| An examination of the socio-political aspects of the late archaic and early classical periods in Greece. Themes surveyed include endemic class struggles, the social dimension of 5th-century BCE tragedy and comedy, the open political conflicts between the forces of democracy and the forces of oligarchy, the rise of Athenian imperialism, and the general sway of cultural criticism. Specific topics will range from mythological representations of war on the temples and the politics of Perciles ambitious building program to the peace plays of Aristophanes or the devastating plague in Athens at the outset of the Peloponnesian War. This course will be taught only in the Travel Study program and is designed to take advantage of the various site visits. |
