Classical and Medieval Studies

The material on this page is from the 1996-97 catalog and may be out of date. Please check the current year's catalog for current information.

Professors Cole (History), Thompson (English), and Jones (History) (on leave, fall semester and Short Term); Associate Professors Allison (Religion), Chair, Corrie (Art), Rice-DeFosse (French), Fra-Molinero (Spanish), and O'Higgins (Classics); Mr. Hayward (Classics), Mr. Walker (Classics), and Mr. Bigelow (Classical and Medieval Studies)

The roots of the genius as well as the demon of modern Western civilization extend deeply into the ancient cultures of Greece, Rome, and the medieval world. Understanding of our present, informed speculation concerning the future, and comparative study of other cultures and civilizations is greatly enhanced by a study of the classical and medieval past. The traditional unit of study for these subjects is civilization as a whole, not some specialized and fragmented aspect or perspective. This requires an interdisciplinary approach involving the perspectives of history, literature, philosophy, religion, the arts, and of course Greek and Latin, the original languages of these earlier civilizations.

Major Requirements: Within this interdisciplinary major students may elect to concentrate in either classical studies or medieval studies. The major requires eleven courses (or ten courses and one Short Term unit).

An introductory course, either Classics 100 (Introduction to the Ancient World) or History 102 (Medieval Europe) as appropriate.
Four courses in Latin or four courses in Greek to be taken at Bates or through other authorized college programs.
A one-semester senior thesis, Classical and Medieval Studies 457 or 458. Thesis advisors will be chosen by the Chair of the Program in consultation with the student, according to thesis subject. Students must submit a thesis proposal to the Chair at the end of their junior year.
Five additional courses selected from the following list and drawn from at least two departments. The selection must be made in consultation with and with the approval of the Chair of the Program.
By the winter semester of their senior year, majors must satisfactorily complete a translation in either Greek or Latin. The translation examination will be offered annually. This examination, known as the Comprehensive Exam, tests competency in reading representative Greek or Latin authors. Although at least two years of course work in the relevant language is essential, students should practice for this examination on their own, or in study groups, during the year in which they plan to take it. Competency in reading at least one of the ancient languages is an essential element of the major.

In general, students in classical and medieval studies should put together their classes so as to build toward the senior-year thesis and the expertise that it requires.

Special notes for 1996-1997: 1) Ms. Thompson is teaching in the Bates Fall Semester Abroad Program in Berlin in the fall semester of 1996. 2) Mr. Jones is on sabbatical leave in the fall semester. 3) Mr. Bigelow joins the Classical and Medieval Studies faculty in the winter semester, offering a new course on medieval archeology. Students also have an opportunity to pursue fieldwork in Scotland in the summer of 1997. 4) Mr. Fra-Molinero is offering a new Short Term unit on medieval Spain. 5) Ms. Corrie is offering a new art history seminar on Byzantine art.

The Program in Classical and Medieval Studies maintains a home page on the World Wide Web where curricular changes and special events are posted.

Courses
Appropriate course offerings among the various departments will naturally vary from year to year. Scheduling is determined by individual departments. From time to time a special classical and medieval studies symposium may be offered. Course descriptions are available under the various departmental listings. Courses titled as Classics, Greek, or Latin are listed under the Department of Classical and Romance Languages and Literatures.

121D. From Epic to Romance in Medieval European Literature. From Beowulf's heroic struggle to preserve society from the depredations of monstrous foes, to the French knights who wander endlessly through the forest in search of love, religious perfection, or just plain adventure, representations of society and the individual have been linked to forms of narrative. Students investigate the changing nature of the self between the eighth and fourteenth centuries, as that self is constructed and understood in a variety of texts and generic forms. Examples of epic, romance, chanson de gest and saint's life, drawn from the literatures of England, France, Italy, Germany, and Scandinavia suggest both the diversity and the commonality of European culture(s). Open to first year students. Enrollment is limited to 25 per section. This course is the same as English 121D (not offered in 1996-1997). A. Thompson.

457, 458. Senior Thesis. Students register for Classical and Medieval Studies 457 when completing thesis in the fall semester, and for Classical and Medieval Studies 458 when completing thesis in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Classical and Medieval Studies 457 and 458.

Anthropology 225. Gods, Heroes, Magic, and Mysteries: Religion in Ancient Greece. Same as Religion 225.

Art 225. Iconography: Meaning in the Visual Arts from Late Antiquity to the Renaissance.
Art 231. Greek and Roman Art and Architecture
Art 232. Pyramid and Ziggurat.
Art 241. The Art of Islam.
Art 251. Age of the Cathedrals.
Art 252. Art of the Middle Ages.
Art 265. Early Renaissance.
Art 376. Seminar in Medieval and Renaissance Art.
Art s27. From Antiquity to Renaissance in Florence and Rome.

Classics 100. Introduction to the Ancient World. Same as History 100.
Classics 200. Ancient Comedy and Satire.
Classics 201. Women in Antiquity.
Classics 202. Greek Tragedy.
Classics 301. Explorations in Greek Prose. Same as Greek 301.
Classics 302. Advanced Studies in Homer. Same as Greek 302.
Classics 305. Africa and the Classics.
Classics 360. Independent Study.
Classics 365. Special Topics.
Classics s21. Readings in Latin Epic.
Classics s50. Individual Research.

English 171. European Literature: European Tradition from Homer to Cervantes.
English 201. Old-English Literature.
English 205. Middle-English Literature.
English 206. Chaucer.
English s32. Performing Medieval Plays.
English s33. Editing Medieval Manuscripts.

Greek 101. Elementary Ancient Greek (1).
Greek 102. Elementary Ancient Greek (2).
Greek 201. Intermediate Ancient Greek (1).
Greek 202. Intermediate Ancient Greek (2).
Greek 301. Explorations in Greek Prose. Same as Classics 301.
Greek 302. Advanced Studies in Homer. Same as Classics 302.
Greek 360. Independent Study.
Greek 365. Special Topics.
Greek s20. Readings in the Odyssey of Homer.
Greek s50. Individual Research.

History 102. Medieval Europe.
History 201. Greek Civilization.
History 202. Herodotus and Thucydides: Storytelling and Analytical Intelligence.
History 207. The Roman World and Roman Britain.
History 390D. Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
History 390I. Anglo-Saxon England.

Latin 101. Elementary Latin (1).
Latin 102. Elementary Latin (2).
Latin 201. Intermediate Latin (1).
Latin 202. Intermediate Latin (2).
Latin 360. Independent Study.
Latin 365. Special Topics.
Latin s21. Readings in Latin Epic.
Latin s50. Individual Research.

Medieval Studies 360. Independent Study.
Medieval Studies 365. Special Topics.
Medieval Studies s50. Individual Research.

Music 241. Music Literature of the Medieval and Renaissance Periods.

Philosophy 271. Greek Philosophy.

Religion 222. Myths and Their Meaning.
Religion 225. Gods, Heroes, Magic, and Mysteries: Religion in Ancient Greece. Same as Anthropology 225.
Religion 235. Ancient Israel: History, Religion, and Literature.
Religion 236. Introduction to the New Testament.
Religion 238. Early Jewish History and Thought.
Religion 241. History of Christian Thought I.
Religion 242. History of Christian Thought II.
Religion 245. Ascetic and Monastic Christianity.
Religion s25A. The Red-Letter Gospel.
Religion s26. Readings in the Greek New Testament.

Theater 200. The Classical Stage.