Syllabus 1 Pro. Mary R. Bachvarova Office: ETN 307 x-6984 mbachvar@willamette.edu Office hour: T 4-5 (or email me and we will arrange a time to meet) This course delves into the Near Eastern background of ancient Greek myth and cult, looking at parallels among deities, myths, and cult performances; also how, when, and why shared cultural features moved across linguistic and geographic barriers in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. Works with both oral-derived written texts and material culture, including iconography, pottery, and architectural remains, reading them in conjunction to achieve a holistic understanding of how texts and artifacts created or were embedded in performance contexts and spaces where ritual and cult were enacted. Covers the Near Eastern background of specific Greek gods and heroes: goddess of sexuality, storm-god, sun deities, sea deities, "young man" deities, healing deities, agricultural deities, mountain deities, underworld deities, disappearing or dying deities, Achilles, Hector, Heracles; cosmogonies; Chaoskampf and snake-slaying myths; ancestor veneration and its connection to epic and hero worship; curses and black magic; invocations; purification rituals; prayers and other performances in temple and sanctuary settings; festivals and processions; animal sacrifice; ritual drama; "sacred marriage" and other gendered and sexual metaphors for the relations between humans and the divine; genealogies; legitimization of kingship; wisdom literature. Student Learning Objectives (Interpreting Texts, Classics, Religious Studies, Archaeology) 1. A critically informed understanding of the religious beliefs and practices of the eastern Mediterranean in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. 2. Ability to understand the communicative strategies evinced in primary oral-derived texts and the remains of material culture, deployed to convey the cultural values and religious practices of the time. 3. Familiarity with philological, historical, and archaeological approaches to the study of ancient Mediterranean religion. 4. Ability to write a clear and original data-driven analytical argument based on evidence drawn from primary "texts" (including material culture) that both applies and critiques earlier scholarly discussions on the topic. Willamette's Credit Hour Policy holds that for every hour of class time there is an expectation of 2-3 hours work outside of class. Thus, for a class meeting three days a week you should anticipate spending 6-9 hours outside of class engaged in course-related activities. Examples include study time, reading and homework assignments, and research projects. Please tell me about any disabilities that will affect your participation in this course. I will respect any accommodations authorized by the Office of Disabilities Services. Plagiarism and cheating is not tolerated in this class. For more information on the consequences see http://www.willamette.edu/cla/dean/policies/plagiarism.html. REQUIREMENTS Daily Reading Journal Entries: 30% For each class, you will have a question assigned about the day's reading, to be turned in via our WISE site, by 1:00 PM. Participation: 10% This includes attendance, participating in class discussions, and critiquing paper drafts. You are allowed two excused absences, if you inform me in advance.
Take-home Assignment: 10%, DUE FEB. 2 2 Secondary Reading Report: 5% In-class presentation (7 minutes) on an assigned piece of secondary reading, based on your response to the "survey of interests," and leading a class discussion on how this reading helps us understand the reading assigned to the class as a whole for that day. First paper: 20% 6-10 pp., DUE MARCH 3, 5:00 PM, WISE site Second paper: 25% 6-10 pp., DUE MAY 7, 5:00 PM WISE site Please return the "Survey of Interests" by Tuesday, Jan. 26. REQUIRED BOOKS Hesiod, Theogony and Works and Days (Oxford World Classics), trans. M. L. West (2008) ISBN 019953831X George, A. R. The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Babylonian Epic Poem and Other Texts in Akkadian and Sumerian (1999) ISBN 0140449191 OTHER READINGS Most articles, chapters from books, and extracts from translations of primary sources listed on the syllabus are available on our WISE site, under "resources." Schedule # date assignment 1 1/19 2 1/21 "Epic of Creation," pp. 436-86 from Foster, B. R. (2005) Before the Muses: An 3 1/26 Hesiod, Theogony, trans. M. L. West 4 1/28 "Kumarbi Cycle," pp. 139-63, trans. M. R. Bachvarova, from López-Ruiz, C. pp. 50-63 from "The Theogony and eastern parallels: City-State succession myths?," Scully, S. (2015) Hesiod's Theogony: From Near Eastern Creation Myths to Paradise Lost. Oxford. 5 2/2 TAKE-HOME ASSIGNMENT DUE 2:30, uploaded to WISE site 6 2/4 "Ninurta's Exploits," pp. 163-80 from Black, J. A., G. Cunningham, E. Robson and G. Zólyomi (2004) The Literature of Ancient Sumer. Oxford and New York. Apollodorus on Heracles, 2.4.8-5.12, trans. J. G. Frazer (1921) 7 2/9 Homeric Hymn to Apollo, pp. 14-27 from Athanassakis, A. N. (2004) The extracts from "Hymn to Apollo," pp. 17-22, 29, 33- top of 46, 63-74, Clay, J. S. (2006) The Politics of Olympus: Form and Meaning in the Major Homeric Hymns, 2nd edn. London and New York. 8 2/11 Local Anatolian seasonal festivals: pp. 136-49 from Carter, C. W. (1962) Hittite Cult-Inventories. PhD, University of Chicago. Chicago.
pp. 30-1, 36-40, 167-72, Hazenbos, J. (2003) The Organization of the Anatolian Local Cults during the Thirteenth Century B. C. Leiden and Boston. 3 KI.LAM festival, pp. 50, 58-64, 71-80, 82-5, 132-3, Singer, I. (1983) The Hittite KI.LAM Festival: Part I. Studien zu den Boğazköy-Texten 27. Wiesbaden. (xerox 50-1, 58-64, 71-80, 82-5, 90-133) Miletus festival: selections from "Archaeology and Cult," pp. 168-90, Gorman, V. B. (2001) Miletos, the Ornament of Ionia. Ann Arbor. 9 2/15 Wright, J. C. (2004) "A survey of evidence for feasting in Mycenaean society," in The Mycenaean Feast, ed. J. C. Wright. Hesperia 73:2. Princeton. 13-58. 10 2/17 "Eleusinian mysteries," pp. 26-48 from Bowden, H. (2010) Mystery Cults of the Ancient World. Princeton and Oxford. 11 2/23 Homeric Hymn to Demeter, pp. 1-13 from Athanassakis, A. N. (2004) The "Telipinu Myth," trans. M. R. Bachvarova, pp. 451-8 from López-Ruiz, C. "Ishtar's Descent," pp. 498-505 from Foster, B. R. (2005) Before the Muses: An 12 2/25 "Dumuzid's Dream," pp. 77-84 from Black, J. A., G. Cunningham, E. Robson and G. Zólyomi (2004) The Literature of Ancient Sumer. Oxford and New York. "Hymn to Inana," pp. 92-9 from Black, J. A., G. Cunningham, E. Robson and G. Zólyomi (2004) The Literature of Ancient Sumer. Oxford and New York. Theocritus, Idyll XV on the Adonia, pp. 56-62 from Sargent, T. (1982) The Idylls of Theocritus. New York and London. 13 3/1 Sumerian love songs, pp. 135-57, 166-7, 187-9, 223-98, 251-2 from Sefati, Y. (1998) Love Songs in Sumerian Literature: Critical Edition of the Dumuzi- Inanna Songs. Jerusalem. Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, pp. 47-55 from Athanassakis, A. N. (2004) The Iliad, 14.153-360, Deception of Zeus, pp. 298-303 from Lattimore, R. (1951) The Iliad of Homer. Chicago and London. 14 3/3 1 st DRAFT of 1 st PAPER, DUE 2:30, uploaded to WISE site 15 3/8 "Mother of the Gods," pp. 83-105 from Bowden, H. (2010) Mystery Cults of the Ancient World. Princeton and Oxford. Arnobius, Adversus Nationes 5.5-21 Güterbock, H. G. (1995) "Reflections on the Musical instruments arkammi, galgalturi, and ḫuḫupal in Hittite," in Studio Historiae Ardens: Ancient Near Eastern Studies Presented to H. J. Houwink ten Cate on the Occasion of his 65th Birthday, eds. T. P. J. van den Hout and J. de Roos. Istanbul. 57-72. proverbs on gala-priests 16 3/10 NO CLASS 1 st PAPER DUE 5:00 PM, uploaded to WISE site
17 3/15 Prayers I 4 "Shamash Hymn," pp. 627-35 from Foster, B. R. (2005) Before the Muses: An "Ritual and Prayer to Ishtar of Nineveh," trans. B. J. Collins. pp. 164-5, from Hallo, W. W. and K. L. Younger, Jr. (eds) (1997) The Context of Scripture: Vol. I. Canonical Compositions from the Biblical World. Leiden, New York and Cologne. from Singer, I. (2002) Hittite Prayers. Writings from the Ancient World 11. Atlanta, Ga. "Invocation of the Sun-goddess of Arinna for the Protection of the Royal Couple" (pp. 25-8) "Prayer of Kantuzzili" (pp. 31-3) from West, M. L. (1994) Greek Lyric Poetry. Oxford. Sappho 2, 17 (pp. 36-8) Alcaeus 34 (p. 50) "IO 3/17 Prayers II from Singer, I. (2002) Hittite Prayers. Writings from the Ancient World 11. Atlanta, Ga. "Prayer of Arnuwanda and Ashmunikal to the Sun-goddess of Arinna" (pp. 40-3) "Mursili's Hymn and Prayer to the Sun-goddess of Arinna" (pp. 47-54) "Mursili's Hymn and Prayer to Telipinu" (pp. 54-6) "Mursili's Second Plague Prayer to the Storm-god of Hatti" (pp. 57-61) "Righteous Sufferer," pp. 392-409 from Foster, B. R. (2005) Before the Muses: An from West, M. L. (1994) Greek Lyric Poetry. Oxford. Sappho 1 (p. 36) Alcaeus 129 (p. 54) SPRING VACATION 19 3/29 pp. 1-47, George, A. R. (1999) The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Babylonian Epic Odyssey, Book 9, Cyclops episode, pp. 82-94 from Hammond, M. (2000) Homer: The Odyssey. London. 20 3/31 pp. 47-54, George, A. R. (1999) The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Babylonian Epic Iliad, Book 5.121-430, Diomedes and Aphrodite, pp. 131-9 from Lattimore, R. (1951) The Iliad of Homer. Chicago and London. Aqhat, trans. S. Meier, pp. 178-84 from López-Ruiz, C. (2013) Gods, Heroes, and Monsters: A Sourcebook of Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern Myths. New York and Oxford. 21 4/5 pp. 54-87, George, A. R. (1999) The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Babylonian Epic Other Texts in Akkadian and Sumerian. London.
Iliad, 18.1-126, 314-53, 19.282-end, 23.1-261, mourning for Patroclus, pp. 375-8, 383-5, 399-403, 450-7 from Lattimore, R. (1951) The Iliad of Homer. Chicago and London. 22 4/7 pp. 88-100, 175-85, George, A. R. (1999) The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Babylonian Epic 5 Odyssey, Visit to Underworld, Book 11, pp. 107-119, from Hammond, M. (2000) Homer: The Odyssey. London. 23 4/12 Hesiod, Works and Days 24 4/14 "Instructions of Shurupag," pp. 284-92 from Black, J. A., G. Cunningham, E. Robson and G. Zólyomi (2004) The Literature of Ancient Sumer. Oxford and New York. From West, M. L. (1994) Greek Lyric Poetry. Oxford. Theognis 19-68 (pp. 64-5) Solon 13 (pp. 76-8) 25 4/19 Song of Release, trans. M. R. Bachvarova, pp. 290-9 from López-Ruiz, C. Iliad, Book 1, pp. 59-75 from Lattimore, R. (1951) The Iliad of Homer. Chicago and London. "Lament for Sumer and Ur," pp. 127-41 from Black, J. A., G. Cunningham, E. Robson and G. Zólyomi (2004) The Literature of Ancient Sumer. Oxford and New York. 26 4/21 "Curse of Agade," pp. 116-24 from Black, J. A., G. Cunningham, E. Robson and G. Zólyomi (2004) The Literature of Ancient Sumer. Oxford and New York. "Cuthean Legend of Naram-Sin," pp. 294-331 from Westenholz, J. G. (1997) Legends of the Kings of Akkade: The Texts. Mesopotamian Civilizations 7. Winona Lake, Ind. Iliad, Book 12, 18.243-313, 22.91-end, story of Hector, pp. 258-70, 381-3, 435-49 from Lattimore, R. (1951) The Iliad of Homer. Chicago and London. 27 4/26 "Dionysus," pp. 105-36 from Bowden, H. (2010) Mystery Cults of the Ancient World. Princeton and Oxford. Euripides' Bacchae, pp. 1-10 28 4/28 Euripides' Bacchae, pp. 11-39 29 5/3 1 st DRAFT OF 2 nd PAPER DUE 2:30, uploaded to WISE site 5/9 FINAL DRAFT OF 2 nd PAPER DUE 5:00, uploaded to WISE site