SPRING 2011

RELIGION OF ANCIENT GREECE CLA 303 (SEC. 001)

M TH 2:45-4:00 / 409 W

***SYLLABUS IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE****

PROFESSOR: OFFICE: OFFICE HOURS: Lawrence Kowerski E-MAIL: lkowersk@hunter.cuny.edu 1435 W PHONE: (212) 772-5007 T 2-4, W 3-4, AND by appointment. DEPARTMENT: 1425 W - (212) 772-4960

TEXTS Kearns, E., (ed.). 2009. Ancient Greek Religion: A Sourcebook. Blackwell. ISBN: 1405149280 Ogden, D. (ed.). 2010. A Companion to Greek Religion. Blackwell. ISBN: 1444334174 Price, S. 1999. Religions of Ancient Greece. Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 0521388678 DESCRIPTION This course provides a survey of religion as it is found in ancient Greece from the Bronze Age through the Hellenistic period. It specifically looks at 1) the physical realities of the religious culture (temples, priests/priestesses, rituals and sacrifices) of the ancient Greeks, 2) the range of religious expression (hymns, drama, art and architecture), 3) and the value these practices may have held for an ancient Greek individuals and their communities. The bulk of each class will be devoted to lectures and discussions (in small groups and as a class). Throughout the semester, we will read and discuss some scholarship on Greek religion. Each student will compose one larger paper (10 to 15 pages), broken down throughout the semester into three parts. OBJECTIVES At the end of the course students can expect to be able to do the following: 1) Provide the name and attributes of all major and some minor Greek gods. 2) Identify the various physical realities of Greek ritual and religious events (priests, temples, sacriices, etc) 3) Demonstrate a familiarity with the central religious concepts found in the lives of Greeks furing the Archaic and Classical periods. 4) Articulate clearly the intricate relationship between community and Greek rituals. 5) Distinguish various views the Greeks held toward their beliefs and critically comment on them. 6) Display orally and in written form your detailed knowledge of a few specific religious events in ancient Greece 7) Show an ability to read and utilize source materials critically. That is, demonstrate your ability to recognize what kinds of conclusions the evidence allows. 8) Present an argument that considers the problems surrounding our understanding of Greek religious thinking. 9) Write a research paper using evidence and your own insights in a critical and creative fashion. PROCEDURE The class will be a combination of lecture and discussion. Often, I will lecture, pausing for questions from you or to ask questions. As the class progresses, more interaction from all students will be expected. COURSE CONDUCT 1) Please have courtesy for those around you. 2) Come to class and come on time. 3) Bring your textbook to each class. 4) Do not leave the room during the class.

5) Do not chat with those around you during class. 6) Turn off / silence electronic devices before class. 7) Do not read newspapers, do homework, or any other such activity during class.

SPRING 2011 EMAIL AND BLACKBOARD Please set up your Hunter email account and register with blackboard (bb.hunter.cuny.edu). I will contact you via this hunter email only. I will post all handouts and provided readings via blackboard.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADES PREPARTION FOR CLASS Read assignments before they are discussed. Keep in mind that reading goes beyond looking at words on a page. Reading ancient literature can be daunting. Look for the larger point; do not get bogged down by unfamiliar names; take notes; make outlines; list important items; note questions and ask the instructor; most importantly formulate an opinion about the importance of a reading. In the end, however, you need to figure out what works best for you. Please see me for reading strategies. If I find that the readings are not being completed by all in the class, I will implement a system to encourage reading more (quizzes, reports, etc.) ATTENDENCE / PARTICIPATION Attendance is mandatory and will factor in your grade. Attendance will be taken in each class. If you must miss class, contact the instructor beforehand. Latecomers will be considered absent, but you should still attend if you will be late. You are permitted one unexcused absences. All other absences will affect your grade. If you miss more than ! of the classes, you will fail the course. WRITING ENG 120 is a prerequisite for this course. Specific assignments with detailed instructions will be provided soon. The course will culminate in a longer paper. This longer paper will be the result of a series of writing assignments completed throughout the semester. The first assignment will concern the deity worshiped at a particular festival. The second assignment will concern the physical and logistical realities of the festival. The final assignment will be the integration of these two assignments with a third part in which you try to show an understanding of how the rites are suited to the worship of the deity (i.e. your longer paper.) For each step of this project, each student will be assigned to a topic and to a group. Groups will work together to research and understand the workings of their topics. But individuals will compose their own papers for each assignment. After I return your initial papers, the groups will work together to combine these papers into one paper. (THIS WILL BE THE REVISION PROCESS). The group will then resubmit the final product and present their research to the class. Failure to do any part of this assignment will result in failure in the course. No extensions will be granted. No Late Papers will be accepted. REVISIONS Revisions for all papers will be required. Instructions will be provided. EXAMS A midterm exam will be given in March. A final exam will be given on Monday, May 23rd from 1:45-3:45 pm. Each exam must be taken at the appointed time. An exception to this policy will be considered only in the event of a verifiable medical emergency and remains at the discretion of the instructor

SPRING 2011

GRADES
***All of the above requirements must be fulfilled to receive a passing grade in this course*** Short Papers: 20% (100 pts./50 pts ea.) Midterm: 20% (100 pts) Longer Paper: 35% (175 pts.) Final: 20% (100 pts) Participation: 5% (25 pts) Incompletes: Incompletes will only be given to students who maintain a C average or better and, under most circumstances, have an emergency that prohibits completion of the course. Incompletes will not be given for a missing paper or exam. Requests for an Incomplete must be made in person at least 24 hours before the final. Incompletes must be resolved before the end of the month following the end of the semester. Cr/NC A Credit/No Credit grade will be granted only to students who have completed all the requirements for the course. This means you must take the final and make an honest effort to do the best you can on it. Academic Integrity: Academic Integrity is taken seriously at Hunter and in this course. It is expected that you take it seriously. Any instance of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) will result in a grade of F for the course.
Hunter College regards acts of academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records and official documents) as serious offenses against the values of intellectual honesty. The College is committed to enforcing the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College Academic Integrity Procedures.