The cultural achievements of the ancient Greeks and Romans have never been surpassed, or perhaps even equalled, in the millennia following their downfall. On this module, we will explore some of the greatest philosophy, poetry and rhetoric that western civilisation has ever produced. A wandering hero kills a one-eyed giant and pays a visit to the underworld; guests at a party take turns defining love; a hypnotised woman decapitates her own son with her bare hands; a man on death row struggles desperately to resolve the problem of evil; and Ovid shares dating tips. Widen your horizons and find out what the ancients did for us.

The cultural achievements of the ancient Greeks and Romans have never been surpassed, or perhaps even equalled, in the millennia following their downfall. On this module, we will explore some of the greatest philosophy, poetry and rhetoric that western civilisation has ever produced. A wandering hero kills a one-eyed giant and pays a visit to the underworld; guests at a party take turns defining love; a hypnotised woman decapitates her own son with her bare hands; a man on death row struggles desperately to resolve the problem of evil; and Ovid shares dating tips. Widen your horizons and find out what the ancients did for us.

The module will be delivered through nine 2-hour sessions on weekday evenings from 7-9pm. These sessions will consist of a 1-hour lecture followed by class discussion and group work on specific topics relating to the module. The discussion and group work will enable the students to think critically and contribute to the debates and topics presented during the lectures. The discussion-led sessions and the lectures will be supplemented by resources available to the students via Learning Central.

• The ability to communicate ideas and arguments effectively, whether in class discussion or in written form
• The ability to work effectively with others in groups and to learn collaboratively through discussion and interaction
• The ability to think critically, analyse texts, evaluate arguments, and challenge assumptions.
• The ability to formulate and justify arguments and conclusions and present appropriate supporting evidence
• The ability to locate relevant resources in the library and online and use them appropriately in academic work
• The ability to use a range of information technology resources to assist  with information retrieval and assignment presentation
• The ability to independently organise study methods, manage time effectively, and prioritise workload to meet deadlines

Formative assessment / feedback will occur on a weekly basis through class discussion and group work.

1. The Ancient World

This session will introduce students to the culture of ancient Greece and Rome

1. Homer’s Odyssey

This session will explore extracts from Homer’s Odyssey, and consider the way in which this poem continues to influence our culture

1. Plato’s Symposium

This session will discuss the views on life and love explored in Plato’s Symposium

1. Greek Drama (1): Oedipus Rex

This session will discuss Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, and ask why the Oedipus story has resonated so strongly with subsequent eras

1. Greek Drama (2): The Bacchae

This session will discuss Euripides’ The Bacchae, and consider what it has to say about the conflict between desire and the law

1. Ovid (1): Metamorphoses

This session will discuss extracts from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, and consider how the text deals with themes like sex and cruelty

1. Ovid (2): The Art of Love

This session will discuss Ovid’s The Art of Love and consider its use of irony and view of male-female relationships

1. Augustine’s Confessions

This session will explore extracts from Augustine’s  Confessions, and consider his use of literature to describe spiritual states

1. Boethius’ The Consolation of Philosophy

This session will discuss Boethius’ death-row memoir, The Consolation of Philosophy, and consider what it has to say about God, evil and the human condition

Course reader

Euripides, The Bacchae and Other Plays, trans. Philip Vellacott (London, 2006)

Plato, The Symposium, trans. Robin Waterfield (Oxford, 2008)

Sophocles, Antigone, Oedipus the King and Electra, trans. H.D.F. Kitto (Oxford, 2008)

P.E. Easterling, The Cambridge Companion to Greek Tragedy (Cambridge, 1997)

Robert Fowler (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Homer (Cambridge, 2004)

Marianne McDonald (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Greek and Roman Theatre (Cambridge, 2007)

John Marenbon (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Boethius (Cambridge, 2009)

Philip R. Hardie (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Ovid (Cambridge, 2002)

Mark Vessey (ed.), A Companion to Augustine (Oxford, 2012)