Humanities 110:
Ancient Civilizations

Diablo Valley College
Mark C. Eades, Instructor

HUMANITIES 110: INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES / ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

Diablo Valley College / Spring 2006

Section 1040, MWF 8:00-8:50, Rm. H-106

Section 1036, MWF 10:00-10:50, Rm. H-108

Instructor: Mark Eades, DVC Tel. Ext.: #1515, e-mail: meades@dvc.edu

Office hours/location: TBA

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION / SYLLABUS

 

Introduction

As described in the DVC catalog, Humanities 110 is an integrated course dealing with with the visual arts, music, literature, drama, architecture, philosophy, and history of the ancient world. Study is made of selected visual works, films, and original texts of literature and philosophy from the time of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia through the Roman period.

Required Texts

The Iliad of Homer (Richard Lattimore, tr.). University of Chicago Press, 1951.

Phaedo, by Plato (David Gallop, tr.). Oxford University Press, 1993.

Bakkhai, by Euripides (Reginald Gibbons, tr.). Oxford University Press, 2001.

Reader for Humanities 110, Section 2332 (Eades).

 

Course Requirements and Grading Criteria

Requirements for the course include regular attendance and participation in class discussions, completion of assigned readings, the mid-term exam, the final exam, and completion of a semester research project on a topic of the student’s choice related to the material covered in the course. Excessive unexcused absences (i.e., more than three) will result in a loss of grade points, as will non-participation in class discussions. Exams will be based on readings, lectures, and class discussions; and each will include only that material covered since the preceding exam. Exams will offer the student a selection of essay questions from which to choose. The semester project, as stated above, will be a research project on a topic of the student’s choice; and will include a topic proposal as preparatory assignment. Beyond its role in grading for this course, the purpose of the semester project is to help prepare the student for meeting the research and writing requirements of further study at the four-year undergraduate level.

 

The mid-term exam, final exam, semester project, and attendance and participation will each contribute equally to the student’s final grade, as follows:

 

Mid-term Exam: 30%

Final Exam: 30%

Semester Project: 30%

Attendance: 10%

 

For those in need, optional projects for extra credit will be available.

 

Syllabus (subject to revision)

Week 1: Jan. 16-20: Introduction to the course (MLK Holiday, Jan. 16).

Readings: To be provided..

Week 2: Jan. 23-27: Early Civilization in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Levant.

Art of ancient Mesopotamia.

Readings: to be provided.

Week 3: Jan. 30-Feb. 3: Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Levant, cont’d.

Art and architecture of ancient Egypt.

Readings: to be provided.

Week 4: Feb. 6-10: Crete and Aegean Civilization (Lincoln’s Birthday: Feb. 20).

Minoan art and architecture: The Palace of Knossos.

Readings: To be provided.

Week 5: Feb. 13-17: Homer and Early Greek Civilization.

Early Greek art.

Readings: The Iliad, introduction; Hesiod in Reader.

Week 6: Feb. 20-24: Homer and Early Greek Civilization (Washington’s Birthday: Feb. 20)

Early Greek art, cont’d.

Readings: The Iliad, cont’d.

Week 7: Feb. 27-Mar. 3: Homer and Early Greek Civilization, cont’d.

Early Greek art, cont’d.

Readings: The Iliad, cont’d.

Week 8: Mar. 6-10: Homer and Early Greek Civilization, cont’d.

Early Greek art, cont’d.

Readings: The Iliad, cont’d.

Week 9: Mar. 13-17: Mid-term review and exam.

Mid-term exam: Fri. 10/14 – Semester project proposals due.

Week 10: Mar. 20-24: Classical Greece.

Art and architecture of Classical Greece: Greek sculpture.

Readings: Sappho in Reader; begin Phaedo.

Week 11: Mar. 27-31: Classical Greece (Cesar Chavez Day: Mar. 31).

Art and architecture of Classical Greece: The Greek temple.

Readings: Phaedo, cont’d.

Week 12: Apr. 3-7: Classical Greece.

Art and architecture of Classical Greece, cont’d.

Readings: Begin Bakkhai.

Week 13: Apr. 10-14: Classical Greece.

Art and architecture of Classical Greece, cont’d.

Readings: Bakkhai, cont’d.

 

Spring Break: Apr. 17-21

 

Week 14: Apr. 24-28: Alexander and the Hellenistic World.

Hellenistic Greek art.

Readings: Fernand Braudel in Reader.

Week 15: May 1-5: Rome.

Art and architecture of ancient Rome.

Readings: Virgil in Reader.

Week 16: May 8-12: Rome, cont’d.

Art and architecture of ancient Rome, cont’d.

Readings: Ovid and Catullus in Reader.

Week 17: May 15-19: Rome, cont’d; review for final exam.

Early Christian art.

Readings: from the Song of Solomon, the Book of Matthew, and St. Augustine in Reader

Week 18: May. 22-26

Final Exam: TBA.

Semester projects due at final exam.



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Mark C. Eades
mce@mceades.com