Time and Location
Tuesday 10:30-1:30 (125 Dauer Hall)
Course Description
An examination of the political, social, and cultural institutions of the Athenian democracy, with particular attention to recent scholarly methods, approaches, and theories. Topics include the origin and development of the Athenian democracy; political organizations and social structures; democracy and economic production; gender, sexuality, and citizenship; democratic discourse and ideology; and democracy and the arts.
Required Texts (available at Orange and Blue Textbooks)
- Dahl, Robert A., Shapiro, Ian, Cheibub, José A., eds., The Democracy Sourcebook(Cambridge: MIT Press, 2003).
- Davidson, James, Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens (New York: HarperPerennial, 1999).
- Hansen, Mogens H., The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes: Structures, Principles, and Ideology (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1999).
- Ober, Josiah, Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens: Rhetoric, Ideology, and the Power of the People (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989).
- Winkler, John, J, and Zeitlin, Froma I., eds., Nothing to Do with Dionysos? Athenian Drama in Its Social Context (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992).
Additional Readings
- Required books are on reserve in newly renovated Smathers Library; articles are either online on the course’s e-reserves page or available in 125 Dauer Hall. Web links to library resources are accessible off-campus only if you use the UF VPN or dial up using gatorlink.
- BIBLIOGRAPHY (useful to consult as you begin research for your term paper). This list is not exhaustive nor is it expected that you will be able to read all items during the course of the semester; rather it is intended to show you the main questions and topics on the Athenian democracy that are currently under investigation and provide you a starting point for your own research.
Course Requirements
- Class Participation (20%)
- Class Presentation (20%)
- Term Paper (60%), approximately 15 pages, final draft due on Dec. 12
Grading Scale
A = 90-100%
B+= 87-89.9%
B = 80-86.9%
C+ = 77-79.9%
C = 70-76.9%
D+ = 67-69.9%
D = 60-66.9%
E < 60%
Schedule
PART 1: POLITICS
Aug 29: Terminology, Methodology, Theory
Sept 5: History of the Athenian Democracy
- Ober, 53–103
- Morris, I., and Raaflaub, K., Democracy 2500? Questions and Challenges (Dubuque, IA, 1998) chapters by Wallace, Ober, Raaflaub, and Eder (available in Dauer Hall)
Sept 12: Athenian Political Institutions
- Hansen, chapters 2, 5–12
- Hansen, “The Political Powers of the People’s Court in Fourth-Century Athens,” in O Murray and S. Price, eds., The Greek City from Homer to Alexander (Oxford 1990) 215–43 (available in Dauer Hall)
- Ober, 141–48, 299–304
PART 2: SOCIETY
Sept 19: Mass and Elite
Sept 26: Economy
- Finley, M.I., Ancient Economy, updated ed. (Berkeley 1999) chapters 4 and 5
- Cartledge, P.A., Cohen, E.E., and Foxhall, L., eds., Money, Labour, and Land: Approaches to the Economies of Ancient Greece (Cambridge 2002) chapters by Morris, Harris, Cohen, and von Reden (on reserve in Library West)
Oct. 3: Slavery
- Finley, M.I., “Was Greek Civilization Based on Slave Labour?” Historia 8 (1959) 145–64 (available in Dauer Hall)
- Jameson, M.H., “Agriculture and Slaves in Classical Athens,” CJ 73 (1977/78) 122–45
- Wood, E.M., “Agricultural Slavery in Classical Athens,” AJAH 8 (1983) 1–47 (available in Dauer Hall)
- Gagarin, M., “The Torture of Slaves in Athenian Law,” CP 91 (1996) 1–18
- Hunter, V., Policing Athens: Social Control in the Attic Lawsuits, 420-320 B.C.(Princeton 1994) chapter 6 (available online and on reserve in Library West)
- Ober, J., Athenian Legacies: Essays on the Politics of Going On Together (Princeton 2005) Chapter 5: Quasi-Rights: Participatory Citizenship and Negative Liberties in Democratic Athens (on reserve in Library West)
Oct. 10: Women
- Cohen, D., “Seclusion, Separation, and the Status of Women in Classical Athens,” G&R 36 (1989) 3–15
- Hunter, V., Policing Athens: Social Control in the Attic Lawsuits, 420-320 B.C.(Princeton 1994) chapter 4 (available online and on reserve in Library West)
- Foxhall, L., “Women’s Ritual and Men’s Work in Ancient Athens,” in R. Hawley and B. Levick, eds., Women in Antiquity: New Assessments (London 1995) 97–110 (available in Dauer Hall)
- ———-, “The Lady and the Law,” in L. Foxhall and A.D.E. Lewis, eds., Greek Law in Its Politcal Setting (Oxford 1996) 132–52 (available in Dauer Hall)
- Johnstone, S., “Cracking the Code of Silence: Athenian Legal Oratory and the Histories of Slaves and Women, in S. Joshel and S. Murnaghan, eds., Women and Slaves in Greco-Roman Culture (London 1998) 221–35 (available in Dauer Hall)
- Wolpert, A., “Lysias 1 and the Politics of the Oikos,” CJ 96 (2001) 416–24
PART 3: CULTURE
Oct. 17: Food, Sex, and Drinking
- Davidson
Oct. 24: Drama
- Winkler and Zeitlin, chapters by Winkler, Zeitlin, Goldhill, Lissarrague, Henderson
- Rhodes, P.J. “Nothing to Do With Democracy: Athenian Drama and the Polis,”JHS 123 (2003) 104–19.
Oct. 31: Art
- Boedeker, D., and Raaflaub, K.A., eds., Democracy, Empire, and the Arts in Fifth-Century Athens (Cambridge, MA 1998) chapters by Morris, Csapo and Miller, Shapiro, Hölscher, and Maurizio (on reserve in Library West)
- Coulson, W.D.E., Palagia, O., Shear, T.L., Shapiro, H.A., Frost, F.J., eds., The Archaeology of Athens and Attica under the Democracy (Oxford 1994) chapters by Osborne and Neils (on reserve in Library West)
PART 4: TERM PAPER
Nov. 7: How to conduct historical research. A pizza lunch in the Classics Library from 12-1PM where we will discuss paper topics.
Nov. 14: Individual Meetings to discuss papers
Nov 21: Individual Meetings to discuss papers
Nov. 28: Rough Draft of Paper Due; Presentations (30 minutes per student: 20 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for discussion)
Dec. 5: Rough Draft returned; final draft due on Dec. 12.