AMS 100 The Greeks 3

Introduction to the ancient Greek world, with emphasis on the events, peoples, ideas, and primary sources from the Trojan War to Alexander the Great, and their connections to modern-day American democracy.

MAC: MAC Civics and Community

AMS 101 The Romans 3

Introduction to the ancient Roman world, with emphasis on the events, peoples, and primary sources from the late Republic to the early Empire.

MAC: MAC Global and Intercultural

AMS 105 The Fantastic World of Classics and Sci Fi 3

By comparing tales of fantasy and fiction from the ancient world to modern science fiction classics, students will investigate questions of mortality, ethics, civics, and the role of technology in the ancient world as well as their own.

MAC: MAC Foundations

Prerequisites: Must have fewer than 60 credits to enroll or can enroll by Written Permission.

AMS 108 Playing Games and the Ancient World 3

An exploration of games and video games from and about Ancient Greece, Rome, and the Near East, and what those games tell us about peoples, the things they value, and the way they see their world.

MAC: MAC Foundations

Prerequisites: First year status or written permission.

AMS 117 The Spartans 3

This course explores Sparta, one of the strangest civilizations of the ancient world. How did a small, xenophobic, and authoritarian backwater fight off the mighty Persian Empire and dominate the Greek world for centuries? We will find out through readings and discussion of ancient literature, modern movies, and recent scholarship.

MAC: MAC Foundations

Prerequisites: Must have fewer than 60 credits to enroll or can enroll by Written Permission.

AMS 130 From Ruins to Results: Storytelling through Archaeological Data 3

An introduction to foundational data analysis skills, tools, and methods in archaeology. Students learn to create, manage, analyze, interpret patterns, visualize, and make arguments using quantitative data drawn from a range of archaeological materials and contexts (artifacts and ecofacts, burials, settlements, etc).

MAC: MAC Nat Sci Data Analysis

AMS 203 Science & Technology in the Ancient World 3

An exploration of ancient science, technology, and engineering in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East, from writing to math and aqueducts to arches. Using ancient textual and archaeological sources, we will discuss major discoveries and technological developments, the challenges they were invented to overcome, and their impact on societies.

MAC: MAC CritThink Hum and Fine Art

AMS 205 Greek Mythology 3

Interpretation and evaluation of great myths of the ancient Greek world using works of literature and material culture dealing with mythological themes that have shaped human experience.

MAC: MAC Global and Intercultural

AMS 207 Ancient Sports and Society 3

Survey of the ancient Olympics of Greece and the gladiatorial sports of the Roman world, with special attention to physical, socio-political, economic, and religious health and wellness through sport.

MAC: MAC Health and Wellness

AMS 208 Democracy In Crisis 3

Exploration of ancient Greek and Roman political events, institutions, ideas, and artefacts with a view to their contributions to the development of American democracy. Modern readings will focus on foundational American documents such as the Declaration of Independence and Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham jail.

MAC: MAC Civics and Community

AMS 209 The Classical Art of Influence and Persuasion 3

Introduction to ancient techniques of persuasion and the application of these techniques to persuasive documents and ceremonial speeches critical for studying the development of American democracy. Emphasis is placed on the ability to write persuasively using ancient rhetorical tools and models with special attention to audience and occasion.

MAC: MAC Civics and Community

AMS 211 Introduction to Greek Archaeology 3

Introduction to the archaeology of the ancient Greek world, including the ancient palaces, the earliest city states, and the spread of the Hellenistic Empire.

MAC: MAC Global and Intercultural

AMS 212 Introduction to Roman Archaeology 3

Introduction to the archaeology of the Roman world, with particular emphasis on Rome and the monumental remains of its vast empire.

MAC: MAC Global and Intercultural

AMS 213 Who’s Your Muse? Inspiration and Expression in the Ancient World 3

Students will learn to analyze writing in a variety of genres and produce their own written work through an examination of the nine ancient Greek Muses as personifications of inspiration for human creative endeavor.

MAC: MAC Written Communication

AMS 215 The Archaeology of Pompeii: A City Frozen in Time 3

This course focuses on the archaeological remains of Pompeii, a city buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, and the goal is to understand how different types of writing use the material evidence to provide insight into life in a Roman city.

MAC: MAC Written Communication

AMS 216 The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World 3

An exploration of the famous Seven Wonders of the ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds, as well as their historical contexts. We will consider why these monuments captured the imagination of people through the ages, and what our continued fascination with creating lists of “wonders” says about our society.

MAC: MAC Oral Communication

AMS 222 The Empire Strikes Back: Resistance and Revolt in Ancient Rome 3

This course traces the historical, social, and material context for resistance and revolt in the Roman empire, particularly as it relates to various marginalized groups. Topics discussed include provincial and slave revolts, female resistance leaders, banditry and piracy as subversion, and everyday resistance against Rome's administration and elite.

MAC: MAC Oral Communication

AMS 223 Classical Tragedy 3

Study of Greek tragedians of Athens in the fifth century and their subsequent influence on later literature. Readings from Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

AMS 224 Classical Comedy 3

Study of Greek and Roman comedies from the fifth to second centuries BCE and their subsequent influence on later literature. Readings from Aristophanes, Menander, Terence, and Plautus.

AMS 225 Speaking of Murder: Greek Tragedy in Performance 3

Ancient Greek tragedy is full of action--in speeches, at least. All murders (and there are many) happen off stage. How do mere words have the power to communicate the gravest disaster and most gruesome murder? In this collaborative course, students learn about ancient theater through performing scenes from Greek tragedy.

MAC: MAC Oral Communication

AMS 226 What’s So Funny? Humor in the Ancient & Modern World 3

Jokes are risky propositions: what makes some humorists successful, while others get “cancelled”? This class explores different forms of ancient humor, including Aristophanes and politics, Plautus and family, and Catullus and Roman society. Students will apply these concepts to modern humor found in television and social media.

MAC: MAC Written Communication

AMS 235 Rubbish! The Archaeology of Toilets, Trash, and Other Thrown Out Things 3

This course explores archaeological and material culture to analyze human and man-made waste in pre-modern societies. What is "waste" and what can it tell us about peoples in the past? How do societies manage waste? How do archaeologists study it? What evidence do we have for recycling and reuse?.

MAC: MAC CritThink Soc and BehavSci

AMS 240 Blood, Sweat, and Tears: Warfare in Antiquity 3

A survey of Greek and Roman warfare covering strategy, tactics, weapons, technology, and the experience of battle from Homer to the fall of the Roman Empire.

MAC: MAC Global and Intercultural

AMS 300X Experimental Course 1-6

This number reserved for experimental courses. Refer to the Course Schedule for current offerings.

AMS 312 The Art and Archaeology of Egypt 3

Introduction to the archaeology of Egypt, emphasizing the major developments in Egyptian society as it grew from small villages to kingdoms that controlled vast areas of land in the surrounding region.

AMS 313 Archaeology of the Aegean 3

Introduction to the Minoans and Mycenaeans. The archaeology of the Aegean Islands, Crete, the coast of Asia Minor, including Troy, and the mainland of Greece in the Bronze Age.

CIC: CIC College Writing

AMS 314 Ancient Cities 3

Introduction to the great cities of the past, emphasizing the physical design of those cities, especially as it reflects changing political and social structures.

CIC: CIC College Writing

AMS 321 The Archaic Age 3

Study of the Greek Archaic period, from the end of the Homeric Age to the dawn of the Classical era. Focus on literature, art, and religion within their social context.

AMS 323 The World of Alexander the Great 3

An introduction to the life and career of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic period of Greek civilization, emphasizing its art, architecture, and literature in their historical context.

AMS 327 Constantine, Crisis, and the Remaking of Rome 3

An exploration of the later Roman Empire, particularly the Third Century Crisis, the Tetrarchy, and the rise and reign of Constantine. Through ancient texts, inscriptions, monuments, coins, and funerary art, we will discuss the major socio-political, religious, and artistic changes that accompanied this pivotal period in the Roman world.

AMS 328 Spin, Opinion, Lies and the Caesars 3

A study of how propaganda and public opinion was used in the Roman Empire to legitimize and delegitimize leaders and regimes. We will pay particular attention to the various uses of literature, architecture, rumors, and gossip in the ability of emperors and usurpers to gain and maintain power.

AMS 329 Gates of Horn and Ivory: Dreaming in the Ancient World 3

Dreaming has always been part of our everyday experience. But did the Greeks and Romans dream any differently than we do? How and why did they extract meaning from their nightmares and daydreams? In this course, we will explore the cultural history of dreams and dream interpretation.

CIC: CIC College Writing

Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or above.

AMS 331 Cuts, Curses, and Cesareans: An Introduction to Ancient Medicine 3

An introduction to the study of ancient medicine, with attention to broader competencies in the medical humanities and intellectual history. Primary texts from Egypt, the Near East, Greece, and Rome are discussed to track key medical developments, the relation between magic and medicine, and the role of healers in society.

AMS 332 Comparative Studies in World Epics 3

A comparative study of the formal and cultural elements of major world epics in translation. The following works may be included: Gilgamesh, Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, Chanson de Roland, Divine Comedy, Jerusalem Delivered, Beowulf, Joyce's Ulysses.

CIC: CIC College Writing

AMS 333 Comparative Studies in World Drama 3

A comparative study of the formal and cultural elements of global drama traditions. The course begins with ancient Greece, then considers adaptations and original works from ancient Rome and modern global cultures. Playwrights may include: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, Seneca, Plautus, Terence, Shakespeare, Racine, O’Neill, Mee, Farber.

AMS 336 Language Change 3

What makes languages change and how does language change affect individuals and societies? Survey of the empirical study of language change, with insights drawn from linguistics, sociolinguistics, and anthropology.

CIC: CIC College Writing

Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or above.

AMS 350 Love, Life, and the Law in Ancient Rome 3

Exploration and application of fundamental principles of Roman family law concerning topics like marriage, paternity, adultery, divorce, inheritance, and the status of women, primarily through case studies from the writings of Roman jurists and law codes.

AMS 351 Hist of Greece 2000-31 B C 3

Mycenaean society, Greek "dark ages", colonization and tyranny, Athens and Sparta, flowering in the fifth and fourth centuries, conquests of Alexander, Hellenistic empires, and the diffusion of Greek civilization.

AMS 353 Athens in the Fifth Century BC 3

Study of the social and political history of Athens in the fifth century b.c.

AMS 354 The Roman Republic 509 - 44 BCE 3

Study of the social/political forces that led to Rome's conquest of the Mediterranean World and of the transformation which world conquest wrought on Rome itself. Topics covered include: the Roman Constitution and politics, the Roman conquest of Italy and then of the whole Mediterranean, and the decline of the Republic.

Prerequisites: None.

Notes: Same as HIS 354.

AMS 355 Roman Empire 44 BC - 337 AD 3

Survey of politics and society at Rome under the Empire, when Rome dominated Western Civilization. Topics covered include: Augustus and the rise of one-man rule at Rome, the long "Roman Peace" and the civilizing of Europe under the Emperors, rise of Christianity, and the transformed Empire of Constantine the Great.

AMS 360 Archaeology of the Roman Provinces: Britain and Gaul 3

Archaeological study of provinces of Gaul and Britain. Following in the footsteps of Julius Caesar to look at how incorporation into the empire changed the lives of the Celtic "barbarians."

AMS 365 Archaeology of the Roman Provinces: Asia Minor and Syria 3

Archaeological study of Asia Minor and Syria, a region at the crossroads between East and West. Focus on the impact of the Roman Empire on Eastern culture and society.

Prerequisites: AMS 212 or permission of instructor.

AMS 389 Women in Classical Drama 3

Examination of several Greek and Roman plays (tragedies and comedies) and performance techniques to understand women's presentation on the public stage as models and countermodels of conventional social mores.

AMS 400X Experimental Course 1-6

This number reserved for experimental courses. Refer to the Course Schedule for current offerings.

AMS 401 Archaeological Practicum 1-3

Participation in pre-approved archaeological work and opportunity to learn the field methods of classical archaeology firsthand.

Notes: May be repeated for a maximum of 6 s.h.

AMS 403 Independent Study 3

Directed program of reading, research, and individual instruction in Ancient Mediterranean Studies.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Notes: May be repeated for credit for up to 6 s.h.

AMS 405 Advanced Studies in Mythology 3

Study of selected myths from Greece, Rome, and comparative cultures. Focus on original literature, supplemented by ancient and modern critical works. Topics will vary; see description for each term.

CIC: CIC College Writing

Prerequisites: AMS 205 or permission of the instructor.

AMS 407 Roman Myth and Legend 3

Examination of the myths and legends of ancient Rome and their connection to the history of Roman political and religious life.

CIC: CIC College Writing

Prerequisites: AMS 205.

AMS 412 The Archaeology of Roman Daily Life 3

Study of Roman daily life and the evidence from archaeology and ancient literature for daily life.

CIC: CIC College Writing

AMS 441 Ancient World: Selected Topics 3

Varying topics in ancient Near Eastern, Greek, and Roman history, including politics and public rituals, patterns of social organization, ancient slavery, and cross-cultural interactions.

Notes: May be repeated once for credit when topic varies.

AMS 450 Internship in Classical Studies 1-6

Supervised work experience in a professional environments related to Ancient Mediterranean Studies & Archaeology.

Prerequisites: Permission of department head.

Notes: May be repeated once, for a maximum of 6 s.h. credit.

AMS 455 UNCG in Rome 6

On-site study of the history and material culture of Rome in its social, literary, and political context from the prehistory of the city and its environs through Late Antiquity.

Prerequisites: Minimum overall GPA of 2.50 and AMS 212 or AMS 355 or permission of instructor.

AMS 467 Color in the Ancient World 3

A deep investigation into the ways color was perceived, conceived, manufactured, expressed in language, and exploited in every facet of life in the ancient Mediterranean world, including the human body, clothing, decoration, politics, social life, religion, philosophy, psychology, language, literature, linguistics, drama, art, and architecture.

CIC: CIC College Writing

Prerequisites: AMS 100 or AMS 101 or AMS 211 or AMS 212 or permission of the instructor.

AMS 475 Ritual, Death, and Religion 3

Survey of archaeological evidence for ritual, religion, and funerary customs in the Bronze Age Aegean, Classical Greece, and Rome.

CIC: CIC College Writing

Prerequisites: AMS 211 or AMS 212 or ATY 158 or ATY 258 or ATY 360.

AMS 479 Readings in Roman History 3

Survey of major topics in Roman history through primary sources in translation from the founding of the Republic in 509 BC to Marcus Aurelius' death in AD 180.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

AMS 490 Seminar in Classical Studies 3

Seminar on the history and methodologies of scholarship in Ancient Mediterranean Studies. Topics will vary.

CIC: CIC College Writing

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Notes: May be repeated once for credit when topic changes.

AMS 493 Honors Work 3-6

Individual work towards completion of the Senior Honors Project done under the supervision of a faculty member in Ancient Mediterranean Studies & Archaeology.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and admission to Lloyd International Honors College.

Notes: May be repeated for credit if the topic of study changes.