HUM 216-3 The Ancient World            Burnaby Mtn section       Summer 2006

Instructor: Dr. C. S. Morrissey AQ 6223 604-291-3544

Course Description:

This course will focus on some of the great historical accounts of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. The lectures will trace an historical outline of the major events from May 28, 585 B.C. to October 23, 524 A.D. that are of permanent interest. Tutorial discussion will focus on studying the interpretation of the history of the ancient world as presented in the biographical writings of select ancient historians.

Grading: Tutorial participation 10%

Two essay papers (750 words each) 20%

Mid-term exam (30 multiple choice, 1 essay question) 30%

Final exam (40 multiple choice, 2 essay questions) 40%

Procedure:

• For every tutorial meeting, students will be expected to have read the ancient biographies assigned for that week from Plutarch and to be prepared to deliver a brief oral summary of the most significant aspects of these texts.
• Each student must hand in two 750-word essay papers (one on Herodotus before the mid-term, and one on Suetonius before the final). The goal of these papers is to critically evaluate the history of the ancient world as presented and interpreted in these authors.
• The exams will be based on both the assigned readings from the course textbooks and on the history of the ancient world as outlined in the lectures. The exams will have both multiple-choice and essay questions, testing both factual knowledge of and critical reflection upon human experience.

Required Texts:

Herodotus, On the War for Greek Freedom: Selections from the Histories (Hackett) 232pp.

ISBN 087220667X

Plutarch, Greek Lives: A Selection of Nine Greek Lives (Oxford World's Classics) 522pp.

Lycurgus, Solon, Themistocles, Cimon, Pericles, Nicias, Alcibiades, Agesilaus, Alexander

ISBN 0192825011

Plutarch, Roman Lives: A Selection of Eight Lives (Oxford World's Classics) 596pp.

Cato the Elder, Aemilius Paullus, Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Caesar, Antony

ISBN 019282502X

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars (Oxford World's Classics) 352pp.

Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian

ISBN 0192832719

HUM 216 Reading Schedule: Burnaby Mtn section

Thucydides: English translation with maps