INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICS

The course is designed to offer students an introduction to the Classical world (broadly defined) and the study thereof, through one of the key elements of the cultural heritage of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations: literature.
The main goals of the course are the following:
– to familiarize students with key concepts, terms, fields of research, and (at least partially) methodologies of Classics from a disciplinary perspective
– to provide them with an introductory, yet firm, knowledge of the main strands of literary production which originated within the Graeco-Roman world up to the early Roman empire
– to critically read, and engage with, a selection of literary texts representative of ancient Mediterranean cultural practices, societal experiences, and artistic modes of expression.

Knowledge and understanding:
– to know and understand the main objects, research fields, and scientific goals of Classics as a discipline
– to know and understand some key facts as to the development of Greek and Roman literary genres, their cultural significance, and their relationship to subsequent forms of artistic expression
– to know and understand some basic premises of the dynamics of textual transmission and literary reception
– to know some of the most prominent authors of ancient Greek and Latin literatures
– to know some of the main tales of Graeco-Roman myth.

Applying knowledge and understanding:
– to be able to situate ancient authors, literary genres and works both in space and in time
– to be able to analyze and comment upon select passages of Greek and Roman literature.

Making judgments:
– to be able to reflect on the relationship between ancient and modern artistic (especially literary) practices
– to be able to draw informed comparisons between select tales of classical myth and their modern and contemporary reception
– to appreciate a work of art beyond its ‘intrinsic’ and ‘atemporal’ merit, but also as a valuable testimony of historically and culturally specific contexts.

Communication skills:
– to be able to illustrate and explain in written form one’s knowledge as to the course topics and contents, and to do so with appropriate vocabulary, clarity of expression, and in-depth analysis
– to be able to communicate one’s ability to reflect, in a critically-informed way, on the course topics and contents.

No previous knowledge of either Ancient Greek or Latin, nor any other prerequisite requirements, are envisaged.

The course will provide students with an introduction to the study of Graeco-Roman classical civilization. It will primarily focus, among other cultural facets of the ancient world, on the literary production that took place within Greek – and, to a lesser extent, Roman – societies from the Archaic age to the early Roman empire. In doing so, the course will also selectively single out cultural, historical, and societal aspects which are crucial to the understanding of the literary phenomena that will be dealt with during the course. In order better to situate the students’ understanding of such phenomena, select passages from highly relevant classical literary works will also be presented (in current, authoritative English translations) and thoroughly commented upon, thus allowing a further appreciation of the classical world, its cultural institutions, and the evolution thereof through time.

- M. Beard and J. Henderson, Classics: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University press, 1995)
- S. Saïd, M. Trédé, A Short History of Greek Literature (London-New York: Routledge, 2000).

Further teaching materials will be made available online via the Moodle platform and/or handed over in class.

In-class written exam. The exam paper will entail both open questions (at least three) and MCQs.
Exam duration will be 75 minutes.

written

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

Marks within the 18-22 range will be awarded in case of:
– sufficient knowledge of the course contents and related teaching materials
– answers that are sufficiently in-depth
– sufficient clarity of exposition
– limited critical rethinking as to the course contents.

Marks within the 23-26 range will be awarded in case of:
– decent knowledge of the course contents and related teaching materials
– answers that are decently in-depth
– decent clarity of exposition
– decent critical rethinking as to the course contents.

Marks within the 27-30 range will be awarded in case of:
– good or very good knowledge of the course contents and related teaching materials
– answers that are much or very much in-depth
– good or very good clarity of exposition
– good or very good critical rethinking as to the course contents.

Lectures. A PowerPoint presentation will be used to facilitate access to, and analysis of, all selected literary texts. Starting from week 2, a set of individual weekly readings will be assigned to students in order to facilitate their acquisition of the course contents.