CLAS 260: The Legacy of Greece and Rome

CLAS 260-001: The Legacy of Greece and Rome
(Spring 2019)

10:30 AM to 11:45 AM MW

Krug Hall 210

Section Information for Spring 2019

Memorandum on CLAS 260 (Legacy of Greece and Rome)

Olga Arans, Instructor

 

 

The difficulty of teaching CLAS 260 consists in the multi-directional nature of its subject.

By the face value of its title, the course offers a survey of the joint legacy of the two classical cultures of ancient Europe, the Greco-Roman world which has built the foundations of the Western civilization and spread its influence over the entire modern world.

Yet looking closely into the matter, the concept of “Greco-Roman” combines two very different, in many ways contrasting cultures (whose opposing qualities did not escape he notice of the ancient intellectual mainstream, providing an effective tool of reflection and self-definition). Accordingly, attention should be paid to the inner dialogue between the Greek and Roman cultures, and the role of Rome as the preserver of the Greek legacy, who had appropriated, adapted and bequeathed it upon the future world. 

Moreover, the concept of “legacy” implies the lasting survival and ongoing influence of the ancient heritage upon the future European mind, where each subsequent epoch and each of its cultural, aesthetical, philosophical, literary, social trends would re-invent the classical world, adapting it to one’s current quests, and thus looking back to the classics as if in a mirror – to reflect its own self.

Accordingly, the course should look into:

  • The essence of the common Greco-Roman legacy.
  • Political and cultural contrasts within the Greek world (e. g. Athens vs. Sparta).
  • Particular features of the Greek and Roman cultures, respectively.
  • The inner dynamics between the Greek and Roman legacies.
  • The inner dynamics between the classical legacy and its subsequent appropriations by European intellectual tradition in its variety of cultural contexts.

 

Needless to say, the topic is far too grand for an undergraduate course, which targets, primarily, the over-all familiarity with the subject of Classics. Thus, the course must be very selective of its data, and yet comprehensive in its scope.

As “legacy” includes literature, arts, philosophy, religion, history and historiography, social values, traditions and political concepts, all of these aspects, in their interrelation, must be made part of the course. Conceptual syncretism of the above aspects is facilitated by the fact that, in ancient tradition, literature has been the primary vehicle of the entirety of intellectual concerns. Thus, the GMU credit for Literature requirement is justified by the fact that the main body of CLAS 260 material comes from ancient literary sources.

View 1 Other Section of this Course in this Semester »

Tags:

Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Introduces history, culture, and literature of Greece and Rome through close readings of central passages from classical literature dealing with some of the most important aspects of human existence. Illustrates importance of classical antiquity for the Western tradition. Notes: Coursework in English. Offered by Modern & Classical Languages. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Mason Core, Literature
Recommended Prerequisite: ENGH 101 or equivalent or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.