Professor: Gregory S. Bucher

Office: HC 210, Phone 280-3708

Email: bucher@creighton.edu

Office Hours: MWF 1:30-2:20 and by appointment

Course Website: http://moses.creighton.edu/bucher/Classes/Class_Index.html

Course Meeting Place and Time: MWF 10:30-11:20, HC 303

Course Description:

We will read Latin verse inscriptions, many of which are funerary. They are by turns moving and amusing, and reflect a social stratum often well below that of the major literary authors normally encountered by undergraduates, and are thus extremely important for Roman social history. This course has three components, therefore: Latin reading, social history, and epigraphy, i.e., the study of (Latin) inscriptions.

Course Texts:

Courtney, E. 1995. Musa Lapidaria. A Selection of Latin Verse Inscriptions. Atlanta. ISBN 078 850 1429.

Keppie, L. 1991. Understanding Roman Inscriptions. Johns Hopkins. ISBN 080 184 3529.

Recommended:

Mahoney, Ann, ed. Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar. Focus/Pullins. ISBN 158 510 0277.

Course requirements and grading:

Class participation 40%

3 projects 30%

Final project 30%

The final project will be due on the date of the final examination (which it replaces). The three in-class projects will be of short paper length. They are intended to train you in thinking about inscriptions and in types of verse. Class participation includes attendance (mandatory), preparation and participation. I will excuse absences for reasonable purposes if consulted ahead of time; or after the fact only upon presentation of a health provider's note. Specifically, I will overlook one absence, and thereafter, your participation grade will fall one letter grade for each two absences.

Small Print:

You are expected to produce all work submitted for this class on your own with no collaborative work with another person. You may, however, study with another member of the class--just make sure you write up your work on your own. If you are in any doubt as to what constitutes academic dishonesty under Creighton University Policy see the 2003-2004 Creighton University Bulletin pp. 87-88 and the full revised policy at http://puffin.creighton.edu/ccas/FacStaff/polManual/polManual.htm. Breach of the academic honesty will result in failure of the course.

Note:

There is an astonishingly complete list of all abbreviations that occur on Latin inscriptions at http://asgle.classics.unc.edu/abbrev/latin/.

Schedule:

AUGUST

[1]W. 27) Introduction.

[2]F. 29) Keppie 9-41

SEPTEMBER

M. 1) Labor Day

[3]W. 3) Keppie 42-97

[4]F. 5) Keppie 98-134

[5]M. 8) In class project 1

W. 10) Mass of the Holy Spirit. No class.

[6]F. 12) ML introduction pp. 7-31

[7]M. 15) ML IA (1-8)

[8]W. 17) ML IB (9-13)

[9]F. 19) ML IC (14-17)

[10]M. 22) ML IC (18-23)

[11]W. 24) In class project 2

[12]F. 26) ML IIA (24-29)

[13]M. 29) ML IIA (30-32 prose introduction)

OCTOBER

[14]W. 1) ML IIA (32 poem)

[15]F. 3) ML IIA (33-37)

[16]M. 6) ML IIB (38-41)

[17]W. 8) ML IIB (42-50)

[18]F. 10) ML IIB (51-56)

[19]M. 13) ML IIC (57-65b)

[20]W. 15) ML IIC (66-70A)

[21]F. 17) ML IID (71-76)

M. 20) Fall Break

W. 22) Fall Break

F. 24) Fall Break

[22]M. 27) IIE (77-92)

[23]W. 29) IIE (93-102)

[24]F. 31) In class project 3

NOVEMBER

[25]M. 3) ML IIF (103a-110)

[26]W. 5) ML IIG (111-118)

[27]F. 7) ML IIG (119-124)

[28]M. 10) ML IIH (125-128)

[29]W. 12) ML IIH (129-133)

[30]F. 14) ML IIJ (134-140)

[31]M. 17) ML IIJ (141-149)

[32]W. 19) ML IIJ (150-154)

[33]F. 21) ML IIJ (155-160)

[34]M. 24) ML IIJ (161-165)

W. 26) Thanksgiving Break

F. 28) Thanksgiving Break

DECEMBER

[35]M. 1) ML IIK (166-172)

[36]W. 3) ML IIK (173-179)

[37]F. 5) ML IIK (180-182)

[38]M. 8) ML IIK (183-185)

[39]W. 10) ML IIK (186-188)

[40]F. 12) MLIIL (199-199A)

W. 17) 10:00 a.m. FINAL PROJECT DUE

IN HC 210 or with Mrs. Minear.