Classes will take the form of a lecture/discussion, often accompanied by other activities, such as debates or the viewing of slides videos. The purpose of this format is to allow the student to explore more deeply the concepts from the assigned readi ngs; for this reason, students are strongly encouraged to keep up with the reading assignments.

Required Texts

Textbook:

Nancy Demand, History of Ancient Greece

Primary Source Materials:

• Homer, Odyssey
• Herodotos, The Histories
• Thucydides, A History of the Peloponnesian War
• Plutarch, The Rise and Fall of Athens: Nine Greek Lives

Contact Information for Eric Kondratieff

Course Schedule

1. Accuracy
2. Detail
3. Use of primary literary sources.
4. Use of primary visual sources (e.g., vases, coins, artifacts).

Topic 1: Can Homer be used for history? If so, to what extent? If not, explain why not. What should historians be careful of if they attempt to use Homer as a source for the early history of Greece?
DUE JUNE 4

Topic 2: Compare the democratic reforms of Solon and Kleisthenes. Why did Kleisthenes succeed where Solon had failed?
DUE JUNE 11

Topic 3: Describe how the defensive confederacy, formed after the Persian Wars, came to be an empire dominated by the Athenians. How and why do you think this occurred?
DUE JUNE 18

Topic 4: In your opinion, why did the Athenians lose the Peloponnesian War? Point to specific examples in formulating your answer. Was their loss due to natural disasters, policy mistakes, poor leadership, other reasons, or a combination of f actors?
DUE JUNE 25

1. Homer tells a story which takes place during an earlier time. As part of his story, he describes political and social institutions, customs, life-style, and material culture. What kind of society is Homer describing? What are its values? What type of social structure does it have? What are the relations between men and women, masters and servants, kings and subjects? In short, construct a model of how the society which Homer describes was organized and functioned.

2. Thucydides (I.23) explains the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War in these terms: "The real cause I consider to be one which was formally kept out of sight. The growth of the power of Athens, and the alarm which this inspired in Lacedaemon, made war inevitable." How accurate an assessment of the causes of the Peloponnesian War is this? For this topic, you should also consult your textbook on the Peloponnesian War.

3. Compare and contrast Herodotos' portrayal of Xerxes and Themistokles. Is Xerxes the villain of The Histories and Themistokles the hero? Does Herodotos depict Xerxes as a stock oriental despot, a man with many vices, but no virtues? Does Th emistokles have any faults, or is he the paradigm of the patriotic and clever Greek? If you decide that these two individuals are not painted in black and white terms, what does that tell us about how Herodotos perceived the struggle between Persia and G reece? In other words, what are the larger implications of his portrayal of these two individuals?

4. What was the purpose and function of oracles in Ancient Greece? Did the Greeks really take oracular responses seriously? Did a woman really influence the actions and decisions of states and individuals? Do not quote them in your paper (except for a few lines), but discuss and/or classify as many oracles as you can from Books I, IV, V, and VII in Herodotos. A list of oracles not included in the assigned readings will be provided to students wishing to pursue this topic. Under no circumstances should more than 25% of your examples come from Book I.

5. "This or the like was the cause of the death of a man, who, of all the Greeks of my time, least deserved such a fate, seeing that the whole course of his life had been regulated with strict attention to virtue." (Thuc. VII.86) Is the Sicilian exped ition, as it is presented in Thucydides, a prose tragedy with Nikias as its hero? Compare the portrayal of Nikias in Plutarch to that in Thucydides. How are the two the same or different? Does Plutarchís portrayal of Nikias undermine or augment Nikiasí position in Thucydidesí narrative of events?

1. Your outline is a map of your paper. It must begin with a thesis statement, delineating your position (which side of the argument you are going to support in the course of your essay). Please put your thesis statement in bold type so that it is ea sy to discern.

2. You should divide the outline into introduction, main body, and conclusion sections, to help you organize your thoughts.

3. Your outline should include several quotes and/or citations that you plan to use to support your analysis/argument. It is not necessary to include all the citations that you intend to use; 4 or 5 should suffice as an indicator.

4. As with the final paper, grammar and spelling count in the grading of this exercise. I will not be grading on style, since this is not a formal paper assignment, but complete sentences should be used at all times.

5. This exercise is due no later than the beginning of class on Thursday, June 13, although you may hand it in earlier.

6. This purpose of this exercise is to encourage you to think about your paper before the day it is due. It will also give your instructor the opportunity to remark on your paper and give feedback before the final product, as there is not enough time in a six week session for the reading of rough drafts. On the basis of this assignment, students who seem to be struggling with their topic may be asked to meet with me on a one-to-one basis to discuss their paper.

1. The study of history is not just the recording of facts, but also the interpretation of the evidence. In your paper you should attempt to solve an historical problem. To do so, you must rely on your own powers of argumentation and analysis.

2. There is no need to consult modern books for your paper. Rather, you should make as full a use as possible of the ancient sources that are relevant to your topic. They constitute your evidence.

3. It is absolutely essential that you cite the ancient evidence for all important points in a footnote. Please cite the sources in the following manner: Author Book.Chapter (For example: Herodotos IV.151).

4. The paper should have an introduction, main body, and conclusion. In your introduction you should state the problem(s) that your paper is attempting to solve in a clear thesis statement.

5. Do not "tell a story." Assume that your reader (your instructor) is familiar with the plot of the works that you are discussing and/or with the historical sequence of events. Your job is one of interpretation, not narration.

6. Do not reproduce your lecture notes. Show that you have done the reading and have given the problem careful thought.

7. It is necessary to refer to the ancient sources for your paper to be successful. Actual quotations from your readings will often strengthen your argument. Please note, however, that a paper comprised mainly of quotation is not acceptable. Keep you r quotations short (3-4 lines at the most). Try to achieve a balance between your own analysis and supporting evidence from the sources.

8. Grammar and spelling will affect your grade. In particular, watch the use of the apostrophe to indicate possession and the ending of sentences with prepositions.

9. The paper will be due at the beginning of class on Thursday, June 27. Papers may be turned in early, but a late paper will receive a penalty of one half of a letter grade for each day that it is late.

10. Evaluation of your paper will be based on grammar and style as well as content.

11. Your paper may not be shorter than 6 full pages with standard (one inch) margins on each page. Papers should be double-spaced and written in Times New Roman font, size 12, or some other comparable font. Do not use space-eating fonts such as Couri er. Do not use additional spaces between paragraphs. Any paper shorter than 6 full pages will be penalized one half of a letter grade or more. If you need to write more than 8 pages, feel free to do so, but in general papers should not exceed 10 pages.

12. If you would prefer to write on a different topic, you may do so, but only after consultation with and permission from your instructor; otherwise your paper will not be accepted.