NES 7743

Archaeology of the Hellenistic Mediterranean

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2017-2018.

The conquests and death of Alexander served as catalysts for major cultural transformation. Throughout the Mediterranean and beyond, Greco-Macedonian dynasties came to rule over foreign populations, establishing elements of Greek culture in places as diverse as Egypt, the Near East, Central Asia, and northwestern India. The resulting cultural interactions led not only to the creation of new, hybrid practices, but also new definitions of "Hellenicity." This seminar will provide an in-depth exploration of the cultural and historical developments of the Hellenistic period, with a particular emphasis on settlement archaeology and material culture. Chronologically, we will cover the period from Alexander's death in 323 BCE to the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, when Octavian defeated Cleopatra VII to conquer the last remaining Hellenistic kingdom. We will examine the interactions between Greek and local cultures throughout the Hellenistic Mediterranean, considering material culture and iconography from both elite and popular contexts.

When Offered Fall.

Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: Some previous coursework in either Classics or archaeology.

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