Fall 2004

History of Western Civilization I

Hist. H113 Section 15450/Section 15451 (IUPUI Honors College)

Time: T/Th 9:30-10:45 a.m. Dr. Kevin C. Robbins

Place: CA 219 Associate Professor of History

Office: CA 504Q/CA 503Q

Office Phone: 317-274-5819

E-MAIL: krobbin1@iupui.edu FAX: 317-278-7800

Office Hours: T/Th 11:00-1:00 p.m.

(And by Appointment.)

Course Objectives: A course in the grand history of Western Civilization is an excellent and rigorous means by which students can gain, practice, and master critical reading, critical writing, critical thinking, and critical, analytical study skills useful for a lifetime. Among the vital skills to be developed by all students in the context of this university history course are: 1) greater ease and confidence in oral and written expression; 2) more careful and better analytical reading habits developed through direct contact with original sources and written masterworks of the eras surveyed; 3) an improved ability to read complex maps and other graphic media for meaning to develop a clear understanding of old world geography and the geo-cultural factors shaping the development of our Western Civilization; and 4) more effective critical reasoning abilities. Diligent students can expect to leave this course with not only a better knowledge of important historical civilizations and events still powerfully shaping the world in which they live right now, but also a greater knowledge of the fundamental skills of critical study, reading, writing, and argument essential for them to do well in all future university courses and in all future working environments. The ethical standards and moral issues raised by each of the masterwork readings should also aid students to fashion a strong and personal set of civil values, principles by which to live better. Progress toward these course objectives fulfills the IUPUI Principles of Undergraduate Learning, especially enhancement of Core Communication Skills, Critical Thinking, Integration and Application of Knowledge, Intellectual Depth and Breadth, Understanding Society and Culture, and High Ethical Behavior.

The aim of this course is not to fill the student's mind with a mass of useless, memorized, and quickly forgotten "facts." History is definitely not the mere accumulation of uncontested "facts" about prior times and peoples. It is not (and never has been) an "objective" or un-biased mode of inquiry. Written history is an interpretation of the past based upon scholars' highly idiosyncratic, inherently contentious research and problematic analysis of selected surviving evidence about past, highly complex human beings, human communities, and cultures. Such investigators, like good detectives, commonly reflect over, question, and argue about the meaning and implications of all evidence gathered about their elusive human subjects. In these investigations strong argument and well-founded, cleverly asserted opinions are extremely important. All students must be ready to question and to disagree over the meanings, significations, and implications of the readings assigned and the civilizations they imperfectly communicate to us. All students must therefore prepare themselves to express their opinions about course readings and subjects as clearly, directly, and elegantly as possible. In history, opinions--crafted as interpretations based upon careful analysis of evidence--count powerfully. Your opinions about what we study, formed by your careful reading and reflection on class assignments, are thus also important. You should be ready to share your opinions in a civil, intelligent, and determined manner orally and in writing with your instructor and with your classmates.

Following this path, we will work to break common and pitiful misconceptions held by many about the nature of history and the value of historical study. History is not just stupid facts that you memorize for tests and then forget. Students should thus always expect to have their opinions challenged and to be pressed in consideration of how history, even ancient history, continues to shape powerfully their own lives and values today.

Required Course Readings: This course will address the institutional, political, social, and cultural history of human communities from circa 4000 BCE to circa 1400 CE. Special emphasis will fall on the cultures of the Mediterranean World: Ancient Greece, Republican and Imperial Rome, and early Christianity. While a short textbook will be part of the assigned readings, students will also read a number of beautiful, very challenging, provocative, and memorable original works written by authors living during the time periods covered in the class. Each of these masterworks is far better and far more valuable reading than any textbook. This is a reading-intensive course and all students who expect to thrive here need to commit to daily and serious reading of all class texts. For quality of instruction about past human communities, their values, preoccupations, arts, passions, and obsessions, there can be no better sources than such original texts. That is why we will read them, discuss them, and pay very careful attention to them in class and in writing. These original works by great authors demand interpretation so that we may come to see how they represent or communicate to us information about the societies in which they were written. We will always ask: What do these great books teach us about the society, time, and place in which they were written? Be prepared. The instructor will distribute in advance reading questions relevant to each assigned text to help students comprehend the most vital themes and points in each masterwork text. Never go into an assigned masterwork reading without your reading questions as a guide. The textbook for this course is Brian Levack, et. al., The West: Encounters and Transformations, Vol. A to 1550. It is abbreviated in the reading assignments below as Levack. This textbook will provide a basic narrative of important events during the periods of history covered. It is full of chronologies and illustrative documents that will help to orient you in Western time, place, and culture. Textbook reading is essential to prepare you to understand better the masterworks reading assigned and on which you will write papers. Each assigned textbook chapter or chapter section must be read by the date listed below. The textbook will be supplemented by readings taken from six great masterworks by justly famous and vastly influential ancient authors. These great books helped to build the Western Civilization of which you are so lucky to be a part. They have powerfully shaped your life and will continue to do so. These six additional required readings are (in order of use):

Ferry, David. Gilgamesh: A New Rendering in English Verse. Farrar, Straus and Giroux,

New York: 1992.

Plato. Symposium. Robin Waterfield (Translator). Oxford World's Classics, Oxford

University Press, Oxford: 1994.

Ovid. Metamorphoses. A.D. Melville (Translator). Oxford World's Classics, Oxford

University Press, Oxford: 1987, reissued 1998.

Pliny the Elder. Natural History: A Selection. J.F. Healy (Translator). Penguin Classics

Edition, 1991, reprint 2004.

St. Augustine, The City of God. Marcus Dods (Translator). Modern Library Edition,

1993.

Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy, Vol. 1, The Inferno. Mark Musa (Translator),

Penguin Classics Edition, 1984, reissued 2003.

All required texts for this course are for sale in the IUPUI Bookstore, Cavanaugh Hall, Basement, History Section, H113 Shelves. Cheaper used copies of all of these readings can easily be found at online booksellers such as Amazon.com. IF YOU BUY YOUR BOOKS OFF-CAMPUS, BE SURE TO GET THE EXACT EDITIONS NOTED ABOVE. All students must purchase and read their own copies of the required texts. Buy them all. If you buy at the IUPUI campus bookstore, get your books early since the bookstore ships back unsold copies of all textbooks very early in the semester.

Special Note on Augustine: The City of God is a huge, complex, demanding, big Western Book. It requires all students' close, careful reading and re-reading. All students are to purchase this book at once and to begin reading it at once at the rate of 25-30 pages per-week (at least) until we are ready to discuss it in class later in the semester. GET STARTED NOW ON AUGUSTINE! (Strive to understand why the Catholic Church made him a great saint.)

Supplemental Course Material from the World Wide Web: Students should be aware that a vast amount of material in diverse formats (texts, images, maps, graphs, etc.) highly relevant to the cultural history of Western Civilization can be found in their course textbook and at various sites on the World Wide Web. Through three text-media projects assigned over the semester, all students will examine more closely brief examples of such media and provide written replies to questions on them posed by the instructor. Some of these projects will require use of the World Wide Web. Please see the instructor if you have little or no experience with web-based research work. He will be happy to arrange an individual Web tutorial conference with you.

Online Grammar and Writing Workshops: Since all students in both sections of H113 addressed here will be expected to prepare several written essays and papers on course topics, they should be aware that substantial assistance with the logistics and forms of university-level writing is also available through numerous online writing centers and workshops. One of the best such online writing centers, providing many screens of information on all aspects of paper organization and composition, can be found through Purdue University. Visit OWL, Purdue's Online Writing Lab, at:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

The instructor fully expects all students to strive for perfection in the organization, grammar, writing, and argument of all their course written assignments. Any lesser effort by the student betrays irresponsibility and a lack of adequate self-respect. Dereliction of duty to excellence will not be tolerated by the instructor. The instructor will be happy to help all students with improvement of their oral and written expression skills via individual paper conferences arranged by appointment, review and commentary in advance on drafts submitted in timely fashion for all portions of all course written assignments (including outlines, introductory paragraphs, paper sections, and entire drafts), and referrals to helpful staff at the University Writing Center.

Course Requirements: 1) Regular class attendance (two unexcused absences will lower your final grade for course participation). Class rosters for student signature will be circulated at all class sessions and reviewed daily by the instructor. Make certain that your name is on them. Students missing class will be penalized accordingly. Students who cannot assure consistent attendance at all class meetings should save us all discontent and drop this class at once. All students will come to class exactly on time, prepared to learn, always equipped with their books assigned for the day, with materials to take notes, and with cell phones off. Students who fall asleep will not be tolerated in this class. I will fail you; 2) completion of all assigned readings by the dates listed below; 3) completion on time of all assigned map and text-media projects; 4) completion of an in-class Mid-Term examination comprised of essay questions; 5) completion of a non-comprehensive Final examination comprised of essay questions; 6) completion on time of two research papers, one on a topic assigned by the instructor and one on a topic chosen by the student with the instructor's expressed approval; and 7) informed, vocal participation in all class discussions. All written work submitted late is subject to severe grade penalties at the discretion of the instructor. Deadlines are deadlines, learn to meet them for all assignments all of the time.

Additional Course Requirements for All Honors College Students in Section 15451: Honors College students will be expected to meet all the requirements above except point 6) on papers. Honors students instead will write a total of six essays, one on each of the six major primary readings (masterworks) listed above, addressing analytical topics relevant to each reading assigned by the instructor. Length and format of essays will be explained in class handouts. As will be explained, Honors students will have the possibility of rewriting twice for improved credit those essays first graded poorly by the instructor. All Honors Essays must be turned in exactly on time. Late papers will be graded down severely. Additionally, Honors College students will arrange to attend an extra six special required class sessions devoted to intensive, small-group discussion of the assigned masterwork readings. These sessions will be led by the instructor personally and a hard effort will be made to schedule these required extra Honors sessions at a time and place on campus convenient to all Honors students.

Course Grading:

15450: Mid-Term 10% of final grade; Final 20% of final grade; Text-Media Projects 15%; Papers (2) 40% of final grade; and Class Participation 15% of final grade.

15451: (Honors): Mid-Term 5% of final grade; Final 10% of final grade; Text-Media Projects 10%; Papers (6) 60% of final grade; and Class Participation 15% of final grade.

COURSE OUTLINE AND ASSIGNMENTS

(All Readings to be Completed by the Date They Are Listed)

Th. 8/26 Course Introduction. Distribution of Syllabus. First Lecture on History and

Geography. Distribution of First Map Project.

Tue. 8/31 Lecture on Ancient Civilizations and Their Geo-History.

Readings: Levack, Detailed Contents, Preface, What is the West?, and Chapt. 1, Beginnings of Civilization, pp.ix-xxxix, 3-39. (Pp. 17-23 give background to

Gilgamesh).

First Map Project Due in Class.

Honors Students Hand in Weekly Time-Table.

Th. 9/2 Lecture/Discussion: Rise of Middle Eastern Empires and the Culture of

Mesopotamia. What is the story, drama, and politics of Gilgamesh?

Readings: Begin Gilgamesh, Intro. and Tablets 1-8, pp. ix-47.

Tue. 9/7 Lecture/Discussion: Themes, Problems, and History in Gilgamesh.

Readings: Gilgamesh, Tablets 9-12, pp. 48-92.

First Honors Essay Topics Distributed in Class.

Th. 9/9 Lecture/Discussion: The End of Gilgamesh, the Lessons of Mesopotamian

Culture, and the Emergence of the Mediterranean World.

Readings: Levack, Chapt. 2, pp. 41-74.

First Text-Media Project Distributed in Class.

Tue. 9/14 Lecture: Early and Classical Greece, Building the Classical World.

Readings: Levack, Chapt. 3, pp. 77-109. (Background on Plato and Greek

Intellectual Life, pp. 101-109).

First Text-Media Project Due in Class.

Th. 9/16 Lecture/Discussion: Who was Plato? Greek Philosophy: Subjects, Methods,

Questions, and Problems. Lessons and Reflections of a Humane, Antagonistic, and Erotic Culture.

Readings: Plato, Symposium, Intro. (pp. xi-xli) and pp.3-24.

First 15450 Paper Topics Distributed in Class.

Tue. 9/21 Discussion: Why Do Greeks Argue about Love?

Readings: Plato, Symposium, pp. 24-41.

First Honors Essay Due in Class.

Second Honors Essay Topics Distributed in Class.

Th. 9/23 Discussion: Socrates in Plato: Socratic Arguments and Lessons About Love.

Readings: Plato, Symposium, pp. 41-60.

Tue. 9/28 Lecture/Discussion: Greek Philosophy, Greek Systems of Experiment, and

the Expansion of Hellenic Civilization in the Near East.

Readings; Plato, Symposium, pp. 60-72; Levack, Chapt. 4, pp. 111-128.

Th. 9/30 Lecture: The Rise of Rome: Republican Society, Politics, and Culture.

Readings: Levack, Chapt. 4, pp. 128-147. Begin Ovid, Metamorphoses,

Contents, Historical Sketch, and Introduction, pp. vii-xxix.

Tue. 10/5 Lecture/Discussion: The Roman Empire: Society, Politics, and Culture in

The Mediterranean World.

Readings: Levack, Chapt. 5, pp. 149-176. (Background on Ovid and Pliny,

and the literature of the Roman Empire, pp. 172-176.)

Second Honors Essay Due in Class.

First 15450 Paper Due in Class.

Th. 10/7 Discussion: What are the prime characteristics of Roman poetry? Why are

metamorphoses (transformations) so vital to Ovid?

Readings: Ovid, Metamorphoses, Books I and II, pp. 1-36.

Tue. 10/12 Discussion: How does Ovid conceive and display the characters of gods and

and humans, male and female? How is divine vengeance poetic?

Readings: Ovid, Metamorphoses, Books II and III, pp. 49-66 and Book VI, pp.

121-143

Third Honors Essay Topics Distributed in Class.

Th. 10/14 Discussion: How does Ovid write about gods and humans and the magic

of love? How does Ovid present Rome's founding hero, Aeneas?

Readings: Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book, VII, pp. 144-156 and Books XIII-XIV,

pp. 314-317 and 327-332.

Tue. 10/19 Guest Lecture TBA.

Th. 10/21 IN-CLASS MID-TERM EXAMINATION.

Tue. 10/26 Lecture/Discussion: Roman Imperial Expansion, Imperial Knowledge,

and the Creation of Pliny's encyclopedic Natural History. What do Roman

Imperialists know?

Readings: Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Preface and Books II-III, pp. 3-46.

Second Text-Media Project Distributed in Class.

Third Honors Essay Due in Class.

Th. 10/28 Discussion: Roman Imperial views on man.

Readings: Pliny, Natural History, Book VII, pp. 74-100.

Tue. 11/2 Discussion: Roman Imperial views on humane cultivation of the earth,

medicine, and the arts of magic.

Readings: Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Books XIV, XVIII, and XXVIII-

XXX, pp. 182-193, 217-222, 251-271.

Second Text-Media Project Due in Class.

Fourth Honors Essay Topics Distributed in Class.

Th. 11/4 Discussion: Pliny's opinions on human exploitation of earth and art.

Readings: Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Books XXXIII, XXXIV,

XXXV, and XXXVI. pp. 286-291, 309-316, 323-338, and 342-351.

Final 15450 Paper Topics Distributed in Class.

Tue. 11/9 Lecture/Discussion: Late Antiquity, the Fall of Rome, and the Rise of

Christianity as contentious religious practice and dogma.

Readings: Levack, Chapts. 5-6, pp. 177-221. (Background on

Augustine, pp. 204-207.) Begin Augustine, City of God, Introduction and

Book I, pp. xi-39.

Th. 11/11 Lecture/Discussion: St. Augustine and the City of God. A Vast Christian

Assault on the former grandeur of Rome. A Battle of Beliefs.

Readings: Augustine, City of God, Book II, pp. 40-73.

Third Text-Media Project Distributed in Class.

Tue. 11/16 Discussion: St. Augustine and the rebuke of Roman pretensions.

Readings: City of God, Books IV-V, pp. 109-124, 135-141 and 158-176.

Fourth Honors Essay Due in Class.

Fifth Honors Essay Topics Distributed in Class.

Th. 11/18 Discussion: Augustine's Christian attitude toward classical philosophy.

Can pagans be admired? The Christian salvage of ancient thought.

Readings: City of God, Book VIII, pp. 243-279.

Tue. 11/23 Discussion: Augustine's Vision of Christian morals. The enormity of

human sin and the police of God's city. Christian Metamorphoses.

Readings: City of God, Books XI-XIV, XIX, and XXI, pp. 345-447, 669-

709, and 610-867.

Third Text-Media Project Due in Class.

Th. 11/25 THANKSGIVING VACATION NO CLASS NO CLASS

Tue. 11/30 Lecture/Discussion: The West in the Middle Ages: Centralization of

Authority, Revival of Cities and Learning, Hardening of Catholic Church,

Demographic Shifts and Crises.

Readings: Levack, Chapts. 8. 9, and 10 (excerpts), pp. 259-278, 291-308,

313-322, 325-330, and 335-354. (Background on Dante, pp. 352-353.)

Begin Dante, Inferno, Introduction and Cantos I-VIII, pp. 15-55 and

67-146.

Fifth Honors Essay Due in Class.

Sixth Honors Essay Distributed in Class

Th. 12/2 Lecture/Discussion: The Meanings of High Medieval Poetry About Hell.

Readings: Dante, Inferno, Cantos IX, XIII-XIV, and XVII, pp. 147-157,

186-204, and 223-230.

Tue. 12/7 Lecture/Discussion: What's the Point in Going to Hell?

Readings: Dante, Inferno, Cantos XIX, XXI, XXVIII, and XXXI-XXXIV,

pp. 239-250, 260-267, 325-334, and 353-387

Th. 12/9 Lecture/Discussion: Late Medieval Europe and the Coming Renaissance.

Course Summation and Conclusion

Final 15450 Paper Due in Class. No Exceptions.

Sixth Honors Essay Due in Class. No Exceptions.

FINAL EXAMINATION: TUESDAY, DEC. 14, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CA 219.