Classics
Undergraduate - Classical Art and Archaeology

The majority of the courses listed below are run on a biannual basis. For further details contact the Classics secretary or the Course Organizer.

Paganism and Christianity in the Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was arguably the most cosmopolitan state the western world had ever seen. This is reflected in the astonishing diversity of divine powers venerated within the Empire, ranging from the classical pantheon to Oriental deities and the natives gods and goddesses of the western provinces and from divine powers in human guise to sacred animals. Religious sites included urban temples as well as pilgrimage centres and healing sanctuaries in remote locations as well as sacred springs, trees and mountains. With few exceptions (such as Christianity, Druidism and Manichaeism), the individual had almost unlimited freedom of choice. It was also mainly within the Empire that Christianity grew from a persecuted minority cult to a world religion, a development which has shaped history to the present day. Religion in the Roman Empire can help us to understand the modern world, both because important developments originated then and because the cosmopolitan nature of Roman religion provides a useful analogy for our own time.

Prof. Eberhard Sauer

Early and Archaic Greek Art and Archaeology

An exploration of Greek art and architecture and society  from its beginnings in the Bronze Age through the Dark Ages, and the Geometric and Archaic periods (c. 3000-480 B.C.). Emphasis will be on political, historical, religious, and social context. Of special interest are Greek interactions with the Near East, the development of the polis, large-scale sanctuaries and architecture; the function and deployment of myth in vase painting and sculpture; new forms of government; class structure.
Prof. Judith Barringer

Africa in the Classical World

This course focuses on North Africa (excluding Egypt) in the  classical period, i.e. from the Punic period and the Greek  colonisation to the Arab conquest, with a particular emphasis on the  impressive material remains of classical sites and cultures. The  course provides a broad picture of life in the Classical period in  this region, encompassing aspects as diverse as urbanism, rural  settlements, water management and supply, agriculture, trade,  military archaeology and history, the environment, pagan and  Christian religion and, in broad terms, the political, social and  administrative history of North Africa as well as contacts with  other parts of the ancient world and mutual influences.

Dr. Eve MacDonald and other members of staff.

The Art of Classical Greece, Myths, Meanings and Patrons

This course is comprised of a series of in-depth case studies of Greek images read in their larger visual, social, and historical contexts. While the emphasis is on sculpture, particularly mythological depictions in architectural sculpture, all material culture, read together with written sources, is used in an effort to grasp intentions of patrons and available meanings to viewers.

Prof. Judith Barringer

The Presentation of the Classical World

This is a course with a difference. The students taking this course work as a group (or two groups if there are sufficient numbers) to put up a display on a specific date (usually at the end of the first semester). The display is on a Classics subject chosen by the group, and they also choose what media to use – there is only a small budget available, and so a certain amount of ingenuity is required, as well as organisation and quite a lot of hard work. The project is lightly supervised by staff – it is up to the students to make the deadline. The skills developed on this course are rather different from other courses: working with others is more important than individual flair, and this is reflected in the assessment methods. The whole group’s achievement (the display) is marked, as well as each individual student’s contribution to the group effort. Several past students have said that this was the most useful and enjoyable course they took at University, but it is does not suit all tastes!

Dr. Glenys Davies. Other staff are also involved in overseeing and assessing the course.

Dissertation

In all Classics curricula students write a dissertation on a classical topic in their fourth year. The dissertation topic is chosen by negotiation between student and staff and studied with some supervision but less instruction than the courses described above.