A broad historical exploration of Greek civilization. Topics include: architecture, art, law, literature, philosophy, poetry, politics, religion, society, warfare, and the Greek's legacy to the modern world. Open to all students. No prior knowledge of the ancient world assumed; all readings are in English. Ideal background for students of English, philosophy, history, Latin, Greek, the arts, music, modern languages.

We frequently use the terms "democracy" and "republic" to describe our own political system, but where did these words and ideas originally come from? This course examines the historical development of the original democracies in Greece (primarily Athens) and the Roman Republic, as well as the particular institutions and practices that were associated with each. Course will also cover the development of democratic and republican institutions in the modern world. No prerequisite. Open to all students.

Students explore the different ways slavery developed in the Greek and Roman worlds with an emphasis on the connections to other historical developments such as the practice of warfare, changes in political systems, and ancient views about human rights. To better understand the development of Greek and Roman slavery, we look at how the ancient systems compare to slavery in the American South and modern human trafficking.