CLAS/HIST240 Ancient Societies:
Sport and Recreation in the Ancient World
Department of Classics
Monmouth College

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
Fall, 20
12

NOTE: 
This schedule will remain "in progress" throughout the half semester.
It will be modified as needed.
Students are advised to consult this schedule periodically for changes, modifications, and additions.

Aug. 28 Course Introductions
Discussion: What is sport?
Monmouth College Statement of Athletic Philosophy
Historical and Religious Framework of the Greek Athletic World
Chronology / Timeline of Roman History
Greek Pantheon / The Major Gods / Greek Gods and Sports
Poetry and Athletics
Pindar, Pythian 3 / Writing a Pindaric EpinikionPindar
"Ode to Athens" by Armand D'Angour / A. E. Housman's "To An Athlete Dying Young"
On Sept. 4th you will hand in your own celebration of sport modeled on a Pindaric ode. This ode must be solidly American in its context. This ode should be at least as long as D'Angour's "Ode to Athens."
Powerpoint:
Why Sport?
Aug. 30 The Vocabulary and Philosophy of Sport
Crowther, Introduction
Powerpoints: Vocabulary and Philosophy of Sport

The Vocabulary of Sport and Greek Athletic Vocabulary
Philosophy of Sport
the Philosophy of Sport / Philosophies of Sport / Resource Guide in Philosophy of Sport
Riefenstahl's Olympia (video) /  Riefenstahl's Olympiad
Leni Riefenstahl's "Olympia": Brilliant Cinematography or Nazi Propaganda?
Pindar Pythian Three Worksheet
The Modern Olympic Myth
Powerpoint: Modern Mythmakers

"Then and Now" (Potter xvii-xxx)
Revival of the Ancient Olympics / The Olympic Games / ParalympicsIOC Website / C. Avery Brundage
Amateurism vs. Professionalism, Nationalism and Internationalism
in Ancient and Modern Sport
 The Real Story
/ Context and Spirit of the Games / Professionals vs. Amateurs / Corruption's as Ancient as Games
Sept. 4
World of Greek Athletics
Theory and Origin of Sport
Konrad Lorenz: Triumph Ceremony of the Greylag Goose / Measuring Behavior
Meynall: Ethology and Ethics

Sports Poem Due.
Sept. 6
Traditional Sports in Human Culture
Athletic Events in Prehistory / Ancient Egyptian Sports / Sports in Ancient China
Read Crowther 1-4 and 14
Sept. 11 Mayan Ballgame
Ballgame / Chichen Itza
Paper Due
Sept. 13
Sports in the Greek Bronze Age
Bulls and Bull-Leaping in the Minoan World
A
thletics in Homer

Homeric Age 
Potter, Chapters 1-3
Crowther, Chapter 5
Read about the Funeral Games for Patroclus in Iliad 23
The Homeric Background of the Olympic Games and Chariot Races
Sept. 18
Homeric Sports
The Homeric Background of the Olympic Games and Chariot Races
Paper Due
Sept. 20  
Olympia and the Games
Tour of Olympia /
Olympia / History of Ancient Olympia / Walking Tour of Olympia /The Temple of Zeus at Olympia
Potter, Chapters 4-7
Crowther, Chapters, 6-7
Pindar. Olympians 1-3
Tantalus and Pelops

Take Home Test this weekend!!!!
Sept. 25 
Olympic Competitions
Potter, chapter 8
Running and Marathon

Pentathlon: Discus; Jumping and Javelin
Ovid on Apollo and Hyacinthus (or hand-out)
Miller's Ancient Greek Athletics Syllabus
Boxing, Wrestling, and Pankration
Equestrian Events and Non-Athletic Competitions

Sept. 27  Olympic Competitions Cont.
Powerpoints: Running / Pentathlon / Combat Sports / Equestrian Events

Ancient Greek Athletes / Famous Olympic Victors
Parsing  Pindaric Ode
Paper Due on Pindaric Ode
Oct. 2 Sports in Ancient Rome
Roman Sport
Potter, Chapters 14-18
Crowther, Chapters 8-9
Vergil, Aeneid V
Amphitheatres, Gymnasia and Baths

Circus Maximus / The Colosseum
Crowther, Chapter 11

Paper Due
Oct. 4 Charioteers, Gladiators and their Private Lives
Potter, Chapters 26-27
Crowther, Chapter 12-13
Circus and Amphitheatre
What happened in  Roman Amhitheatre?

Gladiators' Private Lives
Oct. 9 "Fall Break" No Class
Oct. 11 Women in Ancient Sport
Women in Greek Athletics
Female Gladiators
Gladiatrix (Discover)
Female Gladiators in the Ancient Roman World
Potter, Chapter 25
Crowther, Chapter 16
Note: The second exam will be take home.

This material has been published on the web by Prof. Tom Sienkewicz for his students at Monmouth College. If you have any questions, you can contact him at tjsienkewicz@monmouthcollege.edu.

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