HIS432 The Classical World
Lead Faculty: Dr. Daniel R. Thorburn
Course Description
Examines religious, political and philosophical innovations of classical period (500 B.C.E. to 500 C. E.) in Mediterranean region, China, and India; rise and fall
of Greek, Roman, Han, Mauryan and Gupta empires; rise of important regional states like Meroë, Angkor, Teotihuacán, and Maya city-states in Mesoamerica.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify the peoples who inhabited different regions of the classical world.
- Distinguish the classical civilizations of Mesoamerica and the reasons for their rise and fall.
- Outline the unification and disintegration of major empires (Athenian, Roman, Parthian, Mauryan, Qin, and Han).
- Explain the social, cultural, military, political, and economic systems of classical Athens, Rome, China, and India.
- Account for the rise and diffusion of major world religions and philosophies (Platonism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Daoism, and Zoroastrianism).
- Describe the seminal nature of classical civilizations.
- Assess the importance of the Silk Road to the classical world.
- Critically assess primary sources for information, bias, values, and tone.
