Humanities 111
Cultures, Civilizations and Ideas
Summer 2019-2020
Bilkent University
SYLLABUS
Instructor: Dr. Mustafa S. Nakeeb
Office: G 224-i
Telephone: 290-3132
e-mail: mnakeeb@bilkent.edu.tr
Office Hours: Wednesday, Thursday 10:30-12:00, and by appointment
Course Meeting:
Monday 15:40-17:30 G-154
Wednesday 10:40-12:30 G-154
Friday 08:40-10:30 G-154
Texts: *Order from Meteksan Bookstore by e-mail: kitabevi@bilkent.edu.tr
*The Epic of Gilgamesh, George (tr.) New York, 1989
Homer, Iliad, Fagles (tr.), New York, 1990 Available as pdfs on Moodle
*Plato, The Last Days of Socrates, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, New York, 2003
Other Required Readings: (To be assembled in a course packet, and made available at University
Library Online Reserve, and on Moodle).
Course Objectives:
This is a course in ancient civilization. As you may know, the faculty members in our program each
use a basic framework which is shared (for further information see the master syllabus for CCI),
however each individual instructor focuses on different aspects of the ancient world in assessing
culture. I would like to spell out clearly some of the themes I will be focusing on, and what you may
expect to study in this semester’s course.
The majority of texts we will read are from Ancient Greek authors, which reflects the vast influence
this culture has had on the Mediterranean world, and through the Romans, on Western civilization
more generally.
I hope to introduce you to three genres of ancient literature: Epic poetry, historical prose, and
philosophical prose. As we study each of these in turn, it is important for you to consider the ways in
which these texts structure the world for their audiences, how and why they produce the kind of
responses they do. Also, I hope you will see the ways in which they sometimes borrow, and
sometimes oppose each other in perspective.
In addition to focusing on these three types of texts, we will also read some critical theoretical
texts on civilization and the relation of the individual to society (in this instance, Sigmund Feud). It is
also of some importance to me that you not only gain some appreciation for the ancient texts and the
ancient world on their own terms, but that you practice the skills of reading critically. You will be
asked not merely to comprehend the texts presented to you, but also to question the standpoint from
which they are written. Why does an author or text choose and present the words they do?
All of your work for me in this course will be evaluated on the basis of your writing. As such, the
course demands of you, originality in terms of your ideas, and an appropriate ability to express those
ideas. I know this is not something that comes naturally to many of you, and I will design assignments
in such a way as to help you gain some familiarity and practice in this crucially important skill.
Grading: Your grade for this course will be tabulated out of 100%, assessment will be based on the
following:
Participation and Attendance 10%
--Since this class will be an online live remote course, I expect you all to be present at every class, with
your video on and speakers muted. Participation in class discussion is required of all students.
Written Project Essay 30%
Final Exam 30%
Reading Quizzes (3 in total) 30%
All sections of Cultures, Civilizations, and Ideas use the following grading scale: A = 93-100; A- = 90-92;
B+ = 87-89; B = 83-86; B- = 80-82; C+ = 77-79; C = 73-76; C- = 70-72; D+ = 67-69; D = 66-60; F = below 60.
The lowest passing grade is a D.
Attendance policy
According to faculty policy, missing more that 20% of taught hours of any class constitutes automatic
failure.
Punctuality and deadlines
Students are expected to be in class on time and turn in assignments on the day that they are due.
Unpunctuality and missed deadlines are unacceptable.
Summer Semester 2019-2020
HUM 111 Dr. M. Nakeeb
Reading, Lesson & Assignment Schedule
Week1:
Monday June 29: Syllabus, Civilization, Mesopotamian History, and Textual History of Gilgamesh.
--For next class, Read Gilgamesh, Tablets I-III
Wednesday July 01: Analysis of early tablets of Gilgamesh
--For next class: Read Freud, Civilizations & Its Discontents, Chapter III, and Hobbes Excerpts (in Reader)
Friday July 03: Social Contract Theory and Gilgamesh
-For next class: Read Gilgamesh, Tablets IV-VIII
Week 2:
Monday July 6: Quiz #1 (Gilgamesh IV-VIII), Analysis middle tablets, Funerals from anthropological
perspective
-For next class: Finish Reading Epic of Gilgamesh
Wednesday July 08: Finish Epic of Gilgamesh
For next Class: Read Homer Introductory Material (course Reader)
Friday July 10: Early Greek Civilization, Bronze Age, Dark Ages, Homeric Textual History
-For Next Class: Read Iliad Books 1&2
Week 3:
Monday July 13: Analysis of Iliad Bk. 1&2
For Next Class: Read Plato, Republic X (in course reader)
Wednesday July 15: Analysis Plato on poetry
For Next Class: Read Iliad 3&6
Friday July 17: Quiz #2 (Iliad 3&6), finish Plato on poetry, Analysis of Iliad 3 & 6
For Next Class: Read Iliad 9, 16, Berger, “On the Obsolescence of the Concept of Honor” (Reader)
Week 4:
Monday July 20: Analysis Berger, Iliad 9
For Next Class: Read Iliad 16 & 18
Wednesday July 22: Analysis Iliad 16 & 18
For Next Class: Read Iliad 22&24
Friday, July 24: Analysis Iliad 22 & 24 Analysis Herodotus Distribution of Midterm (30% due Thursday
August 6th)
For Next Class: Read Guthrie excerpt (Reader)
Week 5:
Monday July 27: Analysis Guthrie, Archaic Greece, Pre-Socratic Philosophy
For Next Class: Read Herodotus, Histories excerpt (Reader)
Wednesday July 29: Quiz #3(Herodotus)
For Next Class: Read Background Material for Plato (Reader)
July 30-August 03 Bayram Holiday (No Classes)
Friday July 31: NO CLASS
Week 6:
Monday August 3: Bayram Holiday: No Classes
Wednesday August 5: Analysis Herodotus, 5th century B.C. Athens, Athenian Democracy and the Sophists
For Next Class: Read Plato, Euthyphro
Friday August 7: Mid-term Due, Plato’s Euthyphro
For Next Class: Continue Reading Euthyphro
Week 7:
Monday August 10: Quiz #4 (Euthyphro, Second Half), Finish Euthyphro
For Next Class: Read Meno excerpt (Reader)
Wednesday August 12: Analysis Meno
For Next Class: Start reading Apology
Friday August 14: Finish Meno, Start Apology
For Next Class: Finish reading Apology
Week 8:
Monday August 17: Plato’s Apology
For Next Class: Read Crito
Tuesday August 18 Follow Friday Schedule: Crito
Wednesday August 19: Analysis Crito
Friday August 21: Finish Crito