Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CL/HS 285"
COURSE NAME: "Wine and the Culture of Drinking in Classical Antiquity"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall Semester 2012

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Bessi Benedetta
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 10:00-11:15
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: Mon_Wed 1.00-2.00

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
As Oswin Murray writes, it is from the symposiast’s couch that the ancient Greek world makes most sense and wine and wine drinking had a great social and cultural importance also in other ancient Mediterranean societies (i.e. Etruscans, Romans etc.).

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
Using primary ancient sources (literary texts, artistic representations, and archaeological finds), we will examine the role of wine drinking in ancient societies. Where and when did viticulture and wine making originate ?Where did the custom of the reclining banquet come frome, and what social implications did it carry? How was wine served and how was its consumption regulated? What type of entertainment was offered at these banquets? Our primary focus will be Greece and Rome, but important parallels or corollary practices in neighboring and modern cultures will also be considered.
Please note that a full day on site visit to a nearby town (possibly Chiusi) to be held on a Friday (Exact date TBA) is included and is a mandatory part of the learning experience .
The culmination of the course is then represented by the organization of a "Greek evening" when the students present on different topics related to wine drinking to the rest of the JCU community, all accompanied by Greek wine, food and music with the effort to recreate that climate of conviviality which marked the wine drinking experience in antiquity.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The overall goal of the course is to explore the importance of wine and wine drinking as a social shaping factor, a religious experience as well as an inspirational source for the poets and the intellectuals. A side goal will also be a comparison between ancient and modern social practices in order to engage the students in a critical analysis of wine drinking in our own world.

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number
Not The Classical Ideal	Cohen, B.	Brill	978-9004116184
The Roman Banquet: Images of Conviviality	Dunbabin, K.	Cambridge University Press	978-0521127301
Ancient Wine. The Search for the Origins of Viniculture	McGovern, P.E.	Princeton University Press	978-0691127842
The Aesthetics Of The Greek Banquet: Images Of Wine And Ritual	Lissarague, F.	Princeton University Press	978-0691035956
Sympotica: A Symposium on the Symposion	Murray, O.	Oxford University Pres	978-0198150046
The Symposium in Context: Pottery from a Late Archaic House Near the Classical Athenian Agora (Hesperia Supplements	K.M. Lynch	American School of Classical Studies	978-0876615461

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
midterm in class exam		30%
oral presentation		15%
final in class exam		30%
research paper (2000 words)		15%
attendance and participation to class discussion		10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

Assessment Guidelines for assigning main letter grades: A, B, C,D, and F.

A: Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensiveknowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.

B: This is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.

There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.

C: This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.

D: This level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.

Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.

F: This work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is mandatory and roles will be taken at the beginning of each class.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Session	Session Focus	Reading Assignment	Other Assignment	Meeting Place/Exam Dates
Mon. Sept. 3	Course introduction. Fermented beverages and the history of mankind		Explore http://www.penn.museum/sites/wine/wineneolithic.html
Wed. Sept.5	The prehistory of viticulture	Mc Govern 1-2
Mon. Sept. 10	Wine in the Early Civilizations	Mc Govern 1-2
Wed. Sept. 12	Wine and Wine Drinking in the Aegean world	McGovern, ch 10 Murray, ch. 15
Mon Sept. 17	students presentations
Wed. Sept 19	Wine in the Homeric world and in Early Greece	Homer and Hesiod, selected passages
Mon. Sept. 24	The Oriental reclining banquet	Dunbabin, Ch. 1, McGovern, ch. 8 (only pp. 198-209)	Browse http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/symp/hd_symp.htm
Wed. Sept. 26	The introduction of the reclining banquet in Greece	Murray, 1; Lissarague 1-2
Tues. May 29	Wine and Wine Drinking as a religious experience	Euripides, Bacchae	http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Dionysos.html
Mon. June 4	Entertainment at the Symposium	Murray, ch. 12 Lissarague, ch. 4	Aristophanes, Symposium 1.11: Philip the Buffoon Symposium 2.1: Aulos and Kithara Symposium 2.7: Hoop Dance Symposium 2.11: Sword Dance Symposium 2.21: Comic Dance Symposium 3.1: Singing to Kithara Symposium 7.2: Dance on Potter's Wheel Symposium 9.2: Erotic Masque (Dionysus and Ariadne)
Mon. May 28	The symposium and love	Murray, ch. 9 Lissarague, ch. 3	ps.-Demosthenes 59 (Against Neaira) 18-22 and 29-33 Menander, Woman from Samos 369-98
Mon. Oct. 1	students presentations
Thurs. June 14	Student presentations	review of material
Tues June 5	Student presentations and class discussion	review of previous material
Wed. May 30	Wine, Music and Poetry	Lissarague, ch. 7 Murray, ch. 20	Read article on sympotic literature (shared links) and Read Bessi's article (if your Italian allows you to do so)
Thurs. May 31	Sympotic Space and Equipment	Murray, ch. 3, 4, 7, 8 Lissarague, ch. 2
Wed. June 6	Reflections and alterity	Cohen, Introduction and ch. 8 Lissarague 5-6	articles online (see either shared links or shared files)
Mon. June 11	Philosophical Drinking: Plato and Xenophon's Symposia	Murray, ch. 18	Plato's Symposium (selected passages) Xenophon's Symposium selected passage
Thurs. June 7	Midterm exam
Tues. June 12	Wine and Wine Drinking in the Etruscan World	Murray, ch. 21	Article (check shared files)
Wed. June 13	Visit to the Villa Giulia Museum		http://www.ticketeria.it/villagiulia-eng.asp	Museum visit
Mon. June 18	Wine and Wine Drinking in the Roman World	Dunbabin, ch. 2-3
Wed. June 20	The Economy of Wine in the Roman Worlds		online article (shared links)
Thurs. May 21	Wine and wine drinking beyond the Classical World