Andrew Wolpert

Time and Location

M W F Period 5, CSE 119

Course Description

Participatory democracies first appeared in Greece some 2,500 years ago, flourishing for centuries, until they were

replaced by monarchies and empires.  Although democracy was reinvented in the modern period, direct democracy was considered too radical and too impractical to implement.  It was an interesting experiment, but better left in the trash can of history.

This course offers students the opportunity to reconsider our assumptions about participatory democracy.  Through a study of the political, social, and cultural institutions of the democracy of ancient

Athens, we will consider the strengths and weaknesses of this unique form of government.

Topics include the origin and development of the Athenian democracy; political organizations and social and economic structures; war and imperialism; freedom of speech and intellectual dissent; gender, sexuality, and citizenship; democratic discourse and ideology; and democracy and the arts.

We will try to answer the problems at the root of Greek democracy:

• What caused restrictive forms of government to yield to popular pressure and become democratic in spite of elite opposition?
• How was it possible for ordinary Athenian citizens to be actively involved in setting political policy?
• What impact did democracy have on art and literature?
• Was ancient democracy based on slave labor, the exclusion of resident aliens, and the restrictions imposed on Athenian women?

Required Texts

• Aeschylus, The Oresteia, tr. by R. Lattimore (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1969). [You may substitute this edition with any other translation of theOresteia.]
• Adkins, Arthur W.H., and White, Peter, eds., The Greek Polis: University of Chicago Readings in Western Civilization, Volume 1 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1986).
• Hansen, Mogens H., The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes: Structures, Principles, and Ideology (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1999).

Additional Readings

• Required books are on reserve in Library West.
• Articles are online on Ares (the “Course Reserves” weblink from Smathers Libraries).
• Web links to library resources are accessible off-campus only if you use the UF VPN or the Remote Login. For more information on how to connect to the library from off-campus, click here.

e-Learning

• Lecture notes and grades are availble on e-Learning.
• All other materials pertaining to the course are availble either on the course’s home page (i.e., the webpage you are presently viewing) or course reserves (Ares).

Course Requirements

• Six Quizzes (20 points each; 100 points total): At the start of class on September 14, October 7, October 23, November 6, November 23, and December 7.  Students may drop the lowest quiz. Makeup quizzes are given on December 9 for students with an excused absence.
• Three Exams:  Exam 1 (250 points),  Exam 2 (300 points), and Exam 3 (350 points): October 9, November 9, and December 17.
• This course has no pre-requisites and is intended for students interested in classics, history, political science, or political philosophy.
• Study aids are not permitted during quizzes and exams.

Grading Scale

A = 900-1000
A- = 870-899
B+ = 840-869
B = 800-839
B- = 770-799
C+ = 740-769
C = 700-739
C- = 670-699
D+ = 640-669
D = 600-639
D- = 570-599
E < 570

Schedule

Part 1: Introduction

Monday, August 24: Introduction

Wednesday, August 26: Lay of the Land

• Handout, “Spelling” (available on Ares)
• Hedrick, Charles, “Chronology,” in Ancient History Monuments and Documents (Oxford 2006) 48-65 (available on Ares).  For instructions on how to access Course Reserves off campus, click here.
• Foxhall, Lin, “Environments,” optional (available on Ares)

Friday, August 28: Evidence and Historical Analysis

• Hansen, chapter 2

Part 2: History of the Athenian Democracy

Monday, August 31: From Cylon to Pisistratus

• Hansen, pages 27-33, 43-46
• Aristotle, Constitution of Athens 1-19 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis#16, pages 228-43

Wednesday, September 2: Cleisthenes

• Hansen, pages 33-36, 46-49
• Aristotle, Constitution of Athens 20-21 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis#16, pp. 243-45)
• Herodotus 6.69-73 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #7, pp. 42-43)

Friday, September 4: Fifth- and Fourth-Century Developments

• Hasen, pages 36-43

Monday, September 7: Labor Day (No Class)

Wednesday, September 9: Origins of the Democracy

• Ober, Josiah, “Athenian Revolution of 508/7 B.C.: Violence, Authority, and the Origins of Democracy,” in Cultural Poetics in Archaic Greece, edited by Carol Dougherty and Leslie Kurke (Oxford 1993) 215-32 (available onAres)
• Raaflaub, Kurt, “Power in the Hands of the People: Foundations of Athenian Democracy,” in Democracy 2500?, edited by Ian Morris and Kurt Raaflaub (Dubuque, IA 1997) 33-62 (available on Ares)

Friday, September 11: Origins of the Democracy (continued)

• Greg Anderson, Athenian Experiment: Building an Imagined Political Community in Ancient Attica,  76-84 (available on Ares)

Part 3: Politics

Monday, September 14: Demography; Quiz 1

• Hansen, chapter 5
• Quiz 1 (multiple-choice questions based on keywords in lectures from August 26 through September 11)
  • Be sure to use a number 2 pencil

Wednesday, September 16: Assembly

• Hansen, chapter 6

 Friday, September 18: Political Leaders

• Hansen, chapter 11
• Finley, M.I, “Athenian Demagogues” Past and Present 21(1962) 3–24 (available on Ares)

Monday, September 21: Council

• Hansen, chapter 10
• Ober, Josiah, “Classical Athenian Democracy and Democracy Today,” inThe Promotion of Knowledge: Lectures to Mark the Centenary of the British Academy 1902-2002 (available on Ares)

Wednesday, September 23: Courts

• Hansen, chapter 8

Friday, September 25: Finish up discussion of Athenian Political Institutions

• Hansen, chapters 7 and 9 (optional)

Monday, September 28: Locus of Power

• Hansen, Mogens, “The Political Powers of the People’s Court in Fourth-Century Athens,” in The Greek City from Homer to Alexander, edited by O. Murray and S. Price (Oxford 1990) 215–43 (available on Ares)

Wednesday, September 30: Political Office

• Handout: Lysias 16 (available on Ares)

Friday, October 2: Political Rights

• Hansen, pages 73-85
• Ober, Josiah, “Quasi-Rights: Participatory Citizenship and Negative Liberties in Democratic Athens,” Social Philosophy and Policy 17 (2000) 27-61 (available on Ares)

Monday, October 5: Imperialism

• Finley, M.I. 1978, “The Fifth-Century Athenian Empire: A Balance Sheet,” in Imperialism in the Ancient World, edited by P.D.A. Garnsey, and C.R. Whittaker (Cambridge 1978) 103–26 (available on Ares)

• Millett, Paul 1989, “Patronage and Its Avoidance in Classical Athens,” in Patronage in Ancient Society, edited by Andrew Wallace-Hadrill (London 1989) 15-47 (available on Ares)

Wednesday, October 7: Quiz 2; Review for Exam 1

• Quiz 2 (multiple-choice questions based on keywords in lectures from September 14 through October 5)
• Be sure to use a number 2 pencil

Friday, October 9: Exam 1

• Part 1: Historic Passage (25 minutes)
• Part 2: Essay Question (25 minutes)
• Be sure to bring a blank bluebook with 8 leaves (6 pages) to the exam

Part 4: Society

Monday, October 12: Free and Slave

• Osborne, Robin, “The Economics and Politics of Slavery at Athens,” in The Greek World, edited by Anton Powell (London 1995) 27-43 (available onAres)

Wednesday, October 14: Free and Slave (continued)

• Gagarin, Michael, “The Torture of Slaves in Athenian Law,” Classical Philology 91 (1996) 1–18 (available on Ares)

Friday, October 16: Homecoming (No Class)

Monday, October 19: Social Conflict

• Handout: Demosthenes 21(available on Ares): Start

Wednesday, October 21: Social Conflict (Continued)

• Handout: Demosthenes 21(available on Ares): Continue

Friday, October 23: Social Conflict (Finished); Quiz 3

• Handout: Demosthenes 21(available on Ares): Finish
• Quiz 3 (multiple-choice questions based on keywords in lectures from October 12 through October 21)

Monday, October 26: The Young and the Restless

• Handout: Demosthenes 54: Against Conon (available on Ares)

Wednesday, October 28: Athenian Wives

• Handout: Lysias 1 (available on Ares)
• Cohen, David, “Seclusion, Separation, and the Status of Women in Classical Athens,” Greece and Rome 36 (1989) 3–15 (available on Ares)
• Wolpert, Andrew, “Lysias 1 and the Politics of the Oikos,” Classical Journal96 (2001) 416–24 (available on Ares)

Friday, October 30: Mistresses and Prostitutes

• Demosthenes 59: Against Neaera (available on Ares)

Monday, November 2: Masculinity

• Handout: Aeschines 1 (available on Ares): Start

Wednesday, November 4: Sexual Deviancy

• Handout: Aeschines 1 (available on Ares): Finish

Friday, November 6: Quiz 4; Review for Exam 2

• Quiz 4 (multiple-choice questions based on keywords in lectures from October 26 through November 4)

Monday, November 9: Exam 2

• Part 1: Historic Passage (25 minutes)
• Part 2: Essay Question (25 minutes)

Wednesday, November 11: Veterans Day (No Class)

Part 5: Culture

Friday, November 13: Democratic Ideology (start)

• Herodotus 3.80-84 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #7, pp. 44-46)
• Plato, Protagoras (Greek Polis #14, pp. 217-224)

Monday, November 16: Democratic ideology (finish)

• Logos Epitaphios (Funeral Oration): Thucydides 2.34-46 (click here for online text)

Wednesday, November 18: Art and Democracy

• No Homework

Friday, November 20: Elite Opposition (start)

• The Old Oligarch (Greek Polis #8, pp. 48-56)
• Plato, Apology (Greek Polis #12)

Monday, November 23: Ellite Opposition (finish); Quiz 5

• Plato, Crito, Republic (Greek Polis #13, #15, pp. 224-227)

• Quiz 5 (multiple-choice questions based on keywords in lectures from November 9 through November 20)

Wednesday, November 25: Tragedy (start)

• Aeschylus, Oresteia (start)

Friday, November 27: Thanksgiving Break (No Class)

Monday, November 30: Tragedy (continued)

• Aeschylus, Oresteia (finish)

Wednesday, December 2: Comedy

• Aristophanes, Wasps (Greek Polis #9, pp. 57-103)

Friday, December 4: Comedy (continued)

• Aristophanes, Wasps (Greek Polis #9, pp. 103-157)

Monday, December 7: Quiz 6; Review for Final Exam

• Quiz 6 (multiple-choice questions based on keywords in lectures from November 23 through December 4)

Wednesday, December 9: Makeup Quizzes

• This day has been set aside to allow students the opportunity to make up a missed quiz.
• Students who 1) have a reasonable explanation for a missed quiz (as specified in the undergraduate catalog) and 2) have provided Dr. Wolpert with timely notification of the absence and any and all required documentation for the absence will be permitted to make up a missed quiz.

Thursday, December 17: Final Exam (3-5 PM)

• Part 1: Historic Passage (30 minutes)
• Part 2: Essay Question (30 minutes)

 

Course Policies

• Students are expected to complete all requirements on the specified dates and will not be granted an alternate date unless they have an acceptable reason for their absence as specified in the undergraduate catalog, fulfill the conditions described therein, and provide timely notification (see Attendance Policies).
• For illnesses related to the H1N1 virus, please click here.
• Use of mobile phones and computers are prohibitted during lectures.  Refusal to comply will result in immediate dismissal from the classroom.  All powerpoint slides from lectures are availble on e-Learning.
• Students are required to be honest in their coursework. Any act of academic dishonesty will be reported to Student Judicial Affairs, and may result in failure of the assignment in question and/or the course.  See Honor Code.
• Students seeking special accommodations, need to submit such requests to the Disability Resource Center prior to the deadline of the scheduled requirement, and preferably as early in the Semester as possible.  For further information, see the Disability Resource Center.
• Students facing difficulties completing the course or who are in need of counseling or urgent help may call the on-campus counseling center: 352-392-1575, or the student mental health center: 352-392-1171.