2025-26

The course deals with the basic institutions of public and private life in the Classical and Hellenistic world.  It lays particular emphasis on groups in society that did not participate directly in the political life of the polis, that is, women, children and slaves.  Subjects dealt with in previous years include personal and state religion, family life, medicine and health, the economy of Greek city-states and warfare. 

On the successful completion of the course, the student will be acquainted with the basic structure of ancient Greek society and its chief features. 

The main aim of the course is to introduce students to the concept of consumption in anthropology. Consumption studies have shown that the material world is not static and fixed.  Instead, objects have their value and their histories and so the material world is part and parcel of any given society. To consume certain goods is a choice, a political act subject to several historical, economic and social conditions and norms. Thus consumption creates and recreates everyday politics. The course deals with various aspects of consumption and uses several ethnographic examples.

Upon the imposition of the Pax Romana, the Greek world was to enjoy an extraordinary cultural renaissance from the middle of the 1st century AD to the mid 3rd century. This phenomenon was promoted chiefly by the upper classes of the Greek poleis, under the aegis of the Romans, who were enthusiastic admirers of Greek culture, and is associated with many well-known names, such as that of Lucian, Dio Chrysostom and Pausanias. These draw their materials from the glories of the Classical past, to produce a new Greek culture.