Feb-Apr 2015: Occasional class meetings at WSU in preparation (see syllabus)
Day 1: Arrive in Izmir, Turkey. Book your own flight; we can coordinate as a group if you'd prefer taking the same flight as others in the class.
Afternoon: Ancient Roman city of Ephesus
Ephesus is not just an ancient temple or arena, but an entire ancient Roman city -- possibly the best-preserved in the world. The New York City of its day, Ephesus encapsulates the history of Christianity, philosophy, and the sophistication of Roman life. Nearby, the cave of the seven sleepers is the traditional site of the mystical sleepers from both Biblical and Islamic scripture.
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| The library at Ephesus |
Today we'll explore two ancient Greek cities, both now abandoned and very dramatically positioned. Miletus, the birthplace of Philosophy, now lies half-buried in marsh; Priene, a hilltop city beloved by Alexander the Great, offers stunning vistas. Both cities offer a profoundly evocative reminder of the ancientness of the Greeks -- the pastness of the past.
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| Miletus |
Day 2: Optional Day Trip to Samos (Tentative)
Samos, a Grecian island off the coast of Turkey, was the home of Epicurus, Aesop, and Pythagoras.
Day 4: Hierapolis and Pamukkale
Hierapolis, an ancient Greek and Roman city perched atop an other-worldly calcium carbonate landscape of flowing waterfalls, is a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts pilgrims from all over the world. A barefooted trek up the waterfalls leads you to the well-preserved city on top. This is where tradition holds that St. Philip was martyred, and Greek and Roman emperors traveled here to bathe in the healing waters.
Pamukkale (cotton castle)
Day 5: Xanthos and Oenoanda
Xanthos is the evocative, now-ruined, long-forgotten capital city of the ancient Lycians, a passionate freedom-loving people who famously committed mass-suicide rather than submit to the invading Persian Empire. Centuries later, they did it again when the Romans invaded. Oenoanda is home to a famous ancient relic of Epicureanism, a massive stone bearing an inscription of the Epicurean vision of the meaning of life.
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| Diogenes' Inscription at Oenoanda |
Day 6: Rhodes
The island of Rhodes has a dramatic history intertwined with ancient Greece and Rome. It was once home of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the ancient wonders of the world. From Rhodes we will take an overnight ferry boat across the Aegean to Crete.
Day 7: Heraklion, Crete and its Archaeological Museum
The Minoans, who called Crete home, were possibly the first civilization in human history. Lovers of pleasure, art, and beauty, they were (probably) a female-dominated society. Once considered to be mythical, their ruins stretching across the island of Crete now testify to the surprising sophistication of one of earth's first civilizations.
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| The palace at Knossos |
Knossos and its impressive palace was the capital city of the Minoans and the mythical home of King Minos and the minotaur.
Day 9: Free Day.
Spend the day according to your interests! Athens, the capital of Greek philosophy and culture, can be reached from Crete by an overnight ferry. On Crete, you could also spend the day at any of the other dramatic Minoan ruins, hiking in the vineyard-covered hills, or at a coastal Venetian fortress. Or simply lounge on a white sands beach!
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| The Pantheon, Rome |
After a short flight to Rome, we'll walk through the ancient forum of the Roman Empire, including the Colosseum and Senate House.
Day 11: Rome
We'll spend the day in Vatican City, the world center of Roman Catholicism. Home to the Pope, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel, it's also the traditional site of the death of St. Paul and St. Peter, whose travels we will have followed throughout the trip.
Day 12: Day Trip to Pompeii and Herculaneum
Famously destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Visuvius in 79 C.E., these amazingly well-preserved Roman cities offer a unique view of daily life in ancient Rome. The library at Herculaneum, preserved by the volcanic ash, is the source of many hugely influential ancient texts - including many you will have read for this course!
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| Artist's Depiction of the eruption of Mt. Visuvius |
Latin and History Professor Alice Chapman of Grand Valley State University (and past resident of Rome) will meet us for a concluding academic seminar. Following that, let your own interests and desires guide you on this our last day in Rome.
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