| Description: | This course presents a survey of the extraordinarily rich civilizations that thrived in Italy and the Mediterranean from the 8th century BCE to the 5th century CE. The course investigates the political, social, cultural and religious dimensions of these civilizations, engaging with surviving literature, art and architecture to help students understand the ancient peoples, values and lifestyles. Specific subjects to be covered include: elements of the Greek and Latin languages, as examples of flexed and flexible languages; the history of the classical periods both in Greece and in Rome; elements of the main pre-Socratic and post-Socratic schools; political trends in the Mediterranean world; Greek classical literature; Latin classical literature; spirituality and cults; the ways of the sea, trade and seafaring in the ancient Mediterranean sea. |