Textbooks
Osborne, Robin. Greece In the Making, 1200-479 BC. London and New York, NY: Routledge, 1996. ISBN: 9780415035835.
Hornblower, Simon. The Greek World 479-323 BC. 3rd ed. London and New York, NY: Routledge, 2002. ISBN: 9780415153447.
Greek Masterpieces in Translation
English translations of these works are available at: The Perseus Digital Library.
Aeschylus. “The Persians,” “Seven Against Thebes,” “The Suppliants,” “Prometheus Bound.” In Aeschylus, 1 : The Oresteia. Translated and Edited by David R. Slavitt and Palmer Bovie. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1997. ISBN: 9780812216271.
Aristophanes. “Lysistrata,” “The Acharnians,” “The Clouds.” In The Birds and Other Plays. Translated with an Introduction by Alan H. Sommerstein. London and New York, NY: Penguin, 2003. ISBN: 9780140449518.
Aristotle. The Athenian Constitution. Translated with an Introduction and notes by P. J. Rhodes. New York, NY: Penguin, 1984. ISBN: 9780140444315. (Abbreviated as Ath. Pol.)
Herodotus. Histories. Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt with an Introduction by John Marincola. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. ISBN: 9780140446388.
Homer. The Iliad. Translated by Robert Fagles. New York, NY: Penguin, 1990. ISBN: 9780670835102.
Plutarch. Greek Lives. Translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford and New York, NY: Oxford University Press (Oxford World’s Classics), 1998. ISBN: 9780192825018.
Sophocles. “Antigone,” “Oedipus the King,” “Electra.” In Selections. Translated by H. D. F. Kitto. Oxford and New York, NY: Oxford University Press (Oxford World’s Classics), 1998. ISBN: 9780192835888.
Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Translated by Rex Warner. New York, NY: Penguin Classics, 1954. ISBN: 9780140440393.
Plato. Apology (or Defence of Socrates). Translated by Harold North Fowler. Cambridge, MA and London: London Heinemann Cambridge Harvard University Press, 1966.
| LEC # | TOPICS | READINGS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | |
| 2 | The Myth of Troy: Homer | Homer. Iliad. Chapters 1-2, 6, 9. pp. 77-127, 195-213, 251-275. |
| 3 | The Archaeology of Troy: Schliemann | Homer. Iliad. Chapters 14, 16. pp. 369-386, 412-441. |
| 4 | Discussion 1: Myth and History |
Herodotus. Chapters 1.1-5, 2.112-20. pp. 3-5, 124-128.
Thucydides. Chapters 1.9-12. pp. 39-42. |
| 5 | Homeric Society | Homer. Iliad. Chapters 18, 22-24. pp. 467-487, 541-614. |
| 6 | Dark Age Archaeology: Lefkandi |
Osborne. pp. 40-51.
Hesiod. Works and Days. |
| 7 | Discussion 2: History before History - Homer and Hesiod | Osborne. pp. 137-160. |
| 8 | The Polis | Osborne. pp. 70-104. |
| 9 | Exploration and Colonization | Osborne. pp. 104-129, 197-202, 8-17. |
| 10 | Discussion 3: Greeks and Barbarians - The Importance of Panhellenic Sanctuaries (Delphi) |
Osborne. pp. 95-100, 202-207.
Herodotus. Chapters 1.46-56, 69-92. pp. 18-22, 28-39. |
| 11 | The Age of Tyranny |
Osborne. pp. 185-197, 271-285.
Herodotus. Chapters 3.39-60, 5.90-96, 6.126-131. pp. 169-178, 311-316, 365-368. |
| 12 | Early Sparta |
Osborne. pp. 170-185.
Herodotus. Chapters 1.65-8, 6.51-60. pp. 25-28, 340-343. |
| 13 | Discussion 4: Lycurgus - Sparta’s Legendary Lawgiver | Plutarch. Lycurgus. pp. 3-41. |
| 14 | Early Athens and the Foundations of Democracy |
Osborne. pp. 215-225, 292-314.
Ath. Pol. Chapters 1-22. pp. 39-65. Herodotus. Chapters 1.59-64. pp. 22-25. |
| 15 | Archaic Art and Architecture | Osborne. pp. 129-136, 161-169, 207-214, 259-271. |
| 16 | Discussion 5: Democracy - Solon and Cleisthenes | Plutarch. Solon. pp. 42-77. |
| 17 | Persia and the Greeks of Ionia |
Osborne. pp. 318-328.
Herodotus. Chapters 5.28-38, 5.49-55, 5.97-6.32. pp. 289-293, 296-299, 316-334. |
| 18 | The Persian Wars |
Osborne. pp. 328-343.
Herodotus. 6.94-124, 8.1-125. pp. 355-365, 451-490. |
| 19 | Discussion 6: Herodotus and Aeschylus, Persians | Aeschylus. Persians. pp. 3-44. |
| 20 | From Delian League to Athenian Empire |
Hornblower. pp. 9-38.
Thucydides. Chapters 1.89-117. pp. 87-103. |
| 21 | 5th Century Athens |
Hornblower. pp. 124-149.
Plutarch. Pericles. pp. 140-179. |
| 22 | Discussion 7: Athenian Democratic Culture |
Sophocles. Antigone. pp. 3-45.
Thucydides. Chapters 2.34-46. pp. 143-151. |
| 23 | The Origins of the Peloponnesian War |
Hornblower. pp. 103-123.
Thucydides. Chapters 1.23-88, 118-146. pp. 48-87, 103-123. |
| 24 | The Peloponnesian War | Hornblower. pp. 150-183. |
| 25 | Discussion 8: Thucydides and the Rhetoric of History | Thucydides. Chapters 1.1-23, 2.55-65, 3.36-50, 5.25-26, 5.84-116. pp. 35-49, 156-164, 212-223, 363-364, 400-408. |
| 26 | Effects of the Peloponnesian War |
Hornblower. pp. 184-209.
Ath. Pol. Chapters 29-69. pp. 72-114. |
| 27 | Discussion 9: Philosophers and the City |
Aristophanes. Clouds. pp. 65-130.
Plato. Apology (a.k.a. Defence of Socrates). |
| 28 | The New Spartan Order | Hornblower. pp. 210-245. |
| 29 | Classical Art and Architecture | |
| 30 | Discussion 10: Boston Museum of Fine Arts | |
| 31 | Boeotia and Fall of Spartan Hegemony |
Hornblower. pp. 99-102, 246-260.
Plutarch. Agesilaus. pp. 260-305. |
| 32 | The Rise of Macedon | Hornblower. pp. 261-282. |
| 33 | Alexander the Great | Hornblower. pp. 283-312. |
| 34 | Discussion 11: Plutarch’s Alexander | Plutarch. Alexander. pp. 306-381. |
| 35 | The Appeal of Alexander | |
| 36 | Ancient Greece Today |
