CLAS 150: Week Eight

Key Terms, Dates, Individuals

Menander and New Comedy        Tyche        Serapis        Cynicism        Epicureanism        Alexandria   

Callimachus (Aitia)        Theocritus (Idylls; Simaetha, Thestylis, Delphis)      

Aeneas        Anchises        Ascanius        Creusa        Dido        Carthage        Lavinia        Rhea Silvia

Romulus        Remus        Livy        753 BC        Rape of Sabine Women        Quirinus       

Tarquinius Superbus        Lucius Junius Brutus        Rape of Lucretia        509 BC        consul, consulship

Etruscans         Apennines        Etruria        Latium        Apulia        Campania        Po Valley

haruspex, haruspices (pl.)        res publica        Centuriate Assembly        Senate        gens, gentes (pl.)

auctoritas        imperium

Issues, Questions to Consider

• Compare and contrast the Classical and Hellenistic world with regard to: populations, forms of government, social structure
• What impact did the changes characteristic of the Hellenistic period have on: gender roles, religion, philosophy, visual arts, literature?
• What was the appeal of Cyncisim?  Epicureanism?
• How would you characterize the relationship between the individual and the state/government in the Hellenistic period?   How does this compare to the Classical period?
• Explain the growing popularity of Tyche.  
• Explain the reasons for the growing popularity of astrology in the Hellenistic period.
• How would you characterize the visual arts of the Hellenistic period?   What were some of the major themes and styles?   How does this compare with Greek art from earlier periods?
• Compare and contrast old comedy and new comedy.
• How was the literature of the Hellenistic period different from the literature of the Classical period?
• What new types of literary genre appeared?    What were some of the ideals of Hellenistic poetry?
• Be able to discuss some of the major foundation myths of Roman culture, e.g., Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, Rape of Sabine women, Rape of Lucretia.
• What are some of the ideological messages of these foundation myths?   What do they reveal about what the Romans thought of themselves?
• How do the mythical origins of Rome compare with "reality"?
• What can we say about the Etruscans?   How did they influence Roman culture?
• Be sure you are able to make some general observations on the geography of Italy and Rome, and the impact of geography on future historical development.
• What are some of the key features of the consulship?  
• Compare the traditional account of the foundation of the Republic with what might be more historically accurate.