Greek Art and Archaeology: In Search of the Trojan War is an interdisciplinary course that explores ancient visual and literary narratives about the Trojan War together with the archaeology of Troy and it’s relationship to the “Homeric Question.” Did the Trojan War really take place, and if so, where and when? What is the relationship between the myth and the history? These themes will allow us to explore the art and archaeology of several different times periods and places in the ancient Mediterranean world as well as the literature of Archaic and Classical Greece. No prior knowledge of Greek literature or archaeology is required.

Grades: Attendance and participation (includes 2 unannounced quizzes) 25%; Test 1 25%; Test 2 25%; Take home final 25%

Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak with the professors during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will be confidential. Students who have disabilities are encouraged to register with the Center for Students with DisABILITIES (713-743-5400 or www.uh.edu/csd).

Required Reading:

Introduction to Aegean Art, by P. Betancourt (ISBN: 978-1931534215)

The Trojan War, by C. Thomas and C. Conant. (ISBN 978-0-8061-3974-9)

The Iliad of Homer, in any translation. The one by Richmond Lattimore (now in a new edition with an introduction by Richard Martin, 2011, ISBN: 978-0-226-47049-8) is available at the UH bookstore. A free electronic translation is available on Blackboard.

The Agamemnon of Aeschylus, in any translation. The translation of Christopher Collard (ISBN: 0192832816) is available at the UH bookstore. A free electronic translation is available on Blackboard.

The Trojan Women of Euripides, in any translation. I have ordered to the bookstore Euripides’ The Trojan Women and Other Plays (9780192839879), which contains this play. A free electronic translations is available on Blackboard.

Other readings on the syllabus (*marked with an asterisk) will be available on Blackboard.

Schedule of readings, assignments, and discussions:

A. The Homeric Questions

8/25 Introduction to the class and “the Homeric Question” 

8/27    Introduction to the Trojan Cycle of myth

Assignment: The Trojan War, Preface and Chapter 1

Recommended for those new to Greek myth: *Woodford pp. 12-64

9/1    Finding Troy and the Trojan War
Assignment: The Trojan War chapter 2

9/3    Homer and the Oral Epic Tradition

Assignment: The Trojan War chapter 3

B. The literary evidence

9/8    Introduction to Homer and the wrath of Achilles

Assignment: Iliad books 1 and 3

9/10   Greeks and Trojans

Assignment: Iliad books 6, 9

9/15    Achilles, Patroklos, and Hektor

Assignment: Iliad books 16, 18

9/17    The end of the Iliad

Assignment: Iliad 22 and 24

9/22    The Fall of Troy

Assignment: The Trojan War chapter 4; *Virgil, Aeneid book 2

Recommended for those new to Greek myth: *Woodford pp. 88-119

9/24Review

9/29 Test 1 (covers sections A and B)

C. The Bronze Age context (art and archaeology of the Aegean)

10/1 Introduction to the Bronze Age Aegean, Cycladic Islands

Assignment: Betancourt, Introduction, Chapters 1 & 2

10/6 Minoans

Assignment: Betancourt, Chapters 3 and 5;

Recommended: *Prehistoric Archaeology of the Aegean, Lesson 15

10/8 Thera

Assignment: Betancourt, Chapter 6; *Prehistoric Archaeology of the Aegean, Lesson 17

10/13Thera

Assignment: *Morris, “A Tale of Two Cities: The Miniature Frescoes from Thera and the Origins of Greek Poetry.”

10/15 Mycenaeans

Assignment: Betancourt, Chapter 7; *Wood In Search of the Trojan War pp. 47-93

10/20 Mycenaeans

Assignment: Betancourt, Chapter 8

10/22 End of the Late Bronze Age and Review

Assignment: Betancourt, Chapter 9

10/27 Test 2 (covers section C)

D. The archaeology of Troy and the “Homeric Question”

10/29The Search for Troy and Review of the Homeric Question; Heinrich Schliemann and

the early excavators of Troy

Assignment: *Wood, In Search of the Trojan War pp. 19-46

11/3 Troy: the site

Assignment: *Bryce, The Trojans and Their Neighbors pp. 29-86

11/5 Troy: environs and interactions

Assignment: *Bryce, The Trojans and Their Neighbors pp. 87-126

E. The Iron Age context

11/10 Iron Age art and culture

Assignment: *Morris, “Homer and the Iron Age.”

11/12Archaeology and the "Homeric question" revisited

Assignment: *Sherratt, “'Reading the texts': archaeology and the Homeric question.”

F.  The meaning of Troy in later Greek culture

11/17Athens of the Classical Period, the Panathenaic Festival, and the centrality of the

Homeric Epics

Assignment: TBA

11/19 The Agamemnon of Aeschylus and the Oresteia myth in Classical art

Assignment: *Aeschylus, Agamemnon

11/24 NO CLASS

11/26 THANKSGIVING BREAK

12/1The sack of Troy in Classical Athenian literature and art

Assignment: *Euripides, Trojan Women

12/3 Troy and the Twenty-first Century

Assignment:  The Trojan War chapter 5

12/9Test 3: Take home papers due by 9am

Professor: Casey Dué Hackney. Office hours for Fall 2015 are TBA and by appointment, 601 Agnes Arnold Hall. Contact me by email at cldue (at) central.uh.edu