The cross-disciplinary Classical Studies Program engages students with the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome and their influence, both past and present, on western and world cultures. The Classical Studies minor and Interdisciplinary Studies major include an integrated curriculum of courses in the cultures, literatures, history, languages, archaeology, and art of ancient Greece and Rome from prehistoric times to the reign of the Emperor Constantine. Current information about the Program may be found at: http://language.iastate.edu/academic-programs/classical-studies/
Courses in Classical Studies provide background and a classical context for students whose major fields of study or career interests include History, Anthropology, English, World Languages and Cultures, Philosophy, Women’s and Gender Studies, material culture, law, medicine, political science, the life sciences, and related fields.
Students interested in pursuing an Interdisciplinary Studies major or minor in Classical Studies should meet with an academic adviser in the Department of World Languages and Cultures (https://language.iastate.edu/advising/) and the Classical Studies Program director (https://language.iastate.edu/directory/#clst).
(Note: neither this major nor minor prepares students for graduate study in Classical Studies.)
Interdisciplinary Studies Major in Classical Studies (CL ST)
Students interested in pursuing an Interdisciplinary Studies major in Classical Studies should consult the Program Chair (see "Program Faculty" at https://language.iastate.edu/classical-studies/) or an Academic Adviser in the Department of World Languages and Cultures (https://language.iastate.edu/advising/).
| Required Latin Languages Courses (6 Credits) | ||
| (100-level courses cannot count toward major credit requirements.) | ||
| LATIN 101 | Elementary Latin I | 3 |
| LATIN 102 | Elementary Latin II | 3 |
The major requires 36 credits and permits great flexibility while maintaining academic rigor, breadth, and focus. Many courses are cross-listed with those in other departments (see course descriptions, below).
| A. Required Foundation Course: (3 credits) | ||
| CL ST 273 | Greek and Roman Mythology | 3 |
| or CL ST 275 | The Ancient City | |
| B. Required Ancient History Courses: (6 credits) | ||
| CL ST 402 | Greek Civilization. | 3 |
| CL ST 403 | Roman Civilization. | 3 |
| C. Additional Courses: Students must take at least 27 credits chosen from a, b, and c below (or approved by the Program Committee), with a minimum of 3 credits from each section (not including the course used for the Required Foundation Course). | ||
| a) Material Culture and Art: (at least 3 credits) | ||
| CL ST 369 | Ancient Egypt | 3 |
| CL ST 376A | Classical Archeology: Bronze Age and Early Iron Age Greece | 3 |
| CL ST 376B | Classical Archeology: Archaic through Hellenistic Greece (ca 700-30 BCE) | 3 |
| CL ST 376C | Classical Archaeology: Roman Archaeology (ca 1000 BCE-400 CE) | 3 |
| CL ST 383 | Greek and Roman Art | 3 |
| CL ST 384 | Roman Italy: An Introduction | 2 |
| CL ST 385 | Study Abroad: Roman Italy: Building the Empire | 3 |
| CL ST 394 | The Archaeology of Greece: An Introduction | 2 |
| CL ST 395 | Study Abroad: The Archaeology of Greece | 2-6 |
| b) Literature: (at least 3 credits) | ||
| CL ST 353 | World Literature: Western Foundations through Renaissance | 3 |
| CL ST 372 | Greek and Roman Tragedy and Comedy | 3 |
| CL ST 373 | Heroes of Greece, Rome, and Today | 3 |
| c) Cultural Studies: (at least 3 credits) | ||
| CL ST 273 | Greek and Roman Mythology | 3 |
| CL ST 275 | The Ancient City | 3 |
| CL ST 310 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| CL ST 350 | Rhetorical Traditions | 3 |
| CL ST 367 | Christianity in the Roman Empire | 3 |
| CL ST 368 | Religions of Ancient Greece and Rome | 3 |
| CL ST 374 | Sex, Gender, and Culture in the Ancient Mediterranean World | 3 |
| CL ST 430 | Foundations of Western Political Thought | 3 |
| CL ST 480 | Seminar in Classical Studies | 3 |
| CL ST 490 | Independent Study | 1-6 |
| LATIN 490 | Independent Study | 1-6 |
| CL ST 512A | Readings Seminar in European History: Ancient | 3 |
| CL ST 530 | Foundations of Western Political Thought | 3 |
| CL ST 594A | Research Seminar in European History: Ancient | 3 |
Notes
1. The list of acceptable courses may include courses not currently in the list above. Contact the Classical Studies Program director for information on eligible courses.
2. The general requirements for the Interdisciplinary Studies major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must be met. All courses in the major must be at the 200-level or higher. At least 15 credits must be at the 300-level or higher with at least 6 credits at the 400-level or higher. An average grade of C or better must be earned in 15 credits at the 300-level or higher in the major.
3. Communication Proficiency requirement: According to the university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement, students must demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 250 Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition (or ENGL 250H Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition: Honors). In addition, the Department requires a grade of C or better in any course numbered between 350 and 379 in Classical Studies.
4. LATIN 490 Independent Study (1-6 credits, repeatable up to 9 credits): This option will only occasionally be available and only to students who have successfully completed intermediate-level Latin coursework elsewhere.
MINOR in CLASSICAL STUDIES
The minor in Classical Studies requires 18 credits: 6 credits of Latin and 12 credits of CL ST courses taught in English. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement.
| a) The following set of courses in Latin: (6 credits) | ||
| LATIN 101 | Elementary Latin I | 3 |
| LATIN 102 | Elementary Latin II | 3 |
| b) One of the following introductory courses: (3 credits) | 3 | |
| Greek and Roman Mythology (or ) | ||
| The Ancient City | ||
| c) One course in ancient history from those listed below or approved by the program committee: (3 credits) | 3 | |
| Greek Civilization. | ||
| Roman Civilization. | ||
| d) Two additional courses (not used to meet other CL ST minor requirements) from those listed below or approved by the program committee: (6 credits) | 6 | |
| One of these classes (3 crs) must be at the 300-level or above. | ||
| Greek and Roman Mythology | ||
| The Ancient City | ||
| Ancient Philosophy | ||
| Rhetorical Traditions | ||
| World Literature: Western Foundations through Renaissance | ||
| Christianity in the Roman Empire | ||
| Religions of Ancient Greece and Rome | ||
| Ancient Egypt | ||
| Greek and Roman Tragedy and Comedy | ||
| Heroes of Greece, Rome, and Today | ||
| Sex, Gender, and Culture in the Ancient Mediterranean World | ||
| Classical Archeology: Bronze Age and Early Iron Age Greece | ||
| Classical Archeology: Archaic through Hellenistic Greece (ca 700-30 BCE) | ||
| Classical Archaeology: Roman Archaeology (ca 1000 BCE-400 CE) | ||
| Greek and Roman Art | ||
| Roman Italy: An Introduction | ||
| Study Abroad: Roman Italy: Building the Empire | ||
| The Archaeology of Greece: An Introduction | ||
| Study Abroad: The Archaeology of Greece | ||
| Greek Civilization. | ||
| Roman Civilization. | ||
| Foundations of Western Political Thought | ||
| Seminar in Classical Studies | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Readings Seminar in European History: Ancient | ||
| Foundations of Western Political Thought | ||
| Research Seminar in European History: Ancient | ||
| Independent Study | ||
Courses
Courses primarily for undergraduates:
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Survey of the legends, myths of the classical world with emphasis on the principal gods, and heroes, and their relation to ancient social, psychological, and religious practices; some attention may be given to important modern theories.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(4-0) Cr. 4.
Survey of the legends, myths of the classical world with emphasis on the principal gods, and heroes, and their relation to ancient social, psychological, and religious practices; some attention may be given to important modern theories.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Examination of ancient urban life, including historical context, physical space, material culture, religion, literature, and art; examination of civic identity (the "polis"). Contrast between the concepts of urban and rural. Examples drawn from specific ancient cities; some attention to modern methods of recovering the conditions of ancient urban life and the fundamental concept of the city in European history.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with PHIL). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.
Prereq: PHIL 201
Survey of ancient Greek philosophy, focusing on the pre-Socratics, Plato, and Aristotle. Questions concerning being, knowledge, language, and the good life are treated in depth.
(Cross-listed with ENGL, SP CM). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: ENGL 250
Ideas about the relationship between rhetoric and society in contemporary and historical contexts. An exploration of classical and contemporary rhetorical theories in relation to selected topics that may include politics, gender, race, ethics, education, science, or technology.
(Cross-listed with ENGL). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.
Prereq: ENGL 250
Representative works from the drama, epics, poetry, and prose of the Ancient World through the late sixteenth century. May include Homer, Aeschylus, Sappho, Catullus, Dante, Marie de France, Boccaccio, Christine de Pizan, Cervantes, and others.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with RELIG). (3-0) Cr. 3.
An historical introduction to the rise of Christianity in the Roman empire, with special attention to the impact of Greco-Roman culture on the thought and practice of Christians and the interaction of early Christians with their contemporaries.
(Cross-listed with RELIG). Cr. 3.
Nature, origins and development of religious beliefs and practices in ancient Greece and Rome from earliest times up to the rise of Christianity. Roles of divinities and rituals in lives of individuals and families and the governing of city-states and empires. Emphasis on historical contexts of the Graeco-Roman world and influences of neighboring cultures in Africa and Asia.
None.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered irregularly.
Archaeology and culture of Ancient Egypt from prehistory to Late Antiquity. Exploration of literature, religion, social history, government, and architecture. Discussion of major archaeological sites and methods; examination of interaction with other ancient near eastern and Mediterranean civilizations. Meets International Perspectives Requirements.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CL ST 273 or CL ST 275 or one course in Latin or Greek or ENGL 250
Greek and Roman drama from the beginnings until today. Readings in English from authors such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, Plautus, Terence, Seneca. Course may cover performance, theories of comedy and tragedy, recent and current expressions of the comic and tragic in film and other media.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(4-0) Cr. 4.
Prereq: CL ST 273 or CL ST 275 or one course in Latin or Greek or ENGL 250
Greek and Roman drama from the beginnings until today. Readings in English from authors such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, Plautus, Terence, Seneca. Course may cover performance, theories of comedy and tragedy, recent and current expressions of the comic and tragic in film and other media.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CL ST 273 or CL ST 275 or one course in Latin or Greek or ENGL 250.
Cultural and political significance of ancient epic, especially in Greece and Rome. Course may include study of the heroic code in antiquity and its modern expressions including in film. Readings in English from authors such as Homer and Vergil.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(4-0) Cr. 4.
Prereq: CL ST 273 or CL ST 275 or one course in Latin or Greek or ENGL 250.
Cultural and political significance of ancient epic, especially in Greece and Rome. Course may include study of the heroic code in antiquity and its modern expressions including in film. Readings in English from authors such as Homer and Vergil.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with HIST, WGS). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: Any one course in Cl St, W S, Latin, or Greek
Chronological and topical survey of the status of women and men, focusing on sex and gender issues in the Ancient Mediterranean world; study of constructs of the female and the feminine. Readings from ancient and modern sources. Emphasis on ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with ANTHR). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Chronological survey of the material culture of the ancient Graeco-Roman world and the role of archaeological context in understanding the varied aspects of ancient Greek or Roman culture. Among other topics, economy, architecture, arts and crafts, trade and exchange, religion and burial customs will be explored.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with ANTHR). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Bronze Age (Minoan and Mycenaean palatial cultures) and Early Iron Age Greece. (ca 3000-700 BCE). Chronological survey of the material culture of the ancient Greece-Roman world and the role of archaeological context in understanding the varied aspects of ancient Greek or Roman culture. Among other topics, economy, architecture, arts and crafts, trade and exchange, religion and burial customs will be explored.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with ANTHR). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Chronological survey of the material culture of ancient Greece from ca. 700-30 BCE and the role of archaeological context in understanding the varied aspects of Greek culture during the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods. Among other topics, economy, architecture, arts and crafts, trade and exchange, religion and burial customs will be explored.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with ANTHR). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Chronological survey of the material culture of the ancient Roman world and the role of archaeological context in understanding the varied aspects of ancient Roman culture. Among other topics, economy, architecture, arts and crafts, trade and exchange, religion and burial customs will be explored.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with ART H). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Greek art from Neolithic to Hellenistic periods. Roman art from the traditional founding to the end of the empire in the West.
(Cross-listed with ART H). (3-0) Cr. 3-4.
Greek art from Neolithic to Hellenistic periods. Roman art from the traditional founding to the end of the empire in the West.
(Cross-listed with HIST). Cr. 2. Repeatable, maximum of 4 credits. S.
Prereq: Enrollment limited to students participating in CL ST 385/HIST 385. Instructor permission required.
Introduction to the topography, history, archaeology, monuments, and art of Rome from the 8th century BCE to the 5th century CE; attention given to the culture of modern Italy, preparatory to study abroad in Rome.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with HIST). Cr. 3. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credits. SS.
Prereq: CL ST 384/HIST 384 and instructor’s permission.
Supervised on-site instruction in the history, archaeology, monuments, and art of Rome and environs from the 8th century BCE to the 5th century CE; attention given to the culture of modern Italy.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(2-0) Cr. 2. Repeatable, maximum of 4 credits. S.
Introduction to the topography, history, archaeology, monuments and art of Greece from the Bronze Age through the Ottoman period; attention given to the culture of modern Greece, preparatory to study abroad in Greece (CL ST 395).
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
Cr. 2-6. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits. SS.
Prereq: CL ST 394
Supervised on-site instruction in the archaeology, monuments, and art of Greece from the Bronze Age through the Ottoman period; attention given to the culture of modern Greece.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with HIST). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: Sophomore classification
Ancient Greece from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period; evolution of the Greek polis and its cultural contributions with a particular emphasis on the writings of Herodotus and Thucydides.
(Cross-listed with HIST). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: Sophomore classification
Ancient Rome from the Regal Period to the Fall of the Western Empire; evolution of Roman institutions and Rome's cultural contributions studied through original sources.
(Dual-listed with CL ST 530). (Cross-listed with POL S). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: 6 credits in political science, philosophy, or European history
Study of original texts in political thought ranging from the classical period to the renaissance. Topics such as justice, freedom, virtue, the allocation of political power, the meaning of democracy, human nature, and natural law.
(3-0) Cr. 3. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 30 credits in Classical Studies or related courses, permission of Program Chair
Advanced study of a selected topic in Classical Studies. Research paper or project selected by the student.
Cr. 1-6. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 7 credits in classical studies at the 200 level or higher; permission of the Program Chair
Designed to meet the needs of students who wish to study specific topics in classical civilization in areas where courses are not offered, or to pursue such study beyond the limits of existing courses.
Courses primarily for graduate students, open to qualified undergraduates:
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: Permission of instructor.
Readings in European history.
(Cross-listed with HIST). (3-0) Cr. 3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Readings in European history.
(Dual-listed with CL ST 430). (Cross-listed with POL S). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: 6 credits in political science, philosophy, or European history
Study of original texts in political thought ranging from the classical period to the renaissance. Topics such as justice, freedom, virtue, the allocation of political power, the meaning of democracy, human nature, and natural law.
(3-0) Cr. 3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics vary each time offered.
(Cross-listed with HIST). (3-0) Cr. 3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics vary each time offered.