CLAS0420A-S14
Seminar in Classical Lit
The Humanism of Herodotus
Senior Seminar: The Humanism of Herodotus
Herodotus (485-424 BC), “the Father of History,” is also regarded as the first sociologist and ethnographer. The plan and argument of his work, however, including its many fantastic stories, disclose a philosophic intention that resists easy categorization. Herodotus’ subject is the “Greek miracle”: how the tiny and fractious cities of Greece took concerted action against the overwhelming might of the Persian kings who invaded Greece in 490 and 479 BC. This unlikely triumph of political freedom and limited government over despotic empire is told against the background of the Afro-Asiatic origins of Greek civilization, which Herodotus uncovers in wide-ranging investigations of the customs and religions of Greece, Lydia, Media, Persia, Egypt, Libya, and Scythia. In this course we will pursue a close reading of Herodotus in translation; the seminar is open to all students with some previous background in Greek and/or Roman literature.
Herodotus (485-424 BC), “the Father of History,” is also regarded as the first sociologist and ethnographer. The plan and argument of his work, however, including its many fantastic stories, disclose a philosophic intention that resists easy categorization. Herodotus’ subject is the “Greek miracle”: how the tiny and fractious cities of Greece took concerted action against the overwhelming might of the Persian kings who invaded Greece in 490 and 479 BC. This unlikely triumph of political freedom and limited government over despotic empire is told against the background of the Afro-Asiatic origins of Greek civilization, which Herodotus uncovers in wide-ranging investigations of the customs and religions of Greece, Lydia, Media, Persia, Egypt, Libya, and Scythia. In this course we will pursue a close reading of Herodotus in translation; the seminar is open to all students with some previous background in Greek and/or Roman literature.
- Term:
- Spring 2014
- Location:
- Twilight Hall 206(AXT 206)
- Schedule:
- 3:00pm-4:15pm on Tuesday, Thursday (Feb 10, 2014 to May 12, 2014)
- Type:
- Seminar
- Instructors:
- Marc Witkin
- Subject:
- Classics
- Department:
- Classics
- Division:
- Humanities
- Requirements Fulfilled:
- EUR LIT PHL
- Levels:
- Undergraduate
- Cross-Listed As:
- CLAS0420B-S14 *
- Availability:
- View availability, prerequisites, and other requirements.
- Course Reference Number (CRN):
- 20466
- Subject Code:
- CLAS
- Course Number:
- 0420
- Section Identifier:
- A