Alexander the Great to Cleopatra
21:510:405:01
T/Th 11:30-12:50PM
Bradley 410
Course Instructor: Katheryn Whitcomb
Office: Conklin 315
[email protected]
Office Hours: T/Th, 1-2pm
Phone: 973-353-1469
Course Description
This course will focus on the Mediterranean basin from the time of Alexander the Great to the last Ptolemaic
ruler, Cleopatra VII. A period of upheaval and chaos succeeded Alexander’s death, but it gave way to an era
of unprecedented cultural interaction and production. Alexander’s successors soon discovered that it was
impossible to impose their rule on an established nation, or nations, without assimilating and respecting that
nation’s culture, at least to some degree. This course will explore the development of Alexander’s world
empire during his lifetime, then the various Hellenistic kingdoms that are created after his death. Particular
attention will be paid to the cultural interaction that occurs between the Macedonian conquerors and the
native populations as well as the effects this interaction has on the conquerors and the conquered. The final
segment of the course will be devoted to Cleopatra VII, one of the most fascinating women from history,
who ruled Egypt from approximately 51-31BCE. Although her life was tragically cut short, her legacy lives on
to this day.
Course Goals
As an upper-level history course the main aim of this class will be to introduce students to large themes
surrounding the development of Alexander’s empire and the Hellenistic kingdoms. Through this course
students will broaden their knowledge of the ancient world while developing their analytical skills through
class discussion and written work. In addition, students will be expected to read primary source material (in
translation) and discuss important issues regarding the works. Students will learn the historical background
of the Hellenistic kingdoms, including the increasing Roman influence during the second and first centuries
BCE. In addition they will intensely study the period in which Cleopatra lived and reigned, being able to
identify major figures and events from the relevant times.
Course Website: On Blackboard -20119:510:405:01:TOPICS IN ANC HIST
Readings
Errington, Malcolm R. A History of the Hellenistic World: 323-30 BC. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA:
2008. (ISBN 978-0-631-23388-6)
Green, Peter. The Hellenistic Age: A Short History. Modern Library Chronicles, New York: 2008. (ISBN
978-0-8129-6740-1)
Roller, Duane. Cleopatra: A Biography. Oxford University Press, New York: 2010. (ISBN 978-0-19536553-5)
* Additional pdf’s will also be made available on the course website.
Grading
Participation: 10%
Reading Posts (15): 30%
Final Paper (5-7 pages): 30 % (Rough Draft = 10%, Final Draft = 20%)
Exams (2): 30 % (15% each)
Attendance is mandatory at every class session. Absences are excused, as defined by the Rutgers catalog, on
the grounds of “illness requiring medical attention, curricular or extracurricular activities approved by the
faculty, personal obligations claimed by the student and recognized as valid, recognized religious holidays,
and severe inclement weather causing dangerous traveling conditions.” Each unexcused absence beyond the
third will cause the student’s course grade to drop by one half letter grade (e.g. A to B+).
Note: Any student who misses eight or more sessions through any combination of excused and
unexcused absences will not earn credit in this class. Such students should withdraw to avoid getting
an F.
Participation in class discussion is expected of every student. Asking questions is encouraged.
Reading Responses should be approximately 150 words. They should discuss a student’s reaction to the
reading and any questions that may have arisen from the reading. Responses must be posted to the course
website no later than 11:59pm on the day before the reading assignment is due for class in order to receive
full credit. The choice of when to post a response is at the student’s discretion, but each student must post 15
responses to receive full credit for this portion of the grade. At least one of these responses must be to a
reading assignment in Week XV or XVI. Multiple responses to one reading assignment will not be counted
for credit.
The final paper should be 5-7 pages long. It must be typed in 12pt. Times New Roman font, double-spaced,
with 1” margins on all sides. This is a research paper and should demonstrate a clear thesis with supporting
arguments as well as numerous citations to support these arguments. Rough drafts should be turned in for
evaluation by November 17. Full credit will be given for the rough draft if it is turned in on time and meets
the page requirement. Final drafts should be turned in electronically by emailing the instructor at the above
email address.
Exams will be worth 150 points each. The dates for each exam are given in the following schedule of
classes. Questions on the exam will incorporate information learned in class as well as from the assigned
readings. Exams may only be made-up in the case of excused absences as defined above. A time for
making-up the exam must be established between the student and the instructor within one week of the
original date of the exam.
Tardiness and Leaving Class before Conclusion : Please arrive to class on time and stay until dismissed.
Three incidents of tardiness and/or leaving early will be counted as one unexcused absence.
Academic Integrity: Please familiarize yourself with Rutgers’ Academic Integrity Policy. A full description
of the policy is available at: http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/integrity.shtml
Academic environment: Please be respectful of the academic environment. Engaging in personal
conversations, using cell phones, text messaging, web surfing, listening to music, reading newspapers, doing
crossword or Sudoku puzzles, sleeping or engaging in other personal diversions during class are, of course,
all disruptive.
Disabilities: If you have special needs in this course, please have your College coordinator contact me by the
end of the second week of classes.
Schedule of Classes
Reading assignments are due on the day they are listed. Readings not in the assigned texts for class will be posted to the course
website.
Week I
Thursday, September 1: Introduction
Week II: The Rise of Macedon
Tuesday, September 6: Philip of Macedon
Reading Assignment: GREEN, Introduction
Demosthenes Philippics III (on course website)
Week III: Triumph and Destruction
Tuesday, September 13: The Rise of Alexander
Reading Assignment: GREEN, pgs. 3-9
Selections from Plutarch’s Life of Alexander (on course website)
Thursday, September 15: The Subjugation of Greece
Reading Assignment: Selections from Plutarch’s Life of Alexander (on course website)
Week IV: Conquest
Tuesday, September 20: Conquest of Asia Minor
Reading Assignment: GREEN pgs. 10-18
Selections from Arrian’s The Campaigns of Alexander (on course website)
Thursday, September 22: Conquest of Persia
Reading Assignment: Selections from Plutarch’s Life of Alexander (on course website)
Selections from Arrian’s The Campaigns of Alexander (on course website)
Week V: Culture of a World Empire
Tuesday, September 27: Founding Cities
Reading Assignment: Selections from Plutarch’s Life of Alexander (on course website)
Selections from Arrian’s The Campaigns of Alexander (on course website)
Thursday, September 29: Cultural Blending, and the Marriages at Susa
Reading Assignment: Selections from Arrian’s The Campaigns of Alexander (on course website)
Week VI: Death of a World Empire
Tuesday, October 4: The Death of Alexander
Reading Assignment: Selections from Plutarch’s Life of Alexander (on course website)
Thursday, October 6: Alexander’s Funeral Games: 323-306 BCE
Reading Assignment: GREEN pgs. 19-28
ERRINGTON ch. 1
Week VII: The Successors: 306-277 BCE
Tuesday, October 11: Wars of Succession
Reading Assignment: GREEN pgs. 28-43
ERRINGTON ch. 4 and summaries of chs. 2, 3
Thursday, October 13: Mid-Term Exam
Week VIII: Consolidating Kingdoms: 276-223 BCE
Tuesday, October 18: Europe and Asia
Reading Assignment: GREEN pgs. 67-75
ERRINGTON ch. 6 and summary of ch. 5
Thursday, October 20: Egypt and Ruler Cult
Reading Assignment: ERRINGTON ch. 7
Selections from Callimachus, Theocritus, Apollonius of Rhodes (on course website)
Week IX: 223-164 BCE
Tuesday, October 25: Roman Intervention
Reading Assignment: GREEN pgs. 75-85
ERRINGTON chs. 8, 10 and summary of ch. 9 (on course website)
Thursday, October 27: Forging the Future from the Past
Reading Assignment: GREEN ch. 3
Week X: The Threat of Rome: 164-100 BCE
Tuesday, November 1: Rome’s Growing Power
Reading Assignment: ERRINGTON chs. 11, 12
Thursday, November 3:
Reading Assignment: GREEN ch. 5
Week XI: The Decline of the Hellenistic Kingdoms
Tuesday, November 8: The End of the Seleucids
Reading Assignment: ERRINGTON chs. 13, 14
Thursday, November 10: The Decline of Ptolemaic Egypt
Reading Assignment: GREEN ch. 6
Week XII: The Rise of Cleopatra
Tuesday, November 15: Ptolemy XII Auletes
Reading Assignment: ERRINGTON ch. 15
Thursday, November 17: Civil War and Caesar
Reading Assignment: ROLLER ch. 4
Rough drafts due in class
Week XIII: Cultural Renewal
Tuesday, November 22: Consolidating and Rebuilding the Kingdom
Reading Assignment: ROLLER chs. 7, 8
Week XIV: Involvement with Rome
Tuesday, November 29: Marc Antony and Rome
Reading Assignment: ROLLER ch. 5
Thursday, December 1: Mid-Term Exam
Week XV: Cleopatra’s Rise and Fall
Tuesday, December 6: The Good Years
Reading Assignment: ROLLER ch. 6
Thursday, December 8: The Donations of Alexandria
Reading Assignment: Selections from Plutarch’s Life of Antony (on course website)
Week XVI: The End of Cleopatra and the Ptolemaic Dynasty
Tuesday, December 13: The Battle of Actium and the Death of Cleopatra
Reading Assignment: ROLLER ch. 9
Selections from Plutarch’s Life of Antony (on course website)
**Final Paper Due by 5pm, Friday, December 16, 2011**