CGS/ARTH 230
Archaeology and Society in Ancient Greece and Italy
Instructor: Taylor
This course surveys the archaeology and cultures of Ancient Greece and Italy from the Early Bronze Age (c. 3000 BCE) to the Early Christian period (4th century CE). We will move around both geographically and chronologically beginning with the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures in the Aegean, continuing through the "Dark Ages' and Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods in Greece and Asia Minor; from here we will jump back to the emergence of the Etruscan civilization in Italy around the 7th century BCE, through the conquest and consolidation of the Italian peninsula by the Romans a few centuries later, finishing our survey with the Christianization of Italy and the Roman Empire under Constantine. In considering the material cultures of these groups, we will examine how the archaeological record reflects the social, religious, commemorative and/or political ideas and preoccupations of each culture. This will entail a survey of the major archaeological sites, issues of urbanism and architecture (in terms of function and design as well as technological developments), and a survey of the sculpture, painting, and mosaics from public and private display contexts. As appropriate, we will also look at various mass-produced artifacts and the role of such objects in the daily life and economies of the Greek and Roman worlds. Throughout the course, how we read and interpret the archaeological record of cultures with limited textual evidence (Minoans, Mycenaeans, and Etruscans) vis a vis an ongoing consideration. Though our geographical focus will be on Greece, Italy, and Asia Minor, interactions with other cultures and colonization will frequently widen the geographical scope to include other parts of the Near East, North African and the European continent.