HON 201 - Ancient Greek Justice

Semester Hours: 4

What is justice, and who or what has authority over it? Why do humans understand and pursue justice in the ways we do today? What makes a society good? What characteristics do we find in a good leader? To answer these questions accurately, we must begin with the ancient world. In this first-year honors course, we study evolving approaches to justice in a variety of ancient texts, including Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey; the lyrical poetry of ancient women writers; the plays of Aeschylus and Euripides; and the teachings of Socrates and Plato. We explore what justice looked like for men and women, slaves and landowners, refugees and natives living primarily in Greece, with forays into Troy (modern-day Turkey), Rome, and Egypt. Through our readings of ancient texts-combined with creative and critical writing assignments, presentations, and engaging class discussions-we will journey together toward an understanding of justice that is informed by literary, philosophical, and archaeological histories. Fulfills INQ 111 , SPE 111 , and WRI 111 requirements.