About
This course explores the relationship between Philosophy, Politics, History, Religion, and Literature in Ancient Greece. Fall 2026 covers the Fall of Athens, Surrender to Sparta, installation of a Sparta-backed Tyrannical/Oligarchic Government, Civil War, Restoration of Democracy, and Prosecution of Tyrants. Along the way, we discuss the question of Socrates' role in all of this, as his friend (and Plato's uncle) led the 30 Tyrants during their Reign of Terror. Somehow, this all happened in under one decade. Covering Athenian and related history from 406b.c.-399b.c., this class tells a Game of Thrones-level story about the formation of philosophy in a booming literary, artistic, and political environment, all purified by Athens' darkest historical moments. Key texts and discussions include those of Thucydides, Xenophon, Plato, Lysias, Aristophanes, and Euripides, with ample discussion of recent developments in the secondary literature. Topics covered concern a range of questions relevant to anyone interested in understanding a period of history very similar to America's in 2025. This course is based on a semi-fictional novel I'm working on, the plans of which can be seen here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uL-ZazeuQhmIvf2u64Iod3c0CKJJzDd8/view?usp=sharing
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Instructors
Price
Group Discussion
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