Abstract
This course will examine the cities and settlements of ancient Greece with the goal of unpacking their complexities via their identities, beliefs, and histories. The geographical and chronological range is wide. We begin with the Bronze Age, in order to explore evidence – both material and ideological – between later Greek poleis and their predecessors. We will learn about the various, shifting alliances that existed between cities and regions, and situate these within the interlocking sociocultural, political, and economic systems of the wider Mediterranean. We will examine ideas of historical memory, and the effects of ancestral connections on developments in Greek society and culture. How did boundaries define an ancient Greek's identity, and how does this differ from our modern perceptions? How can we detect women, slaves, and non-citizens in the historic record, and how did the choices of elite men affect the lives of these groups?