This course studies the literature, art, history, and politics of Classical Athens. It looks at a variety of myths that were popular in Classical Athens, the contexts and mediums through which these myths circulated. It discusses the relationship between these stories, democratic ideology and the Athenians' understanding of their history.

20x1 hours of lecture, 10x1 hours of seminar

CLASSIC1011

None

Essay (2,000 words) - 60%

Take-home commentary exercise (1,500 words) - 40%

This course aims to:

■ study political organisation in Classical Athens

■ explore dissent, debate and dialogue within the Athenian democracy

■ explore the relationship between myth, historiography and democratic ideology

■ place approaches to Greek drama in their historical and cultural context

■ assess the influence of Homer on the culture and ideology of classical Athens

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ identify the formal and structural elements of epic, Athenian drama, and key monuments

■ relate the textual and visual evidence of the period to its social and/or political context

■ analyse arguments made in oratorical, dramatic, historical or philosophical texts

■ evaluate modern approaches to these texts and monuments as well as to politics and ideology in democratic Athens

■ develop their own oral and written interpretations of the textual and material evidence in relation to the politics of the period

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.