This course is for those who have completed GREK 0200, Greek 0110, or equivalent. You are now ready to begin reading real Greek! We will read a selection of passages from Greek prose authors, focusing on language and style.

This course is designed for students with no prior knowledge of the modern Greek Language. Instructions are theme based and is supported by a Textbook as well as other written or audiovisual material. It provides the framework for development of all communicative skills (reading, writing, comprehension and speaking) at a basic level. The course also introduces students to aspects of Modern Greek culture that are close to students' own horizon, while it exposes them to academic presentations of Greek history, arts, and current affairs. Quizzes, finals and short individual work with presentation are the testing tools. The completion of this unit does NOT satisfy the language requirement.

Intensive introduction to Classical Greek morphology and syntax. This course includes exercises in grammar, Greek composition, and translation from Greek to English. Emphasis is placed upon developing the ability to read Greek with facility.

They say that history is written by the victors. So, how do you write the history of a nation if you’re on the losing side? The young Roman poet Lucan’s answer was to write a story full of horror. His epic poem Civil War tells the story of the bloodshed between the rival armies of the lightning-fast Julius Caesar and the stately Pompey the Great – and Cato the Stoic who was forced to choose between them. With a narrative that moves around the Mediterranean from the streets of Rome to the deserts of Africa and Cleopatra’s palace in Egypt, Civil War reminds us that Roman history was a long cycle of violence from Republic to Empire. In this course, we will read substantial portions of Lucan’s epic poem in Latin, with the support of commentaries. We will also familiarize ourselves with the modern history of translating this poem into English. The poem’s regret over the demise of the Roman Republic – along with the death of Lucan after an attempt to assassinate the emperor Nero – has made it an important source of literary inspiration during periods of political conflict in the modern era.

Prerequisite(s): LATN 0200 or equivalent (such as placement score of 550). Introduction to continuous reading of unadapted works by Latin authors in prose(e.g., Cornelius Nepos, Cicero, Pliny), in combination with a thorough review of Latin grammar. By the end of the course students will have thorough familiarity with the grammar, vocabulary, and style of the selected authors, will be able to tackle previously unseen passages by them, and will be able to discuss questions of language and interpretation.

Prerequisite(s): LATN 0200 or equivalent (such as placement score of 550). Introduction to continuous reading of unadapted works by Latin authors in prose(e.g., Cornelius Nepos, Cicero, Pliny), in combination with a thorough review of Latin grammar. By the end of the course students will have thorough familiarity with the grammar, vocabulary, and style of the selected authors, will be able to tackle previously unseen passages by them, and will be able to discuss questions of language and interpretation.

An introduction to the Latin language for beginners. Students begin learning grammar and vocabulary, with practical exercises in reading in writing. By the end of the course students will be able to read and analyze simple Latin texts, including selected Roman inscriptions in the Penn Museum.

An introduction to the Latin language for beginners. Students begin learning grammar and vocabulary, with practical exercises in reading in writing. By the end of the course students will be able to read and analyze simple Latin texts, including selected Roman inscriptions in the Penn Museum.

This course will explore seminal trends and debates that have shaped modern inquiries in the period between the campaigns of Alexander and the Battle of Actium. The purpose of the seminar is to gain familiarity with the field of Hellenistic studies broadly defined as well as specific approaches. Special emphasis will be laid on the debate of whether terms such as “Hellenism” or “Hellenization” adequately describe the complex political, social, and cultural dynamics of the period and the new frameworks of interaction, confluence, and power structures that shaped it.

What constituted an empire in antiquity and how was imperialism legitimized? Which measures were used to maintain and organize imperial power? How did foreign rule affect the daily life of people all over the Mediterranean? In this course we will discuss and compare ancient empires from Achaemenid Persia to Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic kingdoms of his successors to the emergence of Rome as one of the most influential empires in world history. Topics that will be discussed include ancient ideas and concepts of imperial rule, patterns of political, economic and cultural power and their interrelations as well as imperial crises and local resistance. All texts will be discussed in translation. There are no prerequisites.