Classics 63 Archaeology and Architecture of the Greco-Roman World Ancient Cities Fall 2000 ~ Beth Severy

Course Description

When Greece awoke from the 'Dark Ages' early in the first millennium BCE, the polis, or city-state, soon became a dominant political structure in the Greek world. The polis was thus the center of the economic and intellectual awakening of the archaic age, and this particular city structure was transplanted all over the Mediterranean basin by Greek colonists. Similarly, during and after Alexander's conquests five centuries later, the new Greek rulers of Egypt, Syria and Asia Minor built cities as their homes and capitals in a new phase of Hellenistic imperialism. Even before the Romans came to dominate these city-oriented kingdoms, in turn, they had begun controlling territory through the imposition of city colonies, a pattern which continued well into the empire. Thus, one way to study the impact of Greece and Rome on the ancient Mediterranean is to study Greek and Roman cities. Questions we will investigate in the first half of the course include: What were the physical forms of Greek cities? How were these related to the rise of the polis, or city-state, in archaic Greece? How do Greek cities reflect patterns of colonization? How did Hellenistic cities differ from archaic colonies? How and when did cities arrive at or develop in Italy? How did Italian cities change over time with changes in their relationship to Rome? What was the relationship of Greek and Roman cities to the territories around them?

In addition, the city of Pompeii, buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, provides a unique opportunity to study an ancient city in detail. During the second half of the semester we will thus conduct a close investigation of Pompeii to see how its structures responded to the political, cultural, and economic needs of its occupants and visitors, including such items as water, religion, food, status and shelter.

Ancient Cities Homepage ~ Classics Department ~ Macalester College

9/6/00
Beth Severy, Macalester College