Description
Sundays, 11am-12:30 pm EST
Course Overview
What You’ll Learn
This course offers a thorough examination of ancient attitudes towards love and sexuality, presenting a broad spectrum of topics and encouraging critical engagement with diverse sources. By the end of the course, you will:
- Understand Cultural Conceptions of Love and Desire: Explore how different ancient cultures conceptualized and expressed love and desire, highlighting the similarities and differences across civilizations.
- Analyze Literary Expressions of Passion: Study a range of literary genres, from intimate love letters to profound philosophical dialogues, to understand how love and sexuality were depicted and idealized.
- Examine Gender Roles and Relationships: Investigate the perceptions of appropriate gender roles, the physical ideals of beauty for both genders, and the nature of hetero- and homosexual relationships in ancient societies.
- Explore the Split Between Physical and Spiritual Love: Delve into philosophical and literary discussions about the distinction between physical and spiritual love, and how these ideas influenced cultural norms and personal relationships.
- Appreciate the Conventions of Literary Form: Learn about the literary conventions and forms used to express themes of love and desire, enhancing your understanding of ancient literary traditions and their lasting impact.
Course Structure
Our course is designed to provide an engaging and immersive learning experience, structured as follows:
Week 1: The Dawn of Love in Sumer
Our journey begins in ancient Sumer, where we will explore the earliest recorded expressions of love and desire. Sumerian love poetry, particularly the famous “Song of Songs” attributed to the goddess Inanna, offers rich insights into how the Sumerians viewed romantic and erotic relationships. We will examine the religious significance of these texts, their societal implications, and their reflections on gender roles and physical beauty.
Key Texts:
- The Courtship of Inanna and Dumuzi
- The Love Song of Shu-Sin
Week 2: Love Poetry of Egypt and Israel
In week two, we turn to ancient Egypt, a civilization renowned for its artistic and literary achievements. Egyptian love poetry and personal letters reveal a culture that deeply valued love, both in the physical and spiritual senses. Then we turn to ancient Israel, where the Hebrew Bible provides profound insights into the notions of love and desire. We will study the interplay between love and power, the idealization of lovers, the portrayal of beauty, the moral and ethical considerations surrounding sexuality, and the societal norms governing gender roles in Egyptian and Israelite literature.
Key Texts:
- Love Songs of the New Kingdom
- The Song of Songs
Week 3: Aphrodite and Eros
In weeks three and four, we explore the rich and diverse expressions of love and desire in ancient Greece. From the passionate lyric poetry of Sappho, Greek literature offers a wide array of perspectives on love and beauty. We will discuss societal views on sexual relationships and how these works portray love, desire, and beauty.
Key Texts:
- Sappho’s Lyric Poetry
- Greek Erotic Poetry
- Theocritus’ Idylls
Week 4: Love in Philosophy
Continuing our exploration of ancient Greece, the fourth week will consider the philosophical discussions of love and beauty by Plato, and we will discuss the Greek distinction between physical and spiritual love.
Key Texts:
- Plato’s Symposium
Week 5: Love and Desire in Ancient Rome
In the fifth week, we turn to ancient Rome, where the literary and philosophical traditions of Greece were both adopted and adapted. Roman love poetry, such as seen in the works of Ovid, reveal a society that celebrated love and desire with both passion and sophistication. We will study the cultural ideals of love, the moral and ethical considerations surrounding sexuality, and the portrayal of gender roles in Roman literature and art.
Key Texts:
- Ovid’s Ars Amatoria
Week 6: The Ancient Romance Novel
Dive into the captivating world of ancient romance novels with a class focusing on Leucippe and Clitophon, a Greek romance by Achilles Tatius. This class offers a deep exploration of one of the most intriguing and entertaining works of ancient literature, examining its themes, narrative techniques, and cultural context.
Key Texts:
- Leucippe and Clitophon
Course Features
- Engaging Lectures: High-quality lectures that bring ancient texts and concepts to life, presented by an expert in the field.
- Interactive Discussions: Participate in dynamic live discussions with the instructor and fellow students, sharing insights and debating ideas.
- Primary Source Analysis: Work with translated primary sources to develop a deeper understanding of ancient perspectives on love and sexuality.
Why Enroll?
- Expert Guidance: Dr. Miano brings a wealth of academic and practical experience, offering you the best possible learning experience.
- Flexible Learning: Study at your own pace with access to course materials anytime, anywhere, and no exams!
- Community Engagement: Join a global community of learners passionate about history, literature, and cultural studies.
- Broad Applicability: Whether you are a student, educator, or enthusiast, this course provides valuable insights that can enhance your appreciation of history and literature.
Don’t miss this opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of ancient love, sex, and desire. Dive now into and embark on a journey through time that will deepen your understanding of these timeless themes and their expression across different cultures.
Enroll Now!
David Miano is a historian of the ancient world. He studied Ancient History at the State University of New York at Buffalo (B.A. 1999) and the University of California, San Diego (M.A. 2003; Ph.D. 2006). He has taught courses at many colleges over the last 20 years. Miano’s chief research interests are in the history of the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean in antiquity, ancient methods of time keeping, the chronology of the ancient world, the literary and intellectual history of ancient cultures, and comparative world history. He is the proprietor of the World of Antiquity YouTube channel, which has thousands of fans from around the globe. We are pleased to announce he now offers college-level talks and seminars for adult learners at Miano Academy.
Dr. Miano will be holding these classes in REAL TIME for full interaction.
To maintain quality, enrollment in these courses will be capped. So it is best to enroll earlier rather than later. SIGN UP NOW.
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