FYSM 208 - Body Politics:The Power of Ancient Greek Athletics

Institution:

Trinity College

Subject:

Description:

An ancient Greek writer reports that a man continuously flogged the statue of a famous Olympic victor. The statue of the dead athlete fell upon and killed its abuser, and subsequently was thrown into the sea. The townspeople only averted the resulting famine by recovering the statue and worshipping it as a god. This story points to the immense power accorded to athletes in Greek society. In this seminar, we will explore the relationships between athletic competition and religion, politics, education, literature, and art in the ancient Greek world. We will ask what these connections tell us about ancient Greek culture. We will address issues of class, gender, ethnicity, and the mechanics of competition, including that burning question: were Greek athletes really nude We will draw on primary sources ranging from literary texts and historical documents to artistic representations and material artifacts. This seminar also will consider the impact of ancient Greek athletics on modern culture, from the nineteenth-century "revival" of the Olympic Games up to the present day. To what extent does the modern Olympic movement rely on myths about ancient Greek athletics Are there real connections between the role of athletic competition in ancient Greek and modern societies We will explore these questions through film, Internet resources, and media coverage of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia (September 15-October 1). Students will be required to participate in classroom discussion, write several short essays and a longer research paper, and complete a final project. Field trips may include a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and attendance of an athletic event. 1.00 units, Seminar

Credits:

1.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.Trincoll.edu

Phone Number:

(860) 297-2000

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

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