B ­ Course Revision Form : Entry # 194
Today's Date
09/22/2016
Your Name
Jacqueline Arthur­Montagne
Your Email:
[email protected]
Which semester is your revision applicable for?
Spring 2017
Your department
College of Arts & Sciences ­ History
Please select the appropriate school overseeing this proposal:
Arts & Sciences
Does this course as it currently exists fulfill any of the below University academic program requirements?
This course does not fulfill academic program requirements
Is this course cross listed?
No
Choose the department designator for your course from the list below.
HST
Current course number
3881
Special topics course title
Homer and the Trojan War
Special topics course description
“Homer and the Trojan War” investigates the history of Troy through two lenses: the Iliad of Homer and the archaeological
excavations of Heinrich Schliemann (c. 1870). We will alternate weekly between evaluating Homeric epic as a primary source
for Bronze Age Greece, and critiquing Schliemann’s reconstruction of the Trojan War through Homeric texts and archaeological
artifacts. Advanced students will have the opportunity not only to learn about the history and culture of the early Greek world, but
also evaluate the “rediscovery” of ancient Greece in modern Europe.
Please list any prerequisites for this special topics course
B ­ Course Revision Form : Entry # 194
1000/2000 HST
List the special topics student learning outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to (1) describe the civilizations of Bronze Age Greece and the foundational
narrative of the Trojan War through class discussions and oral presentations; (2) analyze, compare, and correctly cite primary
literary and archaeological sources from classical antiquity in written assignments; (3) conduct original research that examines
not only the history of classical Greece, but also its reconstruction by 19th century historians and antiquarians.
Describe how your course's learning outcomes help to fulfill the missions of your department and school/college
(1) Interpret (in writing) human experience in its spatiotemporal context; (2) Use evidence to produce valid interpretations of
historical events; (3) Formulate academic arguments about history that use evidence from the past to support appropriate
historical conclusions
Describe how the student learning outcomes in your course will be assessed.
in­class participation (25%); 6 writing assignments (25%); 2 oral presentations (20%); final paper (30%)
Please attach your syllabus, signature page (to indicate department approval), and any other supporting documents.
HST­3881­Revised­Syllabus.pdf
N­HST3881ArthurMontagne­S17­2.1.pdf
N­HST3881ArthurMontagne­S17­2.2.pdf
For Deans:
Does this proposal connect solely to programs in your school (Intra­Collegiate), or does it have connections to broader
university programs and requirements (Inter­Collegiate)? Note that all proposals connected to University Academic Programs
or within the General Education should be considered Inter­Collegiate proposals.
Intra­collegiate
Does this course, as revised, fit the needs of the school/program/university?
Yes
(DEAN) I approve/deny this proposal for further advancement
Approve
Today's Date
09/29/2016
Further comments
Syllabus should include information regarding University Honor Code, accommodations, attendance policies, and any other
relevant policies.
If standard numbering for special topics courses still applies, the course number should be 3888.
For the School Curriculum Committee:
B ­ Course Revision Form : Entry # 194
Does this course, as revised, fit the needs of the school?
Yes
(EPC) This committee approves/denies advancement of this proposal
Approve
Today's Date
10/12/2016
Further comments
Note: Faculty should review the revised syllabus (HST 3881 Revised Syllabus). The document entitled "proposal" contains the
departmental approval page at the front, but the syllabus following that has been revised.
J. Arthur-Montagne
High Point University
Course Level:
Schedule:
Syllabus Proposal: “Homer and the Trojan War”
4 credits, advanced history seminar (3000 level); 1000/2000 HST prerequisite
M/W/F, Spring 2017
Course Description
“Homer and the Trojan War” investigates the history of Troy through two lenses: the Iliad of Homer and
the archaeological excavations of Heinrich Schliemann (c. 1870). We will alternate weekly between
evaluating Homeric epic as a primary source for Bronze Age Greece, and critiquing Schliemann’s
reconstruction of the Trojan War through Homeric texts and archaeological artifacts. Advanced students
will have the opportunity not only to learn about the history and culture of the early Greek world, but also
evaluate the “rediscovery” of ancient Greece in modern Europe.
Course Specific Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to (1) describe the civilizations of Bronze Age
Greece and the foundational narrative of the Trojan War through class discussions and oral presentations;
(2) analyze, compare, and correctly cite primary literary and archaeological sources from classical
antiquity in written assignments; (3) conduct original research that examines not only the history of
classical Greece, but also its reconstruction by 19th century historians and antiquarians.
History Department Learning Outcomes
(1) Interpret (in writing) human experience in its spatiotemporal context; (2) Use evidence to produce
valid interpretations of historical events; (3) Formulate academic arguments about history that use
evidence from the past to support appropriate historical conclusions
Course Assessment
in-class participation (25%); 6 writing assignments (25%); 2 oral presentations (20%); final paper (30%)
Required Course Texts
R. Lattimore, trans. (2011). The Iliad of Homer: Introduction and Notes by Richard Martin. Chicago.
D. Traill (1995). Schliemann of Troy: Treasure and Deceit. New York.
M. Wood (1998). In Search of the Trojan War. Berkeley.
Additional Readings
D. Boedecker, ed. (1997). The World of Troy: Homer, Schliemann, and the Treasures of Priam.
Washington, D.C.
E. H. Cline (2013). The Trojan War: A Very Short Introduction. New York.
J. P. Crielaard (1995). “Homer, History and Archaeology. Some Remarks on the Date of the
Homeric World,” in J. P. Crielaard, ed., Homeric Questions. Essays in Philology, Ancient History and
Archaeology: 201–288. Amsterdam.
D. F. Easton (1998). “Heinrich Schliemann: Hero or Fraud?” CW 91: 335-343.
J. Grethlein (2010), “From Imperishable Glory to History. The Iliad and the Trojan War,” in K.
Raaflaub and D. Konstan, eds., Epic and History: 122-144. London.
S. Marchand (1996). Down from Olympus: Archaeology and Philhellenism in Germany, 1750 –
1970. Princeton.
I. Morris (1986). “The Use and Abuse of Homer,” CA 5: 81–138.
I. Morris and B. Powell, eds. (1997). A New Companion to Homer. Leiden.
A. Nicolson (2014). Why Homer Matters. New York.
C. B. Rose (2013). The Archaeology of Greek and Roman Troy. Cambridge.
C. Shelmerdine, ed. (2008). The Cambridge Companion to the Aegean Bronze Age. Cambridge.
E. Sherratt (1990). “Reading the Texts: Archaeology and the Homeric Question,” Antiquity 64:
807-824.
B. Trigger (1990). A History of Archaeological Thought. Cambridge.
J. Arthur-Montagne
High Point University
Weekly Schedule
Week 1
Introduction
Readings:
Iliad 1-2  Nicolson 2014 (selections)  Wood 1998 (ch. 1)
Week 2
The Homeric Question
Readings:
Iliad 3-5  Nicolson 2014 (selections)  Sherratt 1990
Week 3
Philhellenism and Archaeology in 19th c. Germany
Readings:
Marchand 1996  Trigger 1990 (ch. 2)
Week 4
The World of the Iliad: Bronze Age Greece
Readings:
Iliad 6-8  Shelmerdine 2008 (selections)  Cline 2013
Week 5
The World of Homer: Iron Age Greece
Readings:
Iliad 9-11  Crielaard 1995  Wood 1998 (ch. 4)
Week 6
Schliemann Reads Homer
Readings:
Morris 1986  Nicolson 2014 (ch. 7)  Traill 1995 (selection)
Week 7
The Homeric Landscape
Readings:
Iliad 12-14  Wood 1998 (ch. 5)
Week 8
Searching for the Site of Ilium
Readings:
Traill 1995 (selection)  Boedecker 1997 (selection)
Week 9
Mid-semester Break
Week 10
The Trojan War in Greek Art
Readings:
Iliad 15-17  Morris and Powell 1997 (ch. 25)
Week 11
Schliemann’s Discovery
Readings:
Traill 1995 (selection)  Boedecker 1997 (selection)  Rose 2013 (ch. 1)
Week 12
The Treasures of Priam
Readings:
Iliad 18-20  Traill 1995 (selection)
Week 13
Awe and Doubt: Schliemann’s Publications and Controversies
Readings:
Traill 1995 (selection)  Boedecker 1997 (selection)
Week 14
The Legacy of Schliemann’s Troy
Readings:
Iliad 21-23  Grethlein 2010  Nicolson 2014 (ch. 5)
Week 15
Research Presentations
Week 16
Conclusion
Readings:
Iliad 24  Easton 1998
J. Arthur-Montagne
High Point University
GRADING CRITERIA
In-Class Participation
Attendance is required and roll will be taken daily. Starting week 2, attendance and participation will be
graded on a tiered scale from “prepared” (100%), “unprepared” (50%), to “absent” (0%). A prepared
student will come to class having completed the readings and writing assignments, and ready to ask
questions and engage actively with one another throughout the session. Students who miss more than two
classes (after week 2) will be placed on class probation. Students who miss more than 3 classes may be
involuntary dropped from the class, at my discretion. (Course Objective 1)
Assigned Readings
In order to prepare themselves for each class session, students are expected to read a substantial amount
of scholarship and primary sources. By “reading,” I mean that students should locate a quiet study space
without distractions (electronic or otherwise) well in advance of class, and read the assigned chapters,
articles, or sources actively – marking the readings with notes and highlighting terms or passages. After
an initial reading, students should briefly review their materials and notes prior to class in order to readily
ask and answer questions about the assignments, and participate in group activities. Lectures will not
replicate the reading material, but delve more deeply into their topics or address new content. Each
member of this class is individually responsible for completing all assignments, but I strongly encourage
students to form study groups and collaborate on note-taking. (Course Objectives 1-3)
Oral Presentations (2)
Students in this course will make two oral presentations of 20 minutes each. The first should present an
analysis of one of the week’s assigned chapters from Homer’s Iliad. The objective of the primary source
presentation is to consider what new historical details or contexts this chapter introduces to our
understanding of Bronze Age Greece and the Trojan War. The second should critique one of the week’s
assigned secondary readings. The objective of the secondary source presentation is to comprehend and
evaluate how professional historians formulate research arguments and assemble evidence in support
thereof. During the first 10 minutes of each presentation, the student is responsible for introducing his or
her prepared analysis of the material; in the last 10 minutes of the presentation, the student should
facilitate a dialogue among his or her peers through discussion questions or a class activity. (Course
Objective 1)
Writing Assignments (6)
On even-numbered weeks (from weeks 2-12), students should bring a written response (printed or handwritten) to the assigned prompt addressing that week’s reading assignments or discussions. Writing
assignments challenge students to synthesize and analyze our historical sources. They are also tailored to
help students master research skills, such as paraphrasing a source or creating a bibliography. Writing
assignments submitted late will be penalized ½ letter grade per day. (Course Objective 2)
Final Paper
For this class, students will complete a final paper of 2250-2500 words (excluding citations and
bibliography). This paper should make an original argument in response to one of the paper prompts I
circulate in week 5 of the semester. Students may propose a paper topic of their own choosing, to be
approved at my discretion. Students should also plan to meet with me in weeks 7 or 8 of the semester to
discuss their paper topics, and to submit either a 1-page paper outline or paper introduction no later than
week 11. (Course Objective 3)
J. Arthur-Montagne
High Point University
COURSE POLICIES
HPU Honor Code & Writing Resources
Students submitting graded assignments in this class are expected to abide by the terms of the
HPU Honor Code, which prohibits cheating, collusion, property violations, and plagiarism. For
the specific definitions and details of this Honor Code, please consult
highpoint.edu/studentconduct/university-honor-code/. In addition, students who become aware of
honor code violations in this course are required to notify me, whether or not they choose to
identify suspected violators. This class will provide students ample opportunities to practice
correctly quoting, citing, and paraphrasing primary and secondary sources. Please feel free to
contact me at any time in the semester with questions about study and writing practices, and
partner collaboration. I am happy to read paper drafts and to critique student citations.
The Writing Center at High Point University provides writing assistance for students at any level
of study – from freshman to graduate – at any stage in the writing process, from invention
through revision. Go to https://highpoint.mywconline.com/ to make an appointment, starting
August 29, 2016. Writing Center tutors do not proofread or edit students’ papers for them, but
they do work with students to help them develop strategies for improving their writing. For more
information, contact Writing Center Director, Dr. Leah Schweitzer at [email protected].
HPU Disability Support
High Point University is committed to accommodating students with documented disabilities and
providing equal access to educational resources. Any students in this class who require learning
accommodations (such as tailored testing procedures, peer notes, or alternate format textbooks)
should contact the Department of Disability Support at [email protected] and submit an
Academic Accommodations Intake Form at the beginning of spring term. Thereafter, I will
coordinate with Disability Support staff to implement recommended accommodations for
approved students.
In-Class Technology Use
In order to foster a dynamic and active learning environment, I do not permit the use of
computers, tablets, cell-phones, or equivalent technology during class-time. There are two
exceptions to this rule. Students with disabilities who require electronic devices to complete inclass work should request accommodation from the Department of Disability Support (see
above). In addition, all students may request permission to record the audio content of my
lectures for their personal use. For general note-taking purposes without electronics, I do
recommend the following devices: wax tablet and stylus, mammoth hide and bone tip, stone and
chisel, papyrus and reed pen, or parchment and feather quill.
Make-Up Work and Extra Credit
Make-up quizzes and exams will be considered on a case-by-case basis, at a penalty of ½ letter
grade per day applied to the final grade. I do consider requests for extra credit work from
students, provided they have missed no more than two classes. Requests for extra credit should
be submitted no later than week 12 of the semester.