ART OF IMPERIAL ROME AND ITS EMPIRE
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Second-year standing and three credits from any Classics course at the 1000 or
2000 level or FINA 2001 or 2011; or permission of the Department
A study of the art and archaeology of the Roman world from the reign of the emperor
Nero to the time of Constantine. It will examine the development of art and architecture
in Rome, the connections between this development and imperial policy, and the use and
adaptation in other parts of the Roman world of ideas which originated in Rome.
CLAS 4950/4951 (6/3CR)
INDEPENDENT STUDY IN CLASSICS
Format: Independent Study
Prereq: Permission of the Department/Program Advisor. Students must obtain
consent of an instructor who is willing to be a supervisor and must register
for the course prior to the last day for change of registration in the term
during which the course is being taken.
Note: A program on Independent Study cannot duplicate subject matter covered through
regular course offerings.
Note: Students may register for CLAS 4950/51 more than once, provided the subject
matter differs.
This course permits senior students, under the direction faculty members,
to pursue their interest in areas not covered, or not covered in depth, by other
courses through a program of independent study.
CLAS 1991/2991/3991/4991 (3CR)
SPECIAL TOPIC IN CLASSICS
Format: Variable
Prereq: Set by the Department/Program when the topic and level are announced
Note: When a Department or Program intends to offer a course under this designation,
it must submit course information, normally at least three months in advance, to the Dean.
Note: Students may register for CLAS 1991/2991/3991/4991 more than once, provided the
subject matter differs.
This course either focuses on topics not covered by the current course offerings
in a department or program or offers the opportunity to pilot a course that is being
considered for inclusion in the regular program.
GREK 1001 (3CR)
Introductory Ancient Greek I
Format: lecture 3 hours, tutorial 1 hour
Exclusion: GREK 1000
An introduction to the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Greek for students with no previous knowledge of the language. Through grammatical exercises, composition, and the reading of prescribed texts, the student will develop a basic understanding of the language of classical Athens. Three class periods per week, plus a fourth hour to be arranged after classes have begun.
GREK 1101 (3CR)
Introductory Ancient Greek II
Format: lecture 3 hours, tutorial 1 hour
Prereq: GREK 1001; or permission of the Department
Exclusion: GREK 1000
A continuation of the study of the ancient Greek language.
This course adds new grammar and continues to build vocabulary, while
concentrating on the development of a reading facility in ancient Greek.
Three class periods per week, plus a fourth hour to be arranged after
classes have begun.
GREK 2001 (3CR)
INTERMEDIATE GREEK
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: GREK 1000 or GREK 1101; or permission of the Department
This course introduces students to the reading of unadapted passages from ancient
authors. While the emphasis is on developing a fluency in reading Greek, it also reviews
basic Greek grammar and presents some more advanced grammar and syntax.
GREK 2101 (3CR)
INTRODUCTORY READINGS IN GREEK LITERATURE
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: GREK 2001; or permission of the Department
A reading of selected works by Greek authors. This course will acquaint the student
with some of the forms of ancient prose and poetry.
GREK 3001 (3CR)
READINGS IN GREEK PROSE
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: GREK 2101; or permission of the Department
The translation and study of the work of one or more Greek prose authors.
GREK 3101 (3CR)
READINGS IN GREEK POETRY
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: GREK 2101; or permission of the Department
The translation and study of the work of one or more Greek poets.
GREK 4001 (3CR)
DIRECTED READINGS IN GREEK
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Permission of the Department
Note: GREK 4001 may be taken for credit more than once if the topic differs
This course is a detailed study of one or more Greek authors.
GREK 1991/2991/3991/4991 (3CR)
SPECIAL TOPIC IN GREEK
Format: Variable
Prereq: Set by the Department/Program when the topic and level are announced
Note: When a Department or Program intends to offer a course under this designation,
it must submit course information, normally at least three months in advance, to the Dean.
Note: Students may register for GREK 1991/2991/3991/4991 more than once, provided the
subject matter differs.
This course either focuses on topics not covered by the current course offerings
in a department or program or offers the opportunity to pilot a course that is being
considered for inclusion in the regular program.
LATI 1001 (3CR)
INTRODUCTORY LATIN I
Format: lecture 3 hours, tutorial 1 hour
Exclusion: LATI 1000
An introduction to basic Latin grammar and vocabulary for students with no previous
knowledge of the language. This course is based on readings which present not only the
fundamentals of Latin but also the Roman world in which it was used. Some effort is made
to show the connections between Latin and modern languages (English, French,
Spanish).Three class periods per week, plus a fourth hour to be arranged
after classes have begun.
LATI 1101 (3CR)
INTRODUCTORY LATIN II
Format: lecture 3 hours, tutorial 1 hour
Prereq: LATI 1001; or permission of the Department
Exclusion: LATI 1000
A continuation of the study of the Latin language. While adding new grammar, this
course concentrates on reading comprehension and vocabulary building. Three class periods per week, plus a fourth hour to be arranged
after classes have begun.
LATI 2001 (3CR)
INTERMEDIATE LATIN
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: LATI 1101; or permission of the Department
This course introduces students to the reading of unadapted passages from ancient
authors. While the emphasis is on developing a fluency in reading Latin, it also reviews
basic Latin grammar and presents some more advanced grammar and syntax.
LATI 2101 (3CR)
INTRODUCTORY READINGS IN LATIN LITERATURE
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: LATI 2001; or permission of the Department
A reading of selected works by Latin authors. This course will acquaint the student
with some of the forms of ancient prose and poetry.
LATI 3001 (3CR)
READINGS IN LATIN PROSE
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: LATI 2101; or permission of the Department
The translation and study of the work of one or more Latin prose authors.
LATI 3101 (3CR)
READINGS IN LATIN POETRY
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: LATI 2101; or permission of the Department
The translation and study of the work of one or more Latin poets.
LATI 4001 (3CR)
DIRECTED READINGS IN LATIN
Format: lecture 3 hours
Prereq: Permission of the Department
Note: LATI 4001 may be taken for credit more than once if the topic differs
This course is a detailed study of one or more Latin authors.
LATI 1991/2991/3991/4991 (3CR)
SPECIAL TOPIC IN LATIN
Format: Variable
Prereq: Set by the Department/Program when the topic and level are announced
Note: When a Department or Program intends to offer a course under this designation,
it must submit course information, normally at least three months in advance, to the Dean.
Note: Students may register for LATI 1991/2991/3991/4991 more than once, provided the
subject matter differs.
This course either focuses on topics not covered by the current course offerings
in a department or program or offers the opportunity to pilot a course that is being
considered for inclusion in the regular program.