Leaders: Konstantinos Chalikias & Jill Pederson

 

Course Description

Students learn about the history and archaeology of Greece by visiting citadels, castles, and fortifications in the Peloponnese Peninsula, dating from the Mycenaean Bronze Age to the Ottoman period. The Peloponnese provides unique architectural landscapes, evidence of the rich, complex history, and the various cultures that influenced the region throughout the centuries. Students have the opportunity to stay for a night in the castle of Monemvasia, and to experience what life was like in a fortified medieval town.

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Learning Outcomes

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• Students will learn to identify and explain the significance of major works of architecture (a focus on defensive structures and warfare) in Greece, dating from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman period. Additionally, students will learn about the sociopolitical/cultural context in which people who built these structures lived and operated. 

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• Students will learn to effectively use reliable sources related to their topic from libraries, databases, and archival or other primary sources

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• Students will learn to organize and express their thoughts clearly and coherently both in writing and orally.

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Course Requirements

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• Discussion and visual analysis of architectural monuments (castles, fortifications, citadels, enclosures, towers, etc.) via slide shows (e.g. Powerpoint) and educational films

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• Students will write a 6-page research paper focusing on the architectural history of one of the sites that we will visit in Greece

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• Students (working in groups) will give a 30-minute long group presentation at selected sites