Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Classics, Archaeology, and Religion
College of Arts and Science
112 Swallow Hall
507 S 9th Street
Columbia, MO 65211
Marcello Mogetta, Department Chair
mogettam@missouri.edu
Department Contact:
Email: mucar@missouri.edu
Phone: 573-882-0679
Website: https://car.missouri.edu/
The Program in Ancient Mediterranean Studies, which is housed in the Department of Classics, Archaeology, and Religion, offers courses in the life, languages, cultures, and thought of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The Ancient Mediterranean Studies Program offers a BA degree as well as MA and PhD degrees in Classical Languages, Archaeology, and Classical Arts and Humanities. A minor in Ancient Mediterranean Studies is also available.
Professor D. Trout**
Associate Professor R. D. Marks**, M. Mogetta**, D. J. Schenker**, S. Yona**
Assistant Teaching Professor E. Buckingham*, J. Crozier*, J. McDonald*
Professor Emeritus D. M. Hooley**, S. Langdon**, A. Mori*, M. Rautman**, K. Slane**, T. Tarkow*, B. Wallach*
- *
Graduate Faculty Member - membership is required to teach graduate-level courses, chair master's thesis committees, and serve on doctoral examination and dissertation committees.
- **
Doctoral Faculty Member - membership is required to chair doctoral examination or dissertation committees. Graduate faculty membership is a prerequisite for Doctoral faculty membership.
Director of Undergraduate Studies:
Jim Crozier
302 Swallow Hall
crozierj@missouri.edu
The Major in Ancient Mediterranean Studies
The Ancient Mediterranean Studies major is a broad study of the languages, literature, and material cultures from around the Mediterranean in Classical Antiquity. Our primary focus is on the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, as well as the interconnection of those worlds with the wide variety of cultures around the Mediterranean Sea, from North Africa to the North Sea and from the Persian Empire to the Pillars of Heracles. Students completing the major will be well prepared for a variety of careers and for further study in graduate or other professional schools.
Double Majors
Taking a double major in Ancient Mediterranean Studies can benefit you in many ways. If you are already taking another B.A. degree in the College of Arts and Science (like English, History, Philosophy, Anthropology, Economics, Digital Storytelling, Film Studies or Psychological Sciences), a double major in AMS allows you to integrate studying the ancient world into your primary academic focus. If you are pursuing a degree outside of the college of Arts and Sciences, combining the AMS major with degrees like Health Sciences, Business or Engineering not only allows you to receive valuable training in critical thinking, writing, teamwork and public speaking, but also gives you the opportunity to set yourself apart from other graduates in your field when it comes time to apply and interview for jobs and internships.
Departmental Honors
If you are interested in graduating with departmental honors in Ancient Mediterranean Studies, we offer an honors thesis course (AMS 4999) that allows you to earn this distinction. Pursuing departmental honors allows you the opportunity to work closely with one of your professors to craft a research project that will reinforce the writing and critical thinking skills you have acquired throughout you studies and lay the foundation for success in whatever endeavors you choose to follow after graduation.
Director of Graduate Studies:
Raymond Marks
222 Swallow Hall
marksr@missouri.edu
The Department of Ancient Mediterranean Studies offers graduate work leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. The graduate faculty encourages applications from talented and committed students, whose undergraduate careers have given them an appreciation of the rich, many-faceted nature of classical studies and an interest in discovering a place of their own in it. Solid experience in Latin and Greek is of course desirable, but Missouri's MA program is specifically designed for students whose study in one or both of the languages may have come late and who need help getting up to speed rapidly.
Career Preparation
Graduate programs in Ancient Mediterranean Studies are designed to prepare students for professional careers as teachers and scholars of classical literature, archaeology, and ancient civilization, more broadly. Besides acquiring expertise in the traditional classical disciplines, students are encouraged to become familiar with other research areas such as later literatures and cultures, on which the classical tradition has exercised a decided effect, or with programs such as Geographic Information Science (GIS) or Archaeometry for archaeologists.
Facilities and Resources
Because MU is a contributing member of the American Academy in Rome and the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, the facilities of those organizations are available to graduate students from Missouri. Study in Athens or Rome is often feasible after the completion of a master’s degree. On campus, students have at their disposal the resources of Ellis Library, which are excellent in the fields of Greek and Latin languages and literatures, Classical Arcaheology, and ancillary fields. This collection is supplemented by the department’s Labrunerie Classics Library. The Museum of Art and Archaeology contains many items of interest to classicists and archaeologists alike.
AMS 1005: Undergraduate Topics in Ancient Mediterranean Studies - Humanities
Special studies in Ancient Mediterranean Studies.
Credit Hour: 1
AMS 1050: Greek and Latin in English
A survey of the influence of Greek and Latin upon English literary, scientific, technical, legal and medical vocabulary. Emphasis is upon building competency with complex English words while studying the cultural influence of the classical languages on modern vocabulary.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 1060: Classical Mythology
Myths of Greece and Rome in literature and art.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 1060H: Classical Mythology - Honors
Myths of Greece and Rome in literature and art.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
AMS 1060HW: Classical Mythology - Honors/Writing Intensive
Myths of Greece and Rome in literature and art.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
AMS 1060W: Classical Mythology - Writing Intensive
Myths of Greece and Rome in literature and art.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 1105: Undergraduate Topics in Ancient Mediterranean Studies - Humanities
Special studies in Ancient Mediterranean Studies.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 1140: Ancient Cities
Today, more than half of the world's population lives in an "urban area." More than 80% of the people who live in the United States dwell in what we call "cities." Every year, more and more people are drawn to these urban centers. Needless to say, this was not always the case. What are the historical origins of cities? What sparked the urbanization process? How were ancient cities organized, and how were they different from the urban centers today? What was it like to walk around ancient Uruk, Athens, or Rome? Ancient Cities is an introductory survey to the urban centers of the ancient Near Eastern, Egyptian, and Mediterranean worlds. We will begin with the earliest known settlements in the Near East, ca. 9000 B.C., and trace urbanization as far as Imperial Rome and Late Antiquity. The purpose of the course is to examine the characteristics of urbanism, and the archeological evidence for settlement structure, urbanization and state-formation in different cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 1150: The Archaeology of Ancient Lives
This course introduces the methods and goals of classical archaeology to explore how people lived in the Mediterranean region in the days of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and their neighbors. Along the way we will study parts of our own contemporary human landscape in Columbia (and maybe learn to look at columns in some unexpected ways). Classes are a combination of lecture, group discussions, and activities. Graded n A-F basis only.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 1150H: The Archaeology of Ancient Lives - Honors
This course introduces the methods and goals of classical archaeology to explore how people lived in the Mediterranean region in the days of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and their neighbors. Along the way we will study parts of our own contemporary human landscape in Columbia (and maybe learn to look at columns in some unexpected ways). Classes are a combination of lecture, group discussions, and activities. Graded n A-F basis only.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
AMS 1170: Gods, Heroes and Monsters: Greek Myth in the Visual Arts
Meet the gods, heroes and monsters of ancient Greece face to face! Introduction to the artistic traditions according to which the pre-Christian Greeks depicted their myths in painting and in sculpture, combined with explorations into some of the ancient social contexts in which depictions of divine and heroic figures and their monstrous opponents were displayed, including temples and wine-drinking parties. Comparison and contrast of ancient artifacts with medieval and modern visual adaptations of the same Greek stories, including ballet choreography and rock music videos. By the end of this course, students will have gained the ability to recognize, decipher, and interpret the coded stylistic conventions that ancient Greek artists used to visualize their myths.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 2005: Topics in Ancient Mediterranean Studies - Humanities
Study of special topics in Ancient Mediterranean Studies.
Credit Hour: 1-3
AMS 2005H: Topics in Classical Humanities - Honors
Organized study of selected topics. Subjects and earnable credit may vary from semester to semester.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
AMS 2030: Ancient Egypt: From the Pharaohs to Hollywood
An introduction to the archaeology, art, and architecture of ancient Egypt, encompassing a roughly 3500-year period, from the Pre-Dynastic period to the period when Egypt was occupied by Greeks and Romans. Through a focus on material remains, the course illuminates the culture of ancient Egypt, including its religion, politics, and other socio-cultural practices. It also examines the reasons for Egypt's timeless appeal, from the Roman Empire to resurging Egyptomania in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that had considerable cultural influences. Graded on A-F basis only.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 2070: Cultural Ancestors of the Greeks and Romans: Roots and Branches of Indo-European Myth and Religion
This course will introduce you to the mythical and religious traditions that the Greeks and Romans inherited from the Indo-Europeans, a group of people whose language and culture developed into numerous languages and cultures of Eurasia. You will become familiar with some of the fundamental traditions that the cultural ancestors of the Greeks and Romans transmitted to their descendants, including stories about giants and dragons, and rituals involving bestiality and animal sacrifice. In combination with Greek and Roman mythology and religion, we will study related mythical narratives and religious traditions from North India, Iran, Scandinavia, and Ireland.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 2100: The Ancient Greeks
This course offers a broad historical and cultural introduction to ancient Greek society. Emphasis is placed on acquainting students with the everyday lives of the men, women and children inhabiting this world and the social, political and technological realities that shaped their lives.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 2100H: The Ancient Greeks - Honors
This course offers a broad historical and cultural introduction to ancient Greek society. Emphasis is placed on acquainting students with the everyday lives of the men, women and children inhabiting this world and the social, political and technological realities that shaped their lives.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
AMS 2200: The Ancient Romans
This course offers a broad historical and cultural introduction to ancient Roman society. Emphasis is placed on acquainting students with the everyday lives of the men, women and children inhabiting this world and the social, political and technological realities that shaped their lives.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 2300: Ancient Authors: The Greeks
This course introduces students to the significant Greek authors and presents their writings within the context of the times in which they lived. Emphasis is placed on exploring the major themes developed in the works of each author and using the study of literature to develop students' ability to think critically and creatively.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 2300H: Ancient Authors: The Greeks - Honors
This course introduces students to the significant Greek authors and presents their writings within the context of the times in which they lived. Emphasis is placed on exploring the major themes developed in the works of each author and using the study of literature to develop students' ability to think critically and creatively.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 2400: Ancient Authors: The Romans
This course introduces students to the significant Roman authors and presents their writings in the context of the times in which they lived. Emphasis is placed on exploring the major themes developed in the works of each author and using the study of literature to develop students' ability to think critically and creatively.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 2400H: Ancient Authors: The Romans - Honors
This course introduces students to the significant Roman authors and presents their writings in the context of the times in which they lived. Emphasis is placed on exploring the major themes developed in the works of each author and using the study of literature to develop students' ability to think critically and creatively.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 2410: Ancient Technology
Engineering, architecture, and military technology in the ancient world.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 2410H: Ancient Technology - Honors
Engineering, architecture, and military technology in the ancient world. Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 2450: The World of Pompeii
An exploration of various facets of ancient urban and rural life in the Roman world through the exceptionally well-preserved archaeological remains found in and around Pompeii.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 2450H: The World of Pompeii - Honors
An exploration of various facets of ancient urban and rural life in the Roman world through the exceptionally well-preserved archaeological remains found in and around Pompeii.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
AMS 2550: Farm to Table in Ancient Greece and Rome: Small Farms and Big Business
(same as HIST 2550, ANTHRO 2140). From the family farm to agro-business enterprises, the production, distribution, and consumption of food in Greece and Rome anticipated nutritional, economic, environmental, and political questions familiar in the twenty-first century. This course uses literary, archaeological, and comparative evidence to explore ancient Mediterranean foodways that include diet, farming, trade, import and export, distribution, and consumption. It also considers the roles played by government in subsidizing and managing the food supply, elucidates the tensions between tenancy and ownership, and exposes the roles of slavery and gender within the ancient food economy. Overall, this course considers agricultural economics ranging from subsistence farming to the state controlled specialization required to feed the ancient Mediterranean's mega-cities.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 2600: Media and Communication in Ancient Greece and Rome
An introduction to communications media in ancient Greece and Rome, from the invention of the alphabet to the fall of the Roman empire. Special attention will be paid to the material bases for communication, the social uses of information, and the relationship between communications technology and political power.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 2600H: Media and Communication in Ancient Greece and Rome - Honors
An introduction to communications media in ancient Greece and Rome, from the invention of the alphabet to the fall of the Roman empire. Special attention will be paid to the material bases for communication, the social uses of information, and the relationship between communications technology and political power.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 2700: Black Dionysus: Greek Drama in Africa and the African Diaspora
In this course, we will focus on one aspect of the reception of Classical literature: the reuse, rewriting, and re-performing of Greek tragedies in Africa and the African diaspora in the 20th and 21st centuries. What accounts for the popularity of the Greek plays and stories among those who have every reason to reject European cultural models? Why do these ancient Greek tragedies still matter, and not only to people of European descent? Graded on A-F basis only.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060 or AMS 2100
AMS 2700H: Black Dionysus: Greek Drama in Africa and the African Diaspora - Honors
In this course, we will focus on one aspect of the reception of Classical literature: the reuse, rewriting, and re-performing of Greek tragedies in Africa and the African diaspora in the 20th and 21st centuries. What accounts for the popularity of the Greek plays and stories among those who have every reason to reject European cultural models? Why do these ancient Greek tragedies still matter, and not only to people of European descent? Graded on A-F basis only.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060 or AMS 2100
AMS 2750: Achilles in Vietnam
This class compares the depiction of warfare in Homer's Iliad with experiences of the U.S. combat soldier in Vietnam. By studying essential selections from Homer's epic alongside accounts of the Vietnam War from the soldiers who fought in it, students will gain an understanding of how the uniquely difficult circumstances of the Vietnam War were damaging to those who served in the front lines of this conflict. Students will also study the significance of race and class divisions in the conflict both at home and overseas and how the Vietnam War is portrayed in film, literature and television.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 2750H: Achilles in Vietnam - Honors
This class compares the depiction of warfare in Homer's Iliad with experiences of the U.S. combat soldier in Vietnam. By studying essential selections from Homer's epic alongside accounts of the Vietnam War from the soldiers who fought in it, students will gain an understanding of how the uniquely difficult circumstances of the Vietnam War were damaging to those who served in the front lines of this conflict. Students will also study the significance of race and class divisions in the conflict both at home and overseas and how the Vietnam War is portrayed in film, literature and television.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors Eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 2800: Sports and Spectacles in Greco-Roman Antiquity
Investigates athletic display in ancient Greek and Roman culture, from its earliest representations in Greek literature to the massive spectacles of the Roman empire, with an emphasis on the intersections between sport and spectacle and other areas of ancient cultural life.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: AMS 1060 or instructor's consent required
AMS 2940: Service Learning in Classical Studies
Students provide enrichment programming on the Ancient World at various Columbia Public School sites. Participants must be Classical Studies majors or minors. Graded on A/F basis only. Does not meet Arts and Science general education requirements.
Credit Hour: 1
Prerequisites: instructor's consent required
AMS 2950: Archaeological Methods
Methods of excavating various types of sites; recording, preserving their materials.
Credit Hour: 2-6
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 3000: Foreigners and Dangerous Women in Greek and Latin Literature
(same as PEA_ST 3130). The study of how Greek and Roman writers depicted and reacted to other races and cultures, compared them with their own, and thereby revealed their own values and prejudices.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3000H: Foreigners and Dangerous Women in Greek and Latin Literature - Honors
(same as PEA_ST 3130). The study of how Greek and Roman writers depicted and reacted to other races and cultures, compared them with their own, and thereby revealed their own values and prejudices.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3000W: Foreigners and Dangerous Women in Greek and Latin Literature - Writing Intensive
(same as PEA_ST 3130W). The study of how Greek and Roman writers depicted and reacted to other races and cultures, compared them with their own, and thereby revealed their own values and prejudices.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3005: Topics in Ancient Mediterranean Studies - Humanities
Selected studies in various facets of Ancient Mediterranean Studies.
Credit Hour: 1-3
AMS 3005H: Topics in Classical Humanities - Honors
Organized study of selected topics. Subjects and earnable credit may vary from semester to semester.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3005W: Topics in Classical Humanities - Writing Intensive
Organized study of selected topics. Subjects and earnable credit may vary from semester to semester.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3025: Ancient Western Philosophy
(same as PHIL 3000). Philosophical thought on nature, knowledge, the gods, human life and society, from Thales to Augustine. Emphasis on Plato and Aristotle. The relevance of the ancients to contemporary life.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3100: The Age of Pericles
A study of the literature and culture of the 5th and early 4th centuries B.C. in Athens. Authors will include Thucydides, Herodotus, Xenophon, Plato, Aristotle, the tragedians and Aristophanes.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3100H: The Age of Pericles - Honors
A study of the literature and culture of the 5th and early 4th centuries B.C. in Athens. Authors will include Thucydides, Herodotus, Xenophon, Plato, Aristotle, the tragedians and Aristophanes.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3120: Art and Gender in Antiquity
Comparative survey of Egypt, Greece, and Rome, focusing on gender construction and cultural perception through material resources.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 3150: The Age of Augustus
Study of the literature of the Age of Augustus; Vergil, Ovid, Horace, Livy, and Propertius.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3150H: The Age of Augustus - Honors
Study of the literature of the Age of Augustus; Vergil, Ovid, Horace, Livy, and Propertius.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3210: Near Eastern and Egyptian Art and Archaeology
General survey of material culture of the Near East and Egypt from the earliest times to the early Iron Age.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: ARH_VS 1110 or equivalent
AMS 3225: Roman Comedy, Wit and Humor
Study of works illustrating the comedy, wit and humor of the Romans: readings in comedies of Plautus and Terence, Catullus, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Petronius' Satyricon, Martial, Juvenal and Macrobius.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3225H: Roman Comedy, Wit and Humor - Honors
Study of works illustrating the comedy, wit and humor of the Romans: readings in comedies of Plautus and Terence, Catullus, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Petronius' Satyricon, Martial, Juvenal and Macrobius.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3250: Greek and Roman Epic
A study of the major representatives of the ancient epic genre. Readings will include Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Apollonius' Argonautica, Vergil's Aeneid.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3250H: Greek and Roman Epic - Honors
A study of the major representatives of the ancient epic genre. Readings will include Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Apollonius' Argonautica, Vergil's Aeneid.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3250W: Greek and Roman Epic - Writing Intensive
A study of the major representatives of the ancient epic genre. Readings will include Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Apollonius' Argonautica, Vergil's Aeneid.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3300: Greek Drama
Reading and interpretation of Greek tragedies and comedies in translation.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3310: Greek Art and Archaeology
General survey of material culture in Greece from earliest times to the Hellenistic period.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: ARH_VS 1110 or equivalent
AMS 3310H: Greek Art and Archaeology - Honors
General survey of material culture in Greece from earliest times to the Hellenistic period.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: ARH_VS 1110 or equivalent
AMS 3350: Advanced Mythology
Interpretation of selected classical myths and their influence on later literature and art.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3350H: Advanced Mythology - Honors
Interpretation of selected classical myths and their influence on later literature and art.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3400: Murder and Mayhem: Images of Justice in Classical Antiquity
Ideas of justice from Homer through the early Roman Empire; personal vengeance, law courts and trials, philosophical attitudes, women and courts, techniques of persuasion.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3400W: Murder and Mayhem: Images of Justice in Classical Antiquity - Writing Intensive
Ideas of justice from Homer through the early Roman Empire; personal vengeance, law courts and trials, philosophical attitudes, women and courts, techniques of persuasion.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3410: Roman Art and Archaeology
General survey of material culture in the Roman world from earliest times through the 3rd century.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: ARH_VS 1110 or equivalent
AMS 3450H: Greek and Roman Characters and Ideals - Honors
Study of selected types of characters admired and imitated or hated and rejected in classical antiquity; heroes, philosophers, women.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3510: Byzantine and Islamic Art and Archaeology
General survey of the visual world of the Middle Ages in southwest Asia and the east Mediterranean, from late antiquity through the rise of the Ottoman empire.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: ARH_VS 1110 or equivalent
AMS 3510W: Byzantine and Islamic Art and Archaeology - Writing Intensive
General survey of the visual world of the Middle Ages in southwest Asia and the east Mediterranean, from late antiquity through the rise of the Ottoman empire.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: ARH_VS 1110 or equivalent
AMS 3520: Early Medieval Art and Archaeology
An investigation of the arts of western Europe during the first millennium, when the unifying traditions of Rome were transformed by the diverse cultures of her Northern neighbors.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: ARH_VS 1110 or equivalent
AMS 3520W: Early Medieval Art and Archaeology - Writing Intensive
An investigation of the arts of western Europe during the first millennium, when the unifying traditions of Rome were transformed by the diverse cultures of her Northern neighbors.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: ARH_VS 1110 or equivalent
AMS 3550: War and Democracy in Late 5th c. BCE Athens
(same as PEA_ST 3550). Explores the discourse on war and peace in Athenian texts and art that survives from the last quarter of the 5th century B.C.E. This was a period of relentless warfare: the Athenians were fighting the Spartans, Sparta's allies, unaligned cities and several of their own subject states.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3550W: War and Democracy in Late 5th c. BCE Athens - Writing Intensive
(same as PEA_ST 3550). Explores the discourse on war and peace in Athenian texts and art that survives from the last quarter of the 5th century B.C.E. This was a period of relentless warfare: the Athenians were fighting the Spartans, Sparta's allies, unaligned cities and several of their own subject states.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3600: The Ancient Novel
Reading and analysis of Greek and Latin prose fiction: ideal and comic romance, fantasy, romantic biography; Hellenistic background.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3600H: The Ancient Novel - Honors
Reading and analysis of Greek and Latin prose fiction: ideal and comic romance, fantasy, romantic biography; Hellenistic background.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3625: Ancient Medicine
This course introduces the healing traditions of the ancient Mediterranean world from the second millennium BCE to the end of the Roman Empire. It focuses on medicine among the ancient Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Greeks, and Romans, considering the diseases patients had, the instruments and treatments doctors used, how doctors understood disease and anatomy, the status of doctors in society, the intellectual origins of Greco-Roman medicine, and the archaeological and literary evidence for pathologies in the ancient world. Toward this end, students read medical literature from Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, asking not only what these texts tell us about ancient medical practices, but also what they indicate, more generally, about the cultures in which they were produced. We will also consider specific archaeological case studies that demonstrate pathologies and other afflictions evident in the skeletal and iconographic record. Specific topics include ancient theories about anatomy and physiology, the relationship between medicine and religion, and the methodology of medical decision-making.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 2100, AMS 2200
AMS 3650: Paganism and Christianity
(cross-leveled with REL_ST 3650). A study of the transition from Paganism to Christianity in the Roman Empire, as seen by observers contemporary with the events.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060, REL_ST 1100
AMS 3650W: Paganism and Christianity - Writing Intensive
(same as REL_ST 3650). A study of the transition from Paganism to Christianity in the Roman Empire, as seen by observers contemporary with the events.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060, REL_ST 1100
AMS 3700: Women in the Ancient World
Using classical literary texts as the central focus this course examines the role of women: the conflict inherent in their obligations and their identity in the context of these obligations.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3750: Classics in a Cross-Cultural Context
The goal of this course is to place classical literature in a multicultural context by studying Greek and Latin literary texts alongside verbal art from non-European as well as European cultures.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3750H: Classics in a Cross-Cultural Context - Honors
The goal of this course is to place classical literature in a multicultural context by studying Greek and Latin literary texts alongside verbal art from non-European as well as European cultures.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 3775: The Ancient World on Film
(same as FILMS_VS 3775) This course explores how classical antiquity has been represented in twentieth and twenty-first-century film, with particular emphasis on the ways in which ancient narratives and iconography have been appropriated by filmmakers to address contemporary cultural issues.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: Prior 2000 level coursework in Classical Humanities, Art History and Archaeology, or Film Studies
AMS 3775H: The Ancient World on Film - Honors
(same as FILMS_VS 3775) This course explores how classical antiquity has been represented in twentieth and twenty-first-century film, with particular emphasis on the ways in which ancient narratives and iconography have been appropriated by filmmakers to address contemporary cultural issues.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: Prior 2000 level coursework in Classical Humanities, Art History and Archaeology, or Film Studies
AMS 3775W: The Ancient World on Film - Writing Intensive
(same as FILMS_VS 3775W). This course explores how classical antiquity has been represented in twentieth and twenty-first-century film, with particular emphasis on the ways in which ancient narratives and iconography have been appropriated by filmmakers to address contemporary cultural issues.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 4005: Topics in Classical Humanities
Subjects and earnable credit may vary from semester to semester.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4100: Greece: From the Bronze Age to the Byzantine Empire
Study abroad in Greece, in conjunction with the MU International Center. Immersion in the physical and intellectual heritage of ancient Greece; emphasis on cross-disciplinary, on-site learning and the intersections among ancient, Byzantine, and modern Greece. Application required. Graded on A/F basis only.
Credit Hours: 6
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 4100H: Greece: From the Bronze Age to the Byzantine Empire - Honors
Study abroad in Greece, in conjunction with the MU International Center. Immersion in the physical and intellectual heritage of ancient Greece; emphasis on cross-disciplinary, on-site learning and the intersections among ancient, Byzantine, and modern Greece. Participants chosen by instructor. Graded on A/F basis only. Application required.
Credit Hours: 6
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060
AMS 4205: Topics in Classical Studies
Organized study of selected topics. Subjects and earnable credit may vary from semester to semester. Departmental consent for repetition.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Recommended: GREEK 2000 and LATIN 2000
AMS 4300: Introduction to Text Criticism and Paleography
(cross-leveled with AMS 7300). Latin and/or Greek textual criticism and paleography, using manuscript facsimiles at the University library.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: GREEK 2000 and LATIN 2000
AMS 4320: Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age
(cross-leveled with AMS 7320). Analysis of the material culture of Greek prehistoric civilizations from 3000 to 1000 B.C.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 4340: Greek Cities and Sanctuaries
(cross-leveled with AMS 7340). Survey of the built environment in the Aegean and the Classical world from Neolithic through the Hellenistic period.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 4350: Greek Pottery
(cross-leveled with AMS 7350). Examination of pottery and vase painting with an emphasis on production, iconography, and social context.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 4360: Greek Sculpture
(cross-leveled with AMS 7360). Survey of sculptor's art in Aegean and Classical world from earliest times to Hellenistic period.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 4400: Ancient Pastoral
(cross-leveled with AMS 7400). Reading and interpretation of pastoral poetry and prose in Greek and Latin; emphasis on Theocritus, Virgil, and Longus.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: GREEK 4300 and LATIN 4300
AMS 4420: Minor Arts of Antiquity
(cross-leveled with AMS 7420). Discussion of selected minor arts and crafts of the Greco-Roman world.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 4440: Roman Architecture
(cross-leveled with AMS 7440). The history of Roman architecture, origin and development of forms and techniques, major monuments in Rome and its provinces through the 3rd century after Christ.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 4460: Roman Sculpture
(cross-leveled with AMS 7460). The origins and development of sculpture in the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 4490: Late Antique Art and Archaeology
(cross-leveled with AMS 7490). Exploration of the material culture of the Mediterranean world from the 3rd century to Iconoclasm.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 4500: Greek and Roman Religion
(same as REL_ST 4500; cross-leveled with AMS 7500, REL_ST 7500). Survey of religious development among the Greeks and Romans.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4500H: Greek and Roman Religion - Honors
(same as REL_ST 4500H; cross-leveled with AMS 7500, REL_ST 7500). Survey of religious development among the Greeks and Romans.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4510: Byzantine Art and Archaeology
(cross-leveled with AMS 7510). Exploration of the material culture of the east Mediterranean between the 6th and 15th centuries.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 4520: Art and Archaeology of Early Medieval Europe
(cross-leveled with AMS 7520). Exploration of the material culture of western Europe from the 5th century to c. 1000.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 4550: Literature and Culture of the Hellenistic Age
(cross-leveled with AMS 7550). A survey of the literature and culture of the Hellenistic Age.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4550H: Literature and Culture of the Hellenistic Age - Honors
A survey of the literature and culture of the Hellenistic Age.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4600: The Classical Tradition
(cross-leveled with AMS 7600). Selected studies in continuity and influence of Greek and Roman culture on Middle Ages, Renaissance, and modern times.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4600H: The Classical Tradition - Honors
(cross-leveled with AMS 7600). Selected studies in continuity and influence of Greek and Roman culture on Middle Ages, Renaissance, and modern times.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4600HW: The Classical Tradition - Honors/Writing Intensive
(cross-leveled with AMS 7600). Selected studies in continuity and influence of Greek and Roman culture on Middle Ages, Renaissance, and modern times.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4600W: The Classical Tradition - Writing Intensive
(cross-leveled with AMS 7600). Selected studies in continuity and influence of Greek and Roman culture on Middle Ages, Renaissance, and modern times.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4650: The World of Late Antiquity
(cross-leveled with AMS 7650). A survey of the literature, culture, and history of the late Roman and early Byzantine periods. Attention to Christianity's development and the transformation of the classical heritage.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4650H: The World of Late Antiquity - Honors
A survey of the literature, culture, and history of the late Roman and early Byzantine periods. Attention to Christianity's development and the transformation of the classical heritage.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Honors eligibility required
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4700: Advanced Study in the Teaching of the Classics
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 4800: Political Thought in Classical and Christian Antiquity
(same as POL_SC 4800, CNST_DEM 4800; cross-leveled with AMS 7800). Reading and discussion of Greek, Roman, and Early Christian treatises on politics and political life. Survey of the political institutions and procedures of the Greek city states and Roman Republic and Empire. Examination of contemporary Christian responses and adaptations.
Credit Hours: 3
Recommended: AMS 1060 and junior standing
AMS 4824: Experimental Archaeology
(same as ANTHRO 4824; cross-leveled with ANTHRO 7824, AMS 7824). Recreating and using ancient technology under controlled conditions is one of the best ways to understand how ancient artifacts were made and used in the past. This class offers a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience, aiming to reconstruct and understand the techniques and technologies employed by ancient cultures. In this course we will examine the history and potential of experimental archaeology with a majority of the course exploring specific technologies (stone tools, ceramics, metallurgy, etc.) using both published works and hands on activities. By engaging directly with the materials, tools, and methods of the past, students will gain a deeper appreciation for ancient innovations and the complexities of archaeological interpretation.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 2020 or Instructors consent
AMS 4950: Undergraduate Research in Ancient Mediterranean Studies
This course offers students the opportunity to plan and carry out an independent research project with the goal of presenting their findings at an academic conference or other appropriate venue.
Credit Hour: 1-3
Prerequisites: Instructor consent
Recommended: Sophomore standing
AMS 4960: Special Readings in Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Independent readings and research selected in consultation with supervisory faculty.
Credit Hour: 1-3
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 4970: Capstone: Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Students will write an expanded, guided research paper. The Capstone student will consult on a regular basis with the professor responsible for the course and will make an oral presentation of the paper in the course. Must be taken in conjunction with a 4000-level Art History and Archaeology course.
Credit Hour: 1
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 4970H: Capstone in Ancient Mediterranean Studies - Honors
Culminating course in the study of Greek and Roman literature and Classical culture. Required for Greek, Latin, and Classical Languages majors in first term of senior year. Recommended for double-majors.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: instructor's consent. Honors eligibility required
AMS 4999: Honors Reading and Research I
Individual research projects in preparation of senior thesis.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 7000: Introduction to Graduate Study in Classics
Required of all first-year graduate students.
Credit Hour: 1
AMS 7005: Topics in Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Special studies in Ancient Mediterranean Studies; covers subjects not included in regularly offered courses.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 7100: History of the Greek and Latin Languages
(cross-leveled with AMS 4200). Evolution of classical languages and their relationship to each other.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7205: Topics in Classical Studies
Organized study of selected topics. Subjects and earnable credit may vary from semester to semester. Departmental consent for repetition.
Credit Hour: 1-99
AMS 7250: The Classical Avant-Garde
This course offers in depth study of the uses made of classical culture by proponents of various avant-garde movements from the 1850s to the present. Combines interrogations of the history and practice of the avant-garde and the theory of classical reception with close reading of exemplary texts.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7300: Introduction to Text Criticism and Paleography
(cross-leveled with AMS 4300). Latin and/or Greek textual criticism and paleography, using manuscript facsimiles at the University library.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: 2 years of Classical Languages or equivalent
AMS 7320: Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age
(cross-leveled with AMS 4320). Analysis of the material culture of Greek prehistoric civilizations from 3000 to 1000 B.C.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7340: Greek Cities and Sanctuaries
(cross-leveled with AMS 4340). Survey of the built environment in the Aegean and the Classical world from Neolithic through the Hellenistic period.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7350: Greek Pottery
(cross-leveled with AMS 4350). Examination of pottery and vase painting with an emphasis on production, iconography, and social context.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7360: Greek Sculpture
(cross-leveled with AMS 4360). Survey of sculptor's art in Aegean and Classical world from earliest times to Hellenistic period.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7420: Minor Arts of Antiquity
(cross-leveled with AMS 4420). Discussion of selected minor arts and crafts of the Greco-Roman world.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7440: Roman Architecture
(cross-leveled with AMS 4440). The history of Roman architecture, origin and development of forms and techniques, major monuments in Rome and its provinces through the 3rd century after Christ.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7460: Roman Sculpture
(cross-leveled with AMS 4460). The origins and development of sculpture in the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7490: Late Antique Art and Archaeology
(cross-leveled with AMS 4490). Exploration of the material culture of the Mediterranean world from the 3rd century to Iconoclasm.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7500: Greek and Roman Religion
(same as REL_ST 7500; cross-leveled with AMS 4500, REL_ST 4500). Survey of religious development among the Greeks and Romans.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7510: Byzantine Art and Archaeology
(cross-leveled with AMS 4510). Exploration of the material culture of the east Mediterranean between the 6th and 15th centuries.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7520: Art and Archaeology of Early Medieval Europe
(cross-leveled with AMS 4520). Exploration of the material culture of western Europe from the 5th century to c. 1000.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7550: Literature and Culture of the Hellenistic Age
(cross-leveled with AMS 4550). A survey of the literature and culture of the Hellenistic Age. Graded on A-F basis only.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7600: The Classical Tradition
(cross-leveled with AMS 4600). Selected studies in continuity and influence of Greek and Roman culture on Middle Ages, Renaissance, and modern times. Graded on A-F basis only.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7650: The World of Late Antiquity
(cross-leveled with AMS 4650). A survey of the literature, culture, and history of the late Roman and early Byzantine periods. Attention to Christianity's development and the transformation of the classical heritage.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7700: Advanced Study in the Teaching of the Classics
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: classroom teaching experience or chairman's consent
AMS 7800: Political Thought in Classical and Christian Antiquity
(cross-leveled with POL_SC 4800, AMS 4800, CNST_DEM 4800). Reading and discussion of Greek, Roman, and Early Christian treatises on politics and political life. Survey of the political institutions and procedures of the Greek city states and Roman Republic and Empire. Examination of contemporary Christian responses and adaptations. Graded on A-F basis only.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7824: Experimental Archaeology
(same as ANTHRO 7824; cross-leveled with ANTHRO 4824, AMS 4824). Recreating and using ancient technology under controlled conditions is one of the best ways to understand how ancient artifacts were made and used in the past. This class offers a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience, aiming to reconstruct and understand the techniques and technologies employed by ancient cultures. In this course we will examine the history and potential of experimental archaeology with a majority of the course exploring specific technologies (stone tools, ceramics, metallurgy, etc.) using both published works and hands on activities. By engaging directly with the materials, tools, and methods of the past, students will gain a deeper appreciation for ancient innovations and the complexities of archaeological interpretation.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 7940: Archaeological Methods
Methods of excavating various types of sites; recording, preserving their materials.
Credit Hour: 2-6
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 7960: Special Readings in Classical Studies
Readings in authors and texts not covered in other courses.
Credit Hour: 1-3
Prerequisites: graduate standing and classics/classical humanities; departmental consent; Greek--two years classical Greek or equivalent; Latin--two years Classical Latin or equivalent
AMS 8010: History, Texts, and Monuments
This course begins with a survey of the deep history on the Ancient Mediterranean basin that emphasizes its environmental and demographic development prior to the Classical period. Thereafter it uses a series of case studies to highlight the indispensability of both material and textual sources to the study and understanding of the classical and late antique cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world. It is intended to function as an introduction to graduate work in the Department of Classics, Archaeology, and Religion. Graded on A-F basis only.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 8080: Readings for MA Thesis in Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Reading, critical evaluation of literature of special fields of art history and/or archaeology. Graded on S/U basis only.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 8085: Directed Readings in Ancient Mediterranean Studies
For graduate students to undertake special projects for graduate credit under the supervision of faculty.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 8090: Master's Thesis Research and Thesis
Individual research leading to preparation of the M.A. thesis Graded on a S/U basis only.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 8320: Seminar in Greek Art and Archaeology
Special subjects of study assigned for individual research; discussion of reports by seminar members.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 8420: Seminar in Roman Art and Archaeology
Special subjects of study assigned for individual research; discussion of reports by seminar members.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 8440: Ancient/Medieval Topography
Descriptive and historical analysis of a selected city or site. Subject varies.
Credit Hour: 1-99
AMS 8490: Seminar in Late Antique Art and Archaeology
Special subjects of study assigned for individual research; discussion of reports by seminar members.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: AMS 7490 or equivalent
AMS 9080: Readings for PhD Dissertation in Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Reading, critical evaluation of literature of special fields of Ancient Mediterranean Studies.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 9090: Doctoral Dissertation Research in Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Individual research leading to preparation of the Ph.D. dissertation. Graded on a S/U basis only.
Credit Hour: 1-99
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 9187: Seminar in Classical Mythology
Intensive study of classical mythology in origin, development, meaning and influence.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: instructor's consent
AMS 9387: Seminar in Ancient Rhetoric and Oratory
Seminar in Ancient Rhetoric and Oratory
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 9487: Seminar in Ancient Literary Criticism
Principles and theories of ancient Greek and Latin literary criticism, as developed in significant works on the subject.
Credit Hours: 3
AMS 9587: Greco-Roman Didactic
Critical and comparative study of Greek and Latin didactic poetry with emphasis on major authors from Hesiod through the Augustan Age.
Credit Hour: 3-6
AMS 9887: Seminar in the Age of the Antonines
Seminar in the Age of the Antonines
Credit Hour: 3-6