Course Descriptions

Click below to see the Fall 2022 course offerings for Classics & Archaeology:

COURSE TITLE: Ancient Greece

COURSE NUMBER: CLAR 2240

SECTION TIMES/DAYS: TR 9:55am-11:35pm

INSTRUCTOR: Katerina Zacharia

CORE AREA: EHAP, Engaged Learning

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

This 4-unit course is a survey of the ancient Greek civilization from its origins in the late Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period (1500–400 BC). The course will include a “Reacting to the Past” role-playing game to enable students to relive important intellectual debates in Athens in 403 B.C. Students will draw on Plato’s Republic, Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, and other contemporary sources to debate the Reconciliation Agreement between Athens and Sparta in 403 BC, after nearly three decades of the Peloponnesian war (431-404 BC). And, we will also stage a trial for Socrates (399 BC).

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will:
- Be able to reproduce the main periods of Greek history.
- Demonstrate their awareness of literary, philosophical, social, and cultural developments that affect the interpretation of texts, artifacts, and historical events
- Understand the different literary genres of epic, drama, philosophy, and historiography
- Develop strategies on how to read and interpret literary texts and artifacts from the ancient world, such as art objects, material remains, monuments, inscriptions
- Appraise information in primary sources so as to appreciate the values of the ancient Greek culture
- Distinguish the different theoretical approaches in evaluating primary sources from the ancient Greek world
- Create and Role-play a character based on primary sources, representing key-positions, as outlined in the Student Reader
- Engage in debate through improvisation and composition of consistent, historically accurate and carefully argued speeches
PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

No prerequisites.

REQUIRED TEXTS
1. Required: S.B. Pomeroy, S.M. Burstein, W. Donlan, J. Tolbert Roberts, A Brief History of Ancient Greece: A Political, Social, and Cultural History. Oxford UP. 3rd Edition, 2014. [ISBN: 9780199981557].
2. Required: Mark C. Carnes and Josiah Ober, The Threshold of Democracy: Athens in 403 BC. Reacting to the Past Series. Norton & Co. 4th Edition 2015. ISBN: 9780393938876
3. Recommended: Mark Munn, The School of History: Athens in the Age of Socrates. Univ. of California Press, 2000. [ISBN: 9780520236851]. E-book at LMU library: https://linus.lmu.edu/record=b4256685~S2
COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

The final grade will be determined as follows:

Class Participation and Simulation exercise: 25%; Information Literacy and Research skills: 20%; Writing Assignments: 25%; Peer Reviews: 5%; Quizzes: 10%; Midterm: 15%.
COURSE TITLE: Greek & Roman Religions

COURSE NUMBER: CLAR 3220

SECTION TIMES/DAYS: MW 2pm-3:30pm

INSTRUCTOR: Ben Radcliffe

CORE AREA: IFTR INT: Faith and Reason

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

This course is an introduction to the diverse practices and beliefs that shaped ancient Greek and Roman relationships with their gods. Students will learn how these relationships developed historically and were embedded in broader social and political structures. By reading primary sources, especially literary texts, alongside modern theories of religion, students will explore topics such as ritual and sacrifice, myth, sacred space, the afterlife, theology, and skepticism.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Successful students will appreciate the diverse array of beliefs and practices organized under the heading of “ancient religion”; have read a variety of literary sources that depict aspects of Greek and Roman religious life; be able to analyze how literary sources variously represent, reframe, and refashion religious experience according to their distinct generic and authorial perspectives; understand the broad historical development of Greek religion through the 4th c. BCE and of Roman religion through the 5th c. CE; appreciate how ancient religious practices were embedded in particular social and political contexts; be conversant with select theoretical approaches to ancient religion; understand some of the methodological and philosophical issues raised by the study of ancient religion.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

No prerequisites.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Ancient Greek Religion, J. D. Mikalson, 2010.

Religions of Rome, v. 1, M. Beard et al., 1998.

Religions of Rome, v. 2, M. Beard et al., 1998.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

The course involves ~100 pages of reading per week, four quizzes, a final exam, and two writing assignments. Participation in class discussion and forum posting is required. Students in a 4-unit course are expected to spend an average of 9 hours per week on reading outside of class to prepare for discussions, study for quizzes and exams, and research for writing assignments.
Course Title: Archaeology of the Levant

Course Number: CLAR 3390

Sections Times/Day: TR 8:00am-9:40am

Instructor: Heidi Fessler

Core Area: Historical Analysis and Perspectives

Course Description

The Levant is an integral region along the eastern Mediterranean Sea that connected ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia. This course explores important archaeological findings in the Levant over twelve millennia beginning with hunter gatherer societies of the paleolithic period and concluding with finds from the era of the Roman empire. Students will observe ancient artifacts, study ruins of key cities and read translations of texts important to understanding the role of the Levant within the Ancient Near East. Visits to LMU’s archaeology center and interaction with pottery and other finds from the region will provide hands-on learning experiences.

Student Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will:
- Be familiar with key events in prehistory and early history and how they relate to the archaeological record
- Have a general understanding of the timeline of events in the Levant and greater Ancient Near East
- Be able to identify and articulate important features of material culture in the Levant
- Be able to describe the connections between the Levant and Egypt, Mesopotamia and Anatolia
- Have an increased knowledge of archaeological practice and interpretation in the Levant and beyond
Required Texts

Steiner, Margreet L., and Ann E. Killebrew, eds. The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of the Levant: c. 8000-332 BCE. Oxford University Press, 2014.

Coursework and Expectations

Students are expected to complete weekly readings assigned from the textbooks and primary sources in translation, as well as additional short assignments meant to enhance understanding of specific topics. Attendance is required as well as thoughtful participation in class discussions. Students should use both class notes and weekly readings to study for quizzes and exams. Two papers, two group assignments and a final presentation will encourage students to investigate topics related to Archaeology of the Levant.
COURSE TITLE: The Axial Age

COURSE NUMBER: CLAR 4210

SECTION TIMES/DAYS: MW 6pm-7:40pm

INSTRUCTOR: Jordan Christopher

CORE AREA: Interdisciplinary Connections

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

The German philosopher Karl Theodor Jaspers coined the phrase “Achsenzeit” (“Axial Age”) in the mid-20^th century to describe a period roughly boundaried around ~900 - 200 BCE. In this supposed “Axial Age”, crucial philosophers and intellectual developments emerged across the cultures of Eurasia without much supposed cross-contact. This loosely defined period was seen as critical for laying the foundations upon which humanity still subsists today. While the notion of any human era identifiable as “Axial” is disputed as being a construction of Philosophers rather than Historians, the common themes and dynamics both philosophical and historical of the period as identified by Jaspers remain striking. This course explores the historical contexts that produced these philosophical texts, as well as the philosophical texts themselves, to develop an overview understanding of the Axial Age.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will gain familiarity with the philosophical and cultural works associated with this “moment” in human history through a survey study of texts from Greece, Persia, Israel, India, and China as well as their historical and social contexts. Through the course of gaining this familiarity, students will also develop critical thinking skills, and develop experience with comparative historical and philosophical analysis. Students will also develop writing skills as part of coursework in the form of a graded final essay.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

No Prerequisites, but some familiarity with Ancient Greece, India, or China is recommended.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Eisenstadt, Shmuel N., editor. 1986. Origins and Diversity of Axial Age Civilizations. SUNY Press.

Hoyer, Daniel and Jenny Reddish, editors. 2019. Seshat History of the Axial Age. Beresta Books.

Sarma, Deepak. 2011. Classical Indian Philosophy: A Reader. Columbia University Press.

Ivanhoe, Philip J. and Bryan W. Van Norden, editors. 2005. Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy, Second Edition. Hackett Publishing.

Graham, Daniel W., editor and translator. 2010. The Texts of Early Greek Philosophy: The Complete Fragments and Selected Testimonies of the Major Presocratics. Volume 1 of 2.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

15% - Quizzes on the assigned reading

10% - Attendance

25% - Essay (10 Pages)

25% - Midterm Exam

25% - Final Exam
COURSE TITLE: Ancient World and Film

COURSE NUMBER: CLAR 4230

SECTION TIMES/DAYS: TR 3:40pm-5:20pm

INSTRUCTOR: Katerina Zacharia

CORE AREA: Interdisciplinary Connections

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

This course is a study of the uses of Greco-Roman myth and history in cinema and aims to:
- Carry out a critical study in detail and in depth of a selection of films on Greco-Roman topics.
- Explore the social and cultural context of the cinematic adaptation and the impact it had on the translation of the original sources to film.
- Train the students in the critical and intelligent appreciation of cinema by means of essay-writing and class presentations.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will:
- Learn basic Greek and Roman history and mythology and acquire basic understanding of the literary genres of epic, tragedy, comedy, and historiography.
- Become familiar with modern critical film theory.
- Be able to apply film theory, critically analyze films and write informed film reviews and an informed essay on a director or topic to be selected after consultation with the instructor.
PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

No prerequisites.

REQUIRED TEXTS

None.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

This is a writing film analysis seminar. The final grade will be determined as follows:

Class Presentations: 10%, Discussion Forum 10%; Peer Reviews: 5%; Midterm 10%; Film Reviews 50%; Term Paper 15%.
This course offers a supervised internship with the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) administrated by Prof. Katerina Zacharia, LAGFF Director of Education & Culture. The course provides the necessary resources and tools to students to maximize career seeking skills through internship advisement, resume and cover letter support, and reflection on the internship experience.

May be repeated for a maximum of 4 semester hours.

Credit/No Credit grading.
Course Title: Archaeology and the Bible

Course Number: CLAR 4350

Sections Times/Day: TR 9:55am-11:35am

Instructor: Heidi Fessler

Core Area: Faith and Reason

Course Description

This course gives us an opportunity to discover archaeological material linked to key events from the Old and New Testaments. We will study important ancient cities and investigate artifacts that enhance our understanding of the Bible’s historical context. We will also explore archaeological data that conflicts with the Bible’s presentation of the past and discuss the historicity of Biblical hallmarks like the Exodus, King David, and the Ark of the Covenant. An exploration of sites and museums displaying ancient artifacts online will enhance our learning experience.

Student Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will:
- Be familiar with key events in the Bible and how they relate to the archaeological record
- Have a general understanding of the timeline of Biblical Events
- Be able to identify important features of material culture in ancient Israel
- Have an understanding of some of the conflicting opinions on major topics in Biblical Archaeology
- Have an increased knowledge of archaeological interpretation and an appreciation of how the past both challenges and enhances our understanding of the Bible
Coursework and Expectations

Students are expected to complete weekly readings assigned from the textbooks and primary sources in translation, as well as additional short assignments meant to enhance understanding of specific topics. Attendance is required as well as thoughtful participation in class discussions. Students should use both class notes and weekly readings to study for quizzes and exams. Two short papers, two group assignments and a final research paper will allow students to investigate a topic related to Biblical Archaeology.

Required Texts

None
COURSE TITLE: Archaeology Lab: The Early Bronze Age in the Levant (Bab edh-Drab)

COURSE NUMBER: CLAR 4998

SECTION TIMES/DAYS: TR 11:50am-1:30pm

INSTRUCTOR: Heidi Fessler

CORE AREA: IINC

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

This hands-on course focuses on a small collection of Jordanian archaeological objects from the Early Bronze Age period that are housed in the Loyola Marymount Archaeological museum. During the semester, students will (1) research the material in our collection, (2) inventory, catalogue, and digitize it, and (3) pursue broader research on Early Bronze Age Jordanian archaeology. In particular, they will focus on funerary practices, everyday lives, architecture, and technologies. Based on their research, students will design an exhibit at the Hannon Library presenting the objects from the museum’s collection to a wide public at LMU and beyond, while replacing them in their archaeological and historical context. This course will thus provide students with a broad overview of Early Bronze Age culture, with a specific focus on funerary practices and on curating and exhibiting objects from a museum’s collections.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the semester students will:
- Learn how to conduct the complete study of an archaeological data-set
- Be part of a team, and develop an exhibit based on individual research and collective work.
- orally present the research they did with a powerpoint,
- be familiar with the latest scholarship on the topics covered in class.
PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

Previous courses in Archaeology or Art History preferred

REQUIRED TEXTS

None.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

Writing intensive course with 2 papers and a major final collaborative project (exhibit).
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