Announcements

Exam Review Sheet posted

1 December 2025

I’ve updated the final exam page. On this page you’ll find information about the final and some review materials. The exam will take place Thursday, December 18 from 6:15 to 8:15 p.m.

The review sheet is not designed to be a list of answers so much as questions you can use to guide you toward the areas you want to focus on in your review. As you read through the questions on the review sheet, those you have a sense of how you might answer are lower priority for review than those questions you’re not sure how you would answer; those you’d then want to go back and spend some time reviewing in your notes, the readings, the videos, quiz notes, and class discussions.

Also note that the terms are a useful way of finding concepts you need to go back and review, so I’d advise stepping through the terms at the end of each topic and making sure you have a sense of what they mean and why we’re studying them.

To prepare for the essays, I suggest that you focus on what you would consider to be four or five of the major themes of this course, and think about possible questions that relate to those topics across the periods and transitions we’ve explored. For each essay you’ll be asked to give three examples, so you can sketch out a question about a recurring topic in the course, your perspective on that question, and three similar or contrasting examples that demonstrate that perspective.

Please take a look at the review sheet for details on the exam’s content and structure. Once you’ve read through the review sheet, if you have any questions about the exam or about any of the topics covered in it, please don’t hesitate to come to me or bring them up in class.

To get to the final exam page, click on “Exams” in the navigation index.

Link to Exams page

Welcome to Week 13!

29 November 2025

This week we’re talking about that fellow you might have heard of—you know, Phil’s kid. Alexander III of Makedon, otherwise known as Alexander the Great.

Things to ponder as you explore the materials. Does he measure up to his reputation? Does he deserve it, and how much of the credit goes to him and how much to his dad?

What do you think was his true goal in the east? What do you think he should be most known for—what strikes you as most worthy of our attention?

Was his conquest a failure because it didn’t remain unified? What are Alexander’s legacies for the world?

Looking forward to discussing all this with you on Thursday. See you then!

Link to Schedule page

Notes and reminders about the Position Paper (due Monday, Dec. 15)

29 November 2025

Here are a few brief reminders about the Position Paper, which is due very soon on Monday, December 15.

Watch the video. Make sure to watch the overview video, since that tells you exactly what I am looking for. It’s on the Position Paper page.

Thesis statement. Make sure you have an introduction with a thesis statement (your argument asserting your position on the question/problem being addressed) and a body that describes and discusses three examples from the sources supporting your thesis statement. For models and explanations on how to do this, see the Structure video on the Essay Musts page. Another resource is “Writing a Position Paper” (a.k.a. “The Elephant Pamphlet”), which is on the Resources page.

Sources.

You must use at least three sources, which can be primary or secondary; tertiary sources (including textbooks and most web pages) are not allowed. See the Evidence video on the Essay Musts page and the Sources page in the Research and Citations Center for more.

All assertions must be supported by evidence. If make an interpretive statement about the time and place you’re exploring, that statement must be supported by specific, cited evidence.

Requirements for all papers. You must adhere to the requirements for all papers (listed on the Essay Musts page). Not meeting the requirements for all papers will mean a lower grade.

Template. There is an MS Word template already set up with some of the formatting I require on the Resources page. If you use Word I strongly recommend making use of this template. There is also a Google Docs template.

Late papers. As per the syllabus, late papers are marked down by ten points per class meeting, up to a cap of thirty points. Avoid this penalty and block out the time you need to prepare, write, and review your paper so that it can be submitted on time.

Brightspace. All essays are uploaded to Brightspace. Your essay needs to be uploaded as a Word (preferred) or PDF file attachment, not pasted in as a text submission. If you use a browser-based word processor, download or export to a Word document and upload that.

I’m happy to discuss any aspects of your sources or the paper, so please come to me if there’s anything you’re not sure about. I’m looking forward to hearing your interpretations of your chosen depictions of the ancient Greek world!

Link to Essays page

Enjoy your Holiday!

22 November 2025

No meeting this week, but I’m on campus Tuesday if you want to stop by my office hours to discuss your position paper. Otherwise, have a safe and satisfying break, and I’ll see you next Thursday!

Link to My Grades page

Welcome to Week 12!

15 November 2025

This week we’re studying the appearance of Macedon on the Aegean stage and the dramatic rise of their second-most-famous king, Philip II.

Things to ponder as you explore the materials. First of all, Macedon. How would you describe their relation to Hellas? Are they Greek (-ish?), or barbarians (-ish?)? What factors stand out especially to you as epitomizing or driving their culture?

Philip’s story is as fascinating for what he accomplishes in Macedon as it is for his swift and relentless absorption of Hellas. How would you describe him, as a man? As a king? Macedon’s long history before Philip is one of disunity. What do you think is most important in Philip being able to turn that disunity around and unite the Macedonians under his rule?

Finally, what do you think most enables Philip to gain control of Hellas? Is it just that the Greeks are weak, or is it the Macedonian king’s distinctive attributes and abilities?

Looking forward to discussing all of this with you. See you Thursday!

Link to Schedule page

Welcome to Week 11!

9 November 2025

This week we’re talking about the aftermath of the Peloponnesian War, also known as the Fourth Century Crisis.

Things to ponder as you explore the materials. The basic question is, Why can’t the Greeks stop fighting each other? What’s driving these poleis into conflict? How have their motivations changed since the fifth century? Is this the same war all over again, or is this something new? How do you think the Greeks are looking at Persia during this period?

Why is the so-called Second Athenian Empire so different from the Delian League/Athenian Empire of the fifth century? Why is Corinth so involved now when it stepped back from the Peloponnesian Wars it helped instigate?

How is new player Thebes different from the others, or is it just like them? Are they able to defeat the Spartans because of Theban strength or Spartan weakness?

If you think the wars are overemphasized, what strikes you as most interesting about what’s going on in Hellas during the fourth century apart from the wars? As radical democracy becomes systematized and a matter of routine, how well does it seem to actually work? What stands out to you among the features of Athenian law and government discussed in this week’s readings?

Looking forward to discussing all of this with you. See you on Thursday!

Link to Schedule page