(No description) prereq: Max 18 cr per semester or summer; 24 cr required

Ideas of divine revelation. Impact upon religion/literature. How history of Bible's creation, transmission, interpretation helps us think critically about role of revelation in history of religious traditions. prereq: Grad student

Theoretical/methodological issues in academic study of religion. Theories of origin, character, and function of religion as a human phenomenon. Psychological, sociological, anthropological, and phenomenological perspectives. prereq: Sr or grad student or instr consent

Topics vary. Major cultural movement as it developed over several centuries. Draws on evidence in literature, archival records, inscriptions, documentary papyri, and archaeological remains. Artistic media such as wall painting, architectural ornament, funerary sculpture, or manuscript illumination. prereq: Grad student in relevant field

Religious beliefs and world views cross-culturally. Religious dimensions of human life through theories of origins, functions, and forms (e.g. myth, ritual, symbolism) of religion in society. prereq: 1003 or 1005 or instr consent

How archaeologists/historians analyze/interpret artifacts to develop knowledge about formation of European society, from earliest evidence of human occupation to Roman Period. Interpreting archaeological evidence from specific sites to understand broad trends in human past.

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.

Ancient Christians, like any other social group in the ancient world, represented themselves through images, stories, and discourses using the cultural tools available to them in their own contexts. In this course, we will explore two key texts of early Christianity (1 Corinthians and the Gospel of Mark) with special attention to how representations of the body and gender served to communicate the nature of what it meant to be Christian for these authors. The study of ancient material offers a space to acquire the skills of critical analysis of body and gender dynamics so that we can better understand the roles that the body and gender play in shaping our self-identity, social interaction, and societal structures.

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. 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.

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.

Intensive study of particular aspects of religious practice in the ancient Mediterranean world, often from a comparative perspective. Focus on scrutiny of primary sources and discussion of contemporary trends in scholarship. Topics specified in the Class Schedule.

This topics course will offer a theoretically sophisticated and in-depth examination of conceptualizations of gender and the body in ancient culture, specifically instantiated in religious writings, activity, and thought. Students will gain a thorough working knowledge of current theoretical discussions of gender and the body, while at the same time exploring the role gender played in narratives, religious practice, and philosophical writings of the ancient world. Opportunities will be available to study various time frames (beginning of the first millennium BCE to 500 CE), specific local cultures (determined by geographical regions), and ethnic/religious groups (Israelites, Jews, Romans, Greeks, Christians, Egyptians, etc.). Students will be heavily involved in the weekly presentation of topics and discussion, and PhD students will be expected to produce research that will be headed toward use in their dissertations or a suitable for future publication. Topics specified in class schedule.

Close reading of selected literary or epigraphical texts of importance for the history of ancient Mediterranean religions, along with critical discussion of trends in recent scholarship. The texts may be read in the original languages (such as Greek, Latin, Hebrew, etc.) but may also be accessed in translation where appropriate.

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.

Reading/discussion of early Christian texts in Greek. prereq: Advanced grad student

In-depth reading, analysis, and discussion of classical Hebrew texts. Grammar, syntax. Introduction to text-criticism, history of scholarship, and scholarly tools. Format varies between survey of themes (e.g., law, wisdom, poetry) and extended concentration upon specific classical texts.

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

Survey of major scholarship in field of Roman history since Mommsen. Political, cultural, social, military, and economic history. Focuses on methodological problems posed by evidence. Ways in which these issues shape research. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

Research in medieval European history, using primary source material. prereq: instr consent, good reading knowledge of Latin, French, one other European language

Topics not covered in regular courses.

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 introduces students to the original meaning and significance of religious law and ethics within Judaism. Law is the single most important part of Jewish history and identity. At the same time, law is also the least understood part of Judaism and has often been the source of criticism and hatred. We shall therefore confront one of the most important parts of Jewish civilization and seek to understand it on its own terms. In demonstrating how law becomes a fundamental religious and ethical ideal, the course will focus on the biblical and Rabbinic periods but spans the entire history of Judaism. Consistent with the First Amendment, the approach taken is secular. There are no prerequisites: the course is open to all qualified students. The course begins with ideas of law in ancient Babylon and then studies the ongoing history of those ideas. The biblical idea that a covenant binds Israel to God, along with its implications for human worth - including the view of woman as person - will be examined. Comparative cultural issues include the reinterpretations of covenant within Christianity and Islam. The course investigates the rabbinic concept of oral law, the use of law to maintain the civil and religious stability of the Jewish people, and the kabbalistic transformation of law. The course concludes with contemporary Jewish thinkers who return to the Bible while seeking to establish a modern system of universal ethics. The premise of the course is the discipline of academic religious studies. The assumptions of the course are therefore academic and secular, as required by the First Amendment. All texts and all religious traditions will be examined analytically and critically. Students are expected to understand and master this approach, which includes questioning conventional cultural assumptions about the composition and authorship of the Bible. Willingness to ask such questions and openness to new ways of thinking are essential to success in the course.

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.

Ancient Christians, like any other social group in the ancient world, represented themselves through images, stories, and discourses using the cultural tools available to them in their own contexts. In this course, we will explore two key texts of early Christianity (1 Corinthians and the Gospel of Mark) with special attention to how representations of the body and gender served to communicate the nature of what it meant to be Christian for these authors. The study of ancient material offers a space to acquire the skills of critical analysis of body and gender dynamics so that we can better understand the roles that the body and gender play in shaping our self-identity, social interaction, and societal structures.

Religious beliefs and world views cross-culturally. Religious dimensions of human life through theories of origins, functions, and forms (e.g. myth, ritual, symbolism) of religion in society. prereq: 1003 or 1005 or instr consent

How archaeologists/historians analyze/interpret artifacts to develop knowledge about formation of European society, from earliest evidence of human occupation to Roman Period. Interpreting archaeological evidence from specific sites to understand broad trends in human past.

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.

Ancient Christians, like any other social group in the ancient world, represented themselves through images, stories, and discourses using the cultural tools available to them in their own contexts. In this course, we will explore two key texts of early Christianity (1 Corinthians and the Gospel of Mark) with special attention to how representations of the body and gender served to communicate the nature of what it meant to be Christian for these authors. The study of ancient material offers a space to acquire the skills of critical analysis of body and gender dynamics so that we can better understand the roles that the body and gender play in shaping our self-identity, social interaction, and societal structures.

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. 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.

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.

Intensive study of particular aspects of religious practice in the ancient Mediterranean world, often from a comparative perspective. Focus on scrutiny of primary sources and discussion of contemporary trends in scholarship. Topics specified in the Class Schedule.

This topics course will offer a theoretically sophisticated and in-depth examination of conceptualizations of gender and the body in ancient culture, specifically instantiated in religious writings, activity, and thought. Students will gain a thorough working knowledge of current theoretical discussions of gender and the body, while at the same time exploring the role gender played in narratives, religious practice, and philosophical writings of the ancient world. Opportunities will be available to study various time frames (beginning of the first millennium BCE to 500 CE), specific local cultures (determined by geographical regions), and ethnic/religious groups (Israelites, Jews, Romans, Greeks, Christians, Egyptians, etc.). Students will be heavily involved in the weekly presentation of topics and discussion, and PhD students will be expected to produce research that will be headed toward use in their dissertations or a suitable for future publication. Topics specified in class schedule.

Close reading of selected literary or epigraphical texts of importance for the history of ancient Mediterranean religions, along with critical discussion of trends in recent scholarship. The texts may be read in the original languages (such as Greek, Latin, Hebrew, etc.) but may also be accessed in translation where appropriate.

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.

Reading/discussion of early Christian texts in Greek. prereq: Advanced grad student

In-depth reading, analysis, and discussion of classical Hebrew texts. Grammar, syntax. Introduction to text-criticism, history of scholarship, and scholarly tools. Format varies between survey of themes (e.g., law, wisdom, poetry) and extended concentration upon specific classical texts.

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

Survey of major scholarship in field of Roman history since Mommsen. Political, cultural, social, military, and economic history. Focuses on methodological problems posed by evidence. Ways in which these issues shape research. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

Research in medieval European history, using primary source material. prereq: instr consent, good reading knowledge of Latin, French, one other European language

Topics not covered in regular courses.

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 introduces students to the original meaning and significance of religious law and ethics within Judaism. Law is the single most important part of Jewish history and identity. At the same time, law is also the least understood part of Judaism and has often been the source of criticism and hatred. We shall therefore confront one of the most important parts of Jewish civilization and seek to understand it on its own terms. In demonstrating how law becomes a fundamental religious and ethical ideal, the course will focus on the biblical and Rabbinic periods but spans the entire history of Judaism. Consistent with the First Amendment, the approach taken is secular. There are no prerequisites: the course is open to all qualified students. The course begins with ideas of law in ancient Babylon and then studies the ongoing history of those ideas. The biblical idea that a covenant binds Israel to God, along with its implications for human worth - including the view of woman as person - will be examined. Comparative cultural issues include the reinterpretations of covenant within Christianity and Islam. The course investigates the rabbinic concept of oral law, the use of law to maintain the civil and religious stability of the Jewish people, and the kabbalistic transformation of law. The course concludes with contemporary Jewish thinkers who return to the Bible while seeking to establish a modern system of universal ethics. The premise of the course is the discipline of academic religious studies. The assumptions of the course are therefore academic and secular, as required by the First Amendment. All texts and all religious traditions will be examined analytically and critically. Students are expected to understand and master this approach, which includes questioning conventional cultural assumptions about the composition and authorship of the Bible. Willingness to ask such questions and openness to new ways of thinking are essential to success in the course.

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.

Ancient Christians, like any other social group in the ancient world, represented themselves through images, stories, and discourses using the cultural tools available to them in their own contexts. In this course, we will explore two key texts of early Christianity (1 Corinthians and the Gospel of Mark) with special attention to how representations of the body and gender served to communicate the nature of what it meant to be Christian for these authors. The study of ancient material offers a space to acquire the skills of critical analysis of body and gender dynamics so that we can better understand the roles that the body and gender play in shaping our self-identity, social interaction, and societal structures.

Historical/comparative grammar of Greek and Latin from their Proto-Indo-European origins to classical norms.

Guided individual reading or study. Prereq Grad student or instr consent.

Supervised original research on topic chosen by student. Prereq Grad student or instr consent.

Supervised teaching internship. Prereq Grad student or instr consent.

Reading and discussion of ancient Greek prose texts. prereq: Advanced grad student

Students attend 3xxx Greek courses. Supplementary work at discretion of instructor. prereq: 3111 or dept consent; not for students in dept of Classical and Near East Studies

Reading/discussion of ancient Greek poetic texts. prereq: Advanced grad student

Extensive selections from all genres of Greek literature of archaic and early classical periods.

Extensive selections from Greek authors of the classical and Hellenistic eras.

Reading/discussion of literary or documentary texts from Greek antiquity. Topics may include subjects that draw on various of sources, genres, or methods. prereq: Advanced grad student

Reading/discussion of early Christian texts in Greek. prereq: Advanced grad student

Various topics in Greek literature examined in depth with emphasis on current scholarship and original student research.

Practical/theoretical introduction to Latin epigraphy (study/interpretation of inscriptions). Readings/discussion of epigraphic texts. Their value as historical documents, as evidence for development of Latin language, and as literary texts. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

Guided individual reading or study. prereq: instr consent, dept consent

Guided research on original topic chosen by student. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

Supervised teaching internship. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

Reading/discussion of Latin prose texts.

Students attend 3xxx Latin courses. Supplementary work at discretion of instructor. prereq: 3111 or dept consent; not for students in dept of Classical and Nr East Studies

Reading/discussion of Latin poetic texts. prereq: Advanced grad student

Extensive readings in variety of works from republican and early Augustan period.

Variety of works from Augustan and imperial periods.

Latin literature of 3rd to 6th centuries A.D., including Ammianus and Augustine. prereq: instr consent, dept consent

Reading/discussion of literary or documentary texts from Roman antiquity. Topics may include subjects that draw on various sources, genres, or methods. prereq: Advanced grad student

Topics in Latin literature examined in depth. Emphasizes current scholarship, original student research.

Moving step by step through Ancient Greek grammar, starting with simple sentences and progressing to complex ones. Course ends with students translating short passages of modern English prose into Greek. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

Latin grammar, syntax, diction, and prose style. Graduated exercises in prose composition. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

How archaeologists/historians analyze/interpret artifacts to develop knowledge about formation of European society, from earliest evidence of human occupation to Roman Period. Interpreting archaeological evidence from specific sites to understand broad trends in human past.

The course examines material culture as a social creation, studied from multiple theoretical and methodological perspectives (e.g., social anthropology, archaeology, primatology, history of science). The course examines the changing role of material culture from prehistory to the future.

The course offers practical lab experience in analyzing archaeological collections of stone tools to learn about human behavior in the past. Students gain experience needed to get a job in the cultural resource management industry.

Fossil evidence paleoanthropologists use to reconstruct human evolutionary history. Taxonomy, phylogeny, behavior, ecology, tool use, land use, and biogeography. Examination of fossil casts, readings from primary/secondary professional sources. prereq: 1001 or instr consent

How archaeologists reconstruct the past through the study of animal bones associated with artifacts at archaeological sites. Skeletal element (e.g., humerus, femur, tibia), and taxon (e.g., horse, antelope, sheep, bison, hyena) when confronted with bone. Comparative collection of bones from known taxa.

Contexts of cultural heritage applicable to federal/state protection. Approaches to planning/management. Issues of heritage/stakeholder conflict.

Topics specified in Class Schedule.

Theoretical foundations of anthropological archaeology in historical and contemporary perspective. prereq: 8001, 8002

Consider major hypotheses regarding evolution of human behavior. Evidence/arguments used to support or reject hypotheses. Consider link between bone biology/behavior. Archaeological record for more holistic understanding of evidence.

Training seminar on research development, coordination, grant management, field/laboratory research management, fundraising. prereq: Anth grad student or instr consent

To Interpret Ancient Bone we must sharpen observational skills, read about observations and analysis by previous workers, and learn to record and analyze complex information. The class combines seminar/discussion formats, in which we read literature about how to best accomplish this type of research, and laboratory time, to give students the opportunity to observe and record modifications to bones that form the basis of archaeological and forensic observations. Students analyze different kinds of tool marks on bone, weathering, carnivore modifications, eco-morphology, ages of death, bone tools, and bones from archaeological sites to infer the "life history" of a bone. We recommend you take the Human Skeleton or Zooarchaeology Laboratory before you take this class, but it is not absolutely required.

Seminar examines particular aspects of archaeological methods and/or theory. Topics vary according to student and faculty interests.

This course explores the center of Baroque culture --Rome-- as a city of spectacle and pageantry. The urban development of the city, as well as major works in painting, sculpture, and architecture, are considered within their political and religious context, with special emphasis on the ecclesiastical and private patrons who transformed the Eternal City into one of the world's great capitals.

What happens when two cultures meet? How do different cultures shape and influence each other? In this course we'll examine how the diverse cultures of the Ancient Eurasian world became entangled with one another through the material remains they left behind. We'll use a variety of tools and techniques to analyze and interpret material objects, spaces and art? from the Egyptians and Sassanians, to the Romans and Qin and Han dynasties. Uncover a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of how these ancient cultures changed their ideologies, iconographies, and modes of representation through trade networks, political alliances, and colonial enterprise.

Topics specified in Class Schedule.

Selected topics, with special attention to current scholarly disputes. Topics specified in Class Schedule. prereq: instr consent

Focus on a major art historical theme, artist, period, or genre.

Focus depends on current research interests of the professor and needs and interests of graduate students in Islamic and Asian art history. prereq: instr consent

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.

Survey of major scholarship in field of Roman history since Mommsen. Political, cultural, social, military, and economic history. Focuses on methodological problems posed by evidence. Ways in which these issues shape research. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

Modernity in non-Western imperial context. Identity, ideology, economy, environment, language. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

Development of historical studies over time (especially in 19th and 20th centuries). Methodologies currently shaping historical research. Theoretical developments within the discipline during 19th and 20th centuries. prereq: instr consent