Courses

Course ID	Title	Offered
CLASS1332	Elementary Sanskrit II An introduction to the essentials of Sanskrit grammar. Designed to enable the student to read classical and epic Sanskrit as soon as possible. Full details for CLASS 1332 - Elementary Sanskrit II	Spring.
CLASS1524	FWS: Stairway to Hell: Dante's Inferno and Classical Myth Dante's horrifically sublime depiction of hell with his stories of corruption, lust, betrayal, and greed is as grippingly compelling today as it was over 700 years ago. In this class, we will follow Dante and his guide Virgil as they descend into hell and explore the abyss of the human mind. Alongside the Inferno, we will read a selection of Classical myths that inspired Dante's vision. Readings will provide the framework for class exercises and written assignments that will help you embark on your journey as academic writers. Full details for CLASS 1524 - FWS: Stairway to Hell: Dante's Inferno and Classical Myth	Spring.
CLASS1525	FWS: Ithaca Bound: The Odyssey on Screen Over 2500 years ago, Homer composed the Odyssey, the story of Odysseus' 10-year long journey home to Ithaca. A tale of war and love, loss and hope featuring powerful gods, menacing sorceresses, and invincible monsters, the Odyssey has all the makings of a great movie. In the beginning of the course, we will read Homer's Odyssey. Later, we will watch films and TV episodes inspired by Odysseus' journey, from Méliès' Ulysses (1905) to the 2018 BBC series Troy. Readings and movies will provide the framework for class exercises and written assignments that will help you embark on your journey as academic writers. For your final project, you will pitch to the class your adaptation of the Odyssey and write a mockup screenplay. Full details for CLASS 1525 - FWS: Ithaca Bound: The Odyssey on Screen	Fall.
CLASS1531	FWS: Greek Myth This course will focus on the stories about the gods and heroes of the Greeks as they appear in ancient literature and art. We will examine the relationship between myths and the cultural, religious, and political conditions of the society in which they took shape. Beginning with theories of myth and proceeding to the analysis of individual stories and cycles, the material will serve as a vehicle for improving your written communication skills. Assignments include preparatory writing and essays focusing on readings and discussions in class. Full details for CLASS 1531 - FWS: Greek Myth	Fall, Spring.
CLASS1580	FWS: How to Rule an Empire: Rome in Comparative Perspective Managing a large polity is a difficult task. At any given moment, the ruler has to balance the different demands of his or her populace, the priorities of the state, and the resources they have available. All the while, they need to fend off internal and external challenges. In this course, we will examine how Roman emperors dealt with these problems. We will also compare them to other empires, both ancient and modern. Students read authors such as Tacitus and Sima Qian, as well as modern scholarship. Students will compose essays grappling with the challenges faced by each empire, culminating in a comparative project. Full details for CLASS 1580 - FWS: How to Rule an Empire: Rome in Comparative Perspective	Spring.
CLASS2352	Intermediate Sanskrit II Readings from Sanskrit dramas and literary commentary. Full details for CLASS 2352 - Intermediate Sanskrit II	Spring.
CLASS2640	Introduction to Ancient Medicine An introduction to the origins and development of Western medicine in ancient Greece and Rome. We will read a variety of sources on the ancient theory and practice of medicine, including pre-Hippocratic works, the Hippocratic corpus, and the prolific and opinionated Galen. These texts will be complemented by secondary sources which will put them in scientific and social context, as well as by visual and material evidence. Questions to be considered will include the treatment of women, the relationship between medicine and magic, the evolving state of the arts of anatomy and physiology, and rival schools of thought about the right way to acquire medical knowledge. Full details for CLASS 2640 - Introduction to Ancient Medicine	Spring.
CLASS2646	Magic and Witchcraft in the Greco-Roman World This introductory course explores the roles of amulets, love potions, curse tablets, and many other magical practices in ancient Greek and Roman societies. In this course, you will learn how to invoke the powers of Abrasax, become successful and famous, get people to fall desperately in love with you, and cast horrible curses on your enemies! We will also examine a range of ancient and modern approaches to "magic" as a concept: what exactly do we mean by "magic," and how does it relate to other spheres of activity, like religion, science, and philosophy? When people (in ancient times or today) label the activities of others as "magic," what are the social and political consequences of that act? As we investigate the practices that Greeks and Romans considered "magical," we will also explore what those practices can teach us about many other aspects of life in the past, such as social class, gender, religion, and ethnic and cultural identity. Full details for CLASS 2646 - Magic and Witchcraft in the Greco-Roman World	Spring.
CLASS2652	Ancient Greek Drama This course introduces students to ancient Greek drama, with a particular focus on the genre of tragedy and its relation to the cultural, political, and performance context of Athens in the 5th century BC. Students will read plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides in English translation and explore how they address key themes such as gender, racialization, slavery, war, mourning, trauma, empathy, and justice. Students will also study how contemporary artists, writers, and communities have adapted and restaged Greek drama, transforming and animating these ancient scripts across various media (theater, film, literature, etc.) to speak to complex and urgent social issues today (e.g., state/institutional violence; sexual violence; racism and xenophobia; queer bodies and desires; mental health; disability and caregiving). Full details for CLASS 2652 - Ancient Greek Drama	Spring.
CLASS2689	Roman History This course offers an introduction to the history of the Roman empire, from the prehistoric settlements on the site of Rome to the fall of the Western empire in the fifth century and its revival in the East with Byzantium. Lectures will provide a narrative and interpretations of major issues, including: empire building, cultural unity and diversity, religious transformations, changing relations between state and society. Discussion section will be the opportunity to engage with important texts, ancient and modern, about Rome. Full details for CLASS 2689 - Roman History	Spring.
CLASS2806	Roman Law This course presents a cultural and historical perspective on ideas of agency, responsibility, and punishment through foundational texts of western law. We will primarily focus on three main areas of law: (1) slavery and (2) family (both governed by the Roman law of persons), and (3) civil wrongs (the law of delict or culpable harm). Through an examination of the legal sources (in translation) and the study of the reasoning of the Roman jurists, this course will examine the evolution of jurisprudence: the development of the laws concerning power over slaves and women, and changes in the laws concerning penalties for crimes. No specific prior knowledge needed. Full details for CLASS 2806 - Roman Law	Spring.
CLASS3040	Merchants, Migrants, Barbarians, Pirates The history of the broader Mediterranean world is filled with human movements across a variety of scales, from individual traders and mercenaries to the emigration of whole societies. And yet, identifying these movements is controversial. Some constitute racist fantasies (e.g., Petrie's Egyptian "dynastic race"), others are dismissed as products of the "tyranny of the text" (e.g., the biblical Philistines). Regardless, human movements remain a fixture of how we understand the region. Through case studies, we will explore how archaeologists have interpreted and identified such movements, developing an understanding of how modern methods can—and cannot—identify individual- and population-level movements in the archaeological record. Moreover, we will see how such movements—real or imagined—are often more important to modern identities than ancient realities. Full details for CLASS 3040 - Merchants, Migrants, Barbarians, Pirates	Spring.
CLASS3391	Independent Study in Sanskrit, Undergraduate Level To be taken only in exceptional circumstances. Must be arranged by the student with his or her advisor and the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study. To be approved by the DUS. Full details for CLASS 3391 - Independent Study in Sanskrit, Undergraduate Level	Fall, Spring.
CLASS3686	Independent Study in Classical Civilization, Undergraduate Level May be taken upon completion of one semester of work at the 3000-level. To be taken only in exceptional circumstances. Must be arranged by the student with his or her advisor and the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study. To be approved by the DUS. Full details for CLASS 3686 - Independent Study in Classical Civilization, Undergraduate Level	Fall, Spring.
CLASS3741	Greco-Roman Art from Alexander to Augustus (c.350 BC - AD 20) This course explores the visual arts of the Mediterranean region from the court of Alexander the Great to the principate of Augustus, the first Roman emperor. During the first half of the semester we will explore the civic, domestic and religious uses of sculpture, painting, architecture, and other media in major settlements of the Hellenistic world such as Alexandria, Pergamon and Rhodes, focusing on the third to first centuries BCE. In the second half of the semester, we will turn to the rise of the Roman empire and the relationship between native Italian artistic traditions and those of the Hellenized Mediterranean, as Republican Rome drew influences (and booty) from its conquered territories. Throughout the course we will examine visual images alongside relevant literary and archaeological material, emphasizing the role of the visual arts within broader aesthetic, intellectual and political trends. Full details for CLASS 3741 - Greco-Roman Art from Alexander to Augustus (c.350 BC - AD 20)	Spring.
CLASS4035	Cornell's Collection of Greek and Roman Art This class examines the history and holdings of Cornell's teaching collection of ancient Greek and Roman objects. Designed to start a systematic inventory of the collections, it requires hands-on engagement with the objects (defining their material, age, function etc.) as much as archival work. Questions concerning the ethics of collections and calls for "decolonizing" museums will play a central role as we ultimately think about how to make use of and display the objects in our custody. Full details for CLASS 4035 - Cornell's Collection of Greek and Roman Art	Spring.
CLASS4691	Crossing the Apocalypse How do we cross from an era of destruction and devastation to one of hope and possibility? When we see the signs of endings and extinctions all around us, can we move forward with courage and creativity? This course explores ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic texts, which speak simultaneously of destruction and hope, judgment and possibility. These sensational and sensory formulations of the end times reverberate today in art, film, and music, as well as in environmental writings. Our readings will range from ancient apocalyptic texts, including the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation, to medieval apocalyptic treatises, modern film and art analyses, and ecological treatments of the apocalypse, environment, and future possibilities. Full details for CLASS 4691 - Crossing the Apocalypse	Spring.
CLASS4722	Honors: Senior Essay II See "Honors" under Classics front matter. Full details for CLASS 4722 - Honors: Senior Essay II	Fall, Spring.
CLASS4757	The Archaeology of Houses and Households This advanced seminar focuses on the archaeological study of houses, households, families, and communities. How is the study of domestic life transforming our understanding of ancient societies? How can we most effectively use material evidence to investigate the practices, experiences, identities, and social dynamics that made up the everyday lives of real people in antiquity, non-elite as well as elite? To address these questions, we will survey and critically examine historical and current theories, methods, and approaches within the field of household archaeology. Full details for CLASS 4757 - The Archaeology of Houses and Households	Fall.
CLASS6040	Merchants, Migrants, Barbarians, Pirates The history of the broader Mediterranean world is filled with human movements across a variety of scales, from individual traders and mercenaries to the emigration of whole societies. And yet, identifying these movements is controversial. Some constitute racist fantasies (e.g., Petrie's Egyptian "dynastic race"), others are dismissed as products of the "tyranny of the text" (e.g., the biblical Philistines). Regardless, human movements remain a fixture of how we understand the region. Through case studies, we will explore how archaeologists have interpreted and identified such movements, developing an understanding of how modern methods can—and cannot—identify individual- and population-level movements in the archaeological record. Moreover, we will see how such movements—real or imagined—are often more important to modern identities than ancient realities. Full details for CLASS 6040 - Merchants, Migrants, Barbarians, Pirates	Spring.
CLASS6691	Crossing the Apocalypse How do we cross from an era of destruction and devastation to one of hope and possibility? When we see the signs of endings and extinctions all around us, can we move forward with courage and creativity? This course explores ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic texts, which speak simultaneously of destruction and hope, judgment and possibility. These sensational and sensory formulations of the end times reverberate today in art, film, and music, as well as in environmental writings. Our readings will range from ancient apocalyptic texts, including the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation, to medieval apocalyptic treatises, modern film and art analyses, and ecological treatments of the apocalypse, environment, and future possibilities. Full details for CLASS 6691 - Crossing the Apocalypse	Spring.
CLASS7035	Cornell's Collection of Greek and Roman Art This class examines the history and holdings of Cornell's teaching collection of ancient Greek and Roman objects. Designed to start a systematic inventory of the collections, it requires hands-on engagement with the objects (defining their material, age, function etc.) as much as archival work. Questions concerning the ethics of collections and calls for "decolonizing" museums will play a central role as we ultimately think about how to make use of and display the objects in our custody. Full details for CLASS 7035 - Cornell's Collection of Greek and Roman Art	Spring.
CLASS7173	Topics in Ancient Philosophy Advanced discussion of topics in ancient philosophy. Full details for CLASS 7173 - Topics in Ancient Philosophy	Fall, Spring.
CLASS7345	Graduate TA Training Pedagogical instruction and course coordination. Requirement for all graduate student teachers of LATIN 1201-LATIN 1202 and first-year writing seminars. Full details for CLASS 7345 - Graduate TA Training	Fall, Spring.
CLASS7634	Topics in Ancient Society Course will introduce graduate students to different aspects of ancient society including slavery, economics, law, and citizenship among other topics. Full details for CLASS 7634 - Topics in Ancient Society	Spring.
CLASS7757	The Archaeology of Houses and Households This advanced seminar focuses on the archaeological study of houses, households, families, and communities. How is the study of domestic life transforming our understanding of ancient societies? How can we most effectively use material evidence to investigate the practices, experiences, identities, and social dynamics that made up the everyday lives of real people in antiquity, non-elite as well as elite? To address these questions, we will survey and critically examine historical and current theories, methods, and approaches within the field of household archaeology. This course is intended for graduate students and advanced undergraduates with some previous background in archaeology, material culture studies, or related fields. Full details for CLASS 7757 - The Archaeology of Houses and Households	Fall.
CLASS7960	Independent Study in Classical Studies Independent course in topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses. Students select a topic in consultation with the faculty member who has agreed to supervise the course work. Full details for CLASS 7960 - Independent Study in Classical Studies	Spring.
GREEK1102	Elementary Ancient Greek II Continuation of GREEK 1101, prepares students for GREEK 2101. Full details for GREEK 1102 - Elementary Ancient Greek II	Spring.
GREEK1104	Beginning Homeric Greek This course offers a ground up introduction to the vocabulary and grammar of Homeric Greek with the goal of reading Homer's Iliad and Odyssey as soon as possible. Once students learn the language of the Iliad and Odyssey, they can move on to other works written in roughly the same formulaic diction, ranging from Hesiod's Theogony to the early philosophical verses of Empedocles and Parmenides. Teaching Beginning Homeric Greek at Cornell, affectionately known as 'baby' Greek, harkens back almost 100 years to the influential and popular courses of Professor Harry Caplan. In fact, this course uses an updated version of the same textbook used in Caplan's beginning Greek courses. Full details for GREEK 1104 - Beginning Homeric Greek	Spring.
GREEK2103	Homer The study of selections from the Iliad and/or Odyssey in Greek, with a focus on Homeric grammar, dialect, meter, poetics and composition. Full details for GREEK 2103 - Homer	Spring.
GREEK3120	Seminar in Greek Undergraduate seminar in Greek. Topics: Fall 2023 - Cyclops poetry: Homer, Euripides, Theocritus, and others; Spring 2024 - TBA. Full details for GREEK 3120 - Seminar in Greek	Fall, Spring.
GREEK3185	Independent Study in Greek, Undergraduate Level May be taken upon completion of one semester of work at the 3000-level. To be taken only in exceptional circumstances. Must be arranged by the student with his or her advisor and the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study. To be approved by the DUS. Full details for GREEK 3185 - Independent Study in Greek, Undergraduate Level	Fall, Spring.
GREEK5112	Elementary Ancient Greek II Continuation of GREEK 5111, prepares students for GREEK 5121. Full details for GREEK 5112 - Elementary Ancient Greek II	Spring.
GREEK5114	Beginning Homeric Greek This course offers a ground up introduction to the vocabulary and grammar of Homeric Greek with the goal of reading Homer's Iliad and Odyssey as soon as possible. Once students learn the language of the Iliad and Odyssey, they can move on to other works written in roughly the same formulaic diction, ranging from Hesiod's Theogony to the early philosophical verses of Empedocles and Parmenides. Teaching Beginning Homeric Greek at Cornell, affectionately known as 'baby' Greek, harkens back almost 100 years to the influential and popular courses of Professor Harry Caplan. In fact, this course uses an updated version of the same textbook used in Caplan's beginning Greek courses. Full details for GREEK 5114 - Beginning Homeric Greek	Spring.
GREEK5123	Homer The study of selections from the Iliad and/or Odyssey in Greek, with a focus on Homeric grammar, dialect, meter, poetics and composition. Full details for GREEK 5123 - Homer	Spring.
GREEK5130	Seminar in Greek Topics: Fall 2023 - Cyclops poetry: Homer, Euripides, Theocritus, and others; Spring 2024 - TBA. Full details for GREEK 5130 - Seminar in Greek	Fall, Spring.
GREEK6102	Advanced Readings in Greek Literature Topics for this course vary by instructor. Full details for GREEK 6102 - Advanced Readings in Greek Literature	Spring.
GREEK7161	Greek Philosophical Texts Reading and translation of Greek Philosophical texts. Full details for GREEK 7161 - Greek Philosophical Texts	Fall, Spring.
GREEK7910	Independent Study in Greek Full details for GREEK 7910 - Independent Study in Greek
LATIN1202	Elementary Latin II This course is a continuation of LATIN 1201, using readings from various authors and prepares students for LATIN 1205. Full details for LATIN 1202 - Elementary Latin II	Spring.
LATIN1205	Intermediate Latin I Introduces students to reading original Latin text. Covers complex syntax and reviews the grammar presented in LATIN 1202, LATIN 1204. Full details for LATIN 1205 - Intermediate Latin I	Fall, Spring.
LATIN2205	Virgil Students in this course will read selections of Virgil's Aeneid in Latin. Full details for LATIN 2205 - Virgil	Spring.
LATIN3203	Roman Poetry Spring 2024 Topic: Latin Poetic Muses: Latin poetic muses were active over many centuries. They remain active today. This seminar provides an overview, through selected excerpts, of some of its moods, modes, and meters, and invites students to bring in some of their own favorite passages for discussion. We will try to convey not only the gist of a poet's "meaning," but also to regenerate any special figured language, including puns, anagrams, and acrostics, which inflect meaning in interesting ways and make Latin poetry different from most English language poetry after Chaucer. We will examine how Latin poetry is put together: how metrics and wordplay shape sense, and why "dictionary-based" translation routinely oversimplifies Latin originals. Horace, Ovid, and George Herbert will be our chief sources here. In epic, we'll read excerpts from Ennius, Lucretius, Virgil, Ovid, Lucan, Statius, and Carrara's eighteenth-century Columbus. We'll also look at Ovid's dialogue between his epic and elegiac identities. In lyric, epigram, satire, tragedy, and bucolic, we'll read passages from Terence, Seneca, Virgil, Horace, Persius, and Ausonius. Full details for LATIN 3203 - Roman Poetry	Spring.
LATIN3286	Independent Study in Latin, Undergraduate Level May be taken upon completion of one semester of work at the 3000-level. To be taken only in exceptional circumstances. Must be arranged by the student with his or her advisor and the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study. To be approved by the DUS. Full details for LATIN 3286 - Independent Study in Latin, Undergraduate Level	Fall, Spring.
LATIN4452	Latin Comparative Grammar The prehistory and evolution of the sounds and forms of Classical Latin as reconstructed by comparison with the other Indo-European languages. Full details for LATIN 4452 - Latin Comparative Grammar	Spring.
LATIN5212	Elementary Latin II Continuation of LATIN 5211, using readings from various authors; prepares students for LATIN 5215. Full details for LATIN 5212 - Elementary Latin II	Spring.
LATIN5215	Intermediate Latin I Introduces students to reading original Latin text. Covers complex syntax and reviews the grammar presented in LATIN 5212, LATIN 5214. Full details for LATIN 5215 - Intermediate Latin I	Fall, Spring.
LATIN5225	Virgil Students in this course will read selections of Virgil's Aeneid in Latin. Full details for LATIN 5225 - Virgil	Spring.
LATIN5233	Roman Poetry Spring 2024 Topic: Latin Poetic Muses: Latin poetic muses were active over many centuries. They remain active today. This seminar provides an overview, through selected excerpts, of some of its moods, modes, and meters, and invites students to bring in some of their own favorite passages for discussion. We will try to convey not only the gist of a poet's "meaning," but also to regenerate any special figured language, including puns, anagrams, and acrostics, which inflect meaning in interesting ways and make Latin poetry different from most English language poetry after Chaucer. We will examine how Latin poetry is put together: how metrics and wordplay shape sense, and why "dictionary-based" translation routinely oversimplifies Latin originals. Horace, Ovid, and George Herbert will be our chief sources here. In epic, we'll read excerpts from Ennius, Lucretius, Virgil, Ovid, Lucan, Statius, and Carrara's eighteenth-century Columbus. We'll also look at Ovid's dialogue between his epic and elegiac identities. In lyric, epigram, satire, tragedy, and bucolic, we'll read passages from Terence, Seneca, Virgil, Horace, Persius, and Ausonius. Full details for LATIN 5233 - Roman Poetry	Spring.
LATIN7222	Latin Paleography This course is an introduction to and survey of Latin scripts from Roman antiquity through the early Renaissance, with an emphasis on the identification, localization, and reading of scripts. Class meetings will combine practical study of Latin scripts through medieval manuscripts in the Kroch library, facsimiles, and online digital reproductions with instruction in the cultural-historical background to manuscript production, library practices, and bibliographical resources. Students will also be introduced to basic techniques for codicological description and the principles of textual criticism. Full details for LATIN 7222 - Latin Paleography	Spring.
LATIN7262	Latin Philosophical Texts Reading and translation of Latin philosophical texts. Full details for LATIN 7262 - Latin Philosophical Texts	Fall, Spring.
LATIN7272	Graduate Seminar in Latin An American scholar once described Aeneid 7-12 as the "Other Aeneid," the Italian phase of Virgil's regeneration of the Aeneas tradition which brings the hero into the context of what Virgil himself concedes is the dimly remembered world that Livy attempts to reconstruct in his history. Most of the cast of characters the poet arrays in support of, and in opposition to, Aeneas as he attempts to gain his promised kingdom would have been almost as unfamiliar to ancient as to modern readers. Virgil's reconstructions, Mezentius, for example, are often very different from representation in other ancient accounts, such as that of Dionysius of Halicarnassus. Others are largely his inventions. The most familiar holdover from the Homeric tradition is Diomedes, Aeneas' opponent in Iliad 5, and the first Greek warrior named by Aeneas himself in Virgil's epic, who is approached by Aeneas' delegates, but eventually decides not to join the battle. This seminar will explore what the last six books tell us of Virgil's design for the epic as a whole. Full details for LATIN 7272 - Graduate Seminar in Latin	Spring.
LATIN7452	Latin Comparative Grammar The prehistory and evolution of the sounds and forms of Classical Latin as reconstructed by comparison with the other Indo-European languages. Full details for LATIN 7452 - Latin Comparative Grammar	Spring.
LATIN7920	Independent Study in Latin Full details for LATIN 7920 - Independent Study in Latin

CLASS1332

Elementary Sanskrit II

An introduction to the essentials of Sanskrit grammar. Designed to enable the student to read classical and epic Sanskrit as soon as possible.

Full details for CLASS 1332 - Elementary Sanskrit II

Spring.

CLASS1524

FWS: Stairway to Hell: Dante's Inferno and Classical Myth

Dante's horrifically sublime depiction of hell with his stories of corruption, lust, betrayal, and greed is as grippingly compelling today as it was over 700 years ago. In this class, we will follow Dante and his guide Virgil as they descend into hell and explore the abyss of the human mind. Alongside the Inferno, we will read a selection of Classical myths that inspired Dante's vision. Readings will provide the framework for class exercises and written assignments that will help you embark on your journey as academic writers.

Full details for CLASS 1524 - FWS: Stairway to Hell: Dante's Inferno and Classical Myth

Spring.

CLASS1525

FWS: Ithaca Bound: The Odyssey on Screen

Over 2500 years ago, Homer composed the Odyssey, the story of Odysseus' 10-year long journey home to Ithaca. A tale of war and love, loss and hope featuring powerful gods, menacing sorceresses, and invincible monsters, the Odyssey has all the makings of a great movie. In the beginning of the course, we will read Homer's Odyssey. Later, we will watch films and TV episodes inspired by Odysseus' journey, from Méliès' Ulysses (1905) to the 2018 BBC series Troy. Readings and movies will provide the framework for class exercises and written assignments that will help you embark on your journey as academic writers. For your final project, you will pitch to the class your adaptation of the Odyssey and write a mockup screenplay.

Full details for CLASS 1525 - FWS: Ithaca Bound: The Odyssey on Screen

Fall.

CLASS1531

FWS: Greek Myth

This course will focus on the stories about the gods and heroes of the Greeks as they appear in ancient literature and art. We will examine the relationship between myths and the cultural, religious, and political conditions of the society in which they took shape. Beginning with theories of myth and proceeding to the analysis of individual stories and cycles, the material will serve as a vehicle for improving your written communication skills. Assignments include preparatory writing and essays focusing on readings and discussions in class.

Full details for CLASS 1531 - FWS: Greek Myth

Fall, Spring.

CLASS1580

FWS: How to Rule an Empire: Rome in Comparative Perspective

Managing a large polity is a difficult task. At any given moment, the ruler has to balance the different demands of his or her populace, the priorities of the state, and the resources they have available. All the while, they need to fend off internal and external challenges. In this course, we will examine how Roman emperors dealt with these problems. We will also compare them to other empires, both ancient and modern. Students read authors such as Tacitus and Sima Qian, as well as modern scholarship. Students will compose essays grappling with the challenges faced by each empire, culminating in a comparative project.

Full details for CLASS 1580 - FWS: How to Rule an Empire: Rome in Comparative Perspective

Spring.

CLASS2352

Intermediate Sanskrit II

Readings from Sanskrit dramas and literary commentary.

Full details for CLASS 2352 - Intermediate Sanskrit II

Spring.

CLASS2640

Introduction to Ancient Medicine

An introduction to the origins and development of Western medicine in ancient Greece and Rome. We will read a variety of sources on the ancient theory and practice of medicine, including pre-Hippocratic works, the Hippocratic corpus, and the prolific and opinionated Galen. These texts will be complemented by secondary sources which will put them in scientific and social context, as well as by visual and material evidence. Questions to be considered will include the treatment of women, the relationship between medicine and magic, the evolving state of the arts of anatomy and physiology, and rival schools of thought about the right way to acquire medical knowledge.

Full details for CLASS 2640 - Introduction to Ancient Medicine

Spring.

CLASS2646

Magic and Witchcraft in the Greco-Roman World

This introductory course explores the roles of amulets, love potions, curse tablets, and many other magical practices in ancient Greek and Roman societies. In this course, you will learn how to invoke the powers of Abrasax, become successful and famous, get people to fall desperately in love with you, and cast horrible curses on your enemies! We will also examine a range of ancient and modern approaches to "magic" as a concept: what exactly do we mean by "magic," and how does it relate to other spheres of activity, like religion, science, and philosophy? When people (in ancient times or today) label the activities of others as "magic," what are the social and political consequences of that act? As we investigate the practices that Greeks and Romans considered "magical," we will also explore what those practices can teach us about many other aspects of life in the past, such as social class, gender, religion, and ethnic and cultural identity.

Full details for CLASS 2646 - Magic and Witchcraft in the Greco-Roman World

Spring.

CLASS2652

Ancient Greek Drama

This course introduces students to ancient Greek drama, with a particular focus on the genre of tragedy and its relation to the cultural, political, and performance context of Athens in the 5th century BC. Students will read plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides in English translation and explore how they address key themes such as gender, racialization, slavery, war, mourning, trauma, empathy, and justice. Students will also study how contemporary artists, writers, and communities have adapted and restaged Greek drama, transforming and animating these ancient scripts across various media (theater, film, literature, etc.) to speak to complex and urgent social issues today (e.g., state/institutional violence; sexual violence; racism and xenophobia; queer bodies and desires; mental health; disability and caregiving).

Full details for CLASS 2652 - Ancient Greek Drama

Spring.

CLASS2689

Roman History

This course offers an introduction to the history of the Roman empire, from the prehistoric settlements on the site of Rome to the fall of the Western empire in the fifth century and its revival in the East with Byzantium. Lectures will provide a narrative and interpretations of major issues, including: empire building, cultural unity and diversity, religious transformations, changing relations between state and society. Discussion section will be the opportunity to engage with important texts, ancient and modern, about Rome.

Full details for CLASS 2689 - Roman History

Spring.

CLASS2806

Roman Law

This course presents a cultural and historical perspective on ideas of agency, responsibility, and punishment through foundational texts of western law. We will primarily focus on three main areas of law: (1) slavery and (2) family (both governed by the Roman law of persons), and (3) civil wrongs (the law of delict or culpable harm). Through an examination of the legal sources (in translation) and the study of the reasoning of the Roman jurists, this course will examine the evolution of jurisprudence: the development of the laws concerning power over slaves and women, and changes in the laws concerning penalties for crimes. No specific prior knowledge needed.

Full details for CLASS 2806 - Roman Law

Spring.

CLASS3040

Merchants, Migrants, Barbarians, Pirates

The history of the broader Mediterranean world is filled with human movements across a variety of scales, from individual traders and mercenaries to the emigration of whole societies. And yet, identifying these movements is controversial. Some constitute racist fantasies (e.g., Petrie's Egyptian "dynastic race"), others are dismissed as products of the "tyranny of the text" (e.g., the biblical Philistines). Regardless, human movements remain a fixture of how we understand the region. Through case studies, we will explore how archaeologists have interpreted and identified such movements, developing an understanding of how modern methods can—and cannot—identify individual- and population-level movements in the archaeological record. Moreover, we will see how such movements—real or imagined—are often more important to modern identities than ancient realities.

Full details for CLASS 3040 - Merchants, Migrants, Barbarians, Pirates

Spring.

CLASS3391

Independent Study in Sanskrit, Undergraduate Level

To be taken only in exceptional circumstances. Must be arranged by the student with his or her advisor and the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study. To be approved by the DUS.

Full details for CLASS 3391 - Independent Study in Sanskrit, Undergraduate Level

Fall, Spring.

CLASS3686

Independent Study in Classical Civilization, Undergraduate Level

May be taken upon completion of one semester of work at the 3000-level. To be taken only in exceptional circumstances. Must be arranged by the student with his or her advisor and the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study. To be approved by the DUS.

Full details for CLASS 3686 - Independent Study in Classical Civilization, Undergraduate Level

Fall, Spring.

CLASS3741

Greco-Roman Art from Alexander to Augustus (c.350 BC - AD 20)

This course explores the visual arts of the Mediterranean region from the court of Alexander the Great to the principate of Augustus, the first Roman emperor. During the first half of the semester we will explore the civic, domestic and religious uses of sculpture, painting, architecture, and other media in major settlements of the Hellenistic world such as Alexandria, Pergamon and Rhodes, focusing on the third to first centuries BCE. In the second half of the semester, we will turn to the rise of the Roman empire and the relationship between native Italian artistic traditions and those of the Hellenized Mediterranean, as Republican Rome drew influences (and booty) from its conquered territories. Throughout the course we will examine visual images alongside relevant literary and archaeological material, emphasizing the role of the visual arts within broader aesthetic, intellectual and political trends.

Full details for CLASS 3741 - Greco-Roman Art from Alexander to Augustus (c.350 BC - AD 20)

Spring.

CLASS4035

Cornell's Collection of Greek and Roman Art

This class examines the history and holdings of Cornell's teaching collection of ancient Greek and Roman objects. Designed to start a systematic inventory of the collections, it requires hands-on engagement with the objects (defining their material, age, function etc.) as much as archival work. Questions concerning the ethics of collections and calls for "decolonizing" museums will play a central role as we ultimately think about how to make use of and display the objects in our custody.

Full details for CLASS 4035 - Cornell's Collection of Greek and Roman Art

Spring.

CLASS4691

Crossing the Apocalypse

How do we cross from an era of destruction and devastation to one of hope and possibility? When we see the signs of endings and extinctions all around us, can we move forward with courage and creativity? This course explores ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic texts, which speak simultaneously of destruction and hope, judgment and possibility. These sensational and sensory formulations of the end times reverberate today in art, film, and music, as well as in environmental writings. Our readings will range from ancient apocalyptic texts, including the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation, to medieval apocalyptic treatises, modern film and art analyses, and ecological treatments of the apocalypse, environment, and future possibilities.

Full details for CLASS 4691 - Crossing the Apocalypse

Spring.

CLASS4722

Honors: Senior Essay II

See "Honors" under Classics front matter.

Full details for CLASS 4722 - Honors: Senior Essay II

Fall, Spring.

CLASS4757

The Archaeology of Houses and Households

This advanced seminar focuses on the archaeological study of houses, households, families, and communities. How is the study of domestic life transforming our understanding of ancient societies? How can we most effectively use material evidence to investigate the practices, experiences, identities, and social dynamics that made up the everyday lives of real people in antiquity, non-elite as well as elite? To address these questions, we will survey and critically examine historical and current theories, methods, and approaches within the field of household archaeology.

Full details for CLASS 4757 - The Archaeology of Houses and Households

Fall.

CLASS6040

Merchants, Migrants, Barbarians, Pirates

The history of the broader Mediterranean world is filled with human movements across a variety of scales, from individual traders and mercenaries to the emigration of whole societies. And yet, identifying these movements is controversial. Some constitute racist fantasies (e.g., Petrie's Egyptian "dynastic race"), others are dismissed as products of the "tyranny of the text" (e.g., the biblical Philistines). Regardless, human movements remain a fixture of how we understand the region. Through case studies, we will explore how archaeologists have interpreted and identified such movements, developing an understanding of how modern methods can—and cannot—identify individual- and population-level movements in the archaeological record. Moreover, we will see how such movements—real or imagined—are often more important to modern identities than ancient realities.

Full details for CLASS 6040 - Merchants, Migrants, Barbarians, Pirates

Spring.

CLASS6691

Crossing the Apocalypse

How do we cross from an era of destruction and devastation to one of hope and possibility? When we see the signs of endings and extinctions all around us, can we move forward with courage and creativity? This course explores ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic texts, which speak simultaneously of destruction and hope, judgment and possibility. These sensational and sensory formulations of the end times reverberate today in art, film, and music, as well as in environmental writings. Our readings will range from ancient apocalyptic texts, including the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation, to medieval apocalyptic treatises, modern film and art analyses, and ecological treatments of the apocalypse, environment, and future possibilities.

Full details for CLASS 6691 - Crossing the Apocalypse

Spring.

CLASS7035

Cornell's Collection of Greek and Roman Art

This class examines the history and holdings of Cornell's teaching collection of ancient Greek and Roman objects. Designed to start a systematic inventory of the collections, it requires hands-on engagement with the objects (defining their material, age, function etc.) as much as archival work. Questions concerning the ethics of collections and calls for "decolonizing" museums will play a central role as we ultimately think about how to make use of and display the objects in our custody.

Full details for CLASS 7035 - Cornell's Collection of Greek and Roman Art

Spring.

CLASS7173

Topics in Ancient Philosophy

Advanced discussion of topics in ancient philosophy.

Full details for CLASS 7173 - Topics in Ancient Philosophy

Fall, Spring.

CLASS7345

Graduate TA Training

Pedagogical instruction and course coordination. Requirement for all graduate student teachers of LATIN 1201-LATIN 1202 and first-year writing seminars.

Full details for CLASS 7345 - Graduate TA Training

Fall, Spring.

CLASS7634

Topics in Ancient Society

Course will introduce graduate students to different aspects of ancient society including slavery, economics, law, and citizenship among other topics.

Full details for CLASS 7634 - Topics in Ancient Society

Spring.

CLASS7757

The Archaeology of Houses and Households

This advanced seminar focuses on the archaeological study of houses, households, families, and communities. How is the study of domestic life transforming our understanding of ancient societies? How can we most effectively use material evidence to investigate the practices, experiences, identities, and social dynamics that made up the everyday lives of real people in antiquity, non-elite as well as elite? To address these questions, we will survey and critically examine historical and current theories, methods, and approaches within the field of household archaeology. This course is intended for graduate students and advanced undergraduates with some previous background in archaeology, material culture studies, or related fields.

Full details for CLASS 7757 - The Archaeology of Houses and Households

Fall.

CLASS7960

Independent Study in Classical Studies

Independent course in topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses. Students select a topic in consultation with the faculty member who has agreed to supervise the course work.

Full details for CLASS 7960 - Independent Study in Classical Studies

Spring.

GREEK1102

Elementary Ancient Greek II

Continuation of GREEK 1101, prepares students for GREEK 2101.

Full details for GREEK 1102 - Elementary Ancient Greek II

Spring.

GREEK1104

Beginning Homeric Greek

This course offers a ground up introduction to the vocabulary and grammar of Homeric Greek with the goal of reading Homer's Iliad and Odyssey as soon as possible. Once students learn the language of the Iliad and Odyssey, they can move on to other works written in roughly the same formulaic diction, ranging from Hesiod's Theogony to the early philosophical verses of Empedocles and Parmenides. Teaching Beginning Homeric Greek at Cornell, affectionately known as 'baby' Greek, harkens back almost 100 years to the influential and popular courses of Professor Harry Caplan. In fact, this course uses an updated version of the same textbook used in Caplan's beginning Greek courses.

Full details for GREEK 1104 - Beginning Homeric Greek

Spring.

GREEK2103

Homer

The study of selections from the Iliad and/or Odyssey in Greek, with a focus on Homeric grammar, dialect, meter, poetics and composition.

Full details for GREEK 2103 - Homer

Spring.

GREEK3120

Seminar in Greek

Undergraduate seminar in Greek. Topics: Fall 2023 - Cyclops poetry: Homer, Euripides, Theocritus, and others; Spring 2024 - TBA.

Full details for GREEK 3120 - Seminar in Greek

Fall, Spring.

GREEK3185

Independent Study in Greek, Undergraduate Level

May be taken upon completion of one semester of work at the 3000-level. To be taken only in exceptional circumstances. Must be arranged by the student with his or her advisor and the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study. To be approved by the DUS.

Full details for GREEK 3185 - Independent Study in Greek, Undergraduate Level

Fall, Spring.

GREEK5112

Elementary Ancient Greek II

Continuation of GREEK 5111, prepares students for GREEK 5121.

Full details for GREEK 5112 - Elementary Ancient Greek II

Spring.

GREEK5114

Beginning Homeric Greek

This course offers a ground up introduction to the vocabulary and grammar of Homeric Greek with the goal of reading Homer's Iliad and Odyssey as soon as possible. Once students learn the language of the Iliad and Odyssey, they can move on to other works written in roughly the same formulaic diction, ranging from Hesiod's Theogony to the early philosophical verses of Empedocles and Parmenides. Teaching Beginning Homeric Greek at Cornell, affectionately known as 'baby' Greek, harkens back almost 100 years to the influential and popular courses of Professor Harry Caplan. In fact, this course uses an updated version of the same textbook used in Caplan's beginning Greek courses.

Full details for GREEK 5114 - Beginning Homeric Greek

Spring.

GREEK5123

Homer

The study of selections from the Iliad and/or Odyssey in Greek, with a focus on Homeric grammar, dialect, meter, poetics and composition.

Full details for GREEK 5123 - Homer

Spring.

GREEK5130

Seminar in Greek

Topics: Fall 2023 - Cyclops poetry: Homer, Euripides, Theocritus, and others; Spring 2024 - TBA.

Full details for GREEK 5130 - Seminar in Greek

Fall, Spring.

GREEK6102

Advanced Readings in Greek Literature

Topics for this course vary by instructor.

Full details for GREEK 6102 - Advanced Readings in Greek Literature

Spring.

GREEK7161

Greek Philosophical Texts

Reading and translation of Greek Philosophical texts.

Full details for GREEK 7161 - Greek Philosophical Texts

Fall, Spring.

GREEK7910

Independent Study in Greek

Full details for GREEK 7910 - Independent Study in Greek

LATIN1202

Elementary Latin II

This course is a continuation of LATIN 1201, using readings from various authors and prepares students for LATIN 1205.

Full details for LATIN 1202 - Elementary Latin II

Spring.

LATIN1205

Intermediate Latin I

Introduces students to reading original Latin text. Covers complex syntax and reviews the grammar presented in LATIN 1202, LATIN 1204.

Full details for LATIN 1205 - Intermediate Latin I

Fall, Spring.

LATIN2205

Virgil

Students in this course will read selections of Virgil's Aeneid in Latin.

Full details for LATIN 2205 - Virgil

Spring.

LATIN3203

Roman Poetry

Spring 2024 Topic: Latin Poetic Muses: Latin poetic muses were active over many centuries. They remain active today. This seminar provides an overview, through selected excerpts, of some of its moods, modes, and meters, and invites students to bring in some of their own favorite passages for discussion. We will try to convey not only the gist of a poet's "meaning," but also to regenerate any special figured language, including puns, anagrams, and acrostics, which inflect meaning in interesting ways and make Latin poetry different from most English language poetry after Chaucer. We will examine how Latin poetry is put together: how metrics and wordplay shape sense, and why "dictionary-based" translation routinely oversimplifies Latin originals. Horace, Ovid, and George Herbert will be our chief sources here. In epic, we'll read excerpts from Ennius, Lucretius, Virgil, Ovid, Lucan, Statius, and Carrara's eighteenth-century Columbus. We'll also look at Ovid's dialogue between his epic and elegiac identities. In lyric, epigram, satire, tragedy, and bucolic, we'll read passages from Terence, Seneca, Virgil, Horace, Persius, and Ausonius.

Full details for LATIN 3203 - Roman Poetry

Spring.

LATIN3286

Independent Study in Latin, Undergraduate Level

May be taken upon completion of one semester of work at the 3000-level. To be taken only in exceptional circumstances. Must be arranged by the student with his or her advisor and the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study. To be approved by the DUS.

Full details for LATIN 3286 - Independent Study in Latin, Undergraduate Level

Fall, Spring.

LATIN4452

Latin Comparative Grammar

The prehistory and evolution of the sounds and forms of Classical Latin as reconstructed by comparison with the other Indo-European languages.

Full details for LATIN 4452 - Latin Comparative Grammar

Spring.

LATIN5212

Elementary Latin II

Continuation of LATIN 5211, using readings from various authors; prepares students for LATIN 5215.

Full details for LATIN 5212 - Elementary Latin II

Spring.

LATIN5215

Intermediate Latin I

Introduces students to reading original Latin text. Covers complex syntax and reviews the grammar presented in LATIN 5212, LATIN 5214.

Full details for LATIN 5215 - Intermediate Latin I

Fall, Spring.

LATIN5225

Virgil

Students in this course will read selections of Virgil's Aeneid in Latin.

Full details for LATIN 5225 - Virgil

Spring.

LATIN5233

Roman Poetry

Spring 2024 Topic: Latin Poetic Muses: Latin poetic muses were active over many centuries. They remain active today. This seminar provides an overview, through selected excerpts, of some of its moods, modes, and meters, and invites students to bring in some of their own favorite passages for discussion. We will try to convey not only the gist of a poet's "meaning," but also to regenerate any special figured language, including puns, anagrams, and acrostics, which inflect meaning in interesting ways and make Latin poetry different from most English language poetry after Chaucer. We will examine how Latin poetry is put together: how metrics and wordplay shape sense, and why "dictionary-based" translation routinely oversimplifies Latin originals. Horace, Ovid, and George Herbert will be our chief sources here. In epic, we'll read excerpts from Ennius, Lucretius, Virgil, Ovid, Lucan, Statius, and Carrara's eighteenth-century Columbus. We'll also look at Ovid's dialogue between his epic and elegiac identities. In lyric, epigram, satire, tragedy, and bucolic, we'll read passages from Terence, Seneca, Virgil, Horace, Persius, and Ausonius.

Full details for LATIN 5233 - Roman Poetry

Spring.

LATIN7222

Latin Paleography

This course is an introduction to and survey of Latin scripts from Roman antiquity through the early Renaissance, with an emphasis on the identification, localization, and reading of scripts. Class meetings will combine practical study of Latin scripts through medieval manuscripts in the Kroch library, facsimiles, and online digital reproductions with instruction in the cultural-historical background to manuscript production, library practices, and bibliographical resources. Students will also be introduced to basic techniques for codicological description and the principles of textual criticism.

Full details for LATIN 7222 - Latin Paleography

Spring.

LATIN7262

Latin Philosophical Texts

Reading and translation of Latin philosophical texts.

Full details for LATIN 7262 - Latin Philosophical Texts

Fall, Spring.

LATIN7272

Graduate Seminar in Latin

An American scholar once described Aeneid 7-12 as the "Other Aeneid," the Italian phase of Virgil's regeneration of the Aeneas tradition which brings the hero into the context of what Virgil himself concedes is the dimly remembered world that Livy attempts to reconstruct in his history. Most of the cast of characters the poet arrays in support of, and in opposition to, Aeneas as he attempts to gain his promised kingdom would have been almost as unfamiliar to ancient as to modern readers. Virgil's reconstructions, Mezentius, for example, are often very different from representation in other ancient accounts, such as that of Dionysius of Halicarnassus. Others are largely his inventions. The most familiar holdover from the Homeric tradition is Diomedes, Aeneas' opponent in Iliad 5, and the first Greek warrior named by Aeneas himself in Virgil's epic, who is approached by Aeneas' delegates, but eventually decides not to join the battle. This seminar will explore what the last six books tell us of Virgil's design for the epic as a whole.

Full details for LATIN 7272 - Graduate Seminar in Latin

Spring.

LATIN7452

Latin Comparative Grammar

The prehistory and evolution of the sounds and forms of Classical Latin as reconstructed by comparison with the other Indo-European languages.

Full details for LATIN 7452 - Latin Comparative Grammar

Spring.

LATIN7920

Independent Study in Latin

Full details for LATIN 7920 - Independent Study in Latin

Courses by semester

Courses for Spring 2024