Race and Ethnicity in the Ancient Mediterranean
GRC
Instructor:
Office:
E-mail:
Arthur Jones
Anderson
arthur.jones@temple.edu
–
Fall
Class:
CRN:
Office Hours:
T
: – :
in Anderson
T : – : ;
: – :
and by appointment
Course Description and Goals
is course aims to introduce students to ancient thinking about race and ethnicity and to consider if that thinking
remains current and in uential today. We will investigate how categories of race and ethnicity are presented in the
literature of the Ancient Mediterranean. We will focus on such concepts as: racial formation and origin; ancient
theories of ethnic superiority; and linguistic, religious, and cultural differentiation as a basis for ethnic differentiation. We will also examine ancient racism through the prism of a variety of social processes in antiquity: slavery,
trade and colonization, migrations, imperialism, assimilation, native revolts, and genocide.
Course Goals: To provide a broad conceptual framework of ancient a itudes about race and ethnicity. We will
examine different approaches to concepts of ethnicity and race in antiquity, both from the perspective of international political, military, and cultural relations, and within ancient multicultural civic environments. Topics will
include ancient notions of what ethnicity and race were, how the concept of ethnicity shaped literary and civic
discourse, arguments for racially inherent differences in character, privileging of certain ethnic types above others,
and ethnic con ict. In terms of skills, this class will focus on building arguments based on historical sources, both
primary and secondary documents in translation.
Disability Statement
is course is open to all students who meet the academic requirements for participation. Any student who has a
need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss the
speci c situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at
- to coordinate
reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Statement on Academic Freedom
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. e University has adopted a
policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy
. . ), accessible via this link:
http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy_no=03.70.02.
Course Books
All books are available at the campus bookstore. Be sure to have the versions found there. I have ordered only the
books in which extensive reading is required. ere will be online texts assigned from various authors available
through the Readings section on Blackboard.
Odyssey, Homer, Stanley Lombardo (translator). Hacke Publishing Company; ISBN:
e Histories, Herodotus, Dewald, Water eld (translator). Oxford University Press; ISBN:
e Gallic War, Julius Caesar, Carolyn Hammond (translator). Oxford University Press; ISBN:
Agricola and Germany, Tacitus, Anthony Birley (translator). Oxford University Press; ISBN:
As many of you may note, works by these ancient authors are freely available on the internet. You are free to use
those versions instead of purchasing the above books. But be warned that the online versions mostly date from the
early th century and show their age. You might also nd that it is difficult to follow along in class discussions or
refer to the proper section (when writing a paper, for example).
Policies and Procedures
I expect you to keep up with the readings and be in class on time, ready to participate and ask questions. Keep a
notebook for your readings and class discussions. I will be available for assistance during my office hours or by a
scheduled appointment. I check email o en and should be able to get back to you within hours if you have an
urgent question or concern.
Most importantly, be respectful toward your fellow classmates.
Food and Electronics
You may have drinks, but please do not eat in class. Since many readings for this course will be PDFs, feel free to
bring a laptop or other device to reference these PDFs in class. Note that readings PDFs on a phone-sized screen
is not particularly convenient; you may prefer to have a print version available. Don’t let your computer/tablet/phone/etc become a distraction for you or others.
A endance Policy
A endance is mandatory. Class sessions will be a mix of lecture and discussion. e lectures will provide context
to the material we will be reading. In discussions, we will explore the themes of race and ethnicity in the texts of
many authors. If you do not a end, you cannot participate and will miss out on crucial contextual information.
Participation/a endance is
of your grade, so take it seriously.
Absences Excused
Absences due to accidents, medical emergency, or a death in the family, may be excused with appropriate documentation. A medical excuse must consist of an original (not copied,scanned, or faxed) le er on appropriate
le erhead, signed and dated by your physician. If you have a medical issue that you know will require absences,
e.g., surgery, tell me privately a er class or during office hours, no more than two weeks before the date.
Policy on Religious Holidays: If you will be observing any religious holidays that will prevent you from a ending
a regularly scheduled class, or interfere with ful lling any course requirement, you may have the opportunity to
make up the course requirement only if you make arrangements by informing your instructor of the dates of your
religious observance(s) within two weeks of the beginning of the semester (or three days before holidays that fall
in the rst two weeks).
Absences
Unexcused
You are allowed two ( ) unexcused absences per semester. Use them for problems due to car or SEPTA breakdowns (SEPTA strikes do not count as they are announced in advance). Each unexcused absence a er the second
unexcused absence will result in a deduction from your participation grade. More than three ( ) weeks of unexcused absences ( absences total) may result in a failing grade, regardless of scores on papers, etc. Finally, if you
must miss a class, get notes from a fellow student.
Grades and Course Requirements
List of Assignments:
• Quizzes ( )
( .
each)
• Odyssey/Herodotus Paper
• Term Paper: Annotated Bibliography
• Term Paper: Outline
• Term Paper: Final Dra
• Final Exam
• Particiaption
ree of the four quizzes will be given through Blackboard (exception is the Map Quiz). e papers and ancillary
assignments will also be given through Blackboard. You can then submit your nished assignments through Blackboard, preferable to either email or hard copy. Assignments and quizzes (excluding the Map Quiz) are due at the
end of the day (i.e. : pm) on the day listed below on the syllabus.
Notes on the Calendar
• Last day to drop a course:
• Last day to withdraw:
– –
– –
• Term Paper Due:
• Final Exam:
derson
– –
– –
at : pm
at : – :
pm, An-
N.B. Readings listed below use the book number within a particular volume and sometimes an additional section
number, but never page numbers. Hence “Herodotus . – ” refers to Book of Herodotus’ Histories, sections
through .
Class Schedule
Week
Week :
Week :
Week :
Date
Aug.
Aug.
Sept.
Feb.
Sept.
Feb
Class Topic
Introduction to Course
Race, Racism, and Ethnicity
Introduction to the Odyssey
Hospitality and Colonization
Pirates or Traders?
Societal Divisions in the Odyssey
Readings/Assignments
PDF readings on Blackboard
Odyssey Intro and Bks. –
Odyssey –
Odyssey –
Odyssey –
Week
Week
Date
Sept.
Class Topic
Introduction to the Persian Wars
Sept.
Greeks Ethnicity
Sept.
Sept.
Oct.
Greeks and the Lydians
Medes and Persians
Persian Empire
Oct.
Egyptians
Oct.
Scythians
Oct.
Greek Racism?
Week
Oct.
Library Resources; Athenian Empire and Citizenship
Week
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
“Natural” Slavery
Introduction to the Roman World
Roman, Greek, Carthaginian
Oct.
Romans, Gauls, and Germans
Oct.
Map Quiz; Romans and the Other in Italy
Week
Nov.
Nov.
Caesar in Gaul
Caesar the Ethnographer
Week
Nov.
Rome, from within and without
Week
Nov.
Nov.
Gauls in the Senate
Romans in Britain
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Rome and Integration I
Rome and Integration II
anksgiving Break
Re ections
Study Day
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Final Exam: – :
Readings/Assignments
Odyssey Quiz; Herodotus Intro
and . –
Herodotus . – ,
– ;
. – ; .
Herodotus . –
Herodotus . – ; . –
Herodotus . – ,
– ;
. – ,
– ; . – ;
Behistun Inscription (PDF)
Herodotus . – . [esp. . – ,
– , – , – ]
Herodotus . –
[esp. – ,
, – , – ]
Herodotus Quiz; B. Shaw,
“Eaters of Flesh, Drinkers of
Milk” (PDF)
Inscriptions (PDF)
Herodotus/Odyssey paper due
Aristotle, Politics (PDF)
Plautus, Poenulus (focus on the
Intro and Act )
Livy . – ; Polybius . – ;
Plutarch, Marius – (Online)
Term Paper: Annotated Bibliography due
Livy
. – ; CIL . .
(PDFs)
Caesar Books and
Caesar
Term Paper: Outline due
Caesar Quiz; Augustus, Res Gestae; Aelius Aristides, To Rome
(PDFs)
Claudius and Tacitus (PDFs)
Tacitus,
Annals
. – ,
. – (PDF)
Tacitus, Agricola
Term Paper: Final Version due
pm, Anderson