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 T Th 10.30-12.20 pm (CMU 226)

Prof. Hollmann (hollmann@uw.edu).

Office hours: Denny M262E Th 1-2 or by appointment, zoom by request

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND AIMS

A theme-based introduction to the religions of the ancient Greeks and ������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 get together in class to react to questions and then submit their responses, which will receive a joint grade. 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 take two in-class, closed-book exams (midterm and final). The midterm covers material discussed in class from beginning of the course through the last class before the midterm, while the final exam covers material discussed in class from after the midterm through the last class. I will provide you with a blue book in which to write your exam.

Main readings extracted from:

Price, Simon. Religions of the Ancient Greeks. 1991. Cambridge UP

Scheid, John. Introduction to ������ Religion. 2003. Indiana UP

Warrior, Valerie. Greek Religion: A Sourcebook. 2009. Focus

Warrior, Valerie. ������ Religion: A Sourcebook. 2002.

Further optional reading:

Parker, Robert. On Greek Religion. Cornell UP, 2011

Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Harvard UP

Rüpke, Jörg. Religion of the ������s. Polity Press,Malden, MA 2007

Beard, North, Price. Religions of Rome. vol 1 and 2. Cambridge UP 1998

COURSE COMPONENTS:

Group responses to in-class prompts (20%): Short written responses to specific questions about material assigned for a class. These are submitted as a joint google doc during class.

Midterm assessment (40%) T April 29: brief definitions of terms or names, identification and discussion of short passages from primary sources or images. Administered in class, no additional materials other than pen and bluebook permitted.

Final assessment (40%) M June 9: similar to midterm assessment, covers material after the midterm (i.e. not cumulative). No additional materials other than pen and bluebook permitted.

LATE WORK

Please consult me as soon as possible if you are not able to meet a due date or miss an in-class assignment.   

EXTRA CREDIT

Please note I do not offer assignments for extra credit.

DRS ACCOMMODATIONS 

Students with DRS accommodations should reach out to me so that we can sign an agreement.

SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS

SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITH NOTICE

Latest version: 5/21/2025

WEEK ONE

T April 1: Introduction. Powerpoint .

Th April 3: 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 8: Polytheism and Pantheon (������) Powerpoint

Scheid, Intro. to ������ Religion, "The double life of the ������ gods", pp. 147-170

Warrior, ������ Religion: A Sourcebook, "Accepting new gods, cults and rituals", pp. 83-97

Warrior, ������ Religion: A Sourcebook, "Becoming a god", pp. 127-138

[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Gods and Men.” pp. 65-85 in Religion of the ������s ]

Th April 10: Heroes and hero cult (Greek). 

[Optional reading: Parker, “The Nature and Power of Heroes.” pp. 103–123 in On Greek Religion. ]

WEEK THREE

T April 15:  Heroes cont'd (no additional reading) Powerpoint .

Th April 17: Sacrifice (Greek) There will be an in-class today. Powerpoint .

Warrior, Greek Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 55-74 ("Prayer and Sacrifice") . 

[Optional reading: Parker, “Killing, Dining, Communicating.” pp. 124–170 in On Greek Religion. ]

WEEK FOUR

T April 22: Sacrifice (������). Powerpoint .

Scheid, An introduction to ������ religion, pp. 79-110 ("Sacrifice")

Warrior, ������ Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 40-45 ("Sacrifice")

[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Social Rules: Sacrificing and Feasting.” pp. 137-153 in Religion of the ������s. ]

Th April 24: Other offerings. Powerpoint .

Prayer (Greek and ������). Powerpoint .

Warrior, ������ Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 37-40

Scheid, An introduction to ������ religion, pp. 97-106 ("3.1 Prayer") (contained in "Sacrifice" PDF)

WEEK FIVE

T April 29: MIDTERM EXAM. Information about format .

Th May 1: Priests and priesthood (Greek). Powerpoint .

Price, Religions of the ancient Greeks, pp. 67-73 , 76-88

[Optional reading: Parker, “Religion without a church: Religious Authority in Greece.” pp. 40-63 in On Greek Religion ]

WEEK SIX

T May 6: Priests and priesthood (������). Powerpoint .

Scheid, An introduction to ������ religion, pp. 129-146 ("Priestly figures")

Warrior, ������ Religion. A Sourcebook, pp. 47-58 ("Priests and Religious Authority")

[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Specialists and Professionals. pp. 215–235 in Religion of the ������s ]

Th May 8: Sanctuary (Greek and ������) Powerpoint  

Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 47-66

Warrior, Greek Religion: Sourcebook, pp. 95-112

Scheid, Intro. to ������ Religion, pp. 60-76

WEEK SEVEN

T May 13: Festival (Greek) Powerpoint

Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 25-46

 Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 113-134

[Optional reading: Parker, “The Experience of Festivals.” pp. 171-223 in On Greek Religion ]

Th May 15: Festival (Greek) continued. Powerpoint .

WEEK EIGHT

T May 20: Festival (Greek) cont'd. Powerpoint (same as Powerpoint for Th May 15).

Th May 22: 

The ������ calendar. Powerpoint . Some ������ festivals. Powerpoint . 

Scheid, Intro. to ������ Religion, pp. 41-59

Warrior, ������ Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 59-69

[Optional reading: Rüpke, “Co-ordination: Time and the Calendar.” in Religion of the ������s, pp. 186–201 ]

[Optional reading: Beard, "A complex of times: no more sheep on Romulus' birthday" ]

WEEK NINE

T May 27: 

Divination. Powerpoint .

Read and be ready to discuss in groups in class.

Optional reading:

Price, 73–76 (oracles)

Warrior, Greek religion: sourcebook, 75–94

Scheid 111–126

Th May 29: 

Divination cont'd. Powerpoint

Mystery Cult (introduction). Powerpoint

Eleusinian mysteries. Powerpoint  

Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks, pp. 108-125

Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 187-203

Warrior, ������ Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 99-113

WEEK TEN

T June 3: Mystery cult cont'd. Eleusinian Mysteries cont'd. Powerpoint

Bacchic mysteries. Powerpoint

Warrior, Greek Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 229-238

Warrior, ������ Religion: A Sourcebook, pp. 139-150

[Optional reading: Graf ]

Th June 5:  Magic. Powerpoint .

EXAM WEEK

M June 9 FINAL EXAM 10.30am – 12.20pm, CMU 226 (our usual classroom) Information about format .

Academic Integrity

University of Washington students are expected to practice high standards of academic and professional honesty and integrity as outlined in this Academic Responsibility page: . In particular, note that use of ChatGPT or other Ai tools is not allowed unless specifically permitted as part of an assignment. I want to hear what *you* have to say about the materials we are working with.

GRADING SCALE

I use the following scale for converting percentage points to GPA