Ancient Greece: City and Society
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About

This subject deals with the cultural history of the ancient Greek world through both textual sources and the material evidence of art and archaeology. The period covered runs from the Iron Age world of Archaic Greece through to the late Classical period (roughly from the 8th century to the 4th century BCE). We will concentrate mainly on Athens and mainland Greece, but we will also focus on the Greek expansion into other parts of the Mediterranean world (Sicily and South Italy) in the process of colonisation. Historical texts will be combined with literary sources and archaeology to explore the physical nature of ancient Greek cities and social issues such as the position of women, ethnicity, sexuality and slavery in the ancient Greek world.

The Classical Legacy

Has Greek history had any impact on the modern world? Are the literature, art and architecture of the ancient Greeks still relevant centuries later? I...
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Aristophanes’ Frogs

Dr. Heather Sebo begins by discussing the proposal in the parabasis of Aristophanes Frogs that clemency be extended to citizens exiled for their invol...
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Slavery, Part II

Having looked at some practical issues regarding ancient Greek slavery, in this second lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd examines some of the attitudes of t...
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Slavery, Part I

In the first of two lectures on Ancient Greek slavery, Dr Gillian Shepherd looks at two important slave systems – chattel slavery in Athens and the he...
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Slavery, Part I (handout)

In the first of two lectures on Ancient Greek slavery, Dr Gillian Shepherd looks at two important slave systems – chattel slavery in Athens and the he...
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Mining, Money and Economy

Athens was a wealthy and prosperous place in the classical period. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd takes a closer look at the Athenian economy by ...
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Death in Athens

One of the best sources of evidence for understanding an ancient society is burials. Ancient cemeteries can provide evidence for population, diet, soc...
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Images of Barbarians

Greek art is full of images of “others”, both historical (such as the Persians and Scythians) and mythological (such as centaurs and Amazons). In this...
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