Classics 488: Greeks, Romans, and the Natural Environment

Examine ways in which the ancient Greeks and Romans interacted with their Mediterranean environments and the various conceptions of the natural world that they developed in poetry, prose, and visual art. Explore a number of general topics that will underpin the course as a whole: the characteristics of the Mediterranean environment, the effect of nature on humankind, and the impact of humankind on nature. Study aspects of Greek and Roman engagements with nature, such as agriculture, hunting, sacrifice, the contested relationship between the natural and the civilized, and representations of human beings using terms drawn from the natural world (“bears” of Artemis, cannibalistic “wolves”). Consider how these aspects of the ancient world relate to modern treatments of such themes. (NB: Undergraduates and non-CANES graduates will read all Greek and Latin texts in English translation. CANES graduates will read some texts in the original Greek or Latin.)