Greek and Roman Religion Syllabus, Fall 99

GREEK & ROMAN RELIGION Classics 190.326 Fall 1999 T, F 3 (RAB 207)

John Bodel, Department of Classics, Ruth Adams Building 009

Office hours: M. 4:00-5:00 or by appointment (RAB 009; phone: 932-9494)

REQUIRED TEXTS:

W. Burkert, Greek Religion (transl. by J. Raffan) (Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1985)

D. Rice and J. Stambaugh, Sources for the Study of Greek Religion (Atlanta, Scholars Press, 1979)

M. Beard, J. North, and S. Price, Religions of Rome. Volume I: A History (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1998)

M. Beard, J. North, and S. Price, Religions of Rome. Volume II: A Sourcebook (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1998)

All the above are available at the Rutgers University Bookstore in the Ferren Mall on Albany Street.

Schedule of Readings & Lectures: N.B. When reading assignments in Beard-North-Price Volume I (A History) include in the footnotes reference to relevant selections in Volume II (A Sourcebook), those too should be read.

Sept. 3: Introduction: Religion among the Greeks and Romans

Sept. 7: The nature of Greek and Roman religion

Burkert: 7-9, 54-66, 95-98, 216-218, 268-275
Beard-North-Price: I.1-30; II.1-7, 17-19, 23-25, 194-197, 349-351, 353-355 Sept. 10: The Twelve Gods Burkert: 119-170
Rice-Stambaugh: 1-30 Sept. 14: The rest of the Pantheon Burkert: 170-189, 218-225
Beard-North-Price: II.19-22, 26-47, 369-370 Sept. 17: Ritual space and the place of ritual Burkert: 84-95
Rice-Stambaugh: 123-137, 81-85
Beard-North-Price: I.167-181, 196-201; II.11-17, 78-79, 86-88, 91-103 Sept. 21: Ritual action and communication with the divine Burkert: 66-84, 250-268
Rice-Stambaugh: 107-113, 147-159
Beard-North-Price: I.30-41; II.7-10, 129-132, 148-160 Sept. 24: No class

Sept. 28: Oracles and divination

Burkert: 109-118
Rice-Stambaugh: 93-106
Beard-North-Price: II.166-188, 351-353 Oct. 1: Festivals Burkert: 99-109, 234-246
Rice-Stambaugh: 117-121, 135-137
Beard-North-Price: I.42-54; II.116-128, 137-147 Oct. 5: The calendar and the articulation of time Burkert: 225-234
Rice-Stambaugh: 113-115
Beard-North-Price: II.60-77
Oct. 8: MIDTERM TEST

Oct. 12: Roman religion in flux (500-180 BC)

Beard-North-Price: I.54-98; II.43-49, 209-211, 288-292
Oct. 15: Religion and politics: magistrates and priests (180-50 BC) Beard-North-Price: I.99-140; II.197-202, 216-220 Oct. 19: From man to god Burkert: 203-215
Rice-Stambaugh: 51-80
Beard-North-Price: I.140-149, 206-210; II.49-54, 220-226 Oct. 22: The Augustan revival Beard-North-Price: I.181-205; II.80-87, 139-144, 204-206, 207-209, [240-241]
Oct. 26: Roman religion abroad Beard-North-Price: I.156-166, 313-348; II.239-253
Oct. 29: The imperial cult Beard-North-Price: I.206-210, 348-363; II.222-226, 253-259
Nov. 2: Astrology and magic: religio and superstitio Beard-North-Price: I.211-233; II.188-190, 261-264, 271-273
handout
Nov. 5: Curses and binding spells Beard-North-Price: I.233-236; II.265-270
handout
Nov. 9: Death and the afterlife: Bacchica and Orphica Burkert: 190-203, 290-304
Rice-Stambaugh: 217-226, 229-240
Beard-North-Price: II.235-236

Nov. 12: Funerals, tombs, and the cult of the dead

Beard-North-Price: II.104-106, 201-202, 208-209, 226-28, 251, 275-76, 292-94, 323-25
Rice-Stambaugh: 227-229, 240-245
handout

Nov. 16: Mysteries: Eleusis and Samothrace

Burkert: 276-290
Rice-Stambaugh: 39-41, 161-193, 211-216
Nov. 19: Dionysus / Bacchus and mania Burkert: [161-167, 237-242, 290-295]
Rice-Stambaugh: 195-209
Beard-North-Price: [I.91-96; II.288-292]

Nov. 23: New cults in Rome

Beard-North-Price: I.245-278

Nov. 24: Isis

Beard-North-Price: I.278-300; II.134-137, 212, 237, 295-305
Nov. 30: Mithras Beard-North-Price: I.300-312; II.88-91, 305-319
Dec. 3: Christians and Jews Beard-North-Price: I.236-244; II.273-283, 320-348
Dec. 7: Roman religion and Christian emperors Beard-North-Price: I.364-388; II.283-287, 359-364

10: Wrap up

Dec. 15: FINAL EXAM (12:00 p.m.)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Each of the following components will determine a fraction of the final grade:

Class attendance and participation

2) Midterm test (30%).

3) Final examination (60%). The final examination, like the midterm test, will be cumulative: that is, it will cover all the material presented in the course to date.