The weight of Classical texts about Athens or by Athenians has led to a concentration on this one ancient polis, an Athenocentricity that needs to be balanced by the archaeological record across the rest of the ancient Greece world. Was Athens the typical polis, the norm, the exemplar, or quite unique? Did other Greek states behave like the Athenians in their cultural, religious, or political lives? Did all Greeks have the same norms and taboos concerning gender, sex and sexuality? These questions and many others will be explored during this intensive 4-week tour of Greece, which will cover many regions of the country in order to bring out the local differences in material culture, literary and epigraphic traditions, and archaeological remains. We will visit archaeological sites and museums and use the evidence presented to discuss issues of race, ethnicity, social structures, language and communication, war, politics, slavery, and religion.

Course Details

Enrollment

This course requires a minimum enrollment of 10, with a maximum enrollment of 20.

Credit

60 contact hours

Essential Information

Enrolled students will have access to detailed information prior to departure that will include directions to the Academic Center and other practical information about the course. CYA recommends the following websites for general information about Athens and Greece:  http://www.athensguide.com/ and http://www.greektravel.com/.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This course involves extensive travel.  Be wary of overpacking.  Pack only what you can carry comfortably, because you will be required to check- in and out of accommodations for each stay/travel segment of this course. It will also be useful to bring with you travel-size cosmetics.

Housing

While in Athens, students are housed within walking distance of the CYA Academic Center in either CYA student apartments located in the Pangrati neighborhood of central Athens or in hotel accommodations arranged by CYA. CYA apartments are simply furnished and equipped with a full kitchen and air-conditioned bedrooms; towels, linens and housekeeping service will be provided.  Hotel accommodations will be in simple 2- or 3-star hotels, double- or triple-occupancy, with air-conditioned rooms.

Facilities

The CYA Academic Center is located next to the Athens Marble Stadium and houses classrooms, the library, the student lounge and cafeteria, computer facilities (including wireless access for those students who choose to bring laptop computers), laundry facilities, and administrative offices. The Academic Center is accessible Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Meals

When class is in Athens a full mid-day meal will be served weekdays in the CYA cafeteria between the hours of 12:00-3:00 p.m. During study travel, breakfast will be offered at the Hotels.  A welcome and a farewell dinner are also included in the course fee.

Day-to-day Program & Itinerary

The day-to-day program and itinerary of the course are subject to change. Students are advised not to make plans for their free time or weekends in advance, as class schedules and site visits may be re-scheduled depending on local conditions.