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 海角网s. 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 海角网 Religion. 2003. Indiana UP
Warrior, Valerie. Greek Religion: A Sourcebook. 2009. Focus
Warrior, Valerie. 海角网 Religion: A Sourcebook. 2002.
Further optional reading:
Parker, Robert. On Greek Religion. Cornell UP, 2011
Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Harvard UP
R眉pke, J枚rg. Religion of the 海角网s. 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 .
Th March 30: Polytheism and Pantheon (Greek). Powerpoint .
Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, "The Gods in Hesiod's Theogony and Homer's Iliad", pp. 13-33.
[Optional reading: Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, "Gods, myths and festivals", pp. 11-25. ]
[Optional reading: Parker, On Greek Religion, "Analyzing Greek gods", pp. 64-102. ]
WEEK TWO
T April 4: Polytheism and Pantheon (海角网) Powerpoint .
Scheid, Intro. to 海角网 Religion, "The double life of the 海角网 gods", pp. 147-170
Warrior, 海角网 Religion: A Sourcebook, "Accepting new gods, cults and rituals", pp. 83-97
Warrior, 海角网 Religion: A Sourcebook, "Becoming a god", pp. 127-138
[Optional reading: R眉pke, 鈥淕ods and Men.鈥 pp. 65-85 in Religion of the 海角网s ]
Th April 6: Heroes and hero cult (Greek). Powerpoint .
[Optional reading: Parker, 鈥淭he Nature and Power of Heroes.鈥 pp. 103鈥123 in On Greek Religion. ]
WEEK THREE
T April 11: Heroes cont'd (no additional reading)
NO RESPONSE PROMPT due
Th April 13: Sacrifice (Greek) Powerpoint
Warrior, Greek Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 55-74 ("Prayer and Sacrifice") .
[Optional reading: Parker, 鈥淜illing, Dining, Communicating.鈥 pp. 124鈥170 in On Greek Religion. ]
WEEK FOUR
T April 18: Sacrifice (海角网). Powerpoint .
Scheid, An introduction to 海角网 religion, pp. 79-110 ("Sacrifice")
Warrior, 海角网 Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 40-45 ("Sacrifice")
[Optional reading: R眉pke, 鈥淪ocial Rules: Sacrificing and Feasting.鈥 pp. 137-153 in Religion of the 海角网s. ]
Th April 20: Other offerings (Powerpoint ). Prayer, Vow, and Hymn (Greek and 海角网) (Powerpoint )
NO RESPONSE PROMPT due
Warrior, 海角网 Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 37-40
Scheid, An introduction to 海角网 religion, pp. 97-106 ("3.1 Prayer") (contained in "Sacrifice" PDF)
WEEK FIVE
T April 25: Priests and priesthood (Greek). Powerpoint .
NO RESPONSE PROMPT due
Price, Religions of the ancient Greeks, pp. 67-73 , 76-88
[Optional reading: Parker, 鈥淩eligion without a church: Religious Authority in Greece.鈥 pp. 40-63 in On Greek Religion ]
Th April 27: Priests and priesthood (海角网) Powerpoint .
Scheid, An introduction to 海角网 religion, pp. 129-146 ("Priestly figures")
Warrior, 海角网 Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 47-58 ("Priests and Religious Authority")
[Optional reading: R眉pke, 鈥淪pecialists and Professionals. pp. 215鈥235 in Religion of the 海角网s ]
F April 28 MIDTERM ASSESSMENT released 10 am
WEEK SIX
T May 2: Sanctuary (Greek and 海角网) Powerpoint .
NO RESPONSE PROMPT due
Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 47-66
Warrior, Greek Religion: Sourcebook, pp. 95-112
Scheid, Intro. to 海角网 Religion, pp. 60-76
Th May 4: NO CLASS
F May 5: MIDTERM ASSESSMENT due 5pm
WEEK SEVEN
T May 9: Festival (Greek) Powerpoint .
NO RESPONSE PROMPT due
Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 25-46
Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 113-134
[Optional reading: Parker, 鈥淭he Experience of Festivals.鈥 pp. 171-223 in On Greek Religion ]
Th May 11: Festival (Greek) continued. Powerpoint .
NO RESPONSE PROMPT due
WEEK EIGHT
T May 16: Festival (Greek) cont'd, Festival (海角网). Powerpoints for and .
NO RESPONSE PROMPT due
Scheid, Intro. to 海角网 Religion, pp. 41-59
Warrior, 海角网 Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 59-69
[Optional reading: R眉pke, 鈥淐o-ordination: Time and the Calendar.鈥 in Religion of the 海角网s, pp. 186鈥201 ]
[Optional reading: Beard, "A complex of times: no more sheep on Romulus' birthday" ]
Th May 18: Divination. Powerpoint .
Read and
Optional reading:
Price, 73鈥76 (oracles)
Warrior, Greek religion: sourcebook, 75鈥94
Scheid 111鈥126
WEEK NINE
T May 23: Mystery Cult (introduction). Powerpoint .
NO RESPONSE PROMPT due
Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 108-125
Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 187-203
Warrior, 海角网 Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 99-113
Th May 25: Mystery cult cont'd. Eleusinian mysteries: Powerpoint .
NO RESPONSE PROMPT due
WEEK TEN
T May 30: Mystery cult cont'd. Bacchic mysteries. Powerpoint .
Magic. Powerpoint .
Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 229-238
Warrior, 海角网 Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 139-150
[Optional reading: Graf ]
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 |
|
|