Classics 115b Spring, 2018
C. Walker Mandel 215
X62190/617-628-8964 cwalker@
Hours: T 12.30-2; Th 11-2; F 12.30-1; by appointment
The “Greekness” of Alexander: Reading Schedule
January 12 Introduction
16 Cultural Hellenism: Iliad 22-24
Ungraded exercise #1
19 Governmental theory and practice: Aristotle, Politics 1
23 Greeks abroad: map and ungraded exercise #2
26 Greeks and Persians: Herodotus 5
30 Greeks and Persians: Plutarch, Themistocles
Ungraded exercise #3
February 2 The Peloponnesian War: Aristophanes, The Acharnians
6 Thucydides (selections)
9 Xenophon, The Persian Expedition 1, 3
13 Midterm exercise
16 Philip and Macedon
27 Arrian, Campaigns of Alexander 1-2
March 2-6 Arrian, Campaigns of Alexander 3-4
9-13 Arrian, Campaigns of Alexander 5-7
Paper 2 due
16-20 Plutarch, Alexander
23 Quintus Curtius Rufus, History of Alexander 9-10
27 Greek Alexander Romance 2-3
April 10-13 Ferdowsi, Shah-Nama (selections)
10 Paper 3 due
17-24 Secondary Scholarship & Politics (selections on LATTE)
25 Conclusion
Texts will be available on reserve; some are also available in the Brandeis B&N bookstore, as well as from online resources such as Perseus. I am not unduly concerned about particular translations or editions, but that will necessitate complete citation of whatever versions you in fact use. If you do have discretionary funds, I would recommend purchase of whatever Penguins you can afford; while they are not usually artistic, they do tend to be accurate, cheap and easy to locate.
Because this is a writing-intensive course, the reading is relatively spare; nevertheless, because I expect considerable class participation, I recommend reading the texts in advance of class discussion.
Because this is a writing-intensive course, the bulk of the grade (60%) will be determined by three papers, 6-8 pages in length, or the equivalent (by arrangement). A handout outlining the expectations for these papers will follow. In an attempt to minimize trauma and stress, there will be three ungraded “response papers” at the beginning to immerse you immediately and provide feedback on your writing and modes of thought on these distant texts; I expect that these may also be informal drafts of possible theses or questions you may later explore. I expect that every student will revise at least one paper; only those papers receiving A grades will be exempt. A midterm and a final exam (15%) are planned to prevent midterm melt and encourage a thoughtful overview of the disparate topics and texts covered throughout the semester.
The class will, I hope, be run largely as a seminar, with questions and student interests governing the distribution of topics. This will, however, necessitate reading the materials in advance and participating actively (25% of course grade). All assigned texts are primary sources in translation, totaling approximately a hundred pages a week; by week two they should be available on reserve, as well as in various other places in the library (and, I expect, on-line).
Although I neither track nor deduct for non-attendance, you cannot expect to skip many classes and maintain a high participation grade, nor does skulking in the back count for much. While I am, by University standards, neither an easy grader nor a kindly person, my self-image is as a reasonable person. If you experience ANY difficulty or have questions, please come see me.
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.
Success in this 4 credit hour course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.).