GRRO 275-01, Introduction to Classical Studies, Spring 2011

Abstract

As a course required of all majors and minors in Greek and Roman Studies, the overarching goal or our work this semester will be for students to gain an a familiarity with the domains of knowledge and the skills, in which they must become proficient during their undergraduate experience. For those who have already begun their study of the ancient Greco-Roman world, this course will help them understand the connections among the areas of inquiry, provide background into the evolution of our discipline, and help them locate their particular efforts and interests in the broader context of GRS. For those who are new to the study of the discipline, this course will provide them with the basic knowledge and background that will make their subsequent engagement with the material more productive. More specifically, at the end of this course students 1. Should understand the nature of the textual information we study, including the media in which it originated, the modes of transmission, and the editorial processes that established what we have today 2. Should be familiar with some of the non-verbal sources of information (i.e., nontextual artifacts) practitioners in the discipline use to build current conceptualizations of the ancient Greco-Roman world 3. Should become aware of the fragmentary nature of the textual and non-textual artifacts that form the basis of the discipline and some the strategies scholars employ to address gaps in the material record