HY 306 Hellenistic History
Course Schedule
The Austin and Burstein numbers indicate item numbers, not page numbers. Please read Austin and Burstein for meetings with the professor and read Green for meetings with each other.
Week 1: Alexander “Frees the Greeks”
TR August 22/24
Austin, #1-4, 6-7, 9-10, 12-22, 26, 30
Week 2: Diadochoi, “Successors”
TR August 29/31
A chronology available here.
Green, pp. 30-35, 119-134
Some questions to consider
Austin, Introduction and #35-37, 44, 45, 47, 48, , 50, 54, 56-59
Burstein #1, 6, 7
Week 3: Hellenistic Kingship: Seleucids
TR September 5/7
Green, pp. 137-154, 187-200
Austin, #27, 30(35), 36, 44-45, 57, 158-160, 162-166, 169, 173-174, 177-178, 181-184
Burstein, #1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 21, 23-24, 29, 33, 40
Week 4: Urbanism and the Rise of the Capital City; Pergamon
TR September 12/14
Green, pp. 155-170
Austin (read with Green) #160, 167, 292 (added #160, took away #174)Austin, #224-253 (skip 235, 241, 242)
Burstein 83-91
Week 5: Hellenistic Kingship: Ptolemies
TR September 19/21
Special full-class meetings this week. Tuesday, brainstorm about analytical essay with Professor Langstratt from the English Department. No assigned reading.
For Thursday, see the attached assignment.
Austin, #26 (a5), 29, #30(34), 44, 254-291
Burstein, #2, 20, 88, 89, 95
Week 6: Ruler Cult
TR September 26/28
Please remember, we are meeting as a full class again this week. For Tuesday read Green and Austin 42-43. Be prepared to talk about Ruler Cult. Be prepared to continue with the lectures and discussions about the Ptolemies.
Green, 396-413
Austin, #9, 38-39, 42-43, 45-46, 162, 200, 256, 272, 295,
Burstein, #7, 10, 26, 48, 92-94
Week 7: Religion
TR October 3/5
Altered reading assignment for break-out discussion
- Read Green only from the 2nd paragraph on p.
589 through the first paragraph on p. 592.
Green, 586-601 - Read the introduction and the conclusion
of Jon D. Mikalson, Religion in Hellenistic Athens. This book
is available electronically through the CSU library. Just do a regular
search for the title to locate the electronic version. I have also hung
a copy of the introduction and conclusion on my door for those who prefer
to access it that way.
- A handout will be made available in class for specific assignment.
Austin, 151, 171, 189, 204, 207, 210, 300, 301, 320,
Burstein, #30-32, 46, 48, 102, 103, 112
Week 8 Philosophy
TR October 10/12
PRINT ONLINE MATERIAL AND BRING TO CLASS FOR DISCUSSION.
For the break-out day read Green, 602 through 2nd paragraph on 603, 618-630 AND Epicurus, the Vatican Sayings.
For the with-professor day read Green, 602 through 2nd paragraph on 603, 631-646, Zeno and Stoicism, fragments.
By now your understanding of culture and belief systems in the Hellenistic period is expanding. As you read the modern and ancient texts, be as clear as you can about the Epicurean and Stoic beliefs. In the break-out session try to clarify as a group what the Epicurean beliefs were and then consider how this set of beliefs was a product of and had an impact on the Hellenistic period. What happens to notions of gender, civic obligation, concepts of divinity, apatheia and atarxia, etc.? Use Green's argument to help you think about these, but base your arguments primarily on primary texts. Be prepared to do the same for Stoicism when you meet with the professor.
Week 9 Sculpture and Monumental Architecture
TR October 17/19
Special full-class meetings this week.
Green, 92-118, 336-361, 566-585
No assigned reading this week (though those of you writing papers on Hellenistic art will probably want to read the old assignment). Instead, read, take notes, and start writing your paper.On Thursday: Submit in writing
- Your paper topic and your choice for one paper or two
AND
- Your choice of ONE the following
- a rough draft of the beginning of your argument
- a rough draft of some part of your argument
- notes you have written down based on the primary texts (cited in these notes)
- notes you have written down based on the work of a modern scholar (can be Green) with page numbers cited
- NOTE: If you are working with index cards you may turn these in.
Week 10 Literature, Theocritus and Callimachus
TR October 24/26
Green, 171-186
Callimachus (handout)Green, 233-247
Burstein, 64
and Theocritus (idylls 12 and 29)
Week 11: Meanwhile, on European Soil
TR October 31/November 2
For this week use handout from class; read Green where appropriate.
Green, 248-261
Read Green alonside the chronological handout from class to keep track of events elsewhere.Austin, #60-96
Burstein, 56, 58, 61, 70
Week 12: Antiochus III the Great
TR November 7/9
Green, 286-311
Austin, 184, 187, 191-193, 195-197, 203, 205, 208, 211
Burstein, #35-36, 104
MONDAY, NOV. 13, NOON, EXPLORATORY
ESSAY DUE
Week 13 Israel, Maccabees and Assimilation
TR November 14/16
Green, 497-524
Instead of reading Green, read I Maccabees (which you may also find off-line in a Catholic or Protestant Bible or in the Apocrypha) or here I Maccabees, or scroll down here to find it, or here. The latter two do not have the entire text on one page so they will be harder to print. I include them here because I had some trouble with broken links. PLEASE PRINT AND BRING TO CLASS. EVERYONE READ FOR TUESDAY.EVERYONE READ FOR THURSDAY:
Austin, #19, 208-209, 211-216, 221
Burstein, #29, 35, 39, 41-44
FALL BREAK TR November 21/23
Week 14 Roman Interference
TR November 28/30
OPTIONS FOR THIS WEEK'S WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT
#1 If you wish the professor to read a draft of your paper before grading the final draft, please submit a complete version of your paper by 12:30 Thursday, November 30.
#2 If you do not want to write a complete draft, submit an argumentative thesis with argumentative topic sentences via e-mail by Thursday, November 30 and 2:00 PM.
Green, 647-682
Online reading
Austin, 218, 223
Burstein, 47, 78
Week 15 Character of Cleopatra VII
TR December 5-7
Special full class meetings this week
Online reading
Burnstein, #3
TUESDAY, DEC 5, ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENT DUE
Week 16
DECEMBER 12, 5:00 pm FINAL PAPER(S) DUE
