16 December 2023

Just a reminder that the final exam for Civilizations of the Ancient World will be held in-person on Tuesday, December 19 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in our normal meeting room. Please note that the exam beings at 2:30, a half hour earlier than our usual meeting time.

Please arrive on time. You will only have the two-hour exam period to take the exam.

Review materials are posted on the Exams page on the course website.

If you miss the final exam: Make-ups will be arranged only in cases of documented personal or medical emergency. Otherwise, per CUNY policy a student who does not complete the course by taking the final exam will automatically receive a grade of WU (unofficial withdrawal), which counts as an F toward your GPA, unless a personal emergency incomplete has been mutually agreed by student and instructor prior to the ultimate submission deadline for the course (Monday, December 25).

Good luck!

Link to Exams page

3 December 2023

This week we’re talking about the final collapse of the Roman Republic, to be replaced by the one-man rule of Augustus.

What was Caesar’s goal, for himself and for Rome, and why was he killed? All things considered, does he deserve praise as a great leader or censure as an ambitious seeker of power? What about Antony—he was the experienced lieutenant of Caesar, so why did he lose out to a kid who started with nothing but Caesar’s name?

What exactly is the principate? How is it that Rome, which was so intolerant of the idea of a king that the mere rumor he was angling to become king factored into Caesar’s assassination, accepted the one-man rule of Octavian, who came to be called Augustus? What made Augustus different from a king?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and reactions. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

24 November 2023

This week, after we discuss Roman contest with Carthage, we see the culmination of the Roman empire as it gains control over the west and east—only to fall apart at home in a series of assassinations, scandals, and civil wars.

Two factions emerge in the Roman aristocracy as we head into the Late Republic: the optimates—those who believe in tradition and the systems of the Republic; and the populares—those who insist Rome must take a new direction to survive. Why does this break occur? What do the two sides really stand for? Are populist firebrands like Tiberius Gracchus heroes of the people, or self-serving demagogues?

The next generation of Roman politics is dominated by the first two in a series of warlords—strongmen who use the loyalty of their legions to gain power in Rome. Why is Marius so successful in gaining the trust of the soldiers and the people? What was the optimate maverick Sulla truly fighting for? Why is his rise to power so fateful for the future of Rome?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and reactions. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

23 November 2023

I’ve updated the final exam page. On this page you’ll find information about the final and some review materials. The exam will take place Tuesday, December 19 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The review sheet is not designed to be a list of answers so much as questions you can use to guide you toward the areas you want to focus on in your review. As you read through the questions on the review sheet, those you have a sense of how you might answer are lower priority for review than those questions you’re not sure how you would answer; those you’d then want to go back and spend some time reviewing in your notes, the readings, the videos, quiz notes, and class discussions.

Also note that the terms are a useful way of finding concepts you need to go back and review, so I’d advise stepping through the terms at the end of each topic and making sure you have a sense of what they mean and why we’re studying them.

To prepare for the essay, I suggest that you focus on the major themes of this course, and think about possible questions that relate to those topics across the periods and transitions we’ve explored. For the essay you’ll be asked to give three examples, so you can sketch out a question about a recurring topic in the course, your perspective on that question, and three similar or contrasting examples of that demonstrate that perspective.

Please take a look at the review sheet for details on the exam’s content and structure. Once you’ve read through the review sheet, if you have any questions about the exam or about any of the topics covered in it, please don’t hesitate to come to me or bring them up in class.

To get to the final exam page, click on “Exams” in the navigation index, or follow the link to the “Exams page” below.

Link to Exams page

23 November 2023

Here are a few brief reminders about the Images essay (Essay #3), which is due very soon on Monday, December 11.

Watch the video. Make sure to watch the overview video, since that tells you exactly what I am looking for. It’s on the Images Essay page.

Thesis statement. Make sure you have an introduction with a thesis statement (your argument asserting your position on the question/problem being addressed) and a body that described and discusses three examples from the sources supporting your thesis statement. For models and explanations on how to do this, see the Structure video on the Essay Musts page. Another resource is “Writing a Position Paper” (a.k.a. “The Elephant Pamphlet”), which is on the Resources page.

Sources.

• For the museum option, if you can go to a museum in person and view the works directly that is what I strongly prefer, as this option is about your subjective reactions to experiencing the works you are writing about. Remember to choose two works that have the same subject (two little girls, two warriors, two Minervas) but from different times or places so you can talk about the implications of how the same concept was conveyed differently in different times or places.
• For the film option, you need to write about the agenda of the filmmakers and the agenda of the authors of the primary source and how each is using an ancient culture to impress their own beliefs (the filmmakers’ and the authors’) on the audience. There’s a list of films and associated sources on the Images Essay page. If you’re not sure about the primary sources for the film you chose, make sure to come to me and we’ll discuss.

Requirements for all papers. You must adhere to the requirements for all papers (listed on the Essay Musts page). Not meeting the requirements for all papers will mean a lower grade.

Template. There is an MS Word template already set up with some of the formatting I require on the Resources page. If you use Word I strongly recommend making use of this template. There is also a Google Docs template.

Late papers. As per the syllabus, late papers are marked down by ten points per class meeting, up to a cap of thirty points. Avoid this penalty and block out the time you need to prepare, write, and review your paper so that it can be submitted on time.

BlackBoard. All essays are uploaded to BlackBoard. Look for “Upload Assignments Here” in the left-hand menu. Your essay needs to be uploaded as a Word (preferred) or PDF file attachment, not pasted in as text submission. If you use a browser-based word processor, download or export to a Word document and upload that.

I’m happy to discuss any aspects of your sources or the essay, so please come to me if there’s anything you’re not sure about. I’m looking forward to hearing your interpretations of your chosen depictions of the ancient world!

Link to Essays page

19 November 2023

This week we’re talking about the Roman Republic, exploring how it works and its increasing emphasis on growing their dominion. How and why do the Romans shift toward military expansionism? What are some of the repercussions that follow? Why do the Romans become so militaristic and expansionist?

How do you think they see their rivalry with Carthage? Why do you think Hannibal is able to almost win—and why does he ultimately lose? Why does Rome seem to have such an off-hand approach to governing the territories it consumes or conquers?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and reactions. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

12 November 2023

This week we’re looking at ancient North Africa and Italy, and then we’re starting our exploration of the Romans and their story. This is the beginning of the rise of the people that within a few centuries would dominate the entire Mediterranean, including most of the peoples we’ve studied.

At first Rome starts out as a city-state within the city-state culture of Latium with its own priest-king, just like the city-states in Sumer. But the Romans get fed up with the kings after a while and eject them from Rome. What do you think makes them turn against the kings? Is it just the actions of the kings, or does it go deeper? Why do you think the legends about the fall of the kings focus so much on the Rape of Lucretia as the thing that turns the Romans against the kings? What does the story of that rape signify to them?

The Romans replace the kings with a Republic. What stands out to you as the defining characteristics of the Republic? What does this idea mean to the Romans? The early history of the Republic involves an ongoing conflict between the patricians (families that control the priesthoods) and the plebeians (all other families of any class). Where does this conflict come from? Why are the priest-families so important to the Roman political system?

Looking forward to your discussions and reactions. See you Thursday!

Link to Schedule page

7 November 2023

I noticed attendance has been a little low the last couple of weeks, so I just wanted to remind everyone that attending class meetings is a required part of the course (which is also why the quizzes are not made up). There’s a good reason for that: the textbook gives only the basic information, so it’s up to us to make sense of what we know and draw our own conclusions in class about what it really means to be Greek, or Egyptian, or Babylonian.

This is going to be particularly important for the last part of the class, where we explore the rise of Rome and the emergence of the Roman empire. The Roman story is a fascinating one, but it’s complicated, and it’s in the class meetings that we’ll make sense of it and discuss what drives the Romans and what results in this backwater city on the fringes of the civilized world becoming the dominant force of the ancient era and the progenitors of the world we live in today.

If you are having genuine medical or family emergency issues that prevent you from attending class, I need to hear about it and plan accordingly. Otherwise, I look forward to seeing all of you in class!

5 November 2023

More wars between the Greeks opened them up to invasion by Macedon and the famous conquests of Alexander the Great. Why do you think the Greeks couldn’t maintain any real peace in during this era, even when danger loomed from the north? What were they really fighting about?

A big part of this story are the two Macedonian kings, Philip and Alexander. What do you think was most instrumental in Philip being able to take over Greece? Was his son, Alexander, really that “great”? Was his conquest a failure because it didn’t remain unified? What are Alexander’s legacies for the world?

Looking forward to discussing all of this with you. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

29 October 2023

Here are a few reminders on the Clouds essay, which is due on Monday, November 20.

The starting point I’d like you to bear in mind in that this essay is about making an argument and supporting that argument with evidence—in this case, three specific moments from Clouds that demonstrate and illustrate your argument concerning what Clouds tells us about fifth-century Athens.

Comparing two works. For this essay you need to compare Clouds to another ancient Greek work. Which one depends on which prompt you are answering—make sure to watch the Clouds essay Overview Video for my discussion of this aspect of the assignment. The essay overview video is very important. Watch the essay Overview Video, is what I’m saying. I would also suggest that you watch the Overview Video.

This also means that you need to carve out time to read through and consider the other work as well as a separate chunk of time to plan and write the essay.

The goal for this essay to make an argument about fifth-century Athens using just these two pieces of primary source evidence. You don’t need anything else but the two primary sources.

Structure. In your introduction, make sure you have a clear thesis statement—what you intend to show in the paper. Try to develop a concrete, specific thesis statement that lines up with and responds directly to one of the prompts.

In the main body of your essay, focus on three specific moments from Clouds that support your thesis. You should have three sections, one for each moment in Clouds you’re discussing. In each section, talk about the moment from Clouds , then a similar or contrasting moment in your other work, then discuss what this evidence tells us. When discussing both works, be specific and concrete.

I talk about the structure in the Overview Video, and especially in the Structure Musts video (on the Essay Musts page).

Evidence and cites. A major rule of thumb for writing about history (and for academic work in general, but especially history) is that all assertions must be supported by evidence, and all evidence must be cited. When you describe events from Clouds and the other work (whether it’s in quotes, a paraphrase, or just describing specific ideas present in the story), you need to provide a citation—a footnote or parenthetical cite that gives your source (the book version of Clouds and the other work you are using) plus a page number. You also need a bibliography listing the versions used of both works. For more on this, see the Evidence Musts video on the Essay musts page, and the bibliography and footnotes pages in the Citation Center on the course website.

Requirements for all papers. Make sure to fully review the requirements for all papers (on the Essay Musts page of the course website) before completing and uploading your essay. Also review the prompt for the Essay you’ve chosen to make sure you answered what it’s looking for.

Any questions at all, please come to me. I’m really looking forward to hearing your insights on Clouds and what it has to tell us about fifth-century Athens.

Link to Essays page

29 October 2023

This week we’re talking about the Peloponnesian War and its aftermath.

With the Peloponnesian Wars, the Greeks are fighting each other in a massive, generation-long slog unlike anything the ancient war has seen. Why? Why are they fighting, and why does it last for decade after decade? What is this war really about? Can we blame a particular city for this? Why do you think it turns out the way it does?

More wars between the Greeks opened them up to invasion by Macedon and the famous conquests of Alexander the Great. Why do you think the Greeks couldn’t maintain any real peace in during this era, even when danger loomed from the north? What were they really fighting about?

The other thing I really wanted to do with you folks this week is hash out what you guys think of Clouds now that we’re finishing it. There are some very striking scenes toward the end. What was most shocking or impactful for you—the debate where Unjust Argument wins (and: why does he win??); Pheidippides attacking his father; or Strepsiades abandoning rational discourse and taking up a torch?

Looking forward to discussing all of this with you. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

22 October 2023

This week we’re exploring two great Greek cities. One is Sparta, a society dedicated to the art of war. What do you think goes into making the Spartans like this—so different, so focused on being warriors? What does being a warrior society mean to them? Why aren’t more poleis like this, especially given the other cities are so impressed by the Spartans’ dedication? Is the Spartan experiment a success, in Greek terms? What are the most positive aspects of the Spartan society in terms of the well-being of its citizens? What are the biggest drawbacks of the Spartan system?

We’re also covering the foundations of Athenian society. Culturally, Athens is the most important of the Greek poleis—just ask them!—but their story is like a fever dream, starting out as a tightly-managed oligarchy of a few privileged families and ending as Hellas’s only radical democracy. Why do you think Athens was so volatile? What is it about Athens that made them become so aggressive in seeking cultural dominance?

Also, we see the middle section of Clouds, where the “Socrates” character gets weirder and weirder, and Strepsiades gets more and more confused. What do you think the playwright, Aristophanes, is getting at here? What was he trying to show by having “Socrates” talk about the gods and he-chickens and she-chickens and things like that?

Also: make sure you’re planning for your Clouds essay as you read. Which work are you comparing Clouds to? What is Clouds telling us about classical Athens?

Looking forward to discussing all of this with you. See you on Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

15 October 2023

This week, we begin our in-depth exploration of the most influential and advanced culture of the ancient era, the Greeks.

We start with the so-called Greek Dark Age—the period during which the Greeks recovered from the collapse of the Bronze Age and built a new civilization. The Greek Dark Age is frustrating and fascinating to historians of ancient Greece, because this period of rebirth, during which the foundations and chief elements of Hellas as we know it come into being, happens while the Greeks have no writing system and so there are no literature or records until the very end—we can’t “see” them creating this amazing new Greek society.

What do you think most drove the Greeks during the Dark Age? If the communities of the Aegean were so isolated and so fiercely independent, how did they end up having so much in common? How did they end up with such a clear idea of what it meant to be Greek?

Just as critical is the period after the so-called Greek Dark Age, the Archaic Period. This is when (from our perspective) Hellas can be heard and seen again, with the foundations of Greek culture already laid down in the previous, unseen centuries. Two influential cities emerge in this period, both with opposing and increasingly extreme ideas of what it means to be Greek.

This week we’re also starting our second primary source reading, Aristophanes’s comedy Clouds. It’s ribald, it’s provocative, and most of all it’s a call to arms. Why do you think the protagonist of this play is a confused old man? How does the playwright see the head of the Thinkery, the character called “Socrates”?

Looking forward to discussing all of this with you. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

14 October 2023

I’ve had a couple of questions about the readings in Clouds, so I wanted to make sure everyone was clear on what’s assigned.

If you are looking at the schedule for this week you’ll notice there’s a button that says “Note” next to the list of readings. If you open that up, you’ll see I’ve divided Clouds into six sections. You won’t find these divisions in whichever copy of Clouds you’re using—Clouds is all one play, so I just cut it up into six pieces to parcel up the readings and talk about different sections in class.

For each of these sections I give the page numbers in West’s Four Texts About Socrates (the recommended text). Like all ancient plays and poems, Clouds also has standardized line numbers that will appear in the margins in any good edition of the play, so if you’re not using West you can still use the line numbers to determine how far you need to read for each assignment.

For the next class meeting I am asking you to read the introduction to the play in whatever edition you have, so that you have the background for the action of the play, and then the first section (which I call “Strepsiades’s Problem”). This first section covers lines 1–133, or pages 115-120 in West.

Reading a play can be challenging, and we’ll talk more in class about how we can approach the text. For now, focus on the protagonist, Strepsiades. What is motivating him? How is the playwright depicting him?

The other key character to watch for, starting in the next section, is “Socrates.” This character is nothing like the real Athenian philosopher Socrates—this play was written specifically to discredit him and others like him—so you’ll want to keep a close eye on what the playwright is having this fake Socrates say and do.

More on this in class. See you soon!

Link to Schedule page

8 October 2023

No regular meetings this week. Monday classes meet on Tuesday, so we’re not meeting until Thursday, which is the midterm exam.

The midterm exam will be held in-person on Thursday, October 12 in our normal meeting room and class period. Please arrive on time. You will only have the normal class period (from 3:00 to 4:15 p.m.) to take the exam. Make-up exams will be arranged only in cases of documented medical/family emergency.

The review sheet (detailing content and is posted on the Exams page on the course website, along with links to other resources. Make use of your notes, fellow students, quiz notes, and so on. Remember the Videos page has videos on every subject covered so far. The midterm will cover everything in the course so far up through the Persian Empire (not Ancient Asia, since we did not get to it on Thursday).

See the sticky at the top of the Annoucements page for more guidance. Email me with any questions, and good luck!

Link to Exams page

1 October 2023

The midterm review sheet is now available on the Exams page, either as a web page or as a PDF. The first page details the content and structure of the midterm, which will cover everything up through the October 5 class meeting.

The midterm exam will be held in-person on Thursday, October 12 in our normal meeting room and class period. Please arrive on time. You will only have the normal class period (from 3:00 to 4:15 p.m.) to take the exam. Please note: You must attend and take the exam in person on October 12. I do not give make-up exams except in the case of documented medical/family emergency.

The review sheet is not designed to be a list of answers so much as questions you can use to guide you toward the areas you want to focus on in your review. As you read through the questions on the review sheet, those you have a sense of how you might answer are lower priority for review than those questions you’re not sure how you would answer; those you’d then want to go back and spend some time reviewing in your notes, the readings, the videos, quiz notes, and class discussions.

Also note that the terms are a useful way of finding concepts you need to go back and review, so I’d advise stepping through the terms at the end of each topic and making sure you have a sense of what they mean and why we’re studying them.

To prepare for the essay, I suggest that you focus on the four themes of the course as discussed in the Welcome video—individual/community, mortal/divine, male/female, city/empire—and think about possible questions that relate to those topics across the cultures and peoples we’ve explored. For the essay you’ll be asked to give three examples, so you can sketch out a question about (for example) ancient peoples and their gods and three similar or contrasting examples of societies that show what the gods meant to the ancients.

We will discuss further in class—please come to class with questions about anything you’re not sure of or want to hear more about.

Link to Exams page

1 October 2023

This week we’ll be exploring the Persian Expire, which came a century or so after the failed supremacy of the Neo-Assyrians. Did the Neo-Assyrians and the Persians have anything in common apart from being empires? What do you think were the most important keys to the success of the Persian empire?

This course focuses on the Mediterranean, but we’re talking a side trip to ancient Asia this week as well. Why did the Greeks romanticize the Scythian barbarians? Is it a coincidence that the same kinds of things are happening in the Indus valley as are happening in Mesopotamia and along the Nile? What jumps out at you about the culture and religion of ancient South and East Asia?

Looking forward to discussing all of this with you. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

24 September 2023

With the catastrophic end of the Bronze Age upon us, this week we’re talking about the dawn of the Iron Age. We see it first in Canaan—now that it’s not being warred over by the surrounding Bronze Age empires, the lands along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean are free to develop their own strength and economic reach. And they’re very characteristic of how the Iron Age differs from the Bronze Age. We’re focusing on three very distinct peoples who are rivals for land and independence in early Iron Age Canaan: the Phoenicians, the Philistines, and the Hebrews.

Why is the Iron Age so different, do you think? Why does a shift to iron matter so much? How do the Phoenicians affect other cultures? What do you think most sets apart a trade empire like that of the Phoenicians from the empires of the Bronze Age we discussed? What do you think are the biggest factors in the Hebrews being able to create their own state in Canaan despite huge disadvantages? How does religion factor into their story?

Later we’ll be talking about the first two massive and very different empires in the same part of the world: the Iron Age Assyrians, also known as the Neo-Assyrians. Was the Neo-Assyrian empire really a failure? What went wrong, and why did it come apart so spectacularly?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and reactions. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

17 September 2023

Here are a few brief reminders about the Gilgamesh essay, which is due very soon on Monday, October 2.

• Watch the video. Make sure to watch the overview video, since that tells you exactly what I am looking for. It’s on the Essay #1 page.
• Thesis statement. Make sure you have an introduction with a thesis statement (your argument asserting your position on the question/problem being addressed) and a body that described and discusses three examples from the Epic supporting your thesis statement. For models and explanations on how to do this, I urge you to watch the “Structure Musts” video on the the Essay Musts page. See also “Writing a Position Paper” (a.k.a. “The Elephant Pamphlet”), which is on the Resources page on the website.
• Sources. For your examples you may use all of Gilgamesh, including the tablets that were not assigned if they contain helpful support for your thesis. You do not need to use other sources for this assignment; this essay is about your interpretation of Sumerian culture as represented in the beliefs, actions, and relations of the characters in the Epic.
• Requirements for all papers. You must adhere to the requirements for all papers (listed on the Essay Musts page). Not meeting the formatting, structure, and evidence requirements for all papers will mean a lower grade. There are new videos posted there for formatting musts, evidence musts, and structure musts guiding you toward what is required and how to do it.
• Template. An MS Word and a Google Docs template already set up with some of the formatting I require can be found on the Resources page. If you use Word or Google Docs I strongly recommend making use of these templates.
• Late papers. As per the syllabus, late papers are marked down by ten points per class meeting, up to a cap of thirty points. Avoid this penalty and block out the time you need to prepare, write, and review your essay so that it can be submitted on time.
• BlackBoard. All essays are uploaded to BlackBoard. Look for “Upload Assignments Here” in the left-hand menu. Your essay needs to be uploaded as a Word (preferred) or PDF file attachment, not pasted in as text submission. If you use a browser-based word processor, you’ll need to download or export to a Word document and upload that.

I’m happy to discuss any aspects of the Epic or the essay, so please come to me if there’s anything you’re not sure about. I’m looking forward to hearing your interactions with the folks of Uruk!

Link to Essays page

17 September 2023

This week we’re continuing to explore the world of Egypt and their distinct perspective. How do they relate to life, death, and the gods? For what reasons did the Old Kingdom pharaohs build pyramids? How did pyramids and ziggurats have similar functions?

How does the role of the pharaoh change in the dynasties of the New Kingdom, and why? How does their god-nourished culture affect the Egyptians’ idea of gender in society? Who was Akhenaten, and what do you think his story tells us about New Kingdom Egypt?

From Egypt we’ll travel up to the Bronze Age Aegean. There we’ll meet first the indigenous inhabitants, especially the mysterious Minoans, and then the invading Greeks, who swarm in from the north and take over the Aegean world before bringing about their own spectacular collapse, bringing down the whole Bronze Age with them.

There are a lot of things to talk about here. What strikes you as most intriguing about the Minoans—what we know of them? Why do you think the Mycenaean Greeks were so successful in surpassing them? If you were to talk about what was important to the Minoans and to the Mycenaean Greeks, what would be similar, and what would be distinctive? Were the Mycenaean Greeks their own worst enemy in too-greedily building a trade empire, or should we emphasize other factors in the great cataclysmic collapse of the Bronze Age and its civilizations?

We’ll also spend some time in class talking about Gilgamesh. What does Enkidu’s death mean for Gilgamesh? Gilgamesh is driven to find Utanapishti, the survivor of the Flood. What does Utanapishti represent in the story? What’s the significance of the trials he sets for Gilgamesh?

Looking forward to discussing all this with you. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

10 September 2023

This week we’re continuing with the story of the civilizations of Mesopotamia, the land between the rivers: the original inhabitants in Sumer to the south, and the alien newcomers, the Semitic tribes that settle in Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria. Why do you think the Sumerians didn’t survive? When Sargon of Akkad built an empire, what was it based on, and why didn’t it last very long after he died? Why do you think so much significance is attached to the Code of Hammurabi?

We’re also looking at tablets 5 and 6 of Gilgamesh—the encounters with Humbaba, the forest guardian, and Ishtar, goddess of fertility and war. What jumps out at you most from these two tablets? Why do Gilgamesh and Enkidu go on this quest? Is it just about glory, or is there more to it? What do you think is the symbolism in Gilgamesh and Enkidu attacking the guardian of the cedar forest? Note what happens to the cedar, too—what can we say about that? Why do Ishtar and Gilgamesh treat each other the why they do? Why do the gods send the Bull of Heaven, when they created Enkidu to help Gilgamesh?

On Thursday we’ll move on from Mesopotamia to Egypt. What stands out the most to you about Egyptian society and culture? This is one of those rare cultures where absolute monarchy remains stable and effective for century on century. Why is that? What do you think makes the role of the pharaoh work without abuse of power? What do you think are the most important values and beliefs to an Egyptian? How does this affect the way they think about the gods? How does it affect how they think about death?

It’s striking how different Sumer is from Egypt. What do you think goes into making them so opposite to each other? Egypt unified early. Why was it possible there, and not in Sumer, where the city-states remained fiercely independent? What’s most different about their views of the gods, of kings, of death?

Looking forward to discussing all of this with you. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

3 September 2023

This week we’re talking about the land of Sumer, one of the earliest civilizations, and their unique city-state culture. What do you think drives your identity—your sense of who you are—if you’re from one of these city-states?

We’re also reading Tablets 1 and 2 of Gilgamesh. Pay special attention to why the citizens of Uruk are angry with Gilgamesh. What does that tell us about the role of the king in their community? Who is Enkidu, and why is he the solution to the city’s problem? What is the role of Shamhat the harlot?

Looking forward to discussing all of this with you. Make sure to email me with any questions about the readings or how the course works. See you Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page

27 August 2023

This is just a quick note to welcome you all to the beginning of Civilizations of the Ancient World. I’m looking forward to exploring the ancient world with all of you, starting with our first meeting on Tuesday. The meeting is in-person, 3:00 – 4:15 p.m., in Carman 209.

At our first meeting we’ll be laying some important foundations that we’ll be building on throughout the semester, including the themes of the course and some of the things we’ll be delving into as we explore the ancient world. One of the things I want to talk about on Tuesday is the word “civilization” itself. What does it mean to have become “civilized”? What kinds of changes do you think it involved? What’s likely to be different from one early community to the next, and what might they maybe have had more in common?

Syllabus and video: As a reminder, the syllabus, assignments, and requirements are all on my website, markbwilson dot com. Make sure you’ve looked through the site and that you’ve watched the welcome video, which talks about how the course works and answers some common questions.

Books: Also make sure you have the books. We won’t need the Four Texts about Socrates until October, but you’ll need both the textbook and Gilgamesh now, as there are assignments right away in both. The reading assignments are on the Schedule page of the website; they tell you what you need to have read (and thought about) before coming to class.

Email me: Many of you replied back to the welcome-to-the-course email I sent you after you enrolled, confirming that I have a good email address for you. If you didn’t, could you do me a favor and email me and let me know that I can use this address, or that that a different email is better for you? Thanks. I’ll be sending out lots of emails, including weekly previews and information on assignments, so it’s important I’m able to reach you.

That’s it for now. Let me know if you have any questions. I’ll see you all on Tuesday!

Link to Schedule page