Public Classics: Antiquity, Ideal Public

The study of Classical antiquity has recently come to occupy a very public place in the context of what many have termed “culture war.” Graeco-Roman antiquity, with its cumbersome legacies, at times hailed as the bedrock of humanistic and democratic ideals, is now under scrutiny for its role in perpetrating exclusive and oppressive ideologies. At the same time, many have turned to Classics to defy these ideologies, repurposing ancient texts to reaffirm identities that were at odds with dominant norms. This course traces the public role of Classics across three modules. First, we discuss how primary evidence has been deployed to craft exclusive identities and ideal publics. Second, we look at how “unideal” publics (women, POCs, LGBTQ+, working class individuals, incarcerated people, etc.) have reacted, by co-opting Graeco-Roman antiquity and reading it subversively. Third, we explore the relationship between the public(s) and Classics as an academic field, especially in light of the current crises in the humanities. No prerequisites.