SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND LECTURES

Th Jan 12 / Introduction: The sources of Ancient History
Tu Jan 17 / History before Writing
Reading: Mathisen, chapter 1
Th Jan 19 / Mesopotamia: Cradle of Civilization
Library Resources for Ancient History
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 2
Tu Jan 24 / Mesopotamian Kingship
Readings: Sumerian King List ( Epic of Gilgamesh ( Code of Hammurabi (intro and conclusion, plus as many laws as interest you) (
Th Jan 26 / Government of Egypt: Gods, Pharaohs, Commoners
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 3, and “Hymn to the Nile” (
Tu Jan 31 / Daily Life in Egypt: Popular Religion, Material Culture
Readings: “Princess Ahura: the Magic Book” ( and "Instruction of Ptah-Hotep (excerpts at Horus and the Pig (
Th Feb 2 / Mediterranean Coast
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 4
Tu Feb 7 / Early Eastern Mediterranean Religions
Readings: Genesis 37-50 (any modern English translation); Gilgamesh, Tablet IX ( “Reports of Minos and Knossos” (
Th Feb 9 / Early Empires
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 5
Tu Feb 14 / The Black Athena Debate: Bernal’s argument
Readings: summary of Black Athena debate ( on-line Black Athena Debate (excerpts at
BONUS (optional): "Black Athena: Yes and No" by Wim M.J. van Binsbergen (
Th Feb 16 / Early Greeks: Traditional Interpretations
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 6 and Classical Greek writers on their own history (
Tu Feb 21 / Greek City States: Mainland Greece and Colonies
Readings: Founding of Cyrene ( Herodotus on Hellenes and Phoenicians (
Th Feb 23 / Greek Urban Culture and Politics
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 7 and Herodotus (excerpt at and Aristophanes (
Tu Feb 28 / Classical Greek Society: Religion and Household
Readings: excerpts on Greek religion ( and selections on women (
Th Mar 1 / Mid-term Exam
Mar 5-11 / Spring Break
Tu Mar 13 / Alexander the Great Dachowski sick; postponed to next week
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 8 and Plutarch, anecdotes about Alexander (
Th Mar 15 / Hellenistic Culture Dachowski sick; postponed to next week
Readings: Athanaeus, “Procession of Ptolemy II” (
Tu Mar 20 / New schedule due to illness: Alexander the Great, Mathiesen, chapter 8, Plutarch on Alexander and Athenaeus on the "Procession of Ptolemy II"
Rise of Rome
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 9
Th Mar 22 / New schedule due to illness: Hellenistic Culture and the Rise of Rome, Mathiesen, chapter 9
Readings: 12 Tables ( and Selections about the Etruscans (
Tu Mar 27 / New schedule due to illness: Roman Republic, Mathiesen, chapter 10, 12 Tables
Decline of the Roman Republic
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 10
Th Mar 29 / Roman Leaders
Readings: Cicero against Marcus Antonius ( Suetonius, biography of Augustus (
Tu Apr 3 / PaxRomana
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 11
Th Apr 5 / Roman and Barbarian Culture
Readings: Tacitus, “Germania” (
Tu Apr 10 / Later Roman Empire
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 12
Th Apr 12 / Christianity: From persecuted cult to state religion
Readings: Eusebius, conversion of Constantine (
Tu Apr 17 / A Christian Empire
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 13
Th Apr 19 / Hermits and Bishops
Readings: Athanasius, “Life of Anthony” (
Tu Apr 24 / End of the Ancient World
Readings: Mathisen, chapter 14
Th Apr 26 / Fall of the Roman Empire
Readings: AmmianusMarcellinus ( Priscus on Attila the Hun (
TBA / Final Exam (the exam will probably be May 3, 10:20, given past scheduling patterns, but we cannot know until the Office of Records and Registration releases the schedule.)