Myth, Art and Empire: Greece and Rome (ANCW10002)

This subject will introduce students to ancient Greek and Roman culture. Through a study of ancient literary texts, art, and society, students will explore the mythic origins, heroic archetypes, gods and goddesses, monuments and societies of the Greeks and Romans. The subject will focus on the apex of classical Greek development in the fifth century BC, and the end of the Roman Republic and beginning of the early Imperial period in the first centuries BCE and CE. The subject will cover topics such as the Homeric poems, Greek and Roman mythology, ancient theatre, literary and artistic culture, social roles, militarism and imperialism, and the fate of marginalised groups, such as women, slaves, freedmen, prostitutes, gladiators and stage performers. The subject will also consider the ways in which modern Western culture has inherited and appropriated aspects of ancient civilisation, claiming it as a model in fields ranging from epic film and architectural design to political structure and imperial aspiration.

Each week, students will watch approximately one hour of online lectures in their own time before attending a two-hour interactive and multidisciplinary seminar. These seminars will engage with ancient texts, modern film, and objects from The University of Melbourne Classics and Archaeology Collection as we explore the Greek and Roman worlds from perspectives including archaeology, classics, ancient world studies, art and architectural history, and literary theory.