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Program in Ancient Studies

The Program in Ancient Studies allows the comparative study of the history, literatures, and religions of Mediterranean and South, East and West Asian antiquity (Rome, Greece, North Africa, Egypt, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Israel, Iran, Arabia, India, China). Faculty from a variety of academic units (Anthropology, Classics, Comparative Literature, Egyptology, History, History of Art and Architecture, Judaic Studies, Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World, Philosophy, Religious Studies) offer courses relevant to Ancient Studies.

Concentration programs are formulated individually by each concentrator in consultation with the concentration advisor to focus on the study of two ancient cultures. Examples of possible topics of research in this concentration include the following: cultural contacts between Greece and Egypt/West Asia; animal sacrifice in Greece and Israel; comparative legal studies: Israel, Hatti, and Mesopotamia; gender roles in Rome and Egypt; and Wisdom literature in Egypt, Israel, and Mesopotamia; the historiography of the exact sciences in India and Greece.

Concentration Advisor: Kurt Raaflaub (Classics)

Concentration Patterns:

  1. Ancient History (standard and honors)
  2. Ancient Religions (standard and honors)
  3. Languages and Literatures of Greece, Rome, North Africa, pre-Islamic West and South Asia (honors only)

General Requirements:

Each nonhonors concentrator will choose to focus on either ancient history or ancient religions and will complete the Concentrators Seminar (AS 100) in both the junior and the senior years, and eight other courses, four in each of two civilizations.

Honors Requirements:

1. Ancient History or Ancient Religions (total of up to 12 courses)

a. The Concentrators Seminar (AS 100) in both the junior and senior years

b. Two courses on the history or religions of two civilizations (four courses)

c. Two courses in one ancient language

d. Two related courses

e. The honors thesis (one or two courses)

2a. Languages and Literatures of Greece, Rome, North Africa, pre-Islamic West and South Asia (total of up to 12 courses)

a. The Concentrators' Seminar (two courses)

b. Two 100-level courses requiring knowledge of Greek or Latin; and two courses requiring knowledge of Egyptian, Hebrew, Aramaic, Akkadian, Sanskrit, or Phoenician (Four courses: two of each of two languages)

c. Two courses in the literature or culture associated with each of the two languages (For one of these languages, the two courses must be at the advanced level)

d. The honors thesis (one or two courses)

2b. Languages and Literatures of North Africa and pre-Islamic West, South, or East Asia (total of up to 12 courses)

a. The Concentrator's Seminar (two courses)

b. Two courses requiring knowledge of two different North African, West or South Asian languages: Egyptian, Hebrew, Aramaic, Akkadian, Phoenician, Sanskrit or Chinese. For one of these languages, the two courses must be at the advanced level. (Four courses: two of each of two languages.)

c. Two courses in the literature or culture associated with each of the two languages (four courses: two each for two languages).

d. The honors thesis (one or two courses)