Courses

Course ID	Title	Offered
CLASS 1331	Elementary Sanskrit I 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 1331 - Elementary Sanskrit I
CLASS 1452	Hieroglyphic Egyptian III Ancient Egyptian civilization produced an extensive, diverse, and profound body of literature, including adventure stories, historical accounts, royal inscriptions, religious hymns, love poetry, satire, wisdom texts, biographies, and more. In this third of three courses in Middle Egyptian, students read a selection of primary texts in hieroglyphs as well as secondary literature pertaining to the original texts. These texts will be used as windows onto the ancient Egyptian world, providing important evidence on many different aspects of ancient society, history, politics, and religion. Primary texts will also be selected based on the research interests of enrolled students. Full details for CLASS 1452 - Hieroglyphic Egyptian III
CLASS 1531	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
CLASS 1615	Introduction to Ancient Rome Ancient Rome was a village the size of Ithaca that grew into a world empire. In this course students will be introduced to some of its literature, art, and famous personalities in the classical period (2nd c. BCE - 2nd c. CE) and will read some of the greatest masterpieces of Latin literature. Special attention will be given to the late republic, Augustan, and Hadrianic periods, to Roman ethics, and to the rise of Christianity. No prior knowledge of the ancient world is necessary. All readings are in English. Full details for CLASS 1615 - Introduction to Ancient Rome
CLASS 2000	Environment and Sustainability Colloquium This colloquium presents students with diverse approaches at the art-science interface used to interest, educate and motivate people to consider, address and solve environmental and sustainability challenges. It consists of a series of lectures given by experts, people with different expertise and perspectives who are addressing a variety of environmental and sustainability problems with regard to humanistic concern. Full details for CLASS 2000 - Environment and Sustainability Colloquium
CLASS 2010	Discussions of Environment and Sustainability This colloquium presents students with diverse approaches at the art-science interface used to interest, educate and motivate people to consider, address and solve environmental and sustainability challenges. It consists of a series of lectures by experts with different perspectives addressing a variety of environmental and sustainability problems with regard to humanistic concern. The small group discussion session allows in-depth engagement with the art-science interface. Building on the possibilities shared by our expert visitors, students in the discussion section will develop their own approach to addressing environmental issues. We will analyze how the ways in which information is shared is as significant as the information itself, and consider artistic and scientific perspectives as mutually beneficial tools for exploring and communicating our relationship to the environment. Full details for CLASS 2010 - Discussions of Environment and Sustainability
CLASS 2351	Intermediate Sanskrit I Readings from simple Sanskrit poetry: the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Full details for CLASS 2351 - Intermediate Sanskrit I
CLASS 2601	The Greek Experience Introduces students to the literature and intellectual life of ancient Greece from Homer to the early centuries of Roman rule. We will read and discuss ancient writers as creative artists in their own right, to develop a clearer sense of what the Greeks themselves sought to express, rather than as sources for a synthetic modern overview of antiquity. Among our texts will be Homer's Odyssey, Greek lyric poetry, the tragedians, Aristophanes, Plato, and Lucian, set against a backdrop of Greek geography, history, and art. No knowledge of Ancient Greece (or Greek) is either assumed or required. Texts will be read in English translation. But students wishing to read parts of any assigned works in the original may apply do so independently with the instructor for additional credit. Full details for CLASS 2601 - The Greek Experience
CLASS 2604	Greek Mythology The stories of Greek Mythology have ignited the imaginations of writers and artists from antiquity to the present day, from the tragedy of Achilles to the adventures of Percy Jackson. This course surveys the most influential stories of Gods and Heroes in Greek myths, focusing on their place in ancient Greek and Roman literature, society and religion, but also tracing their course in intellectual and art history through the Renaissance to the present day. Full details for CLASS 2604 - Greek Mythology
CLASS 2661	Greek and Roman Philosophy An introductory survey of ancient Greek philosophy from the so-called Presocratics (6th century BCE) through the Hellenistic period (1st century BCE) with special emphasis on the thought of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Full details for CLASS 2661 - Greek and Roman Philosophy
CLASS 2675	Ancient Greek History An introduction to the history of the Greek world from Minoan prehistory to the end of the Hellenistic period. This course emphasizes connections between the Greek world and the Ancient Near East. Topics include the rise and fall of the Greek city-state, the invention of democracy, women and women’s economic rights, ancient multicultural societies, and the lives of enslaved people. Course readings include ancient texts as well as modern scholarship. Full details for CLASS 2675 - Ancient Greek History
CLASS 2691	Introduction to Indo-European Linguistics An introduction to the phonology, morphology, and syntax of Proto-Indo-European and the chief historical developments of the daughter languages. Full details for CLASS 2691 - Introduction to Indo-European Linguistics
CLASS 2750	Introduction to Humanities These seminars offer an introduction to the humanities by exploring historical, cultural, social, and political themes. Students will explore themes in critical dialogue with a range of texts and media drawn from the arts, humanities, and/or humanistic social sciences. Guest speakers, including Cornell faculty and Society for the Humanities Fellows, will present from different disciplines and points of view. Students will make field trips to relevant local sites and visit Cornell special collections and archives. Students enrolled in these seminars will have the opportunity to participate in additional programming related to the annual focus theme of Cornell's Society for the Humanities and the Humanities Scholars Program for undergraduate humanities research. Full details for CLASS 2750 - Introduction to Humanities
CLASS 2807	Slavery in the Ancient World From democratic Athens to imperial Rome, the ancient economies of Greece and Rome ran on slave labor and slavery pervaded all areas of life: farming; industry; families; the civil service; police; and more. This course examines Athens and Rome as slave societies and how slavery was integrated into all social structures and accepted as normal. We will address the following topics: definitions of slavery (including chattel slavery, eventually the predominant form of servitude); the sources and numbers of slaves; the slave mode of production and the ancient economy; the treatment of slaves; resistance to slavery and slave revolts; emancipation and the position of freed people; the social position of slaves; the family life of slaves; slavery and the law (civil and natural); slaves in literature. Full details for CLASS 2807 - Slavery in the Ancient World
CLASS 3391	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
CLASS 3395	Advanced Sanskrit I Selected readings in Sanskrit literary and philosophical texts. Full details for CLASS 3395 - Advanced Sanskrit I
CLASS 3635	Queer Classics This course engages classical antiquity and its reception through the prism of queer studies. Cruising Homer, Sappho, Euripides, Plato, Ovid and more, we will explore how queer theoretical frameworks help us account for premodern queer and trans bodies, desires, experiences, and aesthetics. We will trace how people historically have engaged with the classical past in political and affective projects of writing queer history and literature, constructing identities and communities, and imagining queer futures. We will unpack how classical scholarship might reproduce contemporary forms of homophobia and transphobia in its treatments of gender, sexuality, and embodiment in the classical past, and in turn how modern uses of the classical might reinforce or dismantle exclusionary narratives around 'queerness' today as it intersects with race, gender, sexuality, and class. Finally, we will consider how the work we are doing in this class (where the 'Queer' in 'Queer Classics' may be taken as an adjective or an imperative) relates to the ways that contemporary writers, activists, artists, and performers have animated the classical past with queer possibilities. All readings will be in translation; no knowledge of Latin and Greek is required. Full details for CLASS 3635 - Queer Classics
CLASS 3664	Aristotle We will study several of Aristotle's major works, including the Categories, Physics, Posterior Analytics, Metaphysics, and Nicomachean Ethics. Topics include nature and change, form and matter, the nature of happiness, the nature of the soul, and knowledge and first principles. Full details for CLASS 3664 - Aristotle
CLASS 3686	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 their 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
CLASS 3750	Introduction to Dendrochronology Introduction and training in dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) and its applications in archaeology, art history, climate and environment through lab work and participation in ongoing research projects using ancient to modern wood samples from around the world. Supervised reading and laboratory/project work. Possibilities exists for summer fieldwork in the Mediterranean, Mexico, and New York State. Full details for CLASS 3750 - Introduction to Dendrochronology
CLASS 4035	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
CLASS 4662	Topics in Ancient Philosophy Advanced discussion of topics in ancient philosophy. Topics vary by instructors. Full details for CLASS 4662 - Topics in Ancient Philosophy
CLASS 4721	Honors: Senior Essay I Full details for CLASS 4721 - Honors: Senior Essay I
CLASS 4746	Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology Topics Rotate: Fall 2025 topic: Humans and Animals. As Greek and Roman societies relied fundamentally on hunting and agriculture, animals constituted a crucial point of reference in their conception of the world. Animals occupied different functions and roles for humans, such as foe or protector and companion, food and resource, sacrificial victim, subject and object of prodigies, but also status symbol, pet, object of entertainment, object of scientific study etc. We will look at how the different forms of interaction between humans and animals resulted from man's views of other species, but also how such interactions themselves helped shape these views. How did they eventually intersect with discourses on gender, age, class, and race? We will investigate written sources covering the whole range of literary genres; images; and archaeological material. Readings will also refer to the modern debate on the relationship between humans and animals. Full details for CLASS 4746 - Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology
CLASS 4754	Themes in Mediterranean Archaeology This seminar provides a higher-level general introduction to, and survey of, contemporary theories, methods, and approaches in the archaeology of the Mediterranean world. Rather than focusing on a specific geographical sub-region or chronological period, this course examines and critically assesses the practice and distinctive character of Mediterranean archaeology more broadly. Full details for CLASS 4754 - Themes in Mediterranean Archaeology
CLASS 6755	Archaeological Dendrochronology An introduction to the field of Dendrochronology and associated topics with an emphasis on their applications in the field of archaeology and related heritage-buildings fields. Course aimed at graduate level with a focus on critique of scholarship in the field and work on a project as part of the course. Full details for CLASS 6755 - Archaeological Dendrochronology
CLASS 7035	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
CLASS 7173	Topics in Ancient Philosophy Advanced discussion of topics in ancient philosophy. Topics vary by instructors. Full details for CLASS 7173 - Topics in Ancient Philosophy
CLASS 7345	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
CLASS 7346	Classics Graduate Preparation Seminar A course to prepare Classics graduate students for exams and for professionalization. Full details for CLASS 7346 - Classics Graduate Preparation Seminar
CLASS 7682	Topics in Ancient History Topics for this course vary. Full details for CLASS 7682 - Topics in Ancient History
CLASS 7691	Introduction to Indo-European Linguistics An introduction to the phonology, morphology, and syntax of Proto-Indo-European and the chief historical developments of the daughter languages. Full details for CLASS 7691 - Introduction to Indo-European Linguistics
CLASS 7746	Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology Topics Rotate: Fall 2025 topic: Humans and Animals. As Greek and Roman societies relied fundamentally on hunting and agriculture, animals constituted a crucial point of reference in their conception of the world. Animals occupied different functions and roles for humans, such as foe or protector and companion, food and resource, sacrificial victim, subject and object of prodigies, but also status symbol, pet, object of entertainment, object of scientific study etc. We will look at how the different forms of interaction between humans and animals resulted from man's views of other species, but also how such interactions themselves helped shape these views. How did they eventually intersect with discourses on gender, age, class, and race? We will investigate written sources covering the whole range of literary genres; images; and archaeological material. Readings will also refer to the modern debate on the relationship between humans and animals. Full details for CLASS 7746 - Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology
CLASS 7754	Themes in Mediterranean Archaeology This seminar provides a higher-level general introduction to, and survey of, contemporary theories, methods, and approaches in the archaeology of the Mediterranean world. Rather than focusing on a specific geographical sub-region or chronological period, this course examines and critically assesses the practice and distinctive character of Mediterranean archaeology more broadly. Full details for CLASS 7754 - Themes in Mediterranean Archaeology
CLASS 7960	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
GREEK 1101	Elementary Ancient Greek I Introduction to Attic Greek. Designed to enable the student to read the ancient authors as soon as possible. Full details for GREEK 1101 - Elementary Ancient Greek I
GREEK 1105	Homeric Greek II This course continues the introduction to the vocabulary and grammar of Homeric Greek began in GREEK 1104, or similar courses. By the end of this course, students will be reading substantial, unaltered passages from Homer's Iliad. Full details for GREEK 1105 - Homeric Greek II
GREEK 2101	Intermediate Ancient Greek I Combines reading of classical Greek prose texts with systematic review of forms presented in GREEK 1102, study of advanced grammar, vocabulary-building and sight-reading exercises. Full details for GREEK 2101 - Intermediate Ancient Greek I
GREEK 3120	Seminar in Greek Undergraduate seminar in Greek. Fall 2024 topic: Family intrigue in Herodotus and Lysias. Spring 2025 topic: Euripides' Herakles, Plato's Euthyphro. Full details for GREEK 3120 - Seminar in Greek
GREEK 3185	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 their 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
GREEK 5111	Elementary Ancient Greek I Introduction to Ancient Greek. Designed to enable the student to read the ancient authors as soon as possible. Full details for GREEK 5111 - Elementary Ancient Greek I
GREEK 5115	Homeric Greek II This course continues the introduction to the vocabulary and grammar of Homeric Greek. By the end of this course, students will be reading substantial, unaltered passages from Homer's Iliad. Full details for GREEK 5115 - Homeric Greek II
GREEK 5121	Intermediate Ancient Greek I Combines reading of classical Greek prose texts with systematic review of forms presented in GREEK 5112, study of advanced grammar, vocabulary-building and sight-reading exercises. Full details for GREEK 5121 - Intermediate Ancient Greek I
GREEK 5130	Seminar in Greek Fall 2024 topic: Family intrigue in Herodotus and Lysias. Spring 2025 topic: Euripides' Herakles, Plato's Euthyphro. Full details for GREEK 5130 - Seminar in Greek
GREEK 7161	Greek Philosophical Texts Reading and translation of Greek Philosophical texts. Full details for GREEK 7161 - Greek Philosophical Texts
GREEK 7910	Independent Study in Greek Independent study in Greek for graduate students. Full details for GREEK 7910 - Independent Study in Greek
LATIN 1201	Elementary Latin I Introductory course designed to prepare students to start reading Latin prose at the end of a year. The class moves swiftly and includes extensive memorization of vocabulary and paradigms; study of Latin syntax; and written homework, quizzes, tests, and oral drills. Full details for LATIN 1201 - Elementary Latin I
LATIN 1205	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
LATIN 2201	Latin Prose Intermediate readings of Latin prose. Topics change by instructor. Full details for LATIN 2201 - Latin Prose
LATIN 3203	Roman Poetry Topics vary by instructor. Full details for LATIN 3203 - Roman Poetry
LATIN 3286	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 their 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
LATIN 5211	Elementary Latin I Introductory course designed to prepare students to start reading Latin prose at the end of a year. The class moves swiftly and includes extensive memorization of vocabulary and paradigms; study of Latin syntax; and written homework, quizzes, tests, and oral drills. Full details for LATIN 5211 - Elementary Latin I
LATIN 5215	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
LATIN 5221	Latin Prose Intermediate readings of Latin prose. Topics change by instructor. Full details for LATIN 5221 - Latin Prose
LATIN 5233	Roman Poetry Topics vary by instructor. Full details for LATIN 5233 - Roman Poetry
LATIN 7262	Latin Philosophical Texts Reading and translation of Latin philosophical texts. Full details for LATIN 7262 - Latin Philosophical Texts
LATIN 7272	Graduate Seminar in Latin Topic: Roman ways of reading. Full details for LATIN 7272 - Graduate Seminar in Latin
LATIN 7920	Independent Study in Latin Independent study for graduate students only. Full details for LATIN 7920 - Independent Study in Latin

CLASS 1331

Elementary Sanskrit I

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 1331 - Elementary Sanskrit I

CLASS 1452

Hieroglyphic Egyptian III

Ancient Egyptian civilization produced an extensive, diverse, and profound body of literature, including adventure stories, historical accounts, royal inscriptions, religious hymns, love poetry, satire, wisdom texts, biographies, and more. In this third of three courses in Middle Egyptian, students read a selection of primary texts in hieroglyphs as well as secondary literature pertaining to the original texts. These texts will be used as windows onto the ancient Egyptian world, providing important evidence on many different aspects of ancient society, history, politics, and religion. Primary texts will also be selected based on the research interests of enrolled students.

Full details for CLASS 1452 - Hieroglyphic Egyptian III

CLASS 1531

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

CLASS 1615

Introduction to Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a village the size of Ithaca that grew into a world empire. In this course students will be introduced to some of its literature, art, and famous personalities in the classical period (2nd c. BCE - 2nd c. CE) and will read some of the greatest masterpieces of Latin literature. Special attention will be given to the late republic, Augustan, and Hadrianic periods, to Roman ethics, and to the rise of Christianity. No prior knowledge of the ancient world is necessary. All readings are in English.

Full details for CLASS 1615 - Introduction to Ancient Rome

CLASS 2000

Environment and Sustainability Colloquium

This colloquium presents students with diverse approaches at the art-science interface used to interest, educate and motivate people to consider, address and solve environmental and sustainability challenges. It consists of a series of lectures given by experts, people with different expertise and perspectives who are addressing a variety of environmental and sustainability problems with regard to humanistic concern.

Full details for CLASS 2000 - Environment and Sustainability Colloquium

CLASS 2010

Discussions of Environment and Sustainability

This colloquium presents students with diverse approaches at the art-science interface used to interest, educate and motivate people to consider, address and solve environmental and sustainability challenges. It consists of a series of lectures by experts with different perspectives addressing a variety of environmental and sustainability problems with regard to humanistic concern. The small group discussion session allows in-depth engagement with the art-science interface. Building on the possibilities shared by our expert visitors, students in the discussion section will develop their own approach to addressing environmental issues. We will analyze how the ways in which information is shared is as significant as the information itself, and consider artistic and scientific perspectives as mutually beneficial tools for exploring and communicating our relationship to the environment.

Full details for CLASS 2010 - Discussions of Environment and Sustainability

CLASS 2351

Intermediate Sanskrit I

Readings from simple Sanskrit poetry: the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.

Full details for CLASS 2351 - Intermediate Sanskrit I

CLASS 2601

The Greek Experience

Introduces students to the literature and intellectual life of ancient Greece from Homer to the early centuries of Roman rule. We will read and discuss ancient writers as creative artists in their own right, to develop a clearer sense of what the Greeks themselves sought to express, rather than as sources for a synthetic modern overview of antiquity. Among our texts will be Homer's Odyssey, Greek lyric poetry, the tragedians, Aristophanes, Plato, and Lucian, set against a backdrop of Greek geography, history, and art. No knowledge of Ancient Greece (or Greek) is either assumed or required. Texts will be read in English translation. But students wishing to read parts of any assigned works in the original may apply do so independently with the instructor for additional credit.

Full details for CLASS 2601 - The Greek Experience

CLASS 2604

Greek Mythology

The stories of Greek Mythology have ignited the imaginations of writers and artists from antiquity to the present day, from the tragedy of Achilles to the adventures of Percy Jackson. This course surveys the most influential stories of Gods and Heroes in Greek myths, focusing on their place in ancient Greek and Roman literature, society and religion, but also tracing their course in intellectual and art history through the Renaissance to the present day.

Full details for CLASS 2604 - Greek Mythology

CLASS 2661

Greek and Roman Philosophy

An introductory survey of ancient Greek philosophy from the so-called Presocratics (6th century BCE) through the Hellenistic period (1st century BCE) with special emphasis on the thought of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Full details for CLASS 2661 - Greek and Roman Philosophy

CLASS 2675

Ancient Greek History

An introduction to the history of the Greek world from Minoan prehistory to the end of the Hellenistic period. This course emphasizes connections between the Greek world and the Ancient Near East. Topics include the rise and fall of the Greek city-state, the invention of democracy, women and women’s economic rights, ancient multicultural societies, and the lives of enslaved people. Course readings include ancient texts as well as modern scholarship.

Full details for CLASS 2675 - Ancient Greek History

CLASS 2691

Introduction to Indo-European Linguistics

An introduction to the phonology, morphology, and syntax of Proto-Indo-European and the chief historical developments of the daughter languages.

Full details for CLASS 2691 - Introduction to Indo-European Linguistics

CLASS 2750

Introduction to Humanities

These seminars offer an introduction to the humanities by exploring historical, cultural, social, and political themes. Students will explore themes in critical dialogue with a range of texts and media drawn from the arts, humanities, and/or humanistic social sciences. Guest speakers, including Cornell faculty and Society for the Humanities Fellows, will present from different disciplines and points of view. Students will make field trips to relevant local sites and visit Cornell special collections and archives. Students enrolled in these seminars will have the opportunity to participate in additional programming related to the annual focus theme of Cornell's Society for the Humanities and the Humanities Scholars Program for undergraduate humanities research.

Full details for CLASS 2750 - Introduction to Humanities

CLASS 2807

Slavery in the Ancient World

From democratic Athens to imperial Rome, the ancient economies of Greece and Rome ran on slave labor and slavery pervaded all areas of life: farming; industry; families; the civil service; police; and more. This course examines Athens and Rome as slave societies and how slavery was integrated into all social structures and accepted as normal. We will address the following topics: definitions of slavery (including chattel slavery, eventually the predominant form of servitude); the sources and numbers of slaves; the slave mode of production and the ancient economy; the treatment of slaves; resistance to slavery and slave revolts; emancipation and the position of freed people; the social position of slaves; the family life of slaves; slavery and the law (civil and natural); slaves in literature.

Full details for CLASS 2807 - Slavery in the Ancient World

CLASS 3391

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

CLASS 3395

Advanced Sanskrit I

Selected readings in Sanskrit literary and philosophical texts.

Full details for CLASS 3395 - Advanced Sanskrit I

CLASS 3635

Queer Classics

This course engages classical antiquity and its reception through the prism of queer studies. Cruising Homer, Sappho, Euripides, Plato, Ovid and more, we will explore how queer theoretical frameworks help us account for premodern queer and trans bodies, desires, experiences, and aesthetics. We will trace how people historically have engaged with the classical past in political and affective projects of writing queer history and literature, constructing identities and communities, and imagining queer futures. We will unpack how classical scholarship might reproduce contemporary forms of homophobia and transphobia in its treatments of gender, sexuality, and embodiment in the classical past, and in turn how modern uses of the classical might reinforce or dismantle exclusionary narratives around 'queerness' today as it intersects with race, gender, sexuality, and class. Finally, we will consider how the work we are doing in this class (where the 'Queer' in 'Queer Classics' may be taken as an adjective or an imperative) relates to the ways that contemporary writers, activists, artists, and performers have animated the classical past with queer possibilities. All readings will be in translation; no knowledge of Latin and Greek is required.

Full details for CLASS 3635 - Queer Classics

CLASS 3664

Aristotle

We will study several of Aristotle's major works, including the Categories, Physics, Posterior Analytics, Metaphysics, and Nicomachean Ethics. Topics include nature and change, form and matter, the nature of happiness, the nature of the soul, and knowledge and first principles.

Full details for CLASS 3664 - Aristotle

CLASS 3686

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 their 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

CLASS 3750

Introduction to Dendrochronology

Introduction and training in dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) and its applications in archaeology, art history, climate and environment through lab work and participation in ongoing research projects using ancient to modern wood samples from around the world. Supervised reading and laboratory/project work. Possibilities exists for summer fieldwork in the Mediterranean, Mexico, and New York State.

Full details for CLASS 3750 - Introduction to Dendrochronology

CLASS 4035

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

CLASS 4662

Topics in Ancient Philosophy

Advanced discussion of topics in ancient philosophy. Topics vary by instructors.

Full details for CLASS 4662 - Topics in Ancient Philosophy

CLASS 4721

Honors: Senior Essay I

Full details for CLASS 4721 - Honors: Senior Essay I

CLASS 4746

Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology

Topics Rotate: Fall 2025 topic: Humans and Animals. As Greek and Roman societies relied fundamentally on hunting and agriculture, animals constituted a crucial point of reference in their conception of the world. Animals occupied different functions and roles for humans, such as foe or protector and companion, food and resource, sacrificial victim, subject and object of prodigies, but also status symbol, pet, object of entertainment, object of scientific study etc. We will look at how the different forms of interaction between humans and animals resulted from man's views of other species, but also how such interactions themselves helped shape these views. How did they eventually intersect with discourses on gender, age, class, and race? We will investigate written sources covering the whole range of literary genres; images; and archaeological material. Readings will also refer to the modern debate on the relationship between humans and animals.

Full details for CLASS 4746 - Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology

CLASS 4754

Themes in Mediterranean Archaeology

This seminar provides a higher-level general introduction to, and survey of, contemporary theories, methods, and approaches in the archaeology of the Mediterranean world. Rather than focusing on a specific geographical sub-region or chronological period, this course examines and critically assesses the practice and distinctive character of Mediterranean archaeology more broadly.

Full details for CLASS 4754 - Themes in Mediterranean Archaeology

CLASS 6755

Archaeological Dendrochronology

An introduction to the field of Dendrochronology and associated topics with an emphasis on their applications in the field of archaeology and related heritage-buildings fields. Course aimed at graduate level with a focus on critique of scholarship in the field and work on a project as part of the course.

Full details for CLASS 6755 - Archaeological Dendrochronology

CLASS 7035

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

CLASS 7173

Topics in Ancient Philosophy

Advanced discussion of topics in ancient philosophy. Topics vary by instructors.

Full details for CLASS 7173 - Topics in Ancient Philosophy

CLASS 7345

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

CLASS 7346

Classics Graduate Preparation Seminar

A course to prepare Classics graduate students for exams and for professionalization.

Full details for CLASS 7346 - Classics Graduate Preparation Seminar

CLASS 7682

Topics in Ancient History

Topics for this course vary.

Full details for CLASS 7682 - Topics in Ancient History

CLASS 7691

Introduction to Indo-European Linguistics

An introduction to the phonology, morphology, and syntax of Proto-Indo-European and the chief historical developments of the daughter languages.

Full details for CLASS 7691 - Introduction to Indo-European Linguistics

CLASS 7746

Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology

Topics Rotate: Fall 2025 topic: Humans and Animals. As Greek and Roman societies relied fundamentally on hunting and agriculture, animals constituted a crucial point of reference in their conception of the world. Animals occupied different functions and roles for humans, such as foe or protector and companion, food and resource, sacrificial victim, subject and object of prodigies, but also status symbol, pet, object of entertainment, object of scientific study etc. We will look at how the different forms of interaction between humans and animals resulted from man's views of other species, but also how such interactions themselves helped shape these views. How did they eventually intersect with discourses on gender, age, class, and race? We will investigate written sources covering the whole range of literary genres; images; and archaeological material. Readings will also refer to the modern debate on the relationship between humans and animals.

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CLASS 7754

Themes in Mediterranean Archaeology

This seminar provides a higher-level general introduction to, and survey of, contemporary theories, methods, and approaches in the archaeology of the Mediterranean world. Rather than focusing on a specific geographical sub-region or chronological period, this course examines and critically assesses the practice and distinctive character of Mediterranean archaeology more broadly.

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CLASS 7960

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.

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GREEK 1101

Elementary Ancient Greek I

Introduction to Attic Greek. Designed to enable the student to read the ancient authors as soon as possible.

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GREEK 1105

Homeric Greek II

This course continues the introduction to the vocabulary and grammar of Homeric Greek began in GREEK 1104, or similar courses. By the end of this course, students will be reading substantial, unaltered passages from Homer's Iliad.

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GREEK 2101

Intermediate Ancient Greek I

Combines reading of classical Greek prose texts with systematic review of forms presented in GREEK 1102, study of advanced grammar, vocabulary-building and sight-reading exercises.

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GREEK 3120

Seminar in Greek

Undergraduate seminar in Greek. Fall 2024 topic: Family intrigue in Herodotus and Lysias. Spring 2025 topic: Euripides' Herakles, Plato's Euthyphro.

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GREEK 3185

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 their advisor and the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study. To be approved by the DUS.

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GREEK 5111

Elementary Ancient Greek I

Introduction to Ancient Greek. Designed to enable the student to read the ancient authors as soon as possible.

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GREEK 5115

Homeric Greek II

This course continues the introduction to the vocabulary and grammar of Homeric Greek. By the end of this course, students will be reading substantial, unaltered passages from Homer's Iliad.

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GREEK 5121

Intermediate Ancient Greek I

Combines reading of classical Greek prose texts with systematic review of forms presented in GREEK 5112, study of advanced grammar, vocabulary-building and sight-reading exercises.

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GREEK 5130

Seminar in Greek

Fall 2024 topic: Family intrigue in Herodotus and Lysias. Spring 2025 topic: Euripides' Herakles, Plato's Euthyphro.

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GREEK 7161

Greek Philosophical Texts

Reading and translation of Greek Philosophical texts.

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GREEK 7910

Independent Study in Greek

Independent study in Greek for graduate students.

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LATIN 1201

Elementary Latin I

Introductory course designed to prepare students to start reading Latin prose at the end of a year. The class moves swiftly and includes extensive memorization of vocabulary and paradigms; study of Latin syntax; and written homework, quizzes, tests, and oral drills.

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LATIN 1205

Intermediate Latin I

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

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LATIN 2201

Latin Prose

Intermediate readings of Latin prose. Topics change by instructor.

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LATIN 3203

Roman Poetry

Topics vary by instructor.

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LATIN 3286

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 their advisor and the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study. To be approved by the DUS.

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LATIN 5211

Elementary Latin I

Introductory course designed to prepare students to start reading Latin prose at the end of a year. The class moves swiftly and includes extensive memorization of vocabulary and paradigms; study of Latin syntax; and written homework, quizzes, tests, and oral drills.

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LATIN 5215

Intermediate Latin I

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

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LATIN 5221

Latin Prose

Intermediate readings of Latin prose. Topics change by instructor.

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LATIN 5233

Roman Poetry

Topics vary by instructor.