Goddess, Queen, Mother, Midwife: Women in Classical Antiquity
CLCV S244E (CRN: 30300)
Instructors: Eleanor Martin
Dates: Session A, May 26 - June 27, 2025
Course Mode: Online
Meeting Times: MWF 10.00-12.15
Distributional Requirements: Humanities
Online Course. In courses on the ancient Mediterranean, women are often treated as a ‘tourist topic’, included in syllabi as a one-off detour from the historical narrative governed by elite male political, military, and socio-economic activity. This course seeks to redress this systemic issue by centering women in telling the story of the ancient Mediterranean. The first class is devoted to a historical, methodological, and theoretical introduction to the study of women and gender in classical antiquity. We then proceed thematically, each meeting centered on one category of female experiences and male perceptions of them. Tackling case studies drawn from across the Mediterranean world, from the Bronze Age to Late Antiquity, we learn how to engage responsibly with a variety of evidence types, including literature, medical texts, art, and archaeology. The structure of the course is inherently experimental: within each session, we work across the geographical and chronological boundaries typically used in courses on the Greek and Roman worlds. Through this comparative, interdisciplinary approach, the richness of each case study will come into focus in new and exciting ways, allowing for a fuller appreciation of the diverse social, cultural, and political landscapes through which women moved. Enrollment limited to 20 students. 1 Credit. Session A: May 26 – June 27. Tuition: $5270. Technology Fee: $85.