Overview
CLAS/HIST/HUMN 309: Ancient Greece is a three-credit, senior-level course that surveys the political, military, social, and cultural history of one of the most influential civilizations of the ancient world. This chronological survey briefly examines the mysterious Bronze Age civilizations and their fall, and the achievements of the Archaic Age. The core units of the course focus on classical Greek civilization. The final units survey the Hellenistic period that came after. Modern western thought, art, and culture finds its roots in ancient Greece. From across the centuries, the ancient Greeks speak to us through translated sources and images of their art. Students will study a topic in greater depth through a research project.
Learning outcomes
After successfully studying the course materials and completing the course assignments, students should be able to:
- Summarize major political developments among the ancient Greeks;
- Summarize the major philosophical developments of the ancient Greeks;
- Summarize the achievements of the ancient Greeks in architecture and theatre;
- Locate and select scholarly writings relevant to the study of ancient Greece;
- Report on a scholarly article;
- Write a research paper on an approved topic using secondary sources and relevant primary sources in translation.
Evaluation
To receive credit for CLAS 309, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least “D” (50 percent)and a grade of at least 50 percent or better on the final examination.
The chart below summarizes the course activities and the credit weight associated with each and shows the order in which you should complete them, because each builds on the previous assignments:
| Activity | Weight | Complete by |
| Quiz 1: Library Research Skills (Based on Module 1) | 2% | Week 1 |
| Quiz 2: Chicago Style Documentation (Based on Module 2) | 2% | Week 1 |
| Assignment 1: Research Plan and Preliminary Bibliography | 5% | Week 5 |
| Assignment 2: Review of Scholarly Article or Essay | 20% | Week 7 |
| Quiz 3: Using Evidence (Based on Module 3) | 1% | Week 10 |
| Assignment 3: Research Paper | 30% | Week 14 |
| Final Exam: Invigilated Exam | 40% | Scheduled by student in advance. |
| Total | 100% | |
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Pomeroy, Sarah B., Stanley M. Burstein, Walter Donlan, Jennifer Tolbert Roberts, David W. Tandy, and Georgia Tsouvala. A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2020.
Cels, Marc B. CLASSICS/HISTORY/HUMANITIES 309: Ancient Greece, Study Guide. Athabasca, AB: Athabasca University, 2018.
Cels, Marc B. CLASSICS/HISTORY/HUMANITIES 309: Ancient Greece, Course Information. Athabasca, AB: Athabasca University, 2018.
Physical course materials
The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
Homer. The Iliad of Homer. Translated by Richmond Lattimore. Rev. ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011.
Online readings from e-books and e-journals.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the HIST 309 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent) on each of the three challenge components and a composite grade of at least 50 percent.
| Activity | Weight |
| Exam 1 | 30% |
| Exam 2 | 30% |
| Research Essay | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
Exam 1
- Three-hour invigilated exam testing student’s knowledge of course concepts, events, people, and texts. This exam consists of briefly explaining five out of 15 major concepts from the first half of the course, and answering two out of six essay questions related to the first half of the course.
Exam 2
- Three-hour invigilated exam testing student’s knowledge of course concepts, events, people, and texts. This exam consists of briefly explaining five out of 15 major concepts from the second half of the course, and answering two out of six essay questions related to the second half of the course.
Research Essay
- In consultation with the Course Coordinator, the student will research and write a report on a primary source assigned in this course. The student may submit before or after sitting the exams, but before his or her course contract expires.
Challenge for credit course registration form