REL 206: GRECO-ROMAN RELIGIONS Fall 2013 Tuesday and Thursday 5:00-6:20pm Crouse Hinds Hall 101 Syracuse University Professor Virginia Burrus (mvburrus@syr.edu) Office hours: Tuesdays 3:30-4:30, Thursdays 12:30-1:30 (520 Hall of Languages) Teaching Assistants: Seren Gates Amador (segatesa@syr.edu) Office hours: by appointment Lauren McCormick (lamccorm@syr.edu) Office hours: by appointment This course introduces students to religious texts and traditions in a formative era of Western history and culture. Our focus will be on the variety of religious expression in Greco-Roman culture, which flourished in the geographical area of the Mediterranean basin during the first five centuries of the common era--a period of history variously designated as "late antiquity," or the "Greco-Roman era," or the "Hellenistic period." By looking at such topics as debates about the nature of the gods and access to them (e.g., through oracles, magic, and ritual), the emergence of the idea of the holy person or friend of God, and the clash of religious traditions as seen in art, we will develop an understanding of a rich religious imagination that is truly different from contemporary understandings of religion and yet strangely familiar as well. The goal of the course is to develop skills in historical understanding and analysis of religious texts and traditions. Required Books 1. Luther Martin, Hellenistic Religions: An Introduction (NY: Oxford UP, 1987) 2. Marvin Meyer, The Ancient Mysteries: A Sourcebook of Sacred Texts (Philadelpha: U Penn Press, 1987) 3. Thomas Mathews, The Clash of Gods: A Reinterpretation of Early Christian Art (Princeton: Princeton UP, 1993) 4. Apuleius, The Golden Ass, trans. Joel Relihan (Indianapolis: Hackett, 2007) 5. Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, trans. Gregory Hays (NY: Modern Library, 2002) These are available for purchase in the SU Bookstore in the Shine Student Center. Other required readings are available on-line or posted on Blackboard, as noted on the syllabus.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. Faithful attendance and active participation in class discussions. You are expected to attend class regularly and read all assignments carefully so that you can ask questions and offer comments and reflections. Three absences will lower your semester grade by six points (e.g., a perfect score of 200 would be lowered to 194); four absences by eight points; five absences by ten points; etc. Please bring the ancient texts that we are discussing to class. 2. A series of one-page reflections (roughly 250 words each), due on the dates marked in boldface on the syllabus. Ask yourself the following key question: what does the assigned ancient text tell us about religious thought and practice in the Greco-Roman world? (For example, do the Gods intervene in human affairs? How? Are they friendly or hostile? How many different kinds of spiritual beings are there? What do human beings do to interact with their divinities? What kinds of stories do they tell about them? What kinds of hopes and fears do humans have, and how does their religion respond to these?) Please use our contemporary authors to help in your reflections, but base your response on the ancient text. To receive the highest grade, reflection papers should include (1) description, (2) analysis, and (3) evaluation of the religious phenomena identified in the text. These reflection papers must be typed (double-spaced) and handed in at the beginning of class on the day they are due; no late papers will be accepted. There are 15 possible reflection papers; you must do 10. Each is worth 5 points, for a total of 50 points (one-quarter of the final grade); if you do more than 10, we will count the 10 with the best grades. 3. Two Take-Home Essays. The instructor will hand out topic sheets approximately two weeks in advance of the due-dates. Essays must be typed (double-spaced) and handed in at the beginning of class on the day they are due, i.e., October 1 and October 31, respectively; late papers will not be accepted. The essays, which are to be 4 5 pages (1000-1250 words) in length, will allow you to polish and demonstrate--your analytical, reflective, and writing skills. You should use only readings from the course. Essay Workshops will be held prior to the due-date of each takehome essay. Each essay is worth 50 points (one-quarter of the final grade). 4. A Final, Closed-Book Examination, in class: Friday, December 10, 5:15 7:15 p.m. The final exam will cover readings not covered in the two take-home essays (that is, the material from Oct. 24 Dec. 5). It will not be given early to anyone. The final exam is worth 50 points (one-quarter of the final grade). ACADEMIC COURTESY All students are expected to follow simple rules of academic courtesy to fellow students and instructors. This includes being prepared for class, attending class from beginning to end, listening when another speaks, respecting personal and intellectual differences, and generally abstaining from any actions not productively related to this course: computers, tablets, and cell phones must be turned off and stowed away. Anyone whose behavior deviates from these standards may, at the discretion of the instructor, be asked to leave class for the day.
SCHEDULE OF READING AND ASSIGNMENTS Introduction: Greco-Roman Religion: Aug. 27 Introduction: Greco-Roman Religion: Aug. 29 Reading: Martin, Introduction I. Religious Attitudes and Practices: Apuleius' Golden Ass as Paradigm A. Lucius as "Greco-Roman Everyman": Sept. 3, 5 Reading: Golden Ass, chs. 1-3 Martin, Hellenistic Religions, Ch. 1 For Sept. 5: magical texts at http://hermetic.com/pgm/ Read 1.54, IV.1227-64, and IV.1716-1870 Optional: the Apuleius homepage is well worth a look http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/jod/apuleius (lots of good material on ancient magic!) B. Lucius' adventures as an ass and the Great Mother: Sept. 10, 12 Reading: Golden Ass, chs. 4-8 Meyer, Ancient Mysteries, 113-120, 125-130 Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 58-62, 83-84 C. The Salvation of Lucius by Isis: Sept. 17, 19 Reading: Golden Ass, chs. 9-11 Meyer, Ancient Mysteries, 157-159, 172-176 Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 72-81 D. Essay Workshop: Sept. 24 Come prepared with an outline for your essay. E. An Alternative to Isis: Eleusinian Mysteries: Sept. 26 Reading: Martin, Hellenistic Mysteries, 62-72 Meyer, Ancient Mysteries, 17-38 ***First Take-Home Essay Due, October 1***
II. Hellenistic Piety A. Traditional Piety and Philosophy: Oct 1, 3 Reading: Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 35-40 Marcus Aurelius, Meditations (read half for each class) B. Divination and Dreaming 1. Oracles: Oct. 8 Reading: Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 40-48, 111-113 Lucian, Alexander the Oracle Monger http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/luc/wl2/wl218.htm 2. Dreams: Oct. 10 Reading: Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 48-53 The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas (Blackboard) III. Reformations and Innovations A. Dionysus and Orpheus: Oct. 15 Reading: Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 90-102 Meyer, Ancient Mysteries, 63-65, 93-99 B. Mithraism: Oct. 17 Reading: Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 113-118 Meyer, Ancient Mysteries, 199-201, 206-207, 211-221 C. Essay Workshop: Oct. 22 Come prepared with an outline for your essay. ***Second Take-Home Essay Due, October 31***
D. Judaism: Oct. 24 E. Christianity Reading: Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 102-111 Wisdom of Ben Sira, Wisdom of Solomon, selections (Blackboard) Philo, On the Contemplative Life (Blackboard) 1. The Appeal of the Christ Myth: Oct 29 Reading: Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 118-126 Acts of Paul and Thecla (Blackboard) 2. The Phenomenon of the Holy Man: Oct 31, Nov 5 Reading: Athanasius, Life of St. Antony (Blackboard) Theodoret, Religious History (Blackboard) IV. The Clash of Gods in Art Note: for this section of the course, reflection pages should present as succinctly as possible the main points and arguments of the chapters in Mathews. A. The Chariot and the Donkey: Nov. 7 Reading: Mathews, Clash of Gods, chs.1-2 B. The Magician and the God-Man: Nov. 12, 14 Reading: Mathews, Clash of Gods, chs. 3-4 C. Christ Chameleon: Nov. 19, 21 Wrap-up: Dec. 3, 5 Reading: Mathews, Clash of Gods, chs. 5-6 ***Final Examination, Tuesday, December 10, 5:15 7:15 p.m.*** Please note this date; no one will be permitted to take the exam early, so make your travel plans accordingly.
ABSENCE DUE TO OBSERVANCE OF RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS Syracuse University does not have non-instructional days for the observance of any religious holiday. However, we will provide an opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirement that is missed because of an absence due to a religious observance, provided the instructor has been notified no later than the end of the second week of classes. DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS If you believe that you need accommodations for a disability, please contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS), located at 804 University Avenue, Room 309; call 315-443-4498 for an appointment to discuss your needs and the process for requesting accommodations. ODS is responsible for coordinating disability-related accommodations and will issue students with documented disabilities Accommodation Authorization Letters. Students should submit a current Accommodation Authorization Letter from ODS to the instructor and review those accommodations with the instructor. Accommodations, such as exam administration, are not provided retroactively; therefore, it is crucial to contact ODS and plan for accommodations as early as possible. For further information, see the ODS website, Office of Disability Services http://disabilityservices.syr.edu/ ACADEMIC INTEGRITY The Syracuse University Academic Integrity Policy holds students accountable for the integrity of the work they submit. Students should be familiar with the policy and know that it is their responsibility to learn about course-specific expectations, as well as university policy. The university policy governs appropriate citation and use of sources, the integrity of work submitted in exams and assignments, and the veracity of signatures on attendance sheets and other verifications of participation in class activities. The policy also prohibits students from submitting the same written work in more than one class without receiving written authorization in advance from both instructors. Serious sanctions can result from academic dishonesty of any sort. For more information and the complete policy, see http://academicintegrity.syr.edu In this course, the minimal penalty for any student found to cheat on an assignment is an F for that assignment; major violations will result in course failure, accompanied by a transcript notation indicating that the failure resulted from a violation of Academic Integrity Policy; repeat offenses can result in even more serious sanctions.