Greece - Ancient Influences on Modern Culture
Western culture remains fascinated by the ancient world – the Greeks in particular. To the ancient Greeks, all actions were offered up in thanks to the gods; all pleasure was a gift directly from the gods; and the greatest sin (perhaps the only true sin) was hubris – the sin of excess pride. All of these concepts found rich ground in the formal Theatre – also a Greek innovation – in which the ideas of pleasure, pride and duty to the gods became amplified through the mouthpiece of Tragedy. Theatre was, as it has been ever since, a means of Social Healing, in which human failings are pitted against the will of the gods only to further illustrate the Path of Righteousness in service to the gods through personal excellence in all acts.

CLASS: IDIS 280: Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies (4 credits). No prerequisites. This course sets out to explore the role of theatre as an act of Social Healing both in the ancient world and in contemporary Greek culture. Students explore Greece through multiple disciplines including literature, language, politics, philosophy and art. Students read classic tragedies and epic poems written by Homer, Sophocles, and Aeschylus, while travelling through modern Greece. Students travel to sites of great historical moment in conjunction with readings of their literature and discussions of our interpretations of the works and of our experiences with them. Finally, this course strives to connect this rich and fabled land of Myth and Legend with the values and culture of our own times. We may come to understand ourselves and our world more richly through an understanding of our past and former selves.

EXCURSIONS: Students retrace the journey made by the ancients called the Triangle of Healing; a pilgrimage to three key sacred sites connected to spiritual and physical wellness: Sounion and the Temple of Posiedon; Delphi and the Temple of Apollo; and Epidavros and the great Healing Complex of Aeschlepius with its great Theatre – still in active use after nearly 2,400 years. We cover our subject in relatively chronological order, beginning at the earliest civilization in Greece – the Minoans – and culminating in the metropolis of Athens with its Classical and Byzantine archeological attractions as well as the great National Museum and the busy marketplace in the shadow of the Acropolis. Highlights of the field visits include among other treasures: the Temple Complex of Poseidon; the Plain of Parnassus, site of the ancient Games of Delphi honoring Apollo; the Oracle of Delphi; the Palace of Agamemnon; the Tomb of Orestes; and Ancient Corinth, where Saint Paul preached.

HOUSING: Students stay in tourist quality hotels, several of them family owned and operated, throughout their sojourn through Greece. Class meetings are held on terraces, at breakfast, and in the villages that will be the students’ temporary homes while exploring Greece.

COST: The estimated costs are $2900. A final cost will be determined in the spring. The costs include tuition and fees for 4 credits, in-country transportation and housing, academic activities including museum admissions, short-term international health and emergency evacuation insurance, and substantial support by the expert faculty leader. Costs do not include international airfare or most in-country food.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Admission is limited and granted on a rolling basis. All participants will be enrolled in the academic course. Admission is open to all degree and non-degree seeking students of all ages. Apply below.