Overview
A study of social life in fifth-century BC Athens. Topics include the Greek family and the role of law, literature and political power in Athenian life.
Athens in the fifth century BCE played a pivotal role in the development of Western civilisation, making important advances in philosophical and political thought, drama, poetry and art. This paper studies how the everyday lives of ancient Athenians intersected with these intellectual advances, looking in particular at their social, political, legal and religious practices.
About this paper
| Paper title | Living and Dying in Classical Athens |
|---|---|
| Subject | Classical Studies |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Not offered in 2025 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $1,040.70 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- (18 CLAS, GREK or LATN points) or 54 points
- Restriction
- CLAS 332
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Contact
- classics@otago.ac.nz
- More information link
View more information on the Classics Programme website
- Teaching staff
To be advised
- Paper Structure
Following four introductory lectures, this paper proceeds to examine nine key aspects of life in classical Athens in lectures on Monday and then to consider the degree to which selected tragic texts engage with these aspects of Athenian life in the lectures on Wednesdays.
- Teaching Arrangements
- Two 50-minute lectures each week and one 50-minute tutorial fortnightly over the course of 13 weeks.
- Textbooks
D. Grene & R. Lattimore, Sophocles 1: Three Tragedies (Chicago).
Esposito, Stephen (ed) Euripides, Medea, Hippolytus, Heracles, Bacchae. (Newburyport, MA: Focus).
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Critical thinking, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
- An appreciation of the ways in which historical and cultural context can influence artistic content and interpretation.