HUMN111 Ancient World: Culture and Ideas
Department of Social & Behavioral Science: Humanities
- I. Course Number and Title
- HUMN111 Ancient World: Culture and Ideas
- II. Number of Credits
- 3 credits
- III. Number of Instructional Minutes
- 2250
- IV. Prerequisites
- None
- Corequisites
- None
- V. Other Pertinent Information
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Students participate in one or more cultural events, museum lecture/tours or other activities announced by the instructor during the semester. These activities vary and are integrated into this course to introduce students to the artistic, historical, and philosophical foundations of the various cultures studied in Humanities I.
This course meets the General Education requirement for Arts/Humanities.
This course meets the General Education requirement for Diversity. - VI. Catalog Course Description
- This course is a historical survey of the art, literature, music, philosophy, technology, science, and religion of ancient cultures (25,000 B.C.E. - 300 C.E.) Students explore the major themes at the heart of the Western cultural tradition.
- VII. Required Course Content and Direction
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Course Learning Goals
Students will:
- demonstrate an understanding of the diverse artistic, historical, philosophical, technological, scientific, and religious contributions of the ancient world [Arts/Humanities][Diversity];
- identify the major artistic, historical, philosophical, technological, scientific, and religious contributions of ancient Near Eastern societies of the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley;
- identify the major artistic, historical, philosophical, technological, scientific, and religious contributions of ancient Hebrew civilization;
- identify the major artistic, historical, philosophical, technological, scientific, and religious contributions of the ancient Egyptians;
- identify the major artistic, historical, philosophical, technological, scientific, and religious contributions of the ancient Greeks; and
- identify the major artistic, historical, philosophical, technological, scientific, and religious contributions of the ancient Romans.
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Planned Sequence of Topics and/or Learning Activities
Searching for the Divine Order
- Prehistory and Early Cultures, 25,000 - 10,000 B.C.E.
- definitions of culture and civilization
- origins of human life and culture
- Paleolithic / Neolithic
- cooperative living, artistic developments, material culture
- The Cradle of Civilization / Tigris - Euphrates, 10,000 - 1700 B.C.E.
- living in cities, the 'invention' of writing
- art, literature, law, architecture, music
- Judaism, 2000 B.C.E. - 100 C.E.
- ethical monotheism, evolution of the Bible, the oral and written traditions
- Zoroastrian influences
- societal and family relationships under the law
- art, literature, law, architecture, poetry
- Upper and Lower Egypt
- continuity and change over three thousand years, 3500 - 300 B.C.E.
- a quest for the eternal
- theocratic state
- private letters, poetry, literature, architecture, sculpture, painting, and music
Searching for the Divine in Humanity - the Individual
- The Bronze Age Greeks, c.2000 - 1500 B.C.E
- Homeric and Megaron Traditions
- Archaeology supporting Myth and Legend
- emergence of a new civilized order
- The Archaic Greeks, c.1500 - 650 B.C.E.
- the genius of the polis
- lyric poetry, politics, religion, and architecture
- the role of the muses in artistic creativity
- functional art vs. art for beauty
- humanistic sculpture emerges
- The Hellenic Greeks, c.650 - 300 B.C.E.
- Delphic Oracle, The Games, Drama
- philosophy, science, art, vase design, sculpture, architecture, sanctuaries
- Golden Age / Periclean Athens
- Glory of the Athenian State
- The Hellenistic World, 340 B.C.E. - 300 C.E.
- the Empire of 'Alexander the Great' and global horizons
- religious mysticism
- philosophy, historical documents, personal letters
- art, vase design, sculpture, architecture, sanctuaries
- Virgil and the 'Golden Age' of Augustus
- heir to the Greek tradition
- city design and visual arts used in propaganda
- decentralization and the fall of an empire
- Rome
- Bronze Age (Etruscan), 2000 B.C.E. - 500 B.C.E.
- Early Rome's connections to Hellenic culture
- legendary origins, oral tradition
- Fortuna, auguries, pilgrimage, and medical practice
- Roman Republic, 500 B.C.E. - 44 C.E.
- language, literature, poetry, historical accounts
- art, music, sculpture, architecture, sanctuaries
- private and political commentary, Lex Romana
- Empire Period, 44 B.C.E. - 300 C.E.
- Virgil and the 'Golden Age' of Augustus
- heir to the Greek tradition
- city design and visual arts used in propaganda
- decentralization and the fall of an empire
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Assessment Methods for Course Learning Goals
Course learning goals are assessed with in-class exams, electronically administered exams, essays, written assignments, multi-media projects, and/or participation in classroom/online discussions. -
Reference, Resource, or Learning Materials to be used by Student:
See course syllabus.
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Review/Approval Date - Unvailable; Core Objectives/Goals added 4/04; Revised 9/2012; New Core 8/2015