| | This module introduces the fascinating world of ancient Greece – its mythology, literature, politics, history, and art – from Homer to Pericles. The first part of the module explores the major myths of the Greek gods and heroes, as reflected primarily in Homer’s Odyssey. Homer’s epic depicts the world of early Greece as it began to distinguish itself from Near Eastern predecessors, with city-states, Mediterranean colonies, and panhellenic festivals. From the Odyssey, we turn to the important phenomenon of the Greek city-state, and to two city-states above all: militaristic Sparta and democratic Athens, with its rich social, literary, and artistic culture. We study how Athens and Sparta allied to help defeat the vast Persian Empire in key battles like Marathon and Thermopylae – events that inspired the subsequent Athenian empire, Periclean Acropolis, and the enduring “myth” of Greek liberty. In all, through literary, historical, and visual sources, the module offers an interdisciplinary introduction to a great civilization that remains foundational and key for so much in modern culture. |
GOD & HEROES: FROM MYTH TO HISTORY 
