ARBC: Arabic
Winter 2021ARBC101 Beginning Classical and Quranic Arabic I Sections
Classical Arabic, with an introduction to vocabulary and grammar and the reading of simple Qur'anic texts and wisdom sayings in the original.
Instructor(s): GHAZI, BUSHRA SEEMI YASMIN
ARBC102 Beginning Classical and Quranic Arabic II Sections
Classical Arabic, with further introduction to vocabulary and grammar and the reading of Qur'anic texts in the original.
Instructor(s): GHAZI, BUSHRA SEEMI YASMIN
ARBC201 Intermediate Classical and Quranic Arabic I Sections
Classical Arabic. Designed to enrich vocabulary and grammar and to enhance fluency in reading and interpreting a range of Qur'anic texts.
Instructor(s): GHAZI, BUSHRA SEEMI YASMIN
ARBC202 Intermediate Classical and Quranic Arabic II Sections
Classical Arabic. Designed to further enrich vocabulary and grammar and to enhance fluency in reading and interpreting longer texts from Qur'an, Hadith and other genres.
Instructor(s): GHAZI, BUSHRA SEEMI YASMIN
ARBC420A Supervised Study in Classical and Quranic Arabic - CLASSICAL ARABIC Sections
Readings in religious and literary Arabic texts pertaining to the early and classical Islamic world.
CLST: Classical Studies Undergraduate Courses
Winter 2021CLST101 Greek and Latin Roots of English Sections
Greek and Latin roots of English vocabulary and grammar, with an introduction to language history and Greek and Roman culture.
CLST105 Greek and Roman Mythology Sections
Greek and Roman mythology and its interpretation. Emphasis on ancient texts read in English translation.
Classical Studies 105 offers a broad introduction to the vibrant world of Greek and Roman mythology and its influence today. Because myth touched every aspect of ancient life, this course will also shed light on the literature, art, and lived experience of the Greeks and Romans. The goals of the course are to familiarize students with the myths, with the primary texts in which they are told, with the place of myth-telling in ancient culture, and to introduce students to the chief interpretive theories of myth that have been developed over the past century. The course also touches on the transformation of ancient myths in modern storytelling.
Emphasis will be placed on reading primary sources in English translation, and as a result students will become familiar with a variety of ancient literary genres. This course also develops valuable transferable skills in academic reading and writing.
Prerequisites: None. (No prior knowledge of the...
Read More... CLST211 Greek Philosophy I Sections
The Pre-Socratics; Socrates; Sophists; Plato. Recommended as preparation for CLST/PHIL 212 and PHIL 310.
The Presocratics; Socrates; Sophists.
CLST 211 “The unexamined life is not worth living”: this is how the seminal Athenian philosopher Socrates explained his way of life to the jury that sentenced him. How did this attitude – and with it the complex of Western philosophy, medicine and science – first emerge in ancient Greece? In this course, we will piece together fragmentary evidence for the birth of rational speculation between the poets Homer and Hesiod (8th century BC) and Plato and Aristotle (4th century BC). Along the way, we will encounter the original articulations of Greece’s most enduring and provocative ideas. Textbook: John Cooper, Pursuits of Wisdom (Princeton, 2012).
Cross-Listed as PHIL 211A
Prerequisites: None
Read More... CLST212 Greek Philosophy II Sections
Aristotle; selections from Hellenistic and Late Antique Philosophy. Recommended as preparation for PHIL 310 and PHIL 311.
Plato; Aristotle; selections from Hellenistic Philosophy.
Is it possible to be sure that we are living a good human life, come what may? What would it be like to “succeed at” being a human being, at being ourselves? In the period under consideration in this course (c. 399 BCE–c. 529 CE), the nascent traditions of Greek logic, science, and ethics were turned to the exploration of such fundamental questions as these and spread across the Mediterranean world in the wake of Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire, laying the groundwork for the subsequent development of Western intellectual history. Over this term, we will study Aristotle, the great Hellenistic schools of ancient Athens (Stoics, Epicureans, and Skeptics) and the later ancient synthesis of Greek philosophy under the banner of Plato (Neoplatonism), and their influence on subsequent thought. Focus: Aristotle, Stoics, Epicureans, Skeptics, and Neoplatonists (4th century BCE-3rd century CE).
Prerequisites: None: Students...
Read More... CLST231 Ancient Greece Sections
A survey of the ancient Greek world from the Minoan and Mycenaean (about 2000-1000 BCE) to the Hellenistic Period (323-30 BCE).
Why are Greeks still today, just like their ancient ancestors, known for their shipping companies and business interests? Why were ancient Greeks apparently always warring among themselves and with others? Was democracy the most common form of government in ancient Greek communities? If not, why not, and what was the most common form of government? Is the “Greek Miracle” the best lens today through which to understand the development of the ancient Greeks? The answers to these and other topical questions of our times can be found in studying ancient Greek history. Come and explore them with me.
Prerequisites: None
Read More... CLST232 Ancient Rome Sections
A survey of the ancient Roman world from the foundation of the city to the death of Constantine.
"There can surely be nobody so petty or so apathetic in his outlook that he has no desire to discover by what means and under what system of government the Romans succeeded in less than fifty-three years in bringing under their rule almost the whole of the inhabited world, an achievement which is without parallel in human history." - Polybius, Universal History 1.1.5
A survey of the ancient Roman world. The course consists of a series of lectures on the world of Rome from the foundation of the city to the death of Constantine. Lectures treat the Roman monarchy, the foundation of the Roman republic and its expansion, the social, economic and political problems that led to its fall, the reorganization of government under Augustus, and the Roman empire under the emperors. Brief consideration of the reforms of Diocletian and the unsolved problem of the decline of the Roman...
Read More... CLST260 Gladiators, Games, and Spectacle in the Greek and Roman World Sections
History, development, and social function of various forms of spectacle in ancient Greece and Rome, from the Olympic games to the Roman arena.
Fame and shame. Blood and guts. Glory and death. Ancient games and spectacles promised all these and more to the people of ancient Greece and Rome. Spectacles united societies and divided them too. Ancient fans fanatically supported their favourites, but rivalries sometimes led to riots. Ranging from the competitions at the Olympic games in Greece to the spectacles of the Roman Coliseum and the Circus Maximus, this course will examine how spectacles and games functioned in the ancient world, their costs and rewards, and the costs to the humans and animals caught up in them. Over the course of the semester we will investigate the how and why of ancient games, the mechanics of how they were staged and organized, and who fought and competed in them.
Prerequisites: None
Read More... CLST301 The Technical Terms of Medicine and Biological Science Sections
Acquaints the student with the Greek and Latin elements from which most specialized terms of modern medicine are constructed. Intended primarily for students planning to enter the medical, pharmaceutical, or biological sciences.
Classical Studies 301 helps students understand the Greek and Latin elements which are used in medical and biological terminology: students learn how to deconstruct medical and biological terminology into ordinary English so that they can easily understand and remember the language of biology and medicine. Students also learn the principles behind the construction of the terminology. The course is designed primarily for science students, particularly those in the biological or pre-medical fields, but students from other areas of study are also very welcome. No knowledge of the Greek or Latin languages is required, and no knowledge of anatomy or physiology is required. The course additionally provides relevant material from ancient literary, mythological, historical, and medical sources, in order to furnish a cultural context for the elements under discussion.
The course is offered both on-campus and on-line in both the fall and winter terms, and both cover the same vocabulary. For the on-campus...
Read More... CLST306 Ancient Technology: Greece and Rome Sections
The origins, achievements, and social impacts of applied technology in the Greek and Roman world from the Bronze Age to Late Antiquity (c. 1500 BCE - 400 CE), with special attention to archaeological evidence.
CLST312 Women in the Roman World of Republican and Imperial Times Sections
Women in the Roman world in the culture of the Republic and the Empire. Literary, artistic, and mythological sources are compared and contrasted to historical, legal, and archaeological records.
CLST 312 Matron, Mother, Mistress, Merchant, Murderer.
Women played a variety of roles in ancient Roman society and in this course we will examine the evidence that we have for women’s lives as well as how they were perceived by their male contemporaries and what value to society they were believed to have. Through a critical analysis of the material and visual culture and inscriptional, legal, and literary sources we will explore the realities and ambiguities of Roman women’s lives from imperial wives to household slaves and also consider the roots of modern conceptions and perceptions of women in the Western world today.
Prerequisites: Second-year standing or above.
Read More... CLST313 Greek Epic Sections
Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, in translation.
CLST317 Classical Tragedy Sections
The plays of the Greek and Roman tragic dramatists, in translation.
This course will guide students through the earliest plays of the European tradition, reading a range of Greek and Roman tragedies in translation. Selected plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Seneca will be studied in their intellectual, historical, and performance contexts. We will consider how classical tragedy has shaped the whole tradition of Western drama, while paying particular attention to what makes classical tragedy unique, including the chorus, the integration of speech and song, and the innovative use of mythological tradition. We will also study borderline cases between tragedy and comedy, including examples of satyr drama, prosatyric tragedy, and “tragicomedy”, to explore how we define tragedy and the tragic.
Read More... CLST329 Ancient Greek Warfare Sections
Ancient Greek methods and tactics of war plus underlying social, religious and philosophical concepts relating to warfare, through sources in translation.
CLST331 Greek Art and Architecture Sections
The visual culture of the ancient Greek world in the second and first millennia BCE, especially from c. 1000 to 30 BCE.
This course explores the art and architecture of the Greek world from about 7000 to 30 BCE. We’ll begin with the first farmers of the Neolithic and the trace the rise of Mycenae, Knossos and other legendary palaces of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. We then examine the emergence of the Greek city states, focusing on the great Panhellenic sanctuaries of Olympia and Delphi and, of course, Athens and the famous monuments of its Akropolis and Agora that embody the rise of the world’s first democracy. We’ll end with the spread of Greek art and architecture eastward with the conquests of Alexander the Great and the powerful Hellenistic kingdoms of his successors. In each case we’ll consider the social, political, economic and ideological context of Greek material culture, its relationship to identities and the impacts of interactions with other cultures. We'll also consider the legacy and reception of Greek art...
Read More... CLST332 Roman Art and Architecture Sections
The visual culture of the ancient Roman world from the 8th century BCE to the 4th century CE.
CLST 332: Roman Art & Architecture
The social, cultural, political, and visual history of Roman art from the eighth century BCE to the fourth century CE. Topics include the power of images to shape society; identity construction; cultural exchanges and borrowings across the ancient world; the impact of the Roman Empire on local visual traditions; and the complex relationships between subject and representation.
Read More... CLST333 Greek Religion Sections
A survey of both traditional and exoteric religious practices from the Archaic to the Hellenistic period. Some knowledge of ancient Greece is recommended.
CLST353 The Early Roman Empire Sections
Roman imperial history during the Julio-Claudian and Flavian periods (30 BC-96 AD).
The course focuses upon the Roman empire during the first century AD following its consolidation by the founding emperors Augustus and Tiberius. The performance of certain of their successors is discussed. But the emphasis is upon social, administrative and economic themes. There is investigation of how the provinces and cities of the empire were taxed and governed, and of how certain significant services were provided such as transport and supply of food staples. The nature and values of society are probed through exploration of such varied topics as the status and role of slaves and ex-slaves; the work undertaken by men and women; entertainment; and Roman funeral and burial practices. The fascinating world of Rome is likely to emerge as both less familiar, and more impenetrable and mysterious, than might have been anticipated.
Sensitive exploitation of original source material, both literary and non-literary (all in translation), is an important element throughout....
Read More... CLST355 The Athenians and their Empire Sections
The sources (literary, epigraphical and other) for Athens' emergence as one of the two leading city-states in late archaic and classical Greece and the stages by which her empire grew.
Classical Studies 355 (CLST 355 [3]): The Athenians and their Empire
The sources (literary, epigraphical and other) for Athens’ emergence as one of the two leading city-states in late archaic and classical Greece and the stages which her empire grew. Prerequisite: CLST 231.
Aims of this course:
examine the history and nature of the Athenian Empire
gain familiarity with ancient sources of the period and some contemporary scholarship
ancient and modern perspectives and representation: how history is imagined and created (affected by ideology and ontology)
the nature, objectivity and purpose of history
consider the following:
the development and nature of the empire from the 6th century BCE on
competing representations of that empire in ancient and modern sources
the empire and its effect on 5th century Greek culture
the relationship between the empire and Athenian democracy
Read More... CLST356 Alexander the Great and his Empire Sections
The rise of Macedon under Philip II leading to its domination of Greece and the overthrow of the Persian Empire by his son, Alexander; the subsequent spread of Greek civilization in the East.
"I suppose there was no race of men, no city at that time, no single person whom Alexander"s name did not reach." - Arrian,Anabasis 7.30.2.v
A study of Alexander the Great: the historical figure, his legend, and his legacy. It begins with his rise, tracing the nature of Macedonia, its culture and previous kings, especially Philip II on whose successes Alexander"s legend was built.This course first examines Alexander"s accession, campaigns and untimely death and places Alexander in his social and historical context.The second part of the course will examine the legacy of Alexander through the history of the Hellenistic kingdoms and the persistence of Greek culture in the East.This course addresses questions of cultural interaction, assimilation, and conquest through the reading of the ancient sources in order to assess Alexander"s achievements and to understand the unique place which he occupies in visions of the classical past.
Texts:
1.Romm, J. 2012. The Landmark Arrian:...
Read More... CLST360C Life and Society in Classical Antiquity - LF SOC CLAS ANTQ Sections
Topics in Greek and Roman life and society.
CLST401A Seminar in Classical History - SEM CLASSCL HIST Sections
Selected topics in Greek or Roman history, with an emphasis on research. Restricted to majors and honours students in CLST, CLAS, CLAH, ARGR, GRNE, CNRS.
A Beautiful Death?: Living and Dying in the Ancient Roman World
This seminar will consider through various readings and student presentations such topics as life expectancy, hygiene, plagues, medicine, statistics of death in battle, invasions, mourning, burial practices and commemoration, funeral laws, murder, and suicide. The topics of focus will vary depending on the interests of the students.
Read More... CLST401B Seminar in Classical History - SEM CLASSCL HIST Sections
Selected topics in Greek or Roman history, with an emphasis on research. Restricted to majors and honours students in CLST, CLAS, CLAH, ARGR, GRNE, CNRS.
CLST403D Seminar in Classical Art and Archaeology - SEM CLS ART&ARCH Sections
Selected topics in Greek or Roman art and archaeology, with an emphasis on research. Restricted to majors and honours students in CLST, CLAS, CLAH, ARGR, GRNE, CNRS.
CNRS: Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies
Winter 2021CNRS104 Temples, Tombs, and Tyrants: The Archaeology of the Middle East, Greece, and Rome Sections
The rise of civilizations, cultural interconnections, and power dynamics in the ancient Middle East (including Egypt), Greece, and Rome (10,000 BCE - 300 CE). Archaeological methods and interpretation, and analysis of ancient artifacts in UBC collections.
CNRS370 Theories of Myth Sections
Origins, nature, and transmission of myth in the Western tradition, with particular attention devoted to the interpretation of myth from ancient times up to the present. Some background in myth is recommended.
This course will examine the origins, nature and transmission of myth in the Western Tradition. It will devote particular attention to the interpretation of myth from ancient times up to the present day. Modern theorists discussed may, among others, include Freud; Jung; the so-called "Cambridge Ritualists;" N.Frye; J. Campbell; C. Levi-Strauss; R. Girard; W. Burkett; E. Cassirer.
Prerequisites: None
Read More... CNRS449 Honours Essay Sections
GREK: Greek
Winter 2021GREK101 Beginning Ancient Greek I Sections
Classical and Hellenistic Greek, Part I.
First-Year Ancient Greek I
This course introduces the elements of classical Greek – the language of Homer, Greek drama and philosophy, and the New Testament. We will study fundamental Greek grammar and vocabulary useful for reading ancient Greek and understanding its influence on modern European languages.
Prerequisites: None: Students with no prior knowledge of the subject are welcome.
Read More... GREK102 Beginning Ancient Greek II Sections
Classical and Hellenistic Greek, Part II.
GREK201 Intermediate Ancient Greek I Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of Ancient Greek, Part I.
GREK202 Intermediate Ancient Greek II Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of Ancient Greek, Part II; introduction to the reading of unadapted passages of Greek literature.
Instructor(s): MARSHALL, CHRISTOPHER WARREN
GREK351 Reading Ancient Greek: Prose Sections
Readings in the major authors in Greek prose.
This course is designed to introduce intermediate students to ancient Greek prose literature; the selection of authors to be read varies each year, but can draw from genres as diverse as history, philosophy, biography, satire, religious texts, or even romance or early science fiction. The works to be read will be entirely unadapted but students will have the assistance of a commentary and lexicon, as well as the support of the instructor, to assist them in making the transition to reading ancient Greek texts.
Read More... GREK352 Reading Ancient Greek: Verse Sections
Readings in the major authors in Greek verse.
Students will read a complete verse play. This course is designed to equip students with the necessary tools for independent reading of unadapted Greek texts.
Read More... GREK401A Greek Prose - GREEK PROSE Sections
Studies in history, philosophy and/or oratory. It is recommended that the corequisite course be completed prior to GREK 401.
GREK 401A/501A: Biography (Xenophon and Plutarch)
In this course, we will read some of the earliest Greek attempts to write an account of a person's whole life. We'll start with the first book of Xenophon's Cyropaedia, a biography of the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, which became the model for medieval writings like Machiavelli's The Prince. We'll then move on to two of the Parallel Lives of Plutarch (to be chosen by the class), which compare the lives of some of the greatest figures from Greek and Roman myth and history. We may also read some of Diogenes Laertius's Lives and Gnomai of Eminent Philosophers. We will consider the aims and techniques of the authors, the question of national bias, comparative material from other sources for these biographies, and the reception of these works in modern times and genres.
Read More... GREK403A Studies in Ancient Greek Prose and Verse - ANCT GREK P & V Sections
Thematic studies using both Greek prose and Greek verse. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. It is recommended that the corequisite course be completed prior to GREK 403.
HEBR: Hebrew
Winter 2021HEBR201 Intermediate Biblical Hebrew I Sections
Biblical Hebrew. Devised to enrich vocabulary and grammar and enhance fluency in reading and interpreting a range of biblical texts.
HEBR202 Intermediate Biblical Hebrew II Sections
Biblical Hebrew. Devised to further enrich vocabulary and grammar and to enhance fluency in reading and interpreting a range of biblical texts.
LATN: Latin
Winter 2021LATN101 Beginning Latin I Sections
Classical Latin, Part I.
Latin 101
Latin was the language of the Romans and, at the height of the Roman Empire during the first three centuries of the common era, was spoken throughout the whole of Western Europe and a large part of North Africa. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the west in the fifth century, Latin continued to be spoken in a variety of local dialects that developed through time into the modern Romance languages, e.g., French, Italian, and Spanish. Latin itself survived as the common language of educated people in Europe through the church and universities until the eighteenth century.
A knowledge of Latin is essential to the study of the history, literature and archaeology of the Romans and for a serious understanding of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in Europe. It is also extremely useful in the study of the Romance languages as well as the English language, which...
Read More... LATN102 Beginning Latin II Sections
Classical Latin, Part II.
Latin 102 continues with the basics of Latin grammar that we began in Latin 101, and illustrates these by a series of readings adapted from the major authors of classical Latin literature. Students will be reading passages from such famous authors and works as Julius Caesar’s memoir of his campaigns in Gaul, Pliny the Younger’s first-hand account of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, and the statesman Cicero’s letters to his family.
Text (required): Susan C. Shelmerdine, Introduction to Latin, 2nd ed., Focus Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-58510-390-4
Read More... LATN201 Intermediate Latin I Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of classical Latin, Part I.
Latin 201 completes most of the fundamentals of Latin grammar and syntax that were begun in Latin 101 and 102, which it illustrates by a series of readings adapted from the major authors of classical Latin literature. We shall be reading passages from such famous authors and works as Livy’s legends of early Rome, Julius Caesar’s account of his campaigns in Gaul, and Tacitus’ story of the emperor Nero’s murder of the son of Claudius.
Text: Susan C. Shelmerdine, Introduction to Latin, 2nd ed., Focus Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-58510-390-4 (required)
Read More... LATN202 Intermediate Latin II Sections
Completion of the grammatical foundations of classical Latin, Part II; an introduction to the reading of unadapted passages of Latin literature and discussion of thier cultural contexts.
Latin 202 completes the fundamentals of Latin grammar and syntax, which it illustrates by a series of readings slightly adapted from the major authors of classical Latin literature. These include passages from such famous authors and works as Cicero on dreams, the historian Sallust on the decline of Rome, and the poet Ovid’s telling of the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. We then introduce students to the reading and translation of unadapted Latin, this year using as sample the third book of Eutropius’ Ab Urbe Condita, his summary of the events of Second Punic War. (Text of Eutropius is supplied.)
Required Text:
Susan C. Shelmerdine, Introduction to Latin, 2nd ed., Focus Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-
58510-390-4
Read More... LATN350 Latin Literature of the Classical Period (Prose) Sections
Readings in Latin Prose.
Instructor(s): RAE, ANDREA LYN
Third-year Latin aims to enhance students’ skills in reading unadapted Latin and to introduce them to some of the great authors of classical Latin literature. Our prose author this year will be the historian Livy. We shall be translating a selection of famous passages from his Ab Urbe Condita, and also considering his purposes in writing, the nature of his history and the linguisitic and artistic features of his work. Among our passages will be his narration of the founding of Rome, his stories of some early Roman heroes, his account of the Second (Hannibalic) Punic War, and his description of the Bacchic ‘conspiracy’ of 186 BCE.
Texts (required):
1. Mary Jaeger, A Livy Reader: Selections from Ab Urbe Condita; Bolchazy-Carducci pub., ISBN: 978-0865166806
2. G. L. Kittredge, James B Greenough, Benj. L. D'Ooge, A. A. Howard, J. H. Allen, Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar; Dover pub., ISBN: 9780486448060
Read More... LATN351 Latin Literature of the Classical Period (Verse) Sections
Readings in Latin Verse.
The goals of this course are to introduce students to Latin poetry and metre, and through the reading of the Latin text, to help students strengthen their grasp of grammar and syntax and improve their facility in translation. We will read and analyse Book II of Vergil’s Aeneid in which Aeneas recounts the fall of Troy to Dido. This book contains the famous story of the Trojan horse, the destruction of the city, and Aeneas’ eventually escape with his father and son. Epic battles, action and adventure abound.
Read More... LATN401C Latin Prose - LATIN PROSE Sections
Studies in history, oratory and/or philosophy. May be repeated for up to 12 credits. It is recommended that the corequisite course be completed prior to LATN 401.
Latin prose of the imperial age. In this course we will read a selection of authors from the imperial age onwards, including Seneca the Elder and Younger, Pliny the Elder and Younger, and Quintillian among others.
Read More... LATN403A Studies in Latin Prose and Verse - LATN PRSE & VRSE Sections
Thematic studies using both Latin prose and Latin verse. May be repeated for up to 6 credits.
NEST: Near Eastern Studies
Winter 2021NEST301 Early Empires of the Ancient Middle East Sections
A history from 3100-333 BC with emphasis on Mesopotamia.
Instructor(s): COOPER, ELISABETH
This course provides a general introduction to the political history, culture and religion of the ancient Near East, with particular emphasis on the high civilizations of Mesopotamia (Sumer, Babylonia andAssyria). Lectures will cover major developments, from the appearance of the earliest cities in the Tigris-Euphrates flood plain up to the time of the defeat of the Persian forces by Alexander the Great. A variety of topics will be examined in order to introduce to the student the incredible richness of culture and diversity of this important part of the world. Topics include the development of the cuneiform writing system and its decipherment, Mesopotamian political ideologies, the role of royal propaganda, warfare, trade, art and architecture. The course will also discuss Sumerian and Babylonian religion and mythology, and their role in Mesopotamian society.
Text: Van de Mieroop, Marc. A History of the Ancient Near East, ca. 3000
Read More... NEST304 Ancient Egypt: The Archaeology of the Land of the Pharaohs Sections
The material remains of the ancient Egyptians from monumental tombs and temples to the artifacts of daily life; the development of Egyptian civilization from the rise of the first rulers to its incorporation into the Roman Empire.
Egypt has fascinated both scholars and the general public since ancient times, and not without good reason. We will, of course, discuss mummies, pyramids, and famous pharaohs from Hatshepsut, the female king, to Akhenaten, the so-called heretic king and first monotheist, and Tutankhamen the "boy king" whose intact tomb was found by Howard Carter in 1922--but they tell only part of the story. Egypt is one of the earliest civilizations and, despite its eventual conquest by a succession of imperial powers, it retained many aspects of its distinctive culture over a period of millennia, influencing the art, architecture, and culture of neighbours and conquerors alike. In this course we’ll trace the rise, development, and occasional collapse, of Egyptian society from its origins in the Neolithic period through to its incorporation into the Roman Empire. In exploring ancient Egypt, we’ll look at the incredible finds recovered by archaeologists (and others) and...
Read More... NEST313 Introduction to Middle Egyptian Sections
Language of Ancient Egypt and the main literary texts composed during the Middle Kingdom.
NEST318 Egyptomania Sections
The adaptation and appropriation of ancient Egypt in ancient and modern art, architecture, film, and music; the development of Egyptology since the 19th century.
NEST401 Literature of Ancient Egypt or the Ancient Near East Sections
The main genres and texts of Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Literature and their modern Interpretation. Credit will be granted for only one of NEST 401 or 505.
NEST402 The Archaeology of the City in the Ancient Near East Sections
The material manifestations of urbanism in the ancient Near East, from the 4th millennium BC up to the 1st millennium BC. Credit will be granted for only one of NEST 402 or 506.
The Archaeology of Space and Place
This course explores the role of built environments – from single rooms to landscapes – in past societies. Through participation in a series of lectures, seminar discussions, “hands-on” labs, and research projects, we’ll explore contemporary (and past) approaches that archaeologists use to understand buildings, settlements and built landscapes. We’ll examine theories linking prehistoric and historic built environments to human and material agency, daily practice, power, identity and social reproduction, as well as concepts such as place, house and household, community and neighbourhood, cityscape, monumentality and memory. We’ll also emphasize the application of methods that can help us understand how various types of buildings affect human behavior, experience, and interaction by encoding and communicating meanings. Case studies will be global in perspective.
Read More... RELG: Religious Studies
Winter 2021RELG101 Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Religious Traditions Sections
An overview of the foundational texts, histories, and contemporary expressions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Key concepts and approaches used in the study of religion.
RELG201 Near Eastern and Biblical Mythology Sections
An introduction to the world of Near Eastern mythology, from the Gilgamesh Epic to the Book of Genesis and beyond.
In this course we will probe the distinct but related corpora of biblical and ancient Near Eastern “mythologies.” The focus will be on Mesopotamian literature (i.e., literary texts that are the products of ancient Iraq), though we will also examine biblical texts, particularly those that demonstrate influence from Mesopotamia. Both sets of texts shed light on the cultures that produced them, and we will explore how these texts both reveal and conceal aspects of their respective cultures. We will also consider the ways in which media (i.e., the physical material that scribes used to write these texts) and context (e.g., literary, religious, archaeological, social, etc.) contribute toward our understanding of this ancient material. Although our main focus will be on what these texts might have meant to their ancient audiences, we will also reflect on their continued influence on modern beliefs and perceptions.
Prerequisites: None
Read More... RELG203 Scriptures of the Near East Sections
An introduction to the scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
This course introduces students to the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’ān—some of the foundational texts of both western and world culture, and the sacred scriptural basis for religious traditions originating in the Near East: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—and, more broadly, the social processes, textual practices, performance modes, and ideological constructs that, in various modes of synergy, constitute the phenomenon of ‘scripture’ in religious traditions. Through close, critical readings and discussions of primary literature (in English translation), this course considers each set of texts in terms of: its contents; confessional and historical-critical theories of its contexts, composition, and canonization; relationship to the other sacred texts; and reception in later religious traditions. The culminating part of the course explores cultural issues surrounding the generation and promulgation of competing character profiles within the scriptures and interpretive traditions of these kindred religions; characters of prominent interest include: Adam, Eve/Hawwāʾ, Satan/Iblīs, Noah,...
Read More... RELG206 Introduction to Judaism and its Texts Sections
What is Judaism? An overview of the key texts that have defined the Jewish religion, from the Hebrew Bible through works of contemporary thinkers. Recommended as a basis for upper-level courses in religious studies.
RELG306 Archaeology and the Bible Sections
The impact of archaeological research on understanding the history and religion of ancient Israel.
Instructor(s): COOPER, ELISABETH
Over the last two centuries, archaeologists (both professional and amateur) have extensively excavated the lands depicted in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Often digging with sacred texts in hand, they have uncovered a voluminous corpus of archaeological remains related to ancient Israel, early Judaism, and Christianity. This course introduces students to the comparative study of the material and literary production of the peoples who lived in ancient Palestine, from 1000 B.C.E. to 640 C.E. We will critically examine the ways that archaeological finds can - and cannot - contribute to our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Dead Sea Scrolls, classical Rabbinic Literature, and related texts. In addition, we will uncover the major interpretive issues that face scholars today. In each unit, following an overview of the period"s material culture, we will examine two sets of primary sources - one textual, one archaeological; critically evaluate modern interpretations and...
Read More... RELG307 Sex, Lies, and Violence in the Hebrew Bible Sections
An exploration of the Bible's "dark side," with emphasis on texts that center on sex, deceit, and murder.
For all of its accounts of angels and miracles, the Bible features a staggering number of texts that deal with “real life,” including literature that deals with sex, deceit, and murder. Most of these texts never make it into a synagogue or church sermon, though some of them are persistently (mis-)used to justify the oppression and/or exclusion of women and LGBTQ individuals. Together we will probe these texts within their own ancient contexts, emerging both with a deeper appreciation of the Bible’s “dark side” and with a more sophisticated sense as to what these texts might have meant to their original audiences
Read More... RELG330 The Origins of Judaism Sections
Surveys the history of Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple era, from the destruction of the First Jerusalem Temple (586 B.C.E.) to the beginnings of the rabbinic movement (200 C.E.).
RELG 330 Origins of Judaism
This course surveys the history and literature of Jews and Judaism during the Second Temple era. It covers the formative age of Judaism, from the destruction of the First Jerusalem Temple in 586 B.C.E. to the Babylonian Exile, through the Hellenistic and Early Roman ages, to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E., and ends with the beginnings of the rabbinic movement (c. 200 C.E.). This course will also provide a broad context for the emergence of early Christianity and the so-called “parting of the ways” with Judaism. We will read from an array of primary sources (all in English translation), including the Hebrew Bible, Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Hellenistic Jewish writings (e.g. Philo and Josephus), and end with a taste of early rabbinic texts (Mishnah). We will also closely examine archaeological finds from the era, including inscriptions, remains of ancient synagogues,...
Read More... RELG414 The Gospels and the Historical Jesus Sections
The canonical and apocryphal gospels and the life and teachings of the historical Jesus.
The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) are the historian's main source for his portrait of the historical Jesus. The focus of this course is the examination of various genres in the Gospels - parables, trial narratives, miracle stories, and so on, in order to understand the interplay of tradition and interpretation in the early decades of the Christian movement. The student will be encouraged to appreciate each Gospel as a unified composition, and to recognize each evangelist's principles of selection, arrangement and adaptation. A careful examination of the extra-canonical sources (Gospel of Thomas, Q, Apocryphal Gospels) to determine their relevance for historical Jesus research will be another feature of the seminar.
Prerequisites: None
Read More... RELG475D Topics in Religion - TPCS IN RELIGION Sections
Consult the course registration information each year for offered topics.
Is the Biblical Garden of Eden synonymous with Paradise? Does Genesis 2-3 represent Eve as a temptress? When does the plural noun Elohim refer to the singular God and to plural gods? How to translate the Hebrew term Adam? What does Exodus 3 recount about the secret name of God YHVH? What can the etymology of Hebrew names contribute to our understanding of specific Biblical narratives? Can the Nephilim be seen as fallen angels? Who are the Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly of the Biblical book of Proverbs? Join us as we read together select biblical narratives, discuss conceivable meaning/s of fascinating Biblical accounts, explore possible ideological-cultural aspects embedded in the texts, and examine their reception, impact and multiple interpretations over the ages.
The course will treat both linguistic and literary aspects. Students interested in examining these issues with a focus on their literary aspects can take this course as RELG 475D [no language prerequisite]. Students interested in examining these...
Read More... RELG475E Topics in Religion - TPCS IN RELIGION Sections
Consult the course registration information each year for offered topics.
RELG 475E/RELG 500B The Use and Abuse of the Bible in Modern Contexts
An exploration of the Bible's continued influence in today's world, with attention to how and why the Bible continues to be recycled in so many different contexts.
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