University of Florida Homepage
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Liberal Arts and Sciences College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Andrew Wolpert

Department of Classics

GRW 6386: Thucydides (Fall 2013)

ThucydidesTime and Location

Wednesday Period 9-11, 2341 Turlington

 

Course Description

Writing at the height of the Athenian empire and witnessing its precipitous fall, Thucydides has left a subtle and complex account, with which one must first come to terms in any attempt to understand the history of fifth-century Greece.  Through a close study of his narrative, this course examines the impact of the Peloponnesian War on the Greek world, with particular emphasis on Thucydides’ methods and views, the origin of the war, Periclean strategy, and the growth and collapse of the Athenian empire.  In addition to gaining a familiarity with Thucydidean prose, students will consider his writing within the historiographical tradition, ancient and modern.

Required Texts

  • H. D. Cameron, ed., Thucydides Book I: A Student’s Grammatical Commentary (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 2003).
  • J. S. Rusten, ed., Thucydides: The Peloponnesian War II (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989).
  • Jones, Henry Stuart, and Johannes Enoch Powell, eds. Thucydidis Historiae, vol. 1 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1942).

Additional Readings and Resources

Course Requirements

  • Weekly Assignments, approximately 5 OCT pages and seminal works on Thucydides.
  • Class Participation (15%) based on attendance, participation in discussions, and translation of weekly assignments.
  • Two Hourly Examinations (30% each) on Wednesday, October 2 and Wednesday, November 20.
  • Presentation (5%) on Wednesday, December 4.
  • Written Report (20%), 2,400-3,000 words, due by 10:00 AM on Friday, December 13.

Each student will be assigned a selection of scholarly articles and books to read about a particular topic on Thucydides or the Peloponnesian War (e.g., Thucydides’ historical method, the Archaeology, Thucydides views on the origins of the Peloponnesian war, Thucydides’ assessment of the Athenian democracy, the Sicilian Expedition, etc.).

Weekly Assignments

  • Translation of Thucydides  (approximately 5 OCT pages per week), including the Archaiologia Pentekontaetia, Pericles’ Funeral Oration, and the Sicilian Expedition. Weekly schedule to be posted in August.
  • Scholarly articles and books.

Grading Scale

A = 92.5-100
A- = 89.5-92.4
B+ = 86.5-89.4
B = 82.5-86.4
B- = 78.5-82.4
C+ = 74.5-78.4
C = 71.5-74.4
C- = 68.5-71.4
D+ = 65.5-68.4
D = 61.5-65.4
D- = 60.0-61.4
E < 60.0

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 each unexcused absence, there will be a 5% reduction in the final course grade.
  • Use of mobile phones and computers are prohibitted during class.  Refusal to comply will result in immediate dismissal from the classroom.
  • 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 assignement in question and/or the course.  See Honor Code.
  • Students seeking special accomommodations, 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.