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General Information

Course Number: 10994..Credits: 03. Room: FAC 0120.  Time: MWF 7 (1:55 pm – 2:45 pm). CLA 2151 is a course offered in the Department of Classical Studies. at University of Florida. Department contact: Samantha Jones.

Instructor

• Robert S. Wagman. Office Hours: MW 6 or by appt. Campus address: 125 C Dauer Hall.
  E-mail: rsw@ufl.edu.

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Course Description

An examination of classical antiquity, applying methods and theories of sustainability to explore the impact of the ancient Greeks and Romans on their environment and focusing on geography, economy, land use and classical representations of the natural world. The course has no prerequisites.

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General Education Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Primary General Education Designation: H (link to area objectives). Secondary General Education Designation: N (link to area objectives). Note: A minimum grade of C is required for general education.

• Objectives. Content: Students will become conversant with the main aspects of human-environmental interaction in Classical Antiquity. The ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and Roman Italy will serve as case studies for the investigation of human response to three radically different landscapes and habitats. Assessments: quizzes; end of module discussion boards. (H, N). ▷ Communication: Students will be able to write clearly and effectively about environmental issues in Classical Antiquity and their relevance to the present. They will also be able to work with visual materials in order to design slide-illustrated presentations on selected topics of ancient environmental history. Assessments: end of module discussion boards; end of class Powerpoint presentation. (H). ▷ Critical Thinking: Students will acquire an understanding of the changing dynamics that rule human-environmental relations across history. Assessment: end of module discussion boards. (H, N).
• Learning Outcomes. Students will learn how to apply a variety of methodological approaches from the humanities (H) in order to investigate human-environmental interactions in the Classical world (N) and use this knowledge to to put current events in a historical perspective.

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Reading Materials and Study Aids

L. Thommen, An Environmental History of Ancient Greece and Rome. (CUP: Cambridge 2012.). Available from Course Reserves.
A folder with PDF files of the powerpoint presentations used in class (images only) is also available from this link .

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Course Assessments and Grading

• Three end of module discussion board assignments (20% of final grade). Format: 250 words single-spaced. Points: see Rubric.
• Four quizzes, equally weighted (20% of final grade). Format: 20 questions (10 MC, 10 T/F). Points per question: 5. Total points per quiz: 100.
• One end-of-course Powerpoint presentation (10% of final grade). Format: 8 slides, featuring images, maps, and text as needed. Points: see Rubric
• Two exams, equally weighted (50% of final grade). Format: 50 questions (25 MC, 25 T/F). Points per question: 2. Total points per exam: 100.

Please note: Quizzes and exams are cumulative.

UF Grading Scale:

General information on current university policies for assigning grade points is available in the Undergraduate CatalogLinks to an external site..

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Course Policies

• Attendance. Attendance is mandatory and will be tracked. Accruing more than 3 unexcused absences will result in a 3 pt. penalty to be detracted from one’s quiz average. Requirements for class attendance and make-up exams, assignments, and other work in this course are consistent with university policies that can be found in the online Undergraduate Catalog.
• Laptop policy. Students are required to bring to class a laptop, handheld, or other web-enabled device that would allow them to connect to e-learning.
• Class Etiquette. Students are strongly discouraged from leaving the class in the middle of a lecture. Those who need to do so must obtain the instructor’s permission at the beginning of class.
• Makeup Examinations. Makeup exams are given only in extraordinary circumstances. Students who are unable to take exams at the appointed dates should notify the instructor’s assistants in advance.
• Honor Code. Students in CLA 2521 are expected to comply with the Academic Honor Code of the University of Florida (see Academic Conduct below) and must sign the CLA 2521 Honor Pledge before February 02, 2021. Please note: students who do not sign the pledge will not be given access to graded quizzes and exams.
• Disclaimer on Sexual and Religious Content. As ancient attitudes towards sexuality and religion differ considerably from ours, some of the material examined in this course may result offensive to modern sensibility. Students who have a problem in dealing with such topics should consult with the instructor.

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Class Schedule

 

Session	Date	Content
01	JAN 08	Orientation
02	JAN 10	Introductory Concepts
03	JAN 12	Introductory Concepts
04	JAN 17	Egypt
05	JAN 19	Egypt
06	JAN 22	Egypt
07	JAN 24	QUIZ 1 (sessions 1-6)
08	JAN 26	Greece: The geographic space. DISCUSSION BOARD 1 OPENS
09	JAN 29	Greece: The geographic space
10	JAN 31	Greece: People and nature
11	FEB 02	Greece: People and nature. DISCUSSION BOARD 1 CLOSES
12	FEB 05	Greece: Agriculture
13	FEB 07	Greece: Agriculture
14	FEB 09	QUIZ 2 (sessions 1-13)
15	FEB 12	Greece: Forests and timber
16	FEB 14	Greece: Gardens
17	FEB 16	Greece: Gardens
18	FEB 19	Greece: Animals
19	FEB 21	Greece: Animals
20	FEB 23	MIDTERM EXAMINATION (sessions 1-19). Same room and time as class
21	FEB 26	Greece: Food
22	FEB 28	Greece: Food
23	MAR 01	Greece: Fire and Water
24	MAR 04	Greece: Fire and Water
25	MAR 06	Greece: Mining
26	MAR 08	QUIZ 3 (sessions 1-26)
27	MAR 18	Rome: The geographic space
28	MAR 20	Rome: The geographic space
29	MAR 22	Rome: People and nature. DISCUSSION BOARD 2 OPENS
30	MAR 25	Rome: People and nature
31	MAR 27	Rome: Agriculture
32	MAR 29	Rome: Agriculture. DISCUSSION BOARD 2 CLOSES
33	APR 01	Rome: Forests and timber
34	APR 03	Rome: Forests and timber
35	APR 05	Rome: Gardens
36	APR 08	Rome: Gardens
37	APR 10	Rome: Animals
38	APR 12	Rome: Food. DISCUSSION BOARD 3 OPENS
39	APR 15	Rome: Food
40	APR 17	Rome: Fire and Water
41	APR 19	QUIZ 4 (sessions 1-40). DISCUSSION BOARD 3 CLOSES
42	APR 22	Rome: Mining
43	APR 24	Rome: Mining. POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS DUE
44	MAY 01	FINAL EXAMINATION (sessions 1-43). 10:00am-12:00pm FAC 120)

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Accommodations