CLAS 295 - Topics in Classical Civilization

Credits: 3 credits in Fall or Winter; 4 credits in Spring Selected subject areas in classical civilization. The topic selected varies from year to year. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different.

Spring 2021, CLAS 295A-01: Topics in Classical Civilization: Nature and the Environment in Antiquity (3). How did people in the ancient world conceive of nature from a philosophical, religious, and scientific standpoint? What attitudes did they hold towards animals and other forms of life? How did they shape the world around them through practices such as agriculture, mining, water management, and deforestation? Did they share our modern concerns about the use and conservation of natural spaces? Students in this course investigate these questions using literature, art, and artifacts from the ancient Mediterranean world (primarily Greece and Rome) as well as works by contemporary scholars. Readings are in English, with the opportunity to read portions of some texts in Greek or Latin, if desired, by students with prior knowledge of these languages. (HU) Parson.