Ancient Mediterranean Studies

Course Atlas for Fall 2009

ANCMED 101: Introduction to Ancient Mediterranean

Content: This course offers an introduction to the great range of ancient cultures that flourished around the Mediterranean Sea thousands of years ago. We will read the poems, stories and letters written by ancient Egyptians, Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, Greeks and Romans to learn how these cultures adapted in many different ways to the rich Mediterranean environment. We will also examine the abundant art, architecture and artifacts that these cultures left behind them as material testimony to how they led their lives. Themes covered in the class will include the growth of the first cities, states, and empires; the development of writing and the first written histories; and the impact of the exchange of ideas and materials across the Mediterranean.

Texts: TBA

Assessment: TBA

Pre-Requisites: TBA

ANCMED 201: Introduction to Mediterranean Archaeology

Content: The cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world are often viewed as “frogs around the pond”: defined by their interaction as much as their unique identities.    In this course, we focus on the material evidence for how these cultures, reaching from the Levant to the Pillars of Hercules, interacted with each other, sharing everything from raw materials and food to myths and technologies.  By paying particular attention to the findings of nautical archaeology, we will become acquainted with the maritime endeavors and overseas connections of the Egyptians, Anatolians, Minoans, Mycenaeans, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Greeks, Etruscans, Romans and other peoples inhabiting the Mediterranean world. We will learn about representative sites of the Mediterranean shores and hinterlands, and will explore methods and trends in the archaeological investigation of the region.

Texts: TBA

Assessment: Attendance and Participation:  20%, Quizzes (4): 40%,  Final Project: 40%

Pre-Requisites: None

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