Course Description

This course explores the polytheism of ancient Greece and Rome (c.800 BCE to c.200 CE), with close attention to both the ancient literary evidence and the archaeological material from the period. Through this course, students will understand both the long-term continuities and the important changes in religious life during Mediterranean antiquity.

The emphasis of the course is on the social life of ancient religion: the course examines how the structures of private life (including gender and freedom/slavery), of the ancient city-state (politics, law), and of empires (violence, political power) impacted how ancient people interacted with the gods (and even which gods).

Creative Discovery Course Grant Experience

The Creative Discovery Grant changed the way I could teach ancient religion. Greek and Roman religions were highly localized - ancient people interacted the gods in specific places (sanctuaries); the AR/VR assignment allowed the students to engage with this local element of ancient religion in a deeper way. The students also learned design principles and were able to think about how technology can assist with the presentation and preservation of cultural heritage. With the help of a GSI and the Google Cardboard equipment, the results of this assignment were extremely good. In evaluations, students commented "I really loved the VR project" and "I love the final project VR idea".

Because the semester was slightly disrupted due to power shut-offs during a period of high forest fire risk, adjustment of the schedule meant that we did not have time for a final showcase of the VR projects.

View a sample assignment that was created to help the students here (VR tour of the Roman Forum - viewable on Google Cardboard as well as smart phone).