Western Civilization I

The Old and New Stone Ages.
READING: Perry, 3-7; Cave Paintings at Lascaux

I. The Ancient Near East. For this section and the Hebrews, consult the Chronology in Rogers, p. 1. Note that there are also more detailed chronologies in the opening pages of the section on each civilization in Rogers.

    Mesopotamia: Politics and Society
          READING: Perry, 7-11, 19-22 (Overview of Near Eastern Religion and Society), Rogers, 3-5

    Mesopotamia: Religion and morality.
          READING: Rogers 6-8, Mesopotamian Creation Account
                Review Perry, 7-11, especially section on religion.

     Egypt I: Politics and Society
          READING: Perry, 11-17; Rogers, 9-15
                  Another Selection from Kagemni
                        Image of Hatshepsut

     Egypt II: Religion and morality
          READING: Rogers, 15-20, compare Hymn to the Aten with Hebrew Psalm 104, 30-31
Perry, review 12-14
               Selection from Egyptian Creation Account

II. The Hebrews For this section consult the Chronologies in Perry, p. 27 and Rogers, 20-21
    The Ancient Hebrews I: Religion, Early History, the Covenant
          READING: Perry, 24-32; Rogers, 20-31
                       The Covenant in Deuteronomy

     The Ancient Hebrews II: The Prophets and Later History
          READING: Perry, 32-35; Rogers, 31-34

     Comparison of Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Hebrew Outlooks
          REVIEW:   All previous readings on these three civilizations.

III. The Greeks For this section consult the Chronologies in Perry (3.1), p. 38; Rogers pp. 35, 51 and 91
     Early Greek Civilization and Religion
          READING: Perry, 36-40; Rogers, 35-50
                              Pictures of Minoan Society
      Hektor vs. Achilles - version showing Athena's role

     Greek City State Politics
          READING: Perry, 40-47; Rogers, 51-60, 64-68

   Women in Greek Society
           READING: Rogers, 86-88, 105-107, 108-109, reread 47-48 (Pandora) and 49 (Greek Love Poetry)

      Greek Religion in the Fifth Century BCE
          READING: Perry, 59-61; Rogers, 68-73

     The Peloponnesian War and the Decline of the City-States
          READING: Perry, 47-49; 61-62; Rogers, 73-83, 85-86

      Greek Philosophy: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle
          READING: Perry, 49-58; Rogers, 88-90, 100-105, 107-108

Greek Art and Culture
        READING: Perry, 58-59; look at first two pages of Picture-Plates following p. 160
                              Greek Art and Architecture

Alexander the Great and The Hellenistic Age
READING: Perry, 62-66; Rogers, 91-100

IV. Rome and Early Christianity
Rome: Growth and Decline of the Republic For this section, consult the Chronologies in Perry, 4.1, p. 76, and Rogers, p. 111
READING: Perry, 74-86; Rogers, 111-136

   Rome: Beginning of the Empire
          READING: Perry, 86-95; Rogers, 138-142

     Rome: Daily Life
         READING: Perry, Review 89-90

V. Christianity, the Later Roman Empire through the Collapse of the Empire in the West

Judaism and Early Christianity For Christianity, consult the Chronologies in Perry, 5.1, p. 107, and Rogers, 143 and 159
          READING: Perry, 105-111, 114 from "The Scriptural Tradition" - 117; Rogers, 147-159
                              Four Gospel Descriptions of Crucifixion

    Christianity and the Roman Empire
          READING: Perry, 111-113; Rogers, 143-145, 159-167, 208-210

Christian Thought
          READING: Perry, 117-121; Rogers, 167-169, 187-8 (The Darker Side of Rome and Bread and Circuses)

The Decline of Rome For this section, consult the Chronologies in Perry, 4.1 p. 76, and Rogers, 172
READING: Perry, 95-103; Rogers, 172-193, 194 bottom - 197

     Interpretations and Lessons of the Decline of Rome
          READING: Rogers, 197-200
                              Review all readings for "V. Christianity and the Later Roman Empire," especially Perry, 100-101

VI. The Early Middle Ages. For this section, consult the Chronologies Perry, 6.1, p. 129 (we are not covering all the topics mentioned), and Rogers, 201
    Islam
          READING: Perry, 129-132; Rogers, 211-217

    Early Medieval Church and Society: The Papacy, Monasticism
          READING: Perry, NEW 113-114 through end of "The Rise of Monasticism", 132-135; Rogers, 170-171, 248-251
             View Monte Cassino, first Benedictine Monastery (Will open in a new window)

     Daily Religious Life in the Middle Ages
          READING: Study these Religious Images
                              Study color plates of medieval art, beginning with fourth plate following 160,
                              "Apse Mosaic: Justinian and Attendants"
                              Rogers, 245-248

     The Crusades
          READING: Perry, 148-150; Rogers, 236-241

     Manorialism and Feudalism
          READING: Perry, 138-141, 155; Rogers, 226-231

     Christians and Jews
          READING: Perry, 153-154
          REVIEW:   Perry, 116-117

     Women in the Middle Ages
          READING: Rogers, 252-253 (Hildegard of Bingen), 264-268, 262-264 (Heloise and Abelard)
          REVIEW:   Perry, 139, "Noblewomen"

     The Flourishing of Learning
          READING: Perry, 158-166, 168, 173-174, 178; Review color plates of medieval art, beginning with fourth plate following 160,
                              "Apse Mosaic: Justinian and Attendants"
                              Rogers, 258-259, 260-262, review Aquinas, 259-260

VIII. The "Waning of the Middle Ages" For this section, consult the Chronologies in Perry, 7.1, p. 159, and Rogers, 269

Conciliarism and the Great Schism in the Church
READING: Perry, 172; Rogers, 272-274, 277-282