Religions of the Ancient World

Syllabus Religion 255 Religions of the Ancient World

Jeffrey R. Asher, Ph.D. Fall 2012 Office: Pawling 305 TR 2:10-3:25 P.M. Telephone: 502-863-7098 Classroom: HC 006 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays: 11:00-11:50 AM Tuesdays & Thursdays: 1:00-1:50 PM

Course Description: This course consists of an introduction to the religious texts, traditions, rituals, and ideas of the ancient Mediterranean world and the ancient Near East. The focus will be on a comparative analysis of the varieties of religious expression with particular attention paid to the conceptual approaches to the study of religion as well as to the historical, social, literary, and cultural contexts of religious practices

Objectives Course Objectives:  To become familiar with the varieties of religious experience in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world.  To evaluate critically the arguments of the textbooks and reading assignments.  To become familiar with the methods used to interpret religious phenomena and religious texts. Departmental Educational Objectives  Demonstrate a basic understanding of other world religions and a capacity to analyze them academically. This objective will be evaluated by requiring students to describe key issues, themes, and arguments in the texts and traditions of the ancient Mediterranean world and ancient near east and apply that knowledge to interpreting religious phenomena. This will be measured by means of essay exams. Cultural Awareness Abroad Educational Objective  To become familiar with non-western and non-European religion and religious phenomena from the ancient Near East and Egypt, including a careful reading of primary sources from the native perspective of these traditions. General Educational Objectives  Students will acquire a core of knowledge addressing major questions from religious studies. This objective will be evaluated by requiring students to describe key issues, themes, and arguments in the texts and traditions of the ancient Mediterranean world and ancient near east and apply that knowledge to interpreting religious phenomena. This will be measured by means of essay exams.  Students will cultivate skills in inquiry and analysis, critical thinking, and written communication. This objective will be evaluated by presenting a problem or issue and asking students to assess the evidence, arrive at a conclusion, and present their ideas in well organized and argued essays.

Requirements and Grading: 1 1. Every student is expected to prepare for each class by reading the assigned passages as indicated on the syllabus. Since the essay exams will be drawn from the readings and the lectures, it is imperative that the readings are completed on time and that each student takes careful notes in class. 2. The Course Grade will be based on the combination of four requirements: three take-home essay exams and class participation. The exams will consist of essay questions covering the material we have covered in class for the designated exam period. The use of texts and notes is allowed, but participants are not allowed to work with others and are cautioned about violating the rules against plagiarism. The participation portion will be factored using attendance, class preparation, and class participation. 3. The final grade will be based on the following:  Exam 1: 30%  Exam 2: 30%  Final Exam: 30%  Participation 10% 4. Grading Scale  92-100% = A  88-91% = A/B  82-87% = B  78-81% = B/C  70-77% = C  60-69% = D  00-59% = F 5. Class Attendance:  Absences: No distinction is made between excused and unexcused absences in the course. If any student exceeds 8 absences, he or she is subject to failing the class.  Tardies: Three tardies will count as one absence. 6. Academic Honesty: Students should read the section in the Georgetown College Catalog on Academic Honesty. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be dealt with according to the disciplinary policies of the College. 7. Miscellaneous Requirements and Policies  All students are required to access Moodle and their Georgetown e-mail accounts.  The classroom is a cell phone free zone. In addition, reading and studying anything during class that is not directly related to this course, computer use (other than note taking or to access assigned readings), talking, sleeping, etc are also prohibited. These types of behavior will result in a reduction of your grade as deemed appropriate by the instructor.  It is the student’s responsibility to request and schedule make-up assignments/exams.  Incompletes are only granted for unusual circumstances.

Texts  Required  Glenn S. Holland, Gods in the Desert: Religions of the Ancient Near East (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2009). ISBN: 9780742562271  Jack Lindsay, transl. Apuleius: The Golden Ass (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1960). ISBN: 9780253200365  James B. Rives, Religion in the Roman Empire (Malden and Oxford: Blackwell, 2007). ISBN: 9781405106566 2  Recommended  Andrew George, transl. The Epic of Gilgamesh (London: Penguin Books, 1999). ISBN: 9780140449198 (an electronic version will be available on Moodle)  Paul Roche, transl. Euripides: Ten Plays (Signet Classics; New York: New American Library, a Division of Penguin Books, 1998). ISBN: 9780451527004 (electronic versions will be available on Moodle)  Additional texts and passages in PDF form supplied on Moodle.

Course Outline Part 1: Introduction to the Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean World 1) Introduction to the Course a) Date: Tuesday, August 21 b) Topics: i) Roll, syllabus, and expectations ii) What is Religion? Why study ancient Mediterranean religions? (1) Holland, “Introduction: Religion and Its Characteristic Expression,” xxiii-xxx

Part 2: Religions of the Ancient Near East 2) Ancient Egypt a) Dates: Thursday, August 23-Thursday, September 6 b) Topics and Assignments i) “Egypt: Historical Survey” (1) Holland, 3-14 ii) “Egypt: The Gods and the World They Made” (1) Holland, 15-36 (2) “Memphite Theology of Creation,” (PDF on Moodle) (3) “Hymn to the Aton” (PDF on Moodle) iii) “Egypt: The King and Royal Power” (1) Holland, 37-55 iv) “Egypt: The World of the Dead” (1) Holland, 57-75 (2) Herodotus on Mummification: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/herodotus- mummies.asp (3) Ba in the Afterlife: http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to- zen/169.html (4) The Pyramid Texts: http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to- zen/166.html (5) “Dead Pharaoh Becomes Osiris”: http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives- to-zen/167.html (6) The Coffin Texts; Pyramid Texts, and the Book of the Dead (PDF on Moodle) (7) The Book of the Dead: http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to- zen/110.html (8) “Deliverance of Mankind from Destruction,” (PDF on Moodle) v) “Egypt: The Human World” (1) Holland, 77-96 (2) “The Instruction of Amen-em-opet” (PDF on Moodle) and Proverbs 22:17-24:22 3 (3) The Story of Sinuhe (PDF on Moodle)

3) Ancient Mesopotamia a) Dates: Tuesday, September 11-Tuesday, September 25 b) Topics and Assignments i) “Mesopotamia: Historical Survey” (1) Holland, 99-109” ii) “Mesopotamia: The Gods and the World They Made” (1) Holland, 111-129 (2) Enuma Elish: http://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/enuma.htm; Genesis 1-3 iii) “Mesopotamia: The World of Kings and Heroes” (1) Holland, 131-148 (2) The Epic of Gilgamesh, 1-99 iv) “Mesopotamia: The World of the Dead” (1) Holland, 149-165 (2) “Bilgames and the Netherworld,” The Epic of Gilgamesh, 175-195 v) “Mesopotamia: The Human World” (1) Holland, 167-188 (2) Atrahasis, (PDF or Word document on Moodle); Genesis 1-2

Exam 1: Due Thursday, September 27

4) Ancient Syria and Palestine: a) Dates: Thursday, September 27-Thursday, October 11 (Thursday, October 4: Fall Break) b) Topics and Assignments i) “Syria-Palestine: Historical Survey” (1) Holland, 191-198 ii) “Syria-Palestine: The Gods and the World They Made” (1) Holland, 199-218 (2) Baal and Anath (PDF on Moodle) (3) Moabite Stone (PDF on Moodle) iii) “Syria-Palestine: “Kings and Prophets” (1) Holland, 219-237 iv) “Syria-Palestine: Suffering and Death” (1) Holland, 239-256 v) “Syria-Palestine: The Human World” (1) Holland, 257-276

Part 3: Religions of the Greco-Roman World 5) Greek Religion a) Dates: October 16-October 25 b) Topics and Assignments i) Introduction to Greek Religion (1) Mikalson, “Greece” ii) Hippolytus 4 (1) Euripides Hippolytus iii) Philosophy (1) Cleanthes Hymn to Zeus (PDF on Moodle) iv) Euripides Bacchae (1) Euripides Bacchae

Exam 2: Due Thursday, November 1

6) Greco-Roman Religion a) Dates: Tuesday, October 30-December 4 (Tuesday, November 20: No Class SBL; Thursday, November 22: No Class Thanksgiving) b) Topics and Assignments i) Introduction to Religion in the Roman Empire (1) Rives, 1-53 (2) Apuleius, The Golden Ass ii) “Regional Religious Traditions of the Empire” (1) Rives, 54-88 (2) Catullus on Attis and the Great Mother PDF on Moodle (3) Isis Aretology PDF on Moodle iii) “The Presence of the Gods” (1) Rives 89-104 iv) “Religion and Community” (1) Rives, 105-131 v) “Religion and Empire” (1) Rives, 132-157 (2) Lucian of Samosata, Alexander the False Prophet: http://www.sacred- texts.com/cla/luc/wl2/wl218.htm vi) “Religious Options” (1) Rives, 158-181 (2) The Orphic Lamella and the Rule of the Iobacchoi Inscription: PDF on Moodle vii) “Roman Religious Policy” (1) Rives, 182-201 (2) Livy on the Bacchanalia in Rome (PDF on Moodle)

Reading Day: Wednesday, December 5 Final Exam Due: Thursday, December 6, 3:00 P.M.