January Preparations

It's exciting that the time for more intense preparation has begun!

Our first class meeting will be FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20 at 1:00 pm in SS 278 (same classroom as before).

Remember that you need to have read Stephen Kershaw's A Brief Guide to Classical Civilization by then.  A Kindle edition is available.

Classes will then continue at 1:00 pm every third Friday until we leave! Attendance at these mandatory classes is crucial to your experience and understanding.  Dates as follows:

Feb 20  *  Mar 13 * Apr 3  * Apr 24  

Analysis questions for the Kershaw text, to submit on Feb. 20 (or to just contemplate as you read, if you're auditing the course), are coming shortly. An updated syllabus is also on the way; watch this page and your email inbox for that.

Recommended Films, TV, and Reading

One of the most enjoyable ways to prepare for your trip is to immerse yourself in movies and literature set in Turkey, Greece and Italy.

This is by no means a complete list, but here are the movies, TV documentaries, and books that we've enjoyed that are set either in the time period we're studying, or in the places we're going.


CRETE:

• Zorba the Greek (book, and 1964 film) 
• This fascinating interview with one of the hippies who lived with Joni Mitchell in Matala.  (We'll be staying in Matala, and she has some interesting things to say about the power of the place, and ways to approach it) 
• Joni Mitchell's song Cary , written in Matala  
• Any of these books about Minoan Crete
• Kazantzaki's Freedom or Death vividly depicts the 'detente' between Ottoman oppressors and feisty resisters in that city, c. 1890.
• In-depth blog about all things Crete

ROME: 

• Ancient Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire.  BBC documentary miniseries will give you a good concise overview of the history of Rome through its major emperors and events
• Pompeii: The Last Day.  Surprisingly well-done documentary about the explosion of Mt. Visuvius
• For entertaining films, there are endless possibilities, see this list. 

TURKEY:

• Check out the Biblical text Ephesians, as it was written to the citizens of Ephesus (where we're going Day 1), by St. Paul after he was booed out of town.  

Updated Syllabus Coming Soon!