Does time, place, and culture affect our picture of Jesus? We'll start by constructing our own Jesus story and then go backwards in time to examine modern times (film, music, and modern art), pre-Civil War America (views of Jesus from enslaved people and their enslavers), Renaissance and Medieval Europe and North Africa (art and architecture), and finally end with the ancient world (art and writings about Jesus, including the biblical gospels). No background in religious studies required, and students of any, all, or no religious background are welcome.

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

Introduction to Greek epic poetry. Readings of selections from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Quantitative meter and poetic devices. Discussion of major themes and issues as developed in Homer's poetry. prereq: dept consent

Text of Hebrew Bible, basic research tools and commentaries. Close reading of narrative biblical texts. Reading fluency, methods of research in biblical studies. Meets with 4107. prereq: Grade of at least [C- or S] in 3101 or instr consent

Introduction to cuneiform script. Basics of Old Babylonian morphology and syntax. Written drills, readings from Hammurabi laws, foundation inscriptions, annals, religious and epic literature. prereq: Adv undergrads with instr consent or grads

Continuation of 5011. Readings include The Gilgamesh Epic, The Descent of Ishtar, Mari Letters, Annals of Sennacherib and Essarhaddon, Sargon II. prereq: 5011

Achievements of Alexander the Great, their effect on Greek-speaking world. Greek colonization of Egypt. Hellenistic art, literature, philosophy.

This course will provide students with foundational knowledge in the art, architecture, and archaeology of Egypt, East Africa, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Iran and Central Asia from the Neolithic through Late Antiquity (ca. 7,000 B.C.E. - 650 C.E.). Students will gain an understanding of the relationship between the visual material and the social, intellectual, political, and religious contexts in which it developed and functioned. In this regard, students will also gain an understanding of the evolution of, and exchanges and differences among, the visual cultures of these time periods and regions. It will also expose them to the preconditions for contemporary geopolitics in the region.

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

Survey of Israelite prophets. Emphasizes Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Second Isaiah. Prophetic contributions to Israelite religion. Personality of prophets. Politics, prophetic reaction. Textual analysis, biblical scholarship. Prophecy viewed cross-culturally. prereq: [RelS 1001] or [CNES 1201 or JWST 1201 or RELS 1201 or CNES 3201 or JWST 3201 or RELS 3201]

Israel and Judah were not states of great importance in the ancient Near East. Their population and territory were small, and they could not resist conquest by larger, more powerful states like Assyria and Rome. Yet their ancient history matters greatly today, out of proportion to its insignificance during the periods in which it transpired. The historical experiences of the people of Israel and Judah were accorded religious meaning and literary articulation in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), which became a foundational text for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Essential features of Western as well as Islamic civilization are predicated on some element of Israel?s ancient past, as mediated through the Bible; therefore it behooves us to understand that past. But the Bible is a religious work, not a transcript of events, and the history of ancient Israel is not derived merely from reading the biblical accounts of it. Archaeological excavations have revealed the physical remains of the cultures of Israel and neighboring lands, as well as bringing to light inscriptions, documents, and literary works produced by those cultures. These sources, which complement and sometimes contradict the accounts conveyed in the Bible, provide the basis for reconstructing a comprehensive history of ancient Israel. This course covers the history of Israel and Judah from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 BCE), by the end of which Israel had emerged as a distinct ethnic entity, to the period of Roman rule (63 BCE-330 CE), which saw the final extinction of ancient Israel, represented by the kingdom of Judea, as a political entity. Knowledge of this history is based on archaeological, epigraphic, and literary sources, including the Hebrew Bible. N.B.: Students should be aware that the study of history, like all the human and natural sciences, is predicated on inquiry, not a priori judgments. Accordingly, the Bible is not privileged as an intrinsically true or authoritative record. No text is presumed inerrant, and all sources are subject to scrutiny, in the context of scholarly discourse. Biblical texts are treated just like all other texts, as the products of human beings embedded in a historical context, and as the subject of analysis and interpretation. Persons of all faiths and of no faith are equally welcome to participate in such scholarly discourse. However, students who feel that their own religious beliefs require an understanding of the Bible that is antithetical to the foregoing statements are cautioned that they may find themselves uncomfortable with this course.

Israel and Judah were not states of great importance in the ancient Near East. Their population and territory were small, and they could not resist conquest by larger, more powerful states like Assyria and Rome. Yet their ancient history matters greatly today, out of proportion to its insignificance during the periods in which it transpired. The historical experiences of the people of Israel and Judah were accorded religious meaning and literary articulation in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), which became a foundational text for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Essential features of Western as well as Islamic civilization are predicated on some element of Israel?s ancient past, as mediated through the Bible; therefore it behooves us to understand that past. But the Bible is a religious work, not a transcript of events, and the history of ancient Israel is not derived merely from reading the biblical accounts of it. Archaeological excavations have revealed the physical remains of the cultures of Israel and neighboring lands, as well as bringing to light inscriptions, documents, and literary works produced by those cultures. These sources, which complement and sometimes contradict the accounts conveyed in the Bible, provide the basis for reconstructing a comprehensive history of ancient Israel. This course covers the history of Israel and Judah from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 BCE), by the end of which Israel had emerged as a distinct ethnic entity, to the period of Roman rule (63 BCE-330 CE), which saw the final extinction of ancient Israel, represented by the kingdom of Judea, as a political entity. Knowledge of this history is based on archaeological, epigraphic, and literary sources, including the Hebrew Bible. N.B.: Students should be aware that the study of history, like all the human and natural sciences, is predicated on inquiry, not a priori judgments. Accordingly, the Bible is not privileged as an intrinsically true or authoritative record. No text is presumed inerrant, and all sources are subject to scrutiny, in the context of scholarly discourse. Biblical texts are treated just like all other texts, as the products of human beings embedded in a historical context, and as the subject of analysis and interpretation. Persons of all faiths and of no faith are equally welcome to participate in such scholarly discourse. However, students who feel that their own religious beliefs require an understanding of the Bible that is antithetical to the foregoing statements are cautioned that they may find themselves uncomfortable with this course.

Beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to death and the afterlife found in the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Literature, funerary art/epitaphs. Archaeological evidence for burial practices and care of dead.

Seminar. Historical method/sources for Ancient Near Eastern history. Historical tradition and historiographic texts of Mesopotamia and neighboring regions of Ancient Near East/their relationship to the works of classical historians such as Herodotus. Use of these sources in modern historiography of Ancient Near East. prereq: Previous coursework in Ancient Near Eastern history recommended

Ugaritic alphabetic cuneiform script, morphology, and syntax. Reading of representative samples of Ugaritic literature. Attention to linguistic and cultural issues and links to biblical and other Ancient Near Eastern texts. prereq: Adv Hebrew, previous study of biblical texts or instr consent

Reading in Greek texts/authors. Texts/authors vary. prereq: [GRK 3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Greek. Must contact Classical and Near Eastern Studies department for permission to register.

The primary material for this course will be a selection of readings from three or more different Greek prose authors connected by genre (e.g. historical writing, philosophy, oratory, novel), theme (e.g. medicine, Athenian politics of the 5 th /4 th centuries, religious innovation), period (e.g. classical period, Second Sophistic), or the like. Primary readings and critical approach will vary from year to year, making the course repeatable. Some modern secondary reading will be assigned to provide a basis for discussion and a model for student written work. prereq: [GRK 3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Greek. Contact the Classical & Near Eastern Religions & Cultures Department (CNRC) with any questions.

A broad survey of ancient Near Eastern and Egyptian history and culture from the prehistoric to the rise of Persia around 550 B.C.

The primary material for this course will be a selection of readings from three or more different Latin poets connected by genre (e.g. epic, dramatic, lyric), theme (e.g. heroism and the hero, the body, the good life), period (e.g. Augustan, late Antique), or the like. Primary readings and critical approach will vary from year to year, making the course repeatable. Some modern secondary reading will be assigned to provide a basis for discussion and a model for student written work. prereq: [3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Latin. Contact the Classical & Near Eastern Religions & Cultures Department with any questions.

The primary material for this course will be a selection of readings from three or more different Latin prose authors connected by genre (e.g. historical writing, philosophy, religious texts), theme (e.g. Epicureanism and Stoicism, Christian apologetics, grammarians), period (e.g. Republican, Late Imperial), or the like. Primary readings and critical approach will vary from year to year, making the course repeatable. Some modern secondary reading will be assigned to provide a basis for discussion and a model for student written work. prereq: [LAT 3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Latin. Contact the Classical & Near Eastern Religions & Cultures department (CNRC) with any questions.

How did the Jews of the first seven centuries of the common era read and understand the Hebrew Bible? What were the problems they faced -- interpretive, historical, theological -- in trying to apply their holy scriptures? This course explores key issues that led to the development of a new form of Judaism in late antiquity, rabbinic Judaism, and its methods of scriptural interpretation. The course's study will focus on the forms and practices of rabbinic scriptural interpretation (midrash) as it developed in Roman Palestine and Sasanian Babylonia, focusing on key narrative and legal passages in the Five Books of Moses (Torah). A main focus of the course will be on the ways the rabbis adapted the Hebrew Bible to express their own core concerns.

How did the Jews of the first seven centuries of the common era read and understand the Hebrew Bible? What were the problems they faced -- interpretive, historical, theological -- in trying to apply their holy scriptures? This course explores key issues that led to the development of a new form of Judaism in late antiquity, rabbinic Judaism, and its methods of scriptural interpretation. The course?s study will focus on the forms and practices of rabbinic scriptural interpretation (midrash) as it developed in Roman Palestine and Sasanian Babylonia, focusing on key narrative and legal passages in the Five Books of Moses (Torah). A main focus of the course will be on the ways the rabbis adapted the Hebrew Bible to express their own core concerns.

The rise of Hellenistic kingdoms in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East created a variety of responses from local, subjugated peoples, and some of the most documented cases are those of Jewish populations in Koele-Syria/Palestine. The main objective of this course is to analyze Jewish responses to imperial rule and military conflict during the Hellenistic and early Roman periods (c. 300 B.C.E. - 150 C.E.), but we will also spend time examining the broader picture of how local, ancestral groups fared under foreign rule. Along with discussing pertinent archaeological evidence, we will discuss Jewish literature and documentary material from this period, including, the sectarian documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Book of Judith (a Jewish "novel"), the Books of Daniel and the Maccabees (all of which provide historical information about the Maccabean revolt and rise of the Hasmoneans), and the writings of Josephus (a Jewish writer who witnessed the Roman takeover of Palestine in the first century C.E.). This course will stay within the confines of the ancient evidence and not examine later interpretations when analyzing each historical period; it will begin with Ptolemaic control of the region and conclude with the Bar Kokhba revolt, its aftermath, and the resilience of Jewish populations in northern Palestine. Topics that will be examined in depth are messianism and apocalypticism, the Jerusalem Temple, Jewish ancestral traditions (which include "biblical" literature), and theoretical models used by scholars to analyze power relationships in antiquity.

Greek religion from the Bronze Age to Hellenistic times. Sources include literature, art, and archaeology. Homer and Olympian deities, ritual performance, prayer/sacrifice, temple architecture, death and the afterlife, mystery cults, philosophical religion. Near Eastern salvation religions.

Greek religion from Bronze Age to Hellenistic times. Literature, art, archaeology. Homer/Olympian deities. Ritual performance, prayer, sacrifice. Temple architecture. Death/afterlife. Mystery cults. Philosophical religion. Near Eastern salvation religions. Meets with 3071.

Early Jesus movement in cultural/historical setting. Origins in Judaism. Traditions about Jesus. Apostle Paul, controversies/interpreters. Authority, religious practice, structure. Emergence of canon. Contemporary methods of New Testament study. Biblical writings as history/narrative. CNES 3072/CNES 5072/RELS 3072/RELS 5072 meet together.

Early Jesus movement in cultural/historical setting. Origins in Judaism. Traditions about Jesus. Apostle Paul, controversies/interpreters. Authority, religious practice, structure. Emergence of canon. Contemporary methods of New Testament study. Biblical writings as history/narrative. CNES 3072/CNES 5072/RELS 3072/RELS 5072 meet together.

The Roman Empire. "Silver Age" of Latin literature, rise of Christianity. Art/architecture.

This course will provide students with foundational knowledge in the art, architecture, and archaeology of Egypt, East Africa, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Iran and Central Asia from the Neolithic through Late Antiquity (ca. 7,000 B.C.E. - 650 C.E.). Students will gain an understanding of the relationship between the visual material and the social, intellectual, political, and religious contexts in which it developed and functioned. In this regard, students will also gain an understanding of the evolution of, and exchanges and differences among, the visual cultures of these time periods and regions. It will also expose them to the preconditions for contemporary geopolitics in the region.

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

Beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to death and the afterlife found in the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Literature, funerary art/epitaphs. Archaeological evidence for burial practices and care of dead.

Evidence for Ancient Greek and Roman ideas about sexuality and gender roles. The methodologies by which it is analyzed. Norms of writing about ancient culture, gender, and sexuality.

Introduction to Coptic grammar and vocabulary, chiefly in the Sahidic dialect.

Reading in Greek texts/authors. Texts/authors vary. prereq: [GRK 3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Greek. Must contact Classical and Near Eastern Studies department for permission to register.

The primary material for this course will be a selection of readings from three or more different Greek prose authors connected by genre (e.g. historical writing, philosophy, oratory, novel), theme (e.g. medicine, Athenian politics of the 5 th /4 th centuries, religious innovation), period (e.g. classical period, Second Sophistic), or the like. Primary readings and critical approach will vary from year to year, making the course repeatable. Some modern secondary reading will be assigned to provide a basis for discussion and a model for student written work. prereq: [GRK 3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Greek. Contact the Classical & Near Eastern Religions & Cultures Department (CNRC) with any questions.

The primary material for this course will be a selection of readings from three or more different Latin poets connected by genre (e.g. epic, dramatic, lyric), theme (e.g. heroism and the hero, the body, the good life), period (e.g. Augustan, late Antique), or the like. Primary readings and critical approach will vary from year to year, making the course repeatable. Some modern secondary reading will be assigned to provide a basis for discussion and a model for student written work. prereq: [3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Latin. Contact the Classical & Near Eastern Religions & Cultures Department with any questions.

The primary material for this course will be a selection of readings from three or more different Latin prose authors connected by genre (e.g. historical writing, philosophy, religious texts), theme (e.g. Epicureanism and Stoicism, Christian apologetics, grammarians), period (e.g. Republican, Late Imperial), or the like. Primary readings and critical approach will vary from year to year, making the course repeatable. Some modern secondary reading will be assigned to provide a basis for discussion and a model for student written work. prereq: [LAT 3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Latin. Contact the Classical & Near Eastern Religions & Cultures department (CNRC) with any questions.

The Roman Empire. "Silver Age" of Latin literature, rise of Christianity. Art/architecture.

This course will provide students with foundational knowledge in the art, architecture, and archaeology of Egypt, East Africa, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Iran and Central Asia from the Neolithic through Late Antiquity (ca. 7,000 B.C.E. - 650 C.E.). Students will gain an understanding of the relationship between the visual material and the social, intellectual, political, and religious contexts in which it developed and functioned. In this regard, students will also gain an understanding of the evolution of, and exchanges and differences among, the visual cultures of these time periods and regions. It will also expose them to the preconditions for contemporary geopolitics in the region.

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

Beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to death and the afterlife found in the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Literature, funerary art/epitaphs. Archaeological evidence for burial practices and care of dead.

Evidence for Ancient Greek and Roman ideas about sexuality and gender roles. The methodologies by which it is analyzed. Norms of writing about ancient culture, gender, and sexuality.

Reading in Greek texts/authors. Texts/authors vary. prereq: [GRK 3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Greek. Must contact Classical and Near Eastern Studies department for permission to register.

The primary material for this course will be a selection of readings from three or more different Greek prose authors connected by genre (e.g. historical writing, philosophy, oratory, novel), theme (e.g. medicine, Athenian politics of the 5 th /4 th centuries, religious innovation), period (e.g. classical period, Second Sophistic), or the like. Primary readings and critical approach will vary from year to year, making the course repeatable. Some modern secondary reading will be assigned to provide a basis for discussion and a model for student written work. prereq: [GRK 3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Greek. Contact the Classical & Near Eastern Religions & Cultures Department (CNRC) with any questions.

Readings in late-/post-biblical Hebrew literature of Persian, Hellenistic, and early Roman periods (e.g., Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, Ecclesiastes, Daniel, Dead Sea Scrolls, apocrypha, pseudepigrapha). Focuses on historical development of Hebrew language and literature in relation to earlier biblical sources. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

The primary material for this course will be a selection of readings from three or more different Latin poets connected by genre (e.g. epic, dramatic, lyric), theme (e.g. heroism and the hero, the body, the good life), period (e.g. Augustan, late Antique), or the like. Primary readings and critical approach will vary from year to year, making the course repeatable. Some modern secondary reading will be assigned to provide a basis for discussion and a model for student written work. prereq: [3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Latin. Contact the Classical & Near Eastern Religions & Cultures Department with any questions.

The primary material for this course will be a selection of readings from three or more different Latin prose authors connected by genre (e.g. historical writing, philosophy, religious texts), theme (e.g. Epicureanism and Stoicism, Christian apologetics, grammarians), period (e.g. Republican, Late Imperial), or the like. Primary readings and critical approach will vary from year to year, making the course repeatable. Some modern secondary reading will be assigned to provide a basis for discussion and a model for student written work. prereq: [LAT 3004 or equiv], at least two yrs of college level Latin. Contact the Classical & Near Eastern Religions & Cultures department (CNRC) with any questions.

This course traces the development of Judaism and Jewish civilizations from their beginnings to the present. With over three millennia as its subject, the course must of necessity be a general survey. Together we will explore the mythic structures, significant documents, historical experiences, narratives, practices, beliefs, and worldviews of the Jewish people. The course begins by examining the roots of Judaism in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel but quickly focuses on the creative forces that developed within Judaism as a national narrative confronted the forces of history, especially in the forms of the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Rabbinic Judaism becomes the most dominant creative force and will receive our greatest attention, both in its formative years and as it encounters the rise of Christianity and Islam. After studying the Jewish experience in the medieval world, we will turn to Judaism?s encounter with the enlightenment and modernity. The historical survey concludes by attending to the transformations within Judaism and Jewish life of the last 150 years, including a confrontation with the experience of the Holocaust. Woven throughout this historical survey will be repeated engagements with core questions: ?Who is a Jew?? ?What do Jews believe?? ?What do Jews do?? ?What do we mean by ?religion??? ?How do Jews read texts within their tradition?? And perhaps most importantly, ?How many answers are there to a Jewish question?? Students in this course can expect to come away with some knowledge of the Bible in Judaism, rabbinic literature and law, Jewish mysticism and philosophy, Jewish nationalism and Zionism, Jewish culture, ritual, and worship in the synagogue, the home, and the community, and Jewish celebrations of life cycle events and the festivals.

How did the Jews of the first seven centuries of the common era read and understand the Hebrew Bible? What were the problems they faced -- interpretive, historical, theological -- in trying to apply their holy scriptures? This course explores key issues that led to the development of a new form of Judaism in late antiquity, rabbinic Judaism, and its methods of scriptural interpretation. The course's study will focus on the forms and practices of rabbinic scriptural interpretation (midrash) as it developed in Roman Palestine and Sasanian Babylonia, focusing on key narrative and legal passages in the Five Books of Moses (Torah). A main focus of the course will be on the ways the rabbis adapted the Hebrew Bible to express their own core concerns.

How did the Jews of the first seven centuries of the common era read and understand the Hebrew Bible? What were the problems they faced -- interpretive, historical, theological -- in trying to apply their holy scriptures? This course explores key issues that led to the development of a new form of Judaism in late antiquity, rabbinic Judaism, and its methods of scriptural interpretation. The course?s study will focus on the forms and practices of rabbinic scriptural interpretation (midrash) as it developed in Roman Palestine and Sasanian Babylonia, focusing on key narrative and legal passages in the Five Books of Moses (Torah). A main focus of the course will be on the ways the rabbis adapted the Hebrew Bible to express their own core concerns.

Introduction to Dead Sea Scrolls and Qumran. Contents of Dead Sea Scrolls, significance for development of Bible. Background of Judaism and Christianity. Archaeological site of Qumran. The course will focus on the material in translation and academic scholarship on the literature and archaeological site. Open to graduate students across the college; knowledge of classical Hebrew will not be required. The course is open to upper level undergraduate students with permission of the instructor.

Development of large-scale public entertainments in ancient Mediterranean world, from athletic contests of Olympia and dramatic festivals of Athens to chariot races and gladiatorial games of Roman Empire. Wider significance of these spectacles in their impact on political, social, and economic life of the societies that supported them.

Early Jesus movement in cultural/historical setting. Origins in Judaism. Traditions about Jesus. Apostle Paul, controversies/interpreters. Authority, religious practice, structure. Emergence of canon. Contemporary methods of New Testament study. Biblical writings as history/narrative. CNES 3072/CNES 5072/RELS 3072/RELS 5072 meet together.

Achievements of Alexander the Great, their effect on Greek-speaking world. Greek colonization of Egypt. Hellenistic art, literature, philosophy.

The Roman Empire. "Silver Age" of Latin literature, rise of Christianity. Art/architecture.

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

Israel and Judah were not states of great importance in the ancient Near East. Their population and territory were small, and they could not resist conquest by larger, more powerful states like Assyria and Rome. Yet their ancient history matters greatly today, out of proportion to its insignificance during the periods in which it transpired. The historical experiences of the people of Israel and Judah were accorded religious meaning and literary articulation in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), which became a foundational text for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Essential features of Western as well as Islamic civilization are predicated on some element of Israel?s ancient past, as mediated through the Bible; therefore it behooves us to understand that past. But the Bible is a religious work, not a transcript of events, and the history of ancient Israel is not derived merely from reading the biblical accounts of it. Archaeological excavations have revealed the physical remains of the cultures of Israel and neighboring lands, as well as bringing to light inscriptions, documents, and literary works produced by those cultures. These sources, which complement and sometimes contradict the accounts conveyed in the Bible, provide the basis for reconstructing a comprehensive history of ancient Israel. This course covers the history of Israel and Judah from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 BCE), by the end of which Israel had emerged as a distinct ethnic entity, to the period of Roman rule (63 BCE-330 CE), which saw the final extinction of ancient Israel, represented by the kingdom of Judea, as a political entity. Knowledge of this history is based on archaeological, epigraphic, and literary sources, including the Hebrew Bible. N.B.: Students should be aware that the study of history, like all the human and natural sciences, is predicated on inquiry, not a priori judgments. Accordingly, the Bible is not privileged as an intrinsically true or authoritative record. No text is presumed inerrant, and all sources are subject to scrutiny, in the context of scholarly discourse. Biblical texts are treated just like all other texts, as the products of human beings embedded in a historical context, and as the subject of analysis and interpretation. Persons of all faiths and of no faith are equally welcome to participate in such scholarly discourse. However, students who feel that their own religious beliefs require an understanding of the Bible that is antithetical to the foregoing statements are cautioned that they may find themselves uncomfortable with this course.

Beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to death and the afterlife found in the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Literature, funerary art/epitaphs. Archaeological evidence for burial practices and care of dead.

Evidence for Ancient Greek and Roman ideas about sexuality and gender roles. The methodologies by which it is analyzed. Norms of writing about ancient culture, gender, and sexuality.