Courses may not be offered during every semester. To confirm course offerings for each semester, please use the Course Search.
In our courses, you’ll learn how to analyze material carefully, master complex information, formulate cogent arguments, and communicate concisely. Select your courses and build your skills.
Our survey courses provide an introduction to different facets of the Classical World, organized around different cultures or aspects of ancient life. All survey courses can be applied to the Classical Studies Minor.
Interested in earning your Classics Minor while fulfilling your GEC requirements? Click here to learn more.
CLAS-C 101 Ancient Greek Culture (3 cr.) and CLAS-C 102 Roman Culture (3 cr.)
When you take our introductory survey courses, you engage in historical and topical introductions to ancient Greek and Roman cultures, both as distinct past societies and forces that continues to shape modern life. Topics covered include geography, economics, politics, philosophy, religion, architecture, and technology. You study these topics through representative works of art, artifacts, and literature. You also think critically about important questions: How was ancient society organized? What was daily-life like for various groups (elite and poor, free and enslaved, male and female…)? How do we interpret different types of evidence about the past, including written and archaeological sources? How do ancient cultures continue to shape the world we inhabit today?
CLAS-C 205 Classical Mythology (3 cr.)
What do Shakespeare, Dante, Percy Jackson, and Game of Thrones all have in common? They all draw heavily on Classical Mythology, the myths of Ancient Greece and Rome. Learn about these important societies through the lens of the stories they told about themselves. Meet Achilles, a warrior searching for meaning on the battlefield. Meet Medea, a powerful woman raging against social conformity. Meet Hercules, Theseus, Perseus, and other heroes as they destroy their loved ones in a quest for glory. Visit the ancient world and see what it can tell us about ourselves.
CLAS-C 213 Sport and Competition in the Ancient World (3 cr.)
The Olympics, theater, a general obsession with entertainment spectacles: our modern society can trace the origins of all these directly to Greek and Roman societies. Like our world, ancient Mediterranean cultures were engrossed by competitions of strength, speed, stamina, and skill. Their languages gave us terms such as “theater,” “stadium,” “orchestra,” “chorus,” and “arena.” Their art, homes, and public spaces were filled with images of athletes and gladiators. This class will provide you with an introduction to competition in the ancient world and encourage you to think critically about the relationships with modern competition.
CLAS-L 131 Beginning Latin I (4 cr.) and CLAS-L 132 Beginning Latin II (4 cr.)
Latin is not only the language of the Ancient Romans, but the language of centuries of scholarship, both scientific and religious. Cicero, Ovid, and Julius Caesar spoke Latin; Copernicus and St. Augustine wrote it; Jefferson, Hamilton, and Tolkien read it. As the parent language of 5 modern languages (including Spanish, French, and Italian) and the root language over 30% of English words, Latin teaches vocabulary and grammar skills that can facilitate further language acquisition, especially in medical and scientific fields. In our classes you will learn the basics of Latin vocabulary and grammar with an eye to developing direct reading comprehension. You will also learn about Ancient Roman society, literature, religion, and culture. For L131 all are welcome: no previous knowledge of Latin required. For L132 previous experience (equivalent to one semester) in Latin is necessary for success.
All CLAS survey classes can be applied to the Classical Studies Minor.
CLAS-C 205 Classical Mythology (3 cr.)
What do Shakespeare, Dante, Percy Jackson, and Game of Thrones all have in common? They all draw heavily on Classical Mythology, the myths of Ancient Greece and Rome. Learn about these important societies through the lens of the stories they told about themselves. Meet Achilles, a warrior searching for meaning on the battlefield. Meet Medea, a powerful woman raging against social conformity. Meet Hercules, Theseus, Perseus, and other heroes as they destroy their loved ones in a quest for glory. Visit the ancient world and see what it can tell us about ourselves.
CLAS-C 210 Ancient Medicine and Modern Terminology
This course develops understanding of medical terminology and the Greco-Roman healing practices in which much of this terminology developed. For medical terminology, the course covers spelling, pronunciation, abbreviations, analyzing words based on their root, prefix, and suffix, and identifying common mistakes in medical terminology. With the study of ancient conceptions of medicine and healing, the course reveals the richness of ancient healing practices beyond a simple doctor-patient relationship. Designed for any student interested in the ancient world, but especially those intending to specialize in or understand medicine, nursing, dentistry, health sciences, microbiology, or related fields. MHHS-M 325 can be applied to the Medical Humanities and Health Studies Minor, as well as the Classical Studies Minor.
CLAS-C 213 Sport and Competition in the Ancient World (3 cr.)
The Olympics, theater, a general obsession with entertainment spectacles: our modern society can trace the origins of all these directly to Greek and Roman societies. Like our world, ancient Mediterranean cultures were engrossed by competitions of strength, speed, stamina, and skill. Their languages gave us terms such as “theater,” “stadium,” “orchestra,” “chorus,” and “arena.” Their art, homes, and public spaces were filled with images of athletes and gladiators. This class will provide you with an introduction to competition in the ancient world and encourage you to think critically about the relationships with modern competition.
Latin is not only the language of the Ancient Romans, but the language of centuries of scholarship, both scientific and religious. Cicero, Ovid, and Julius Caesar spoke Latin; Copernicus and St. Augustine wrote it; Jefferson, Hamilton, and Tolkien read it. As the parent language of 5 modern languages (including Spanish, French, and Italian) and the root language over 30% of English words, Latin teaches vocabulary and grammar skills that can facilitate further language acquisition, especially in medical and scientific fields. In our classes you will learn the basics of Latin vocabulary and grammar with an eye to developing direct reading comprehension. You will also learn about Ancient Roman society, literature, religion, and culture. Want to learn more? Check out Julius Caesar Explains: Why Study Latin.
CLAS-L 131 Beginning Latin I (4 cr.)
CLAS-L 132 Beginning Latin II (4 cr.)
Our seminars provide an in-depth exploration of the Classical World, as well as the tools we use to learn about that world. All are welcome: no prior experience or pre-requirements necessary. Courses may be taken independently or combined in any order.
The CLAS program offers a 2-year sequence of upper-level 3-credit courses. Each Fall and Spring semester, we schedule 1 text-focused seminar and 1 archaeology-focused seminar.
Explore the history of Ancient Rome from the time of the Etruscan Kings (750 BC) to the last days of the Empire (350 AD). This critical period of history covers (a) the rise of Rome from village to empire; (b) the Civil Wars of Pompey, Julius Caesar, Marc Antony and Cleopatra, and the first emperor Augustus; (c) the reigns of ‘bad’ emperors (Caligula, Nero, Commodus) and ‘good’ (Titus, Trajan, Marcus Aurelius); (d) the establishment of Christianity under Constantine. Read a selection of primary sources to hear to hear the ancient Romans in their own words, and encourage critical analysis of historical sources.
CLAS-A 418 Myth and Reality in Classical Art
This course presents an introduction to Classical iconography (the study of images) that explores approaches to narration and representation in Ancient Greece and Rome. Examine the illustration of myth, history, and everyday life in Classical art in relation to ancient society. Why and how did ancient societies represent stories in art? What can pottery and sculpture tell us about the role of storytelling in ancient life? How did visual art serve as a means of powerful communication across cultures and centuries?
Explore the history of Ancient Greece from the time of the Mycenaean Kings (1600 BC) to the final conquest by Rome (30 BC). This critical period of history covers (a) the Bronze Age collapse (b) the rise and fall of Troy, Athens, Sparta, and Thebes; (c) the birth of democracy, theater, and the jury system; (d) the career of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age. Read a selection of primary sources to hear the ancient Greeks in their own words, and encourage critical analysis of historical sources.
CLAS-C 414 The Art and Archaeology of the Roman World
Come explore the material culture of Ancient Rome, a world of gladiators, gods, and generals, emperors, priests, and the enslaved. Learn how the Roman army conquered an empire that stretched from Scotland to Syria, Romania to Morocco. Delve into architectural and artistic achievements that would not be matched for millennia. Evaluate how archaeologists draw their conclusions from artifacts. Most importantly, look into the material remains of the past to see how we are still connected to the Romans today.
CLAS-C 361 Ancient Roman Revolutions
Explore the intellectual, cultural, and political world of Augustan Rome through the lens of literary and artistic masterpieces. This unparalleled period saw an astonishing florescence in architecture (the Forum of Augustus), sculpture (the Altar of Peace), literature (Virgil, Ovid), and more, as well as monumental historic developments (the fall of the Republic, the rise of the Roman Empire) that would shape the world to come.
CLAS-A 301 Classical Archaeology
The past is a puzzle with no instructions and mostly missing pieces. Come find out how archaeologists put together what pieces we do have to reconstruct the cultures of Ancient Greece and Rome. Learn how to draw connections using a variety of evidence, including excavation, coins, and sculpture. Explore numerous issues for the study of ancient and modern societies, such as environmental practices and the expression of personal identity. Most importantly, learn to think critically about how societies work, change, and interact over time.
CLAS-C 351 Change and Innovation in Greece
Explore the intellectual, cultural, and political world of democratic Athens, through the lens of literary and artistic masterpieces. This unparalleled period saw an astonishing florescence in architecture (the Parthenon), sculpture (Phidias), theater (Euripides, Sophocles), and more, as well as monumental historic developments (the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, the Athenian Empire) that would shape the world to come.
CLAS-C 419 Art and Archaeology of Pompeii
Take a survey of the archaeological evidence of the best-preserved ancient city, buried under the ashes of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79. Learn about everyday life in a Roman seaside town. Explore topics including urban development, gladiators, theater, the lives of women and the enslaved, commerce, religion, art history, and more, with special attention to the ethics of preserving disaster sites.
“Appetizer Courses” are designed as introductions to topics of particular interest in the Classical World. All are welcome: no prior experience or pre-requirements necessary. All courses in this sequence are 1-credit and run for 5 weeks. They can be taken independently or combined in any order.
CLAS-B 311 Sex and Gender in the Ancient World (5 weeks, 1 cr)
This class serves as an introduction to sex and gender in ancient Greece and Rome. By the end of the class, you will be able to answer the following questions and more: How did ancient Mediterranean societies conceptualize sex and gender? How did such conceptions evolve and function within the specific context of the ancient Mediterranean world? What social roles did sex and gender play? How did societies shape ideas of sex and gender, and how did sex and gender shape societies? How are sex and gender reflected in the literature and art of both ancient societies and our modern culture?
CLAS-B 312 Plague, Disasters and Death in the Ancient World (5 weeks, 1 cr)
This class serves as an introduction to disasters in ancient Greece and Rome. By the end of the class, you should be able to answer the following questions: How did ancient Mediterranean societies conceptualize disasters and death? How did such conceptions evolve and function within the specific context of the ancient Mediterranean world? What social roles did these concepts play? How did societies shape ideas of disasters and death, and how did disasters and death shape societies? How are disasters and death reflected in the literature and art of both ancient societies and our modern culture?
CLAS-B 313 Extraordinary Ancient Women (5 weeks, 1 cr)
This class serves as an introduction to how the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome conceptualized, dealt with, and discussed women who were extraordinary, for either good or ill. Topics include: How did ancient Mediterranean societies conceptualize extraordinary women? How did such conceptions evolve and function within the specific context of the ancient Mediterranean world? How did societies shape ideas of female lives and how did female lives shape societies? How are extraordinary women reflected in the literature and art of both ancient societies and our modern culture?
CLAS-B 314 The Environment in the Ancient World (5 weeks, 1 cr)
This class serves as an introduction to how ancient Greek and Roman cultures conceptualized, dealt with, and discussed the natural world. Students explore how societies conceptualize their environment within the specific context of the ancient Mediterranean world, and how ancient conceptions of natural forces affected the literature and art of both ancient and modern societies.
The CLAS program also offers additional seminar courses according to student and faculty availability. See something you would like to be offered soon? Please reach out and let us know!
CLAS-C 321 Classical Myth and Culture in Theater and Film
CLAS-C 321 presents an exploration of the social impact of performed stories, both in and about the ancient world. It traces the development of theater in Ancient Greece and Rome, as a window into societies, ancient and modern. The course examines the role of theater in ancient lives, and how those ancient lives have come to be portrayed on the modern screen. The course examines the evidence for theater throughout the centuries as unique opportunities to address fascinating topics and ask important questions: How was ancient society organized? How did they struggle with and debate important social issues through public entertainment? Why do Greek and Roman societies and their myths continue to fascinate us today? How does entertainment shape the way we see such societies, and our own?
CLAS-D 470 Classics in Focus Euripides’ Medea (3 cr.)
This class serves as an in-depth examination of Euripides’ tragedy Medea, a rightfully legendary work that explores concepts such as the nature of heroism and justice, the struggle for personal agency, the destruction of the family, and the role of women in society. Topics include: How does Euripides’ Medea interact with and help shape the larger Graeco-Roman mythological tradition? What does Medea tell us about women, both real and fictive, in ancient societies? What does Medea tell us about heroic virtues? How does Medea reflect ancient social tensions, and how are those connected to modern cultures?
CLAS-C 396 Classical Studies Abroad (1-9 cr.)
Students may study abroad and earn credit through an approved Indiana University overseas study program. This class may be repeated for a maximum of 9 credit hours.
CLAS-C 491 Topics in Classical Studies (3 cr.)
A detailed examination of a particular aspect of the Classical World using a variety of literary and archaeological evidence. Recent topics include:
CLAS-C 495 Individual Reading in Classics (1-3 cr.)
Students interested in pursing an individual study in Classical Studies should speak to their instructor and the Program Director. This class may be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
The Classical Studies program (CLAS) has numerous courses that are offered in coordination with other programs. Many of these can be applied directly to Minors in these programs, or with permission from the program’s undergraduate advisor.
All CLAS courses cross-listed with HIST can be applied to the History Minor, as well as the Classical Studies Minor.
CLAS-C 351 Change and Innovation in Greece
Explore the intellectual, cultural, and political world of democratic Athens, through the lens of literary and artistic masterpieces. This unparalleled period saw an astonishing florescence in architecture (the Parthenon), sculpture (Phidias), theater (Euripides, Sophocles), and more, as well as monumental historic developments (the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, the Athenian Empire) that would shape the world to come.
CLAS-C 361 Ancient Roman Revolutions
Explore the intellectual, cultural, and political world of Augustan Rome through the lens of literary and artistic masterpieces. This unparalleled period saw an astonishing florescence in architecture (the Forum of Augustus), sculpture (the Altar of Peace), literature (Virgil, Ovid), and more, as well as monumental historic developments (the fall of the Republic, the rise of the Roman Empire) that would shape the world to come.
Explore the history of Ancient Greece from the time of the Mycenaean Kings (1600 BC) to the final conquest by Rome (30 BC). This critical period of history covers (a) the Bronze Age collapse (b) the rise and fall of Troy, Athens, Sparta, and Thebes; (c) the birth of democracy, theater, and the jury system; (d) the career of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age. Read a selection of primary sources to hear the ancient Greeks in their own words, and encourage critical analysis of historical sources.
Explore the history of Ancient Rome from the time of the Etruscan Kings (750 BC) to the last days of the Empire (350 AD). This critical period of history covers (a) the rise of Rome from village to empire; (b) the Civil Wars of Pompey, Julius Caesar, Marc Antony and Cleopatra, and the first emperor Augustus; (c) the reigns of ‘bad’ emperors (Caligula, Nero, Commodus) and ‘good’ (Titus, Trajan, Marcus Aurelius); (d) the establishment of Christianity under Constantine. Read a selection of primary sources to hear to hear the ancient Romans in their own words, and encourage critical analysis of historical sources.
All CLAS courses cross-listed with HER can be applied to the Art History Minor, as well as the Classical Studies Minor.
CLAS-A 301 Classical Archaeology
The past is a puzzle with no instructions and mostly missing pieces. Come find out how archaeologists put together what pieces we do have to reconstruct the cultures of Ancient Greece and Rome. Learn how to draw connections using a variety of evidence, including excavation, coins, and sculpture. Explore numerous issues for the study of ancient and modern societies, such as environmental practices and the expression of personal identity. Most importantly, learn to think critically about how societies work, change, and interact over time.
CLAS-C 414 The Art and Archaeology of the Roman World
Come explore the material culture of Ancient Rome, a world of gladiators, gods, and generals, emperors, priests, and the enslaved. Learn how the Roman army conquered an empire that stretched from Scotland to Syria, Romania to Morocco. Delve into architectural and artistic achievements that would not be matched for millennia. Evaluate how archaeologists draw their conclusions from artifacts. Most importantly, look into the material remains of the past to see how we are still connected to the Romans today.
CLAS-A 418 Myth and Reality in Classical Art
This course presents an introduction to Classical iconography (the study of images) that explores approaches to narration and representation in Ancient Greece and Rome. Examine the illustration of myth, history, and everyday life in Classical art in relation to ancient society. Why and how did ancient societies represent stories in art? What can pottery and sculpture tell us about the role of storytelling in ancient life? How did visual art serve as a means of powerful communication across cultures and centuries?
CLAS-C 419 Art and Archaeology of Pompeii
Take a survey of the archaeological evidence of the best-preserved ancient city, buried under the ashes of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79. Learn about everyday life in a Roman seaside town. Explore topics including urban development, gladiators, theater, the lives of women and the enslaved, commerce, religion, art history, and more, with special attention to the ethics of preserving disaster sites.
All CLAS courses cross-listed with MHHS can be applied to the Classical Studies Minor.
CLAS-C 210 Ancient Medicine and Modern Terminology
This course develops understanding of medical terminology and the Greco-Roman healing practices in which much of this terminology developed. For medical terminology, the course covers spelling, pronunciation, abbreviations, analyzing words based on their root, prefix, and suffix, and identifying common mistakes in medical terminology. With the study of ancient conceptions of medicine and healing, the course reveals the richness of ancient healing practices beyond a simple doctor-patient relationship. Designed for any student interested in the ancient world, but especially those intending to specialize in or understand medicine, nursing, dentistry, health sciences, microbiology, or related fields. MHHS-M 325 can be applied to the Medical Humanities and Health Studies Minor, as well as the Classical Studies Minor.
All CLAS courses cross-listed with WGSS can be applied to the Classical Studies Minor.
CLAS-B 311 Sex and Gender in the Ancient World (5 weeks, 1 cr)
This class serves as an introduction to sex and gender in ancient Greece and Rome. By the end of the class, you will be able to answer the following questions and more: How did ancient Mediterranean societies conceptualize sex and gender? How did such conceptions evolve and function within the specific context of the ancient Mediterranean world? What social roles did sex and gender play? How did societies shape ideas of sex and gender, and how did sex and gender shape societies? How are sex and gender reflected in the literature and art of both ancient societies and our modern culture?
CLAS-B 313 Extraordinary Ancient Women (5 weeks, 1 cr)
This class serves as an introduction to how the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome conceptualized, dealt with, and discussed women who were extraordinary, for either good or ill. Topics include: How did ancient Mediterranean societies conceptualize extraordinary women? How did such conceptions evolve and function within the specific context of the ancient Mediterranean world? How did societies shape ideas of female lives and how did female lives shape societies? How are extraordinary women reflected in the literature and art of both ancient societies and our modern culture?
All CLAS courses cross-listed with COMM can be applied to the Classical Studies Minor.
CLAS-C 321 Classical Myth and Culture in Theater and Film
CLAS-C 321 presents an exploration of the social impact of performed stories, both in and about the ancient world. It traces the development of theater in Ancient Greece and Rome, as a window into societies, ancient and modern. The course examines the role of theater in ancient lives, and how those ancient lives have come to be portrayed on the modern screen. The course examines the evidence for theater throughout the centuries as unique opportunities to address fascinating topics and ask important questions: How was ancient society organized? How did they struggle with and debate important social issues through public entertainment? Why do Greek and Roman societies and their myths continue to fascinate us today? How does entertainment shape the way we see such societies, and our own?
For specific courses offered in a specific semester see the Schedule of Classes at Student Central.
Contact Dr. Elizabeth Thill, Director of Classical Studies.
