CLAS311

Who were the ancient Greeks, and were they the founders of Western civilization? The course examines the foundations of ancient Greece. Through an analysis of the historical, archaeological, and linguistic evidence, it sheds light on the so-called Black Athena Controversy, which raised doubts about the ancient Greek contribution to Western culture. The course also focuses on the impact of modern identity politics on scholarly discussions of antiquity and the ways in which the Culture Wars of the 1980s and 1990s have influenced analyses of the ancient Greek world.