University of Missouri - Kansas City : Classical and Ancient Studies (CLASSICS)

This coos studies ancient world literature such as The Descent of Inanna, Egyptian love poetry, Hebrew Scriptures, the epics of Homer and Virgil, the Analects of Confucius, and the Oriental wisdom of Laozi. The course also considers ancient creation epics such as the cosmic battle between Marduk and Tiamat, the Metamorphosis of Ovid, and the great Indian epic The Ramayana. Also listed as WLD-LIT 210.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 300 Special Topics

A course about a selected field, genre or individual figure from the ancient world that is not part of the program's regular offerings. May be repeated for credit.

1-3 hrs

CLASSICS 300 A Special Topics

A course about a selected field, genre or individual figure from the ancient world that is not part of the program's regular offerings. May be repeated for credit.

1-3 hrs

CLASSICS 300 CB Cc: Women In The Ancient World

This course focuses on the history, representation, literature, social lives, and political roles of women in ancient civilization including Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Biblical World, Greece, and Rome. It integrates methodologies from history, art history and archaeology, literary studies, and women's studies.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 300 CR Roman Revolution: History And Culture From Gracci To Augustus

The period of Roman history from the revolution initiated by the Gracchi to the demise of the Republic and the establishment of the Principate under the Augustus will be studied. The course begins with the Scipionic Circle under whose leadership foreign imperialism, domestic factionalism, and the influx of Greek culture increased. Political, social and cultural developments which culminated in the violent death of the old system will be traced. We will also show how Augustus kept the past alive to make his new government acceptable to the tradition-loving Romans. Students will read the words of such writers as Terence, Cato, Polybius, Cicero, Caesar, Sallust, Catullus, Horace, Virgil, and Ovid, whose works cover the important genres of Roman literature-new comedy, rhetoric, satire, history, epic, pastoral and lyric poetry.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 300 CS Cc: Clio And The Other Muses

This course focuses on the history, art, architecture, literature, and culture of Athens in the 5th Century BCE. Course readings will include primary literary and historical sources such as lyric poetry, comedy and tragedy, philosophy, and historical writings.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 300 CY Cc: Ancient World/Cinema

This course will explore the tradition of depicting the ancient Mediterranean world in film from the early silent era to the present. Topics to be covered include the ways that filmmakers respond to literary and historical sources from the ancient world, interact with the artistic tradition of films about the ancient world, the relation of these films to other works by the same creative personnel (directors, actors, writers, producers, etc.), and the political and cultural contexts in which the films were released.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 300 CZ Cc: Archaeology Of Ancient Disasters

Remarkable human achievements are revealed by archaeological research, but the human past was frequently shaped as well by disaters of natural and human origin. Drawing on case studies that include data from the geosciences, archaeological excavations, and historical sources, this class examines how earth processes, the biosphere, and human cultural behavior were all sources of catastrophe. We begin with the geological context of disaster, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, climate change, and soil depletion. Next, we examine how ancient societies respondent to disease, an ever present threat from the biological environment. Finally, we look at how ancient human groups were changed by stresses of cultural origin, including overpopulation, depletion of vital resources, and warfare. The study of ancient disasters not only gives us a wider understanding of human history, it may offer lessons for coping with future catastrophes. Also cross listed as GEOLOGY 326CZ. Offered: On Demand

3 hrs

CLASSICS 300 D Special Topics

A course about a selected field, genre or individual figure from the ancient world that is not part of the program's regular offerings. May be repeated for credit.

1-3 hrs

CLASSICS 301 Survey of Western Art I

A survey of ancient and medieval Western art. The course will begin with the great civilizations of the Mediterranean basin and consider the changes wrought by the introduction of Christianity and Islam. Study of the medieval era will include Romanesque and Gothic architecture through the 15th century, but will not include the beginnings of panel painting nor of independent sculpture. This course meets the college fine arts requirement. Cross-listed with Art HISTORY 301.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 310 WI Ancient Philosophy

A survey of the central figures of classical philosophy: the pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, the Epicureans and other philosophers of antiquity. The contributions of major philosophers to the development of science, religion, and social and political theories are studied. Also listed as PHILOS 310WI. Prerequisite: PHILOS 210, PHILOS 222 or an equivalent and successful completion of the WEPT.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 318 Bible As Literature

A critical study of the major portions of the Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha, with special attention to the development of literature from oral tradition, the literary genres, themes and archetypes represented in the collection, and the diction and style which have influenced later literature. Consideration also of the relation of Biblical literature to the historical, religious, and cultural millieu of the ancient Near East. Also listed as ENGLISH 318.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 319 Myth And Literature

A study of classical myth including readings from Homer to Ovid, analysis of selected myths in later literature, art, and music, and a study of contemporary definitions and approaches to myth. Also listed as ENGLISH 319.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 340 A Classical Literature In Translation

This course will focus on representative authors and works from the Greek and Roman Classical periods, such as Homer, Sophocles, Euripdes, Aeschylus, Aristophanes, Plato, the Greek Lyric Poets, Virgil, Horace Juvenal, Ovid and Plautus. Also listed as ENGLISH 340A

3 hrs

CLASSICS 369 Introduction To Prehistoric And Classical Archaeology

An introduction to archaeological research methods that traces human origins and cultural development from the earliest fossil evidence to the threshold of written history and civilization. This class emphasizes the evolutionary and cultural developments that allowed our ancestors to colonize the continents and develop lifeways involving hunting and gathering, farming and urbanism.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 370 Archaeology as Anthropology: The Development of Human Societies

This class examines the development of archaeology as a distinctive branch of anthropology, and archaeology�s role in a centuries-long debate about the causes of cultural variation and the development of human societies. This class examines how the Enlightenment, colonialism, the geological discovery of :Deep Time� and the Darwinian Revolution not only give rise to anthropology and archaeology, but launched an enduring debate about how and why we study cultural behavior. Cross-listed with ANTHRO 385.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 376 Ancient Concepts of the Hero

This course traces the ancient concept of the hero by reading selected ancient works by authors such as Homer,Thucycides, Livy,Plutarch,Caesar,Tacitus,and Sallust. Students will also examine the impact of the ancient concept of the hero on modern literature and art. Also listed as ENGLISH 376

3 hrs

CLASSICS 430 Plato

Selected dialogues of Plato are studied with a view to understanding Plato's philosophy and its position in the worlf of GGreece and antiquity. Plato's philosophy is also examined with reference to his place in the Western tradition and in modern philosophy. Also listed as PHILOS 430. Prerequisite: PHILOS 210,PHILOS 222 or an equivalent

3 hrs

CLASSICS 431 Aristotle

Selected portions of Aristotle's works on logic, metaphysics, science, ethics, politics, and poetics are studied with a view to understanding Aristotle's philosophy and its position in the world of Greece and antiquity. Aristotle's philosophy is examined with reference to its place in the Western tradition and in modern philosophy. Also listed as PHILOS 431. Prerequisite: PHILOS 210,PHILOS 222 or an equivalent

3 hrs

CLASSICS 467 Myth And Ritual

"Myth" and "ritual" have long been fundamental categories in the study of religion. This course will briefly survey some of the major theories and approaches to the study of myth and ritual from the Enlightenment to the present. Will not only trace the shifting meanings of "myth" and "ritual," but will critically evaluate the utility of diverse approaches to the study of religious phenomena designated by these terms. Reading will include theoretical works, as well as selected case studies. Also listed as HISTORY 467.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 469 Archaeology And Biblical History

An examination of ancient Israel as she emerges from the ruins of the past, both lapidary and literary. Through a study of the "mute documents," artifacts man-made (storied cities, household utensils, inscribed shards from Jericho to Jerusalem) we gain an insight indispensable for Biblical studies, for ancient Near Eastern history. Also listed as HISTORY 469.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 470 Ancient Egypt

This course describes the political, social and cultural evolution of ancient Egypt from pre-dynastic times, with major emphasis upon the Old, Middle, and new Kingdoms (especially the 18th dynasty and the reign of Akhenaton). Also listed as HISTORY 470.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 470 P Ancient World: The Social History Of The Ancient World

The optional four-credit-hour component (modified independent study) will concern the social aspects of these civilizations, i.e., their daily lives. Readings and audiovisual aids will be used to help the student who will be expected to choose one aspect of each civilization, such as women, slavery, merchants, education, medicine, etc., and write a five-page paper about that topic for each period, i.e, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Rome. Also listed as HISTORY 470P.

4 hrs

CLASSICS 471 Ancient Greece

This course begins with a survey of the pre-classical Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations and then describes the rise of prominent Greek city-states (with particular emphasis upon the evolution of Sparta and the political, social and cultural contributions of Athens). The course concludes with the rise of Macedon and Alexander's conquests and significance. Also listed as HISTORY 471.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 471 P Ancient World: The Political Structure Of The Ancient World

The four-hour lecture period on weeknights will emphasize the historical aspects of the ancient civilizations. The lectures will be chronologically organized to focus upon their evolution from their rise to their collapse. Also listed as HISTORY 471P.

4 hrs

CLASSICS 472 Ancient Rome

This course covers Roman history from its origins (including the Etruscans) to the decline of the imperial system. Particular emphasis is placed upon the political, social and economic developments in the Republic, the death of the Republic, the early Principate, and the factors that led to Rome's decline in the ancient world. Also listed as HISTORY 472.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 472 P Ancient World:The Cultural & Intellectual Dimensions Ancient Civ

The four weekend periods will provide the students with a general picture of these civilizations: society, religion, economics, and culture (w.f., arts, literature, philosophy, science, etc.). Guest lecturers, slides, films and video cassettes will be used to introduce the varied aspects of these ancient peoples. Also listed as HISTORY 472P.

4 hrs

CLASSICS 475 WI History Of Ancient Israel

Judaism has had a tremendous inpact on our civilization and yet most Americans are only dimly aware of its origins and development. This course will trace the roots of the Jewish religion in its historical context from its beginnings through the formation of rabbinic culture. The rise of Christianity will be examined in its original Judaic context, and recent discoveries, particularly those pertaining to the Dead Sea Scrolls, will be interpreted. Also listed as HISTORY 475WI.

3 hrs

CLASSICS 479 From the Parthenon to the Altar of Peace

The course centers on the many different styles of Greek and Roman art from the fifth century B.C. to the early first century A.D. Attention is also paid to the political and literary forces behind its imagery. Three monuments serve as the pillars upon which the course rests: the Parthenon, Pergamon Altar, and the Ara Pacis. The lessons learned about style, the interaction of politics, literature, and art and the foibles of scholarship are intended to be applied to other fields of art history. Cross-listed with Art-HISTORY 479. Prerequisite: Art-HISTORY 301, Clas 301 or permission of instructor

3 hrs

CLASSICS 499 Senior Tutorial

A three-hour comprehensive reading and research tutorial leading to the writing of a senior paper. It consist of tutorial sessions and independent research leading to a major paper using original source materials. Prerequisite: Recommended for students wishing to pursue a graduate degree in Classical and Ancient Studies. Restrictions: Recommended for students wishing to pursue a graduate degree in Classical and Ancient Studies.

3 hrs