Department: Art and Design
Course Number and Title: ART 1770, Classical Archaeology
Bulletin Description: The history of Aegean, Greek, and Roman archaeology and its
contribution to our knowledge about the ancient world, its history and civilization.
Prerequisite(s): N/A
Co-requisite(s): N/A
Program Goals and Outcomes (applicable to course as indicated on curriculum
map): This course is a requirement for all BFA majors. It applies to most of the
program goals and outcomes of all 4 BFA majors. This course encompasses the
reinforcement of knowledge of art history, discipline specific visual skills as well as
research and critical skills specified in each of the program goals. The course,
however, specifically applies to the following goals within the BFA majors:
BFA in Fine Arts, Goals 3 and 4:
3. Enhanced knowledge of art history
Demonstrate ability to critically access works of art in the context of global art
history.
4. Develop conceptual, research, and critical thinking skills.
Demonstrate ability to create personal, expressive works of art, execute long-term
artistic projects or thesis and write a statement of artistic intent.
BFA in Graphic Design, Goal 3:
3. Develop enhanced knowledge, skills and values consistent with the Core
Curriculum
Demonstrate effective communication skills in a variety of formats and proficiency in
the visual, verbal and written vocabularies of design.
BFA in Photography, Goal 2:
2. Enhanced knowledge of visual history.
Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the visual arts, including photography, and
its impact on social and visual culture.
BFA in Illustration, Goals 3 and 5:
3. Mastery of Research and Planning Skills
Develop effective methodology including research, planning & refinement when
completing Illustration assignments and executing long-term projects.
5. Critically Evaluate Visual and Narrative Media
Demonstrate ability to critical assess narrative illustrative work and be able to
communicate those assessments effectively.
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Units of Instruction:
I. Geography of the Ancient Mediterranean
II. Prehistoric Cyclades
a. figurines
b. “mirrors”
III. The Greek Bronze Age
a. The legend of Troy, Illiad and Odyssey
b. Archaeologists of the period: Schliemann, Dorpfeld, Blegen, Evans, Hawes,
Platon
c. Major Bronze Age Sites
1. Crete: Knossos, Phaistos, Mallia, Kato Zakro
2. Thera: Akrotiri
3. Mainland Greece: Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos
4. Anatolia: Troy
5. Ulu Burun shipwreck
d. Linear B and ramifications of its decipherment
e. Tombs: Shaft graves; tholos tombs; chamber tombs
f. Sea Peoples
IV. Dark Age Greece (1000 - 900 BCE)
a. definition of a “Dark Age”
b. change and continuity
c. Lefkandi hall burial
V. Geometric Period (900- 700 BCE)
a. Geometric vase painting
b. temples and votive offerings
VI. Orientalizing Period (7th Century BCE)
a. Eastern interaction
1. Phoenicians
2. Anatolia: Al-Mina
b. Temple Architecture
1. Doric, Ionic Orders
2. Olympia: Temple of Hera
c. Orientalizing vase painting
VII. Archaic Period (6th Century BCE)
a. Corfu: Temple of Artemis; Aegina: Temple of Aphaia (pediment sculptures)
b. Delphi: Treasuries
c. Paestum: First Temple of Hera, Temple of Athena
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d. Sculpture: kouroi and korai
e. Black figure vase painting
VIII. Classical Period (5th Century BCE)
a. Olympia: Temple of Zeus
b. Athens: Acropolis (Parthenon, Erechtheion), Theater of Dionysos, Hephaestion
c. Red figure vase painting
d. Sculpture: Spear Bearer, Riace Warriors, Parthenon/”Elgin” marbles
IX. Late Classical Period (4th Century BCE)
a. Epidauros: Theater and Sanctuary of Asklepios
b. Athens: Agora
d. Sculpture: Aphrodite Knidos
X. Macedonian Culture and Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE)
a. Pella palace
b. World conquests from Egypt to the Indus
c. numismatics
d. portraits
e. Vergina tombs
f. “Alexander Mosaic” at Pompeii
XI. Hellenistic Era (323-31 BCE)
a. Corinthian order
b. Pergamon Altar
b. Sculpture: Boxer, Nike of Samothrace, Laocoön
a. World Hellenistic Cultures
1. Ptolemaic Egypt 323-30 BCE
2. Seleucid Near East 323-64 BCE
3. Ai-Khanoum, Afghanistan 323-130 BCE
XII. Etruscans
a. Villanovan, Orientalizing, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic period styles
b. Tombs
1. Sites: Cerveteri, Veii, Tarquinia
2. Wall relief and wall painting: Tomb of the Reliefs, Tomb of Hunting
and Fishing
3. Cinerary urns and sarcophagi: “Archaic couple” from Cerveteri,
“Amorous couple” from Vulci
c. Temples: Veii
d. Bronze sculpture: Wounded Chimaera, “Mars” of Todi, Aulus Metellus/”The
Orator”
e. Bronze mirrors
XIII. Origins of Rome
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a. Romulus and Remus
b. Capitoline Wolf bronze sculpture
XIV. Republic and Early Imperial Architecture (2nd century BCE to early first century
CE)
a. Architecture: Vitrvius
1. arches, barrel vaults, concrete
2. domus and villa
3. Temples: Temple of Portuna at Rome; Sanctuary of Fortuna at Palestrina
(Praeneste); Maison Carrée at Nîmes, France
4. Roman Forum
5. Theater of Pompey; Theater of Marcellus
6. Appian Way
7. Aqueducts: Nîmes, France; Segovia, Spain
XV. Republican style sculpture
a. Veristic: Pompey, Caesar, Gessius family
b. Copies of Greek works
XVI. Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, and Herculaneum (79 CE)
a. Discovery, excavation, and preservation
b. Urban planning
c. Forum, theater, baths, amphitheater
d. Wall painting
1. First, Second, Third, Fourth Style
2. Villa of the Mysteries frieze
3. Boscotrecase and Boscoreale rooms at MMA
e. Mosaics
XVII. Augustus (r. 31 BCE – 14 CE) and the Early Empire (Julio-Claudian and Flavian
Dynasties, 14 CE – 96 CE)
a. Augustan Culture
1. Prima Porta sculpture
2. Gemma Augustea
3. Ara Pacis
b. The Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater)
c. Arch of Titus
d. Domus Aurea
XVIII. High Empire (Nerva-Antonine Dynasty, 96 - 192 CE)
a. Trajan’s Forum and Column
b. The Pantheon and Dome architecture
c. Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli
d. Sculpture
1. Imperial portraiture: Equestrian Marcus Aurelius, Commodus Bust
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2. Sarcophagi
XIX. Late Empire (Severan Dynasty, Soldier Emperors, The Tetrarchy, 193-312 CE)
a. Severan and Late Imperial portraiture
b. Baths: Caracalla, Diocletian
c. Lepcis Magna
d. Tetrarchs: columnar portrait, coins
XX. Constantine
a. Colossus of Constantine
b. Arch of Constantine
c. Basilica Nova (Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine)
d. Christian patronage in Rome: St. Peter’s
e. Constantinople
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APPENDIX I: NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS
APPENDIX I: NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS
New York State Education Department (NYSED) Requirement: NYSED requires that
there be 15 hours of instruction and 30 hours of supplementary assignments for each
course credit.
Students are expected to complete 90 supplementary hours of research and class
work per semester.
APPENDIX II: RATIONALE FOR A UNIVERSITY-WIDE CORE CURRICULUM
N/A
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