CLAS/HIST 130-01: SPORTS IN GREECE AND ROME (.5 Credit)
MEETING DAYS,
TIMES, AND PLACE:
TTh,
9:30-10:45, Wallace 207, for the
first half of the semester
INSTRUCTOR
INFORMATION:
Dr. Robert
Holschuh Simmons
21 Wallace
Hall
Office Phone:
309-457-2378
E-mail:
rsimmons@monmouthcollege.edu
Office Hours:
Monday and Friday 9-10 AM, Tuesday-Thursday 1-2 PM, and by appointment.
PREREQUISITES:
None
FOR WHOM
PLANNED:
This course is
designed for anyone interested in the practice of sports in the ancient Greek
and Roman worlds, and in the influence they have had on contemporary sports.
It will be particularly well-suited for students who are willing to take
physical part in our recreations of ancient sporting events and battle
techniques.
This class can also fulfill partial
requirements for a major in History,
Classics, Latin, or Greek.
COURSE
DESCRIPTION:
From our first
records of Greco-Roman life, sporting activity has been evident.
From the obvious combat of wrestling and gladiatorial conflict, to less
outwardly violent activities such as javelin throwing and chariot races, the
roots of many of the most popular sporting activities in the ancient world were
in preparation for battle. This
course will explore both of those critical parts of life in the ancient world,
as they developed individually, and in interactions between them.
The course will be highly active throughout, with students regularly
asked to act out athletic techniques and events.
One caution:
this course will be dealing with a
number of topics that were prominent parts of Greek and Roman life through the
centuries, some of which may make certain people uncomfortable.
Among things that may make some students uncomfortable about our
readings, video clips, and other ideas presented and/or discussed in class are
the following: violent behavior in the readings and in some video clips;
simulations of sporting techniques in class that, if done whole-heartedly, could
result in physical harm; depictions of male and female nudity in ancient vase
paintings; portrayals of ancient slavery in our readings; and ancient
stereotypes of sexes and cultures that come up in readings, which we will
discuss in class. While I will do
my best to make our discussions inclusive, kind, and academic, some of the
content of this course may not be ideal for students who are particularly
sensitive to the sorts of matters mentioned above.
If you take issue with any of the material or discussions in this course,
please contact me.
STUDENT
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon
successful completion
of this
course,
students
should
be
able to do the following, and
more:
1)
Identify significant and influential athletic techniques from the worlds of
classical Greece and Rome, and be able to act out many of them.
2)
Develop an extensive vocabulary of terms used in the ancient world to refer to
the techniques we will learn.
3)
Analyze
social, cultural, and historical factors influencing developments in athletic
tastes over years and centuries.
4)
Explain
connections and overlaps between sports in the ancient and modern worlds
RELEVANT CLASSICS
STUDENT
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1)
Think critically about the Classical World, including knowing what questions to
ask and how to answer them.
3) Know the broad overview of Greek and
Roman history, (the difference
between the Republic and Imperial periods, for example), the values prevailing
within each culture and period, and the factors that led to changes in the
political, social, and economic structures.
4) Be familiar with Classical
literature, including the major authors, genres, groupings, and relationship of
literature to history and culture.
5) Understand the role of Classics
in the modern world.
EVALUATION AND
GRADING:
PREPARATION
AND PARTICIPATION:
This will be a
tremendously active and interactive class.
We will be spending a lot of time talking about the things we have read
and learned in class. We will also
spend a lot of time physically performing ancient athletic events.
Thus it is critical that you be willing to take active part in class,
both intellectually and physically.
To do the best job in carrying out class activities, it will be important for
you to be well prepared for each class.
If you have not done your reading, you are likely to feel rather foolish
as the rest of us are performing events and you do not know what we are doing.
Thus a significant part of your grade will come from your participation
in class and your preparation for it.
Your grade in
this category will be based on a combination of my observations and notes and
your own assessment of your performance in this area.
To help both you and me keep up with your preparation and participation
throughout the semester, you will have your own Preparation and Participation
(P&P) folder that contains a self-assessment instrument. At the end of
each class period, you will assess your own participation based on, for example,
your level of preparation for class, the quantity and quality of your
contributions to class discussion, etc. I will review your
self-assessments and, if needed, alter them to reflect my assessment of your
participation based on observation and evidence. At one or more points in
the class, you will need to provide an overall assessment of your preparation
and participation based on your daily logs.
At the end of the term, I will average the daily scores and incorporate
your written assessments to determine the final Preparation and Participation
grade.
Attendance:
Because attendance is crucial to your success, and because our class meetings
are where a great deal of the course’s value comes, I will hold you to a high
standard of attendance.
You may
occasionally, however, need to miss a class for illness or other reasons.
Thus you will not be penalized
for your first two absences, whatever the reason for them.
If you miss more than two classes, however, your grade or status in the
class will be affected according to the following parameters:
Normally, the
two-absence cushion should account for matters outside of your control that
would keep you from attending class, so the third one, even if it could be
excusable on its own, serves as the consequence for classes missed previously
that were within your control, and it underscores the importance of your being
present: any absence, for whatever the reason, detracts from your learning in
the class. However, I recognize
that a person can, at times, run into circumstances that can keep her or him out
of class on several occasions without any fault on the student’s part.
If your first two absences were all due to debilitating or contagious
illness, family emergency, mandatory religious obligation, or participation in
an authorized College activity (for any of which I may require documentation), I
will not penalize you for a third absence either, if that also was precipitated
by one of those circumstances. For
absences beyond the first two that you believe should be excused, you should
contact me beforehand if you are in position to know about the absences in
advance (such as if you have a mandatory religious or College obligation); if
the absence is the result of an emergency, you should notify me within three
days of the missed class. Please
speak with me if you have a different reason for your absence that you think may
be excusable. I will be the sole
arbiter as to whether an absence will be considered excused.
Further details:
quizzes and In-Class Writing:
Because it is
critical that people are well-prepared for class in order for the events we will
do in class to work out, I will regularly have you either take a short quiz or
write for a few minutes in response to the reading you were assigned, and
sometimes in response to questions that I have assigned along with your reading.
MISSED QUIZZES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS MAY NOT BE MADE UP, unless you
have missed such an assessment for reasons that were fully justifiable and over
which you had no control. (I will be the
one who determines whether your circumstance justifies any mercy.)
However, I will drop students’ two
lowest scores, including missed assignments, in tabulating their final grade.
Exam:
There will be
one exam, covering assigned readings and the content of class activities,
discussions, and lectures, including visual images.
This exam will include both a written component and a component in which
you must physically show how to do practices of ancient sports that we have
learned in class.
Missed exams may be made up only if
missed for one of the following reasons, and only with appropriate
documentation: debilitating illness, family emergency, mandatory religious
obligation, or participation in authorized College activities.
Please speak with me if you have a different reason for your absence that
you think may be excusable. You
must make every effort to contact me before the exam if a make-up is
necessary, and you must take the make-up exam within five class days of the
scheduled date.
PROJECT:
You will
undertake one project (either alone or with partners) in which you will
demonstrate your mastery of some ancient athletic event(s) or game(s) through a
poster of it and a presentation of it, culminating in an exhibit at Classics Day
on October 22. The sorts of events
on which you will present are Olympics events like discus or long jump,
equestrian events like chariot racing, combat events like gladiatorial combat,
board games like rota, and the like.
Specific details of this assignment will be forthcoming.
If you have an unavoidable event that would force you to miss Classics
Day on October 22, we can work out an arrangement.
Grade Breakdown:
Preparation
and participation
20%
Quizzes and in-class writing
20%
Exams
30%
Project
30%
Percentage/Grade Equivalents:
98+
= A+ 87-89 = B+
77-79 = C+
67-69 = D+ 59 and below
= F
93-97 = A
83-86 = B
73-76 = C
63-66 = D
90-92 = A-
80-82 = B-
70-72 = C-
60-62 = D-
Required Texts
AND OTHER MATERIALS:
Futrell, A.
The Roman Games.
Blackwell, 2006.
Miller, S. G.
Arete.
3rd edition.
University of California Press, 2012.
Swaddling, J.
The Ancient Olympic Games.
3rd edition.
University of Texas Press, 1999 (or newer).
course engagement expectations:
This course is scheduled to meet 2 days per week for 75 minutes each for seven
and a half weeks. You should expect to spend on course reading, homework,
memorization, etc. approximately two hours outside of class for every hour in
class. Assigned activities may take each student a different amount of time to
finish; however, the weekly average for all students in the course for those
matters should be 7.5 hours. Intensive studying for exams and preparation
for your project will be in addition to the standard weekly preparation, but
will likely average out to an extra four hours per week.
The time estimates for the course thus break down as follows:
In class activities
2.5 hours
Homework, review of course material, and class preparation
5.0 hours
Intensive studying and preparing for the project (averaged out)
4.0 hours
Average per week:
11.5 hours
class behavior Expectations:
To maintain a
classroom environment in which everyone can learn, please show the respect and
courtesy to others that you would expect in turn.
Here are a few of the ways in which you can show respect and courtesy:
·
Be in your
seat on time for class, and remain for the duration of each class.
·
Have a
notebook, pen, and relevant materials out and ready to use throughout class.
·
Be ready to
answer questions about the day’s homework and other relevant subjects, to work
on in-class assignments individually and with peers, and to share your work in
small groups with the whole class.
·
Remain quiet
while I or others in class are speaking.
·
Show support
for those who speak in class by your demeanor and body language.
·
Focus on the
content of the class, not on personal electronic devices; all such items should
be turned off and packed away during class, unless they are being used for class
matters, in a way that is not distracting to your classmates or me.
·
You may eat
and drink in class, but only if it is not distracting to other students or me.
E-mail Courtesies:
When sending
me e-mail, please observe the following courtesies:
·
Begin the
message with a salutation of some sort (Dr. Simmons, Prof. Simmons, Mr. Simmons,
etc.).
·
Include a
reasonably accurate subject line.
·
Capitalize and
punctuate where appropriate, and proofread to make sure that you are
communicating clearly.
·
At the end of
the message, please identify yourself by the name by which I know you (first
name or nickname).
I will get
back to you as soon as I can.
Sometimes a response will be immediate; on other occasions it may take me
several hours, and quite possibly a full day if you write late in the day, at
night, or on a weekend, if I need to give some thought to a response before
providing one, or if I simply have other things I need to get done before I can
get to e-mails.
Special Needs:
Anyone who has
a special need that may require some modification of seating, testing, or other
class requirements should see me as soon as possible.
I will be pleased to make the appropriate arrangements in consultation
with you. Depending on the
modification, you may need to be registered with Disability Support Services.
Disability
Support Services:
If you have a
disability or had academic accommodations in high school or another college, you
may be eligible for academic accommodations at Monmouth College under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Monmouth College is committed to equal
educational access. Students with
disabilities can apply for accommodations at the Teaching and Learning Center
(TLC). The TLC is located on the 2nd floor of Poling Hall. For more
information, call 309-457-2257 or connect online at
http://ou.monmouthcollege.edu/life/disability-services/default.aspx.
Academic honesty:
From the Monmouth College Academic Honesty Policy: “We view academic
dishonesty as a threat to the integrity and intellectual mission of our
institution. Any breach of the academic honesty policy – either intentionally or
unintentionally – will be taken seriously and may result not only in failure in
the course, but in suspension or expulsion from the college. It is each
student’s responsibility to read, understand and comply with the general
academic honesty policy at Monmouth College, as defined here in the Scots Guide,
and to the specific guidelines for each course, as elaborated on the professor’s
syllabus.
“The following areas are examples of violations of the academic honesty policy:
“Please note that this list is not intended to be exhaustive.”
The complete Monmouth College Academic Honesty Policy can be found on the
College web page by clicking on “Student Life” then on “Student Handbook” in the
navigation bar on the top of the page, then “Academic Regulations” in the
navigation bar at the left. Or you can visit the web page directly by
typing in this URL: http://www.monmouthcollege.edu/life/residence-life/scots-guide/academic.aspx.
In this course, any violation of the academic honesty policy will have varying
consequences depending on the severity of the infraction as judged by the
instructor. Minimally, a violation will result in an “F” or 0 points on
the assignment in question. Additionally, the student’s course grade may be
lowered by one letter grade. In severe cases, the student will be assigned
a course grade of “F” and dismissed from the class. All cases of academic
dishonesty will be reported to the Associate Dean, who may decide to recommend
further action to the Admissions and Academic Status Committee, including
suspension or dismissal. It is assumed that students will educate
themselves regarding what is considered to be academic dishonesty, so excuses or
claims of ignorance will not mitigate the consequences of any violations.
Help outside of class:
You should
not hesitate to talk with me about any difficulties you are having—this course
is challenging, and I want to help you do the best you can at it.
Speak with me as soon as you are having trouble; letting a problem fester
is likely to make it worse. Also,
there is help available at the locations below.
Teaching &
Learning Center:
The
Teaching and Learning Center offers FREE resources to assist Monmouth College
students with their academic success. Programs include Supplemental Instruction
for difficult classes, drop-in and appointment tutoring, and individual academic
coaching. The TLC is here to help students excel academically. TLC services are
not just for struggling students, but can assist all students to get
better grades, practice stronger study skills, and manage time.
Visit Kam
Williams (Director
of Academic Support Programs and Student Disability Services)
and Rita Schwass (TLC secretary) at the TLC on 2nd floor Poling Hall
from 8am-4:30pm or online at
http://ou.monmouthcollege.edu/academics/teaching-learning-center/.
Kam can be reached at
klwilliams@monmouthcollege.edu
or 309-457-2214, and Rita can be reached at
rschwass@monmouthcollege.edu
or 309-457-2213.
Like the TLC on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monmouth-College-Teaching-and-Learning-Center/203117166403210?ref=aymt_homepage_panel.
Writing Center:
The Monmouth College Writing Center offers unlimited, free peer tutoring
sessions for students at Monmouth College. Peer writing tutors work with
writers from any major, of any writing ability, on any type of writing
assignment, and at any stage of their writing processes, from planning to
drafting to revising to editing. It is located on the 3rd floor of the
Mellinger Teaching and Learning Center, and we are open Sunday-Thursday 7-10pm
and Monday-Thursday 3-5pm on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment
necessary! Learn more about the Writing Center at its website:
http://blogs.monm.edu/writingatmc/writing-center/.
Speech Tutors:
Speech Tutors are available on a limited basis in the Writing Center to work
with students who are preparing for a presentation in any course. Speech Tutors
can help fine-tune thesis statements, review outlines, suggest organizational
strategies, provide feedback about visual aids, help students develop ways to
manage speech anxiety, and watch speech practice sessions. For information
about tutor availability, visit the Writing Center’s website at http://blogs.monm.edu/writingatmc/writing-center/.
Schedule of Assignments:
Note:
The assignments below are due on the
days on which they are listed. If
there is no other instruction given, you are to do the following:
Day 1
(Tuesday, August 23)
Assignments
due today: none—first day
Day 2
(Thursday, August 25)
Assignments
due today:
·
Arete
pp. 1-15
(Ch. 1)
Day 3
(Tuesday, August 30)
Assignments
due today:
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp. 71-81
·
Arete
pp. 27-39
Day 4
(Thursday, September 1)
Assignments
due today:
·
Arete
pp. 16-18 (sections 3-8, on athletic nudity) and pp. 20-21 (sections 14-15, on
oil in athletics)
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp. 57-62 (stop before the section labeled “The pentathlon”)
·
Arete
pp. 23-27
(Sections 20-31, on running events)
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp. 7-20 (stop before the section labeled “3 Pheidias’ Workshop”)
·
Arete
pp. 67-68 (sections 87-89, on the truces accompanying major athletic festivals
Day 5
(Tuesday, September 6)
Assignments
due today:
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp.
29-34 (start with “The Ancient Sports Complex,” and stop before “28 Hippodrome”)
(places for competition and training)
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp.
38-41 (sources on the Games, and rules of them)
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp.
44-52 (preparation and training for the Games)
·
Arete
pp. 65-67
(Sections 83-86, on preparation of athletes)
·
Arete
pp. 73-76
(Sections 100-109, on prohibitions, penalties, and officials)
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp.
63-66 (“Discus-throwing”)
·
Arete
pp. 44-45
(Sections 55-56, on discus-throwing)
Day 6
(Thursday, September 8)
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp.
62-63 (“The pentathlon”)
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp.
66-71 (start with “Javelin-throwing,” and stop before “Combat”)
·
Arete
pp. 39-50
(Sections 47-65, on the pentathlon, skipping over sections 54-55 on pp. 44-45)
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
p. 43 (“The Games of Hera”)
·
Arete
pp.
105-110 (Sections 149-162, “Women in Athletics”)
·
Arete
pp. 57-62
(Sections 73-80, non-athletic competitions in the Olympics and other games)
·
The readings
from Arete use a good number of Greek
terms that are not translated. If
their meaning is not obvious to you from their context, be sure to look them up
in the glossary that starts on p. 209.
Day 7
(Tuesday, September 13)
Assignments
due today:
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp. 81-89 (“Equestrian Events”)
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp. 34-38 (Sections 28-29: “Hippodrome” and “Starting gate for horseraces”)
·
Arete
pp. 53-57 (Sections 67-72, “Equestrian”)
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp. 53-55 (Ch. 5: “The Programme”)
·
Arete
pp. 70-73 (Sections 95-99, “Schedules, Heats, and Pairings”) •
·
The Ancient
Olympic Games
pp. 90-96 (Ch. 7: “Prize-Giving and Celebrations” and Ch. 8: “Politics, Scandal,
and Propaganda”—stop before “Politics and Sport”)
·
Arete
pp. 76-80 (Sections 110-118, “Rewards for Victory”)
·
Be ready to
sign up for an event in which you will take part in next class’s Olympic
competition
Day 8
(Thursday, September 15)
Assignments
due today:
·
Contest the
ancient Olympic games
o
Meet on the
football field
o
Dress
appropriately
o
Be ready to
enact everything that you have learned about the ancient Olympics.
You will not have to take part in every event, but I would like you to
take part in at least of them.
·
In advance of
class:
o
Review
everything you have learned about the Olympics: the order of events, the way
that each event is done, the matters leading up to the athletic events,
ceremonies in the midst of, before, and after the athletic competitions, etc.
o
Be able to
answer questions about any aspect of the ancient Olympics about which we have
learned.
Day 9
(Tuesday, September 20)
Assignments
due today:
·
Read the
following page ranges from The Roman
Games:
Day 10
(Thursday, September 22)
Assignments
due today:
Day 11
(Tuesday, September 27)
Assignments
due today:
·
COURSE EXAM
Day 12
(Thursday, September 29)
Assignments
due today:
·
In class: work
on projects with group members
Day 13
(Tuesday, October 4)
Assignments
due today:
·
Do necessary
work to get projects into shape to be finished during class
·
In class: work
on projects with group members
Day 14
(Thursday, October 6)
Assignments
due today:
·
PRIMARY GROUP
PROJECTS DUE
·
Groups will
present their projects to the class
Day 15
(Tuesday, October 11)
Assignments
due today:
·
Self-evaluations of work on projects due
·
SECONDARY
GROUP PROJECTS DUE
·
Groups will
present their projects to the class
October 22,
1-4 PM
Classics
Day—required event
Be present on
the Quad by 12:45 to get dressed and to set up your station
This schedule
is subject to change. Small changes
I will announce in class, and larger ones I will provide in writing.