Seminar paper and oral presentation for:

Classics 401: Undergraduate Seminar

History and Memory in Classical Antiquity

Paper Topic: The choice of topic is largely up to you, but the paper should take as its subject an event(s) or character(s) in the primary (i.e., ancient texts) we will be reading and the particular ‘memory’ established or evoked by that event(s) or character(s). How, in other words, does the text ‘memorialize history’? The secondary readings we will be doing (as well as our discussions) will help you better understand what I mean by that. You may focus on a single author; or if you wish, compare something in one text to something in another (e.g., Pericles and Camillus, Marathon and Veii, Herodotus’ preface and Livy’s, etc.).

Oral Presentations:

• These will occur in Weeks 7-9 (maximum of 2 reports per meeting).
• No later than the day prior to your report you should supply me and each member of the class with a 250-300 word abstract of your paper (or, if you prefer, a draft of the paper itself if you’ve got it done)
• Your report should be NO MORE than 15 minutes in length – you will be stopped if you go beyond that time limit, so practice and time your presentation before giving it. We will devote 30-45 minutes of class time to a critique and discussion of your presentation. It is expected that all members of the class will participate in and contribute to this discussion – each of you, in fact, will be specifically asked for your comments.
• The report should outline the basic premise and argumentation of your project.

Dates to Note:

1) By Friday, January 30 you should have met with me to choose and discuss a topic

2) By Friday, January 30 you should have chosen a date for your oral presentation (available dates are Feb. 18, 23, 25, Mar. 1, 3 – first come, first served. If you’ve not chosen a date by then, I’ll assign you one of my own choosing.)

3) Final draft of paper is due by Wednesday, March 10.

Length etc.: The paper should be a minimum of 10 double-spaced, typed pages (not counting Bibliography)