This course will investigate representations of black people in ancient Greek and Roman antiquity. In addition to interrogating the conflation of the terms "race" and "blackness" as it applies to this time period, students will learn how to critique the interference of racial ideologies in modern scholarship, and they will cross-examine the role that race and cultural imperialism have played in the formation of the current discipline of Classics. Students will be invited to incorporate materials that they deem crucial into this discussion of skin color in Greco-Roman antiquity. Therefore, this course will benefit greatly from those with a broad spectrum of interests related to this topic.
3-5 units · Letter (ABCD/NP)
This course will investigate representations of black people in ancient Greek and Roman antiquity. In addition to interrogating the conflation of the terms "race" and "blackness" as it applies to this time period, students will learn how to critique the interference of racial ideologies in modern scholarship, and they will cross-examine the role that race and cultural imperialism have played in the formation of the current discipline of Classics. Students will be invited to incorporate materials that they deem crucial into this discussion of skin color in Greco-Roman antiquity. Therefore, this course will benefit greatly from those with a broad spectrum of interests related to this topic.
Offered in Autumn 2026 at Stanford University.