Course Syllabus

Spring 2023 T Th 10.30-12.20 pm (CMU 226)

Prof. Hollmann (hollmann@u.washington.edu).

Office hours: Denny M262E T 1-2 or by appointment

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND AIMS

A theme-based introduction to the religions of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Using primary texts and images and some secondary literature we will explore how each of the religions approaches the following: polytheism, gods and heroes, the dead and the underworld, animal sacrifice, offerings and libations, prayer, priesthood, sanctuaries and place, festivals and calendars, mystery cult, divination, magic. By the end of the course students should have a good sense of these categories and the structure of the religions, how we know what we know about them, and how to approach and interpret primary sources.

CLASS STRUCTURE

Each class will be structured around a theme and will generally involve a formal presentation from me for part of the time, but with plenty of opportunity for questions from students and discussion before, during, and after. I ask students to submit questions or observations they have about the material and readings for that session, or I will pose questions for students to think about individually or in groups during class. All readings are provided and posted on the course's website, along with any images and texts presented in class (these will appear as PowerPoint presentations). Students will submit brief responses to prompts and complete two assessments (midterm and final), which will be take-home and open-book and cover material discussed in class from beginning of the course to the end.

Main readings provided from:

Price, Simon. Religions of the Ancient Greeks. 1991. Cambridge UP

Scheid, John. Introduction to Roman Religion. 2003. Indiana UP

Warrior, Valerie. Greek Religion: A Sourcebook. 2009. Focus

Warrior, Valerie. Roman Religion: A Sourcebook. 2002.

Further optional reading:

Parker, Robert. On Greek Religion. Cornell UP, 2011

Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Harvard UP

Rüpke, Jörg. Religion of the Romans. Polity Press,Malden, MA 2007

Beard, North, Price. Religions of Rome. vol 1 and 2. Cambridge UP 1998

 

COURSE COMPONENTS:

Responses to prompts (40%): Short responses to specific questions about material assigned for a class as well as questions or comments you have about the topic or material. These are submitted electronically and due before class (9.30am), so that I can draw on them in class.

Midterm assessment (30%): brief definitions of terms or names, identification and discussion of short passages from primary sources or images. "Open book" format: students can consult all course materials and class notes.

Final assessment (30%): similar to midterm assessment, covers material after the midterm (i.e. not cumulative).

LATE WORK

Please consult me if you are not able to meet a due date.   

EXTRA CREDIT

Please note I do not offer assignments for extra credit.

 

SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS

 

SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITH NOTICE

Latest version: 5/2/2023

 

WEEK ONE

T March 28: Introduction. Powerpoint here.

 

Th March 30: Polytheism and Pantheon (Greek). Powerpoint here.

Response prompt due: Polytheism (Greek)

Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, "The Gods in Hesiod's Theogony and Homer's Iliad", pp. 13-33. PDF 

[Optional reading: Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, "Gods, myths and festivals", pp. 11-25. PDF] 

[Optional reading: Parker, On Greek Religion, "Analyzing Greek gods", pp. 64-102. PDF] 

 

 

WEEK TWO

T April 4: Polytheism and Pantheon (Roman) Powerpoint here.

Response prompt due

Scheid, Intro. to Roman Religion, "The double life of the Roman gods", pp. 147-170 PDF

Warrior, Roman Religion: A Sourcebook, "Accepting new gods, cults and rituals", pp. 83-97 PDF

Warrior, Roman Religion: A Sourcebook, "Becoming a god", pp. 127-138 PDF

[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Gods and Men.” pp. 65-85 in Religion of the Romans PDF]

 

Th April 6: Heroes and hero cult (Greek). Powerpoint here.

Response prompt due

Collection of hero biographies (word doc.)

[Optional reading: Parker, “The Nature and Power of Heroes.” pp. 103–123 in On Greek Religion. PDF]

 

WEEK THREE

T April 11:  Heroes cont'd (no additional reading)

NO RESPONSE PROMPT due

 

Th April 13: Sacrifice (Greek) Powerpoint here

Response prompt due

Warrior, Greek Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 55-74 ("Prayer and Sacrifice") PDF. 

[Optional reading: Parker, “Killing, Dining, Communicating.” pp. 124–170 in On Greek Religion. PDF]

 

WEEK FOUR

T April 18: Sacrifice (Roman). Powerpoint here.

Response prompt due

Scheid, An introduction to Roman religion, pp. 79-110 ("Sacrifice") PDF

Warrior, Roman Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 40-45 ("Sacrifice") PDF

[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Social Rules: Sacrificing and Feasting.” pp. 137-153 in Religion of the Romans. PDF]

 

Th April 20: Other offerings (Powerpoint here). Prayer, Vow, and Hymn (Greek and Roman) (Powerpoint here)

NO RESPONSE PROMPT due

Warrior, Roman Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 37-40 PDF

Scheid, An introduction to Roman religion, pp. 97-106 ("3.1 Prayer") PDF (contained in "Sacrifice" PDF)

 

WEEK FIVE

T April 25: Priests and priesthood (Greek). Powerpoint here.

NO RESPONSE PROMPT due

Price, Religions of the ancient Greeks, pp. 67-73 PDF, 76-88 PDF

[Optional reading: Parker, “Religion without a church: Religious Authority in Greece.” pp. 40-63 in On Greek Religion PDF]

 

Th April 27: Priests and priesthood (Roman) Powerpoint here.

Response prompt due

Scheid, An introduction to Roman religion, pp. 129-146 ("Priestly figures") PDF

Warrior, Roman Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 47-58 ("Priests and Religious Authority") PDF

[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Specialists and Professionals. pp. 215–235 in Religion of the Romans PDF]

 

F April 28 MIDTERM ASSESSMENT released 10 am

 

WEEK SIX

T May 2: Sanctuary (Greek and Roman) Powerpoint here.

NO RESPONSE PROMPT due

Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 47-66 PDF

Warrior, Greek Religion: Sourcebook, pp. 95-112 PDF

Scheid, Intro. to Roman Religion, pp. 60-76 PDF

 

Th May 4: NO CLASS

 

F May 5: MIDTERM ASSESSMENT due 5pm

 

WEEK SEVEN

T May 9: Festival (Greek) Powerpoint here.

NO RESPONSE PROMPT due

Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 25-46 PDF

 Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 113-134 PDF

[Optional reading: Parker, “The Experience of Festivals.” pp. 171-223 in On Greek Religion PDF]

Th May 11: Festival (Greek) continued. Powerpoint here.

NO RESPONSE PROMPT due

 

 

WEEK EIGHT

T May 16: Festival (Greek) cont'd, Festival (Roman). Powerpoints for calendar and some festivals.

NO RESPONSE PROMPT due

Scheid, Intro. to Roman Religion, pp. 41-59 PDF

Warrior, Roman Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 59-69 PDF

[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Co-ordination: Time and the Calendar.” in Religion of the Romans, pp. 186–201 PDF]

[Optional reading: Beard, "A complex of times: no more sheep on Romulus' birthday" PDF]

 

 

Th May 18: Divination. Powerpoint here.

Read Maurizio “Anthropology and spirit possession: a reconsideration of the Pythia’s role at Delphi” and submit response to this prompt

Optional reading:

Price, 73–76 PDF (oracles)

Warrior, Greek religion: sourcebook, 75–94 PDF

Scheid 111–126 PDF

 

WEEK NINE

T May 23: Mystery Cult (introduction). Powerpoint here.

NO RESPONSE PROMPT due

Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 108-125 PDF

Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 187-203 PDF

Warrior, Roman Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 99-113 PDF

 

Th May 25: Mystery cult cont'd. Eleusinian mysteries: Powerpoint here.

NO RESPONSE PROMPT due

 

 

WEEK TEN

T May 30: Mystery cult cont'd. Bacchic mysteries. Powerpoint here.

Magic. Powerpoint here.

Response prompt due

Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 229-238 PDF

Warrior, Roman Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 139-150 PDF

[Optional reading: Graf PDF]

Th June 1:  Magic cont'd

NO RESPONSE PROMPT due

 

F June 2: FINAL ASSESSMENT released 5pm

 

WEEK ELEVEN

W June 7 FINAL ASSESSMENT due 10 pm

 

 

 

 

GRADING SCALE

I use the following scale for converting percentage points to GPA

Percentage Earned	Grade-Point Equivalent	74	2.1
100-95	4.0	73	2.0
94	3.9	72	1.9
93	3.8	71	1.8
92	3.7	70	1.7
91	3.6	69	1.6
90-89	3.5	68	1.5
88-87	3.4	67	1.4
86	3.3	66	1.3
85	3.2	65	1.2
84	3.1	64	1.1
83	3.0	63	1.0
82	2.9	62	0.9
81	2.8	61	0.8
80	2.7	60	0.7
79	2.6	59 and x < 59	0.0
78	2.5
77	2.4
76	2.3
75	2.2