Courses

CLAS 2020 | ROMAN CIVILIZATION/ANCIENT ROME

Ms. Myers <ksm8m>

DAY & TIME
TR 1100-1150 +FRIDAY DISCUSSIONS

This course satisfies Humanities and/or Historical Studies requirements.

DESCRIPTION

This course serves as a general introduction to the history, literature, social life, institutions, and ideology of ancient Rome, from its origins to the 2nd century AD.  We will look especially at the ways in which the Romans constructed a collective cultural identity for themselves, with attention paid also to groups marginal to or excluded from that identity (enslaved people, women, Greeks and other foreigners).  Readings will focus on ancient texts and sources, including the comedies of Plautus, historical writing by Sallust, Vergil’s epic poem The Aeneid, the love poetry of Ovid, letters by Seneca and Pliny, and Petronius’s raucous novel Satyrica.  Requirements include a midterm and final exam and several short papers.

CLAS 2040 | GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Ms. Petrovic (ip3k)

DAY & TIME
MW 1400-1450 +Discussions

DESCRIPTION

Why was Achilles so angry? How did Medea handle her husband’s request for divorce? What trick did Aphrodite use to win a beauty contest? What is the real story behind Nolan’s Odyssey? In this course, we’ll dive into the wild and wonderful world of Greek and Roman mythology, exploring epic, tragic, comic and sometimes downright silly tales of gods, heroes, and mortals. Along the way, we’ll see how these myths were told in antiquity, reimagined in art, and reshaped through the centuries up to today. From Chaos at the beginning of the universe to the Netflix series Kaos, Percy Jackson, The Song of Achilles, and Circe, we’ll trace the timeless stories that continue to fascinate and delight us. 

Quizzes, short writing and creative assignments, midterm, final examination.

CLAS 2150 | THE ANCIENT ROOTS OF MODERN ATHEISM (ENWR 2510)

Ms. Kuin <ik6mg>

DAY & TIME
MW 1400-1515

DESCRIPTION

How do people come to doubt their religious beliefs? In what ways can doubt be part of religiosity, and when does it cause people to leave religion behind? These questions were as relevant in ancient Greece and Rome as they are today. Already in the sixth century BCE critics of the myths of Homer and early natural philosophers subjected the religious beliefs of their contemporaries to rigorous scrutiny. This course engages with the ideas of ancient Greek and Roman doubters, disbelievers, and atheists, and traces their strong influence from the Renaissance up to the present day. We will investigate the intellectual history of ancient criticisms of religion, and how ancient thinkers shaped modern atheism and secularity. We will read ancient authors like Plato, Aristophanes, Epicurus, Cicero, and Lucian, and post-classical authors ranging from Desiderius Erasmus to Richard Dawkins and Ali Rizvi. All texts will be read in English translation.

CLAS 3220 | RACE AND ETHNICITY IN ANCIENT GREECE & ROME

Ms. Kuin <ik6mg>

DAY & TIME
MW 1530-1645

DESCRIPTION

What does it mean to say that Cleopatra was black, or not? Ancient history comes up often in modern debates about race. We will investigate how people understood racial and ethnic differences in the ancient Greco-Roman Mediterranean, and how interpretations of antiquity historically have shaped modern concepts of race. We will study relevant art and literature from the 8th century BCE through the 3rd century CE, and modern responses to both..

CLAS 3300 | INTRODUCTION TO INDO-EUROPEAN LINGUISTICS

Mr. George <chg4n>

DAY & TIME
MWF 1400-1450

DESCRIPTION

Languages as superficially different as English, Greek, Latin, and Sanskrit in fact all developed from a single “proto-language,” called Proto-Indo-European. This course will explore the following questions: What was this proto-language like? How do we know what it was like? By what processes did it develop into the various daughter languages? How can we trace words as diverse as wit, idea, video, and Veda back to a common source? Familiarity with Greek or Latin is recommended but not required.

CLAS 3559 | HOMER AND THE DISCOVERY OF TROY

Ms. Arthur-Montagne <hvk9ks>

DAY & TIME
TR 1400-1515

DESCRIPTION

"Homer and the Discover of Troy” investigates the cultural legacy of Troy through two lenses: the Iliad of Homer and the archaeological excavations of Heinrich Schliemann (c.1870s). We will alternate weekly between evaluating Homeric epic as a primary source for understanding Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Archaic Greece, and critiquing Schliemann’s reconstruction of the Trojan War through Homeric texts and archaeological artifacts. Advanced students will have the opportunity to learn not only about the history and culture of the early Greek world, but also the “rediscovery” of ancient Greece in modern Europe.

CLAS 3559 | HELEN OF TROY: FROM HOMER TO CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

Mr. Celotto <gc4fw>

DAY & TIME
MW 1530-1645

DESCRIPTION

Helen of Troy is a fascinating character that enables ancient Greek and Roman authors to tackle issues of gender dynamics, as well as to wrestle with questions of cultural identity. In this course we will read all the surviving Greek and Latin texts in which Helen makes a significant appearance, such as the works of Homer, Sappho, Euripides, Gorgias, Vergil, and Ovid, and we will discuss her reception in later literature, visual and performing arts, including Nolan’s 2026 movie The Odyssey.

GREE 1020 | ELEMENTARY GREEK II

Mr. Dillery (jdd4n)

DAY & TIME
TR 1100-1215 +DISCUSSIONS

DESCRIPTION

In this course the students will be introduced to ancient Greek, one of the most fascinating languages of the world, the language of Plato, Aristotle, Sappho, and Homer. What’s not to love?  We will learn the forms of verbs and nouns, the rules of syntax, and equip you with a beginning vocabulary (imagine: after a while you might discover that you are able to write in the style of Plato!). And when you continue with your Greek at the Intermediate and Advanced levels, you will be able to appreciate the brilliance of Homer and the pathos of Euripides as people did 2500 years ago, as well as to gain a much deeper understanding of the New Testament. There will be short readings, exercises in writing Greek, plenty of quizzes, a midterm and a final. It will not always be easy — really good things seldom are — but it will be a lot of fun (if you like coding, philosophy, math, or physics, it won’t be difficult either).

GREE 2020 | INTERMEDIATE GREEK II

Mr. Williams <ddk5ad>

DAY & TIME
MWF 1300-1350

DESCRIPTION

In the fourth semester of Greek, we venture forth beyond Attic prose for the first time. We begin with selections from the Histories of Herodotus, who pioneered historical and ethnographic inquiry in easy-going Ionic Greek. Afterwards, as an introduction to the language of Greek tragedy, we will read (most of) Euripides’ Medea, with its tense portrayal of a woman playing the part of a brilliant yet terrifying hero. Particular attention will be devoted to issues of grammar, syntax, meter, and style. 

GREE 3020 | ADVANCED READING IN GREEK (GREE 5832)

Mr. George <chg4n>

DAY & TIME
MW 1530-1645

DESCRIPTION

In this course we will read selections from the Iliad, as well as thematically related material from other archaic Greek poetry. As we follow the rage of Achilles, we will pay close attention to the language the epic poet uses to tell his story, especially the implications of oral composition for how we understand the epithets and formulae so characteristic of the poem. There will be quizzes, a final, and a paper.

GREE 5559 | COGNITIVE APPROACHES TO GREEK POETRY (SURVEY)

Ms. Arthur-Montagne <hvk9ks>

DAY & TIME
TR 1530-1645

DESCRIPTION

This seminar offers a graduate-level introduction to cognitive approaches to archaic and classical Greek poetry. Primary readings will focus on authors from the Classics reading lists, especially Homer, Pindar, Aeschylus, and Euripides. Close reading of Greek texts in the original will be paired with discussion of current scholarship on materiality, perception, imagination, emotion, and sensation. Students should expect several short writing assignments, translation tests, and a final exam or final paper.

GREE 5559 | THE SOPHISTS AND SOPHISTIC MOVEMENT

Mr. Williams <ddk5ad>

DAY & TIME
MW 1530-1645

DESCRIPTION

The so-called “Sophistic Movement” has long been seen as a defining force in the cultural history of classical Athens. Likewise, the individual thinkers known as the “Sophists” - a group that canonically includes Protagoras, Gorgias, Prodicus, Hippias, and Antiphon - continue to play an important role in the historiography of ancient Greek philosophy. In this course we will study a range of material related to the Sophists and the Sophistic Movement. This will include the body of disparate evidence related to the canonical Sophists as well as anonymous texts such as the Dissoi Logoi and the Anonymus Iamblichi. Along the way, we will interrogate the very concept of the “sophist” and will consider the extent to which our objects of study can be said to amount to a “movement.” An emphasis will be placed on understanding these figures and works in the context of the vibrant intellectual culture of classical Athens. To this end, we will also consider the relationship between the Sophists and other contemporary intellectuals such as Anaxagoras, Socrates, and Euripides. 
. 

LATI 1020 | ELEMENTARY LATIN II

Ms. Mitchell <cxk8rt>

DAY & TIME
TR 1230-1345 + Discussions 

DESCRIPTION

This course is a continuation of Latin 1010. We shall finish covering the basic principles of Latin grammar and syntax through elementary exercises in comprehension and composition. The course also includes frequently illustrated lectures highlighting various aspects of the literature and culture of ancient Rome. We conclude the semester by reading unadapted passages of Latin prose and poetry from Roman antiquity. The course prepares the student to enter Latin 2010.

LATI 2010 | INTERMEDIATE LATIN I

Ms. Kuin <ik6mg>

DAY & TIME

MWF 0900-0950

DESCRIPTION

Readings from Ovid’s poem Metamorphoses, including the stories of Daedalus and Icarus and Apollo and Daphne, and from Nepos’ biography of Hannibal the Carthaginian general. Grammar and vocabulary review as necessary. Students will complete quizzes, exams featuring unseen passages, and short composition assignments.

LATI 2020 | INTERMEDIATE LATIN II

Mr. Celotto (gc4fw)

DAY & TIME

MWF 1100-1150
MWF 0900-0950
MWF 1200-1250

DESCRIPTION

In this course you will continue your study of Latin through the translation of ancient authors in prose and poetry. This class will focus on reading the works of Cicero and Catullus. Students in this course must have completed Intermediate Latin I (2010) with a minimum grade of D-. Successful completion of this course will fulfill the World Languages Requirement for the College of Arts and Sciences. Prerequisite: LATI 2010, or placement via the Classics department's Latin placement exam.

LATI 3030 | CICERO

Ms. Mitchell <cxk8rt>

DAY & TIME
TR 0930-1045

DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to introduce you to Cicero’s CatilinarianOrations. These four speeches, now regarded as some of the most compelling and memorable examples of Roman rhetoric, were originally designed to expose and to stop a plot by Lucius Sergius Catiline and his associates to overthrow the Roman government in 63 BCE. In this course, we will engage in close reading of some of the most famous and significant passages. Particular attention will be devoted to issues of grammar, syntax, style, and rhetoric.

LATI 3100 | VERGIL

Mr. Hays <bgh2n>

DAY & TIME
TR  1100-1215

DESCRIPTION

This course will consist of a close study of Book 3 of Vergil’s Aeneid in Latin. In this book the Trojan refugees make their way by sea from the ruins of their conquered city to the coast of Africa, encountering all manner of monsters, portents, and prodigies along the way. We will read closely, with an alertness to matters of translation, meter, style, structure, literary allusion, and cultural and political context. We will consider Vergil’s Greek and Latin models, as well as his influence on later Latin literature. Students will be expected to translate and scan in class and participate in discussion..

LATI 4559 | LATIN MANUSCRIPTS

Mr. Hays <bgh2n>

DAY & TIME
TR 1400-1515

DESCRIPTION

This course will be an introduction to the study of Latin manuscripts from antiquity through the later Middle Ages. We will look at the physical form of ancient and medieval books and survey the development of Latin script. We will also spend time working with individual manuscripts and fragments, both online and in the Small Special Collections library at UVA.. 

LATI 5559 | STATIUS' THEBAID

Mr. Celotto <gc4fw>

DAY & TIME
MW 1400-1515

DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to introduce you to Statius’ Thebaid. We will read the poem in its entirety and discuss the main questions it raises, such as Statius’ stance on Domitian and the Empire, his engagement with Greco-Roman epic and tragic models, and the influence of different philosophical schools on his worldview.

LATI 5559| OVID, FASTI

Ms. Myers <ksm8m>

DAY & TIME
TR 1400-1515

DESCRIPTION

This advanced course will study Ovid's calendar-poem, Fasti, which presents festivals and star-myths for six months of the year. This work of late Ovid (written both before and after his exile) offers the opportunity to study a literary response to Rome's religious calendar and its imperial remaking in the age of Augustus.

ARTH 2054 | ROMAN ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

Ms. Kreindler (waf5tg)

DAY & TIME
TR 1100-1215

DESCRIPTION

Following an overview of Etruscan art, the course examines the development of Roman architecture, urbanism, sculpture and painting from the Republic to Constantine. A focus is Rome itself, but other archaeological sites, such as Pompeii, in Italy and throughout the empire are also considered. Themes, such as succession, the achievements of the emperor, the political and social role of art, and the dissolution of classical art, are traced.    

HIEU 2041 | ROMAN REPUBLIC AND EMPIRE

Ms. Meyer <eam2n>

DAY & TIME
MW 1100-1150

DESCRIPTION

Surveys the political, social, and institutional growth of the Roman Republic, focusing on its downfall and replacement by an imperial form of government, the subsequent history of that government, and the social and economic life during the Roman Empire, up to its own decline and fall.

HIEU 4511/HIEU 5021 | GREECE IN THE FIFTH CENTURY

Ms. Meyer <eam2n>

DAY & TIME
T 1530-1800

PHIL 3120 | ARISTOTLE

Mr. Frey <upy3ee>

DAY & TIME
TR 1100-1215

DESCRIPTION

An introduction to the philosophy of Aristotle, covering his major works in ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, theory of knowledge, and literary theory.   
 

The Arthur F. Stocker Lectureship

The Arthur F. Stocker Endowment Fund for Classical Lectures was established in 1984 by the colleagues, friends, and former students of Arthur F. Stocker, a longtime member of the Department, in recognition of his contributions to the field of Classics. The Endowment supports an annual lecture by a distinguished visiting scholar on a topic related to Latin literature or culture.

The James S. Constantine Lectureship

The James S. Constantine annual lectureship was established in 1987 by the colleagues, friends, and former students of James S. Constantine, a longtime member of the Department, in recognition of his contributions to the teaching and study of the Classics. Every fall a distinguished visiting scholar delivers a lecture on a topic related to Greek literature or culture.

Margaret Lowe Annual Memorial Undergraduate Lecture

A memorial lecture series endowed by Drs. Sandy and Whitson Lowe honoring the memory of their daughter, Margaret Helen Lowe. Margaret died tragically and unexpectedly at the beginning of her fourth year of study as Greek Major in 2015. Having had enough credits in order to graduate, at the Final Exercises in 2016, Margaret was awarded her BA degree posthumously. This annual talk reminds us and our future Classics students of Margaret’s kind and generous spirit and her love for Classics.

The Classics Graduate Student Colloquium

Each year the graduate students of the Department of Classics sponsor a colloquium, at which graduate students from the University of Virginia and other universities, and a distinguished senior scholar, present papers on a selected theme.

Friday Luncheons

At Friday Luncheons during the academic year, students, faculty of the Classics Department, and other persons with classical interests hear and discuss papers relevant to the Classics. Those interested in attending should contact Inger Kuin (…).

The Virginia Senior Classical League

The Virginia Senior Classical League is a statewide organization of college students who are interested in the ancient world. The VSCL assists the Virginia Junior Classical League at the VJCL Convention each fall. Each year the VSCL also runs two Certamina (academic competitions for high school Latin students) for the VJCL. Students interested in joining should consult the League website at …

The Classics Club at UVA

The purpose of the Classics Club is to promote community both among Classics Majors and other interested undergraduates through the facilitation of educational, social, and service-related activities. For further information send an e-mail to: classicsclub@virginia.edu.

The Archaeological Institute of America

The Archaeological Institute of America is an educational and scientific society of archaeologists and others interested in archaeological study and research. There is a chapter of the AIA in Charlottesville, and those interested in joining should contact Professor Tyler Jo Smith (…). The AIA sponsors a series of lectures, which are free and open to the public.