course

Course Credit:  3.0

Do civilizations have a life cycle? How do societies rebuild after everything falls apart? Equally, and perhaps more important, who gets to pick up the pieces?
The Fall and Rise of the Ancient Greeks explores these questions and more, with a closer look at the civilization of Greece and its unique influence on the much larger empires of Rome and Persia. Taking a non-traditional approach, we’ll begin by examining the sources of Greek culture found in the Eastern Mediterranean before the collapse of the Bronze Age. Out of the wreckage of this period and within the contexts of trade, colonization, and competition, we’ll explore artistic rivalries between Athens and Sparta as they raced for dominance out in the wider Hellenistic World. Along the way, we’ll explore mythology, pottery, sculpture, literature, philosophy, government, science, architecture, mathematics, and engineering.