Course Outline for CS 2301A (Fall 2021) Crime and Punishment in Ancient Greece and Rome Asynchronous/Online - Western University
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Department of Classical Studies
Course Outline for CS 2301A (Fall 2021)
Crime and Punishment in Ancient Greece and Rome
Asynchronous/Online
WELCOME TO CRIME AND PUNISHMENT!
Ancient Greek and Roman history and literature are full of stories of crimes and representations of
criminals. This course examines the ways Greeks and Romans thought about what it meant to be a
criminal and what kinds of solutions they had for the problems of crime. We’ll look at Orestes’ murder
of his mother, Clytemnestra, and at Socrates’ idea of crime. We’ll argue whether Catiline, who
conspired to assassinate Cicero and burn Rome, should have been treated as a Roman citizen with a
right to a trial or whether he was rightly treated as an enemy combatant. We’ll ask whether modern
theories of criminology are applicable to ancient Greece and Rome or whether ancient ideas of crime
were completely different from modern ones. No previous knowledge of Greece and Rome is
necessary and all readings will be in English.
INSTRUCTOR:
I am Dr. Debra Nousek and I will be your instructor for this course. I am an Associate Professor of
Classics in the Department of Classical Studies. I teach courses in Roman history and culture, Latin
language and literature, and ancient crime and punishment. My research focuses on exploring how
the Greeks and Romans wrote about their history and the literary techniques they used. I am
interested in seeing how the ancient texts are similar and different from modern ones. I read widely in
1crime fiction and follow developments in modern politics and legal affairs. Please feel free to talk with
me about Classics in general, or any of these specific topics.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of this course you will be familiar with a variety of ancient ideas of crime and criminality as
well as some modern criminological theory. You will understand the similarities and differences
between ancient Greek and Roman ideas of crime and modern ones. This will give you a new
perspective on crime in today’s society.
More generally and more importantly, you will have gained or advanced an ability to analyze ancient
Greek and Roman sources in a variety of genres. Ancient sources are not always straightforward or
trustworthy, and you will practice “reading against the grain,” i.e. reading ancient texts to find out
more than just what they want to tell you.
By the end of this course you will have learned not just how to use ancient sources as evidence, but
also how to evaluate those sources for their accuracy and significance. In the process you will have
improved your skills in critical thinking and analysis—skills which are transferrable to a variety of fields
of study and professional employment, and which will improve your appreciation of any text.
Most importantly, this course aims to develop an appreciation of ancient Greek and Roman literature,
philosophy, rhetoric, and history. It will be work, but it should also be fun, and you may find yourself
with a lifelong appreciation of ancient Greece and Rome.
Course Information
CONTACT DETAILS AND CLASS INFORMATION:
Professor Nousek:
Email: dnousek@uwo.ca. You can also use the Messages tool in OWL.
Office Hours: TBA and by appointment (by Zoom)
Zoom link: TBA
Meeting ID: TBA
Passcode: TBA
Teaching Assistant:
TBA
Class Meetings:
Date: September 8th – December 8th, 2021
Time: Asynchronous
Location: Online – we will use Zoom and OWL.
Prerequisite(s): None
Antirequisite(s): None
2REQUIRED TEXTS:
The following is a list of editions I have ordered for the Western Bookstore. You may obtain these texts
however you wish, but it is your responsibility to get them. I will discuss passages from these specific
editions and translations in class and I will include passages from them in questions on quizzes and
tests. If you do not have the same editions and translations as I’m using you will be at a disadvantage
in class and in evaluations. Additional readings will be available in OWL.
1. Aeschylus. Aeschylus II: The Oresteia. eds. David Grene, Richmond Lattimore, Mark
Griffith, and Glenn W. Most. trans. Richmond Lattimore. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-0226311470. I have requested that this book be placed on
reserve in DBW (PA3827.A46 2013).
2. Plato. Gorgias. trans. Robin Waterfield. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994. ISBN:
978-0199540327. I have requested that this book be placed on reserve in DBW
(B371.A5W37 1994).
3. Sallust. Catiline’s War, The Jugurthine War, Histories. trans. A.J. Woodman. New York:
Penguin, 2007. ISBN: 978-0140449488. I have requested that this book be placed on
reserve in DBW (DG207.S4W66 2007).
4. VerSteeg, Russ. The Essentials of Greek and Roman Law. Durham: Carolina Academic
Press, 2010. I have requested that this book be placed on reserve in DBW (KJA172.V47
2010).
RECOMMENDED TEXT:
I have assigned some chapters from Sandra Walklate’s introduction to the study of criminology. This
book (now in its third edition) is available online through Western Libraries. You can print/download
the assigned chapters, or, if you wish, purchase a print/digital copy through your preferred bookseller.
1. Walklate, Sandra. Criminology: The Basics. 3rd ed. New York: Routledge, 2017. (The link
takes you to Weldon’s electronic copy).
EVALUATION/GRADE BREAKDOWN:
1. Quizzes (30% total; each quiz is worth 6% of your course grade). There are 5 quizzes over the
course of the semester (Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, 11) that will count towards your overall course grade.
Each one will cover two weeks of course material. The quiz information will be discussed at
the bottom of the page for each week in the Course Content tab. The quizzes cover all the
material that was presented in those weeks including lessons, videos, readings and any other
material that was included in the weekly course content. You are expected to take the quizzes
without any help from outside resources (no internet, books, chats, group sharing answers,
etc. If you have any questions about what is and is not allowed or generally about academic
integrity, please review the button on the 'Course Introduction' page about Academic
Integrity.
• The quizzes will be taken in the 'Tests & Quizzes' tool in OWL so you must ensure you
have a good internet connection when you sit down to take the quiz. The timing of the
quizzes will be flexible over a few days so you can find the best time for you to succeed
on these (further details will be given when we get close to the first quiz).
• Each quiz will have 10 questions (fill-in-the-blank, true/false, multiple choice) and be
worth 6% of your course grade. These are low-stakes assessments but will help you stay
3on top of the material each week, and add up to a substantial portion of your overall
grade.
• The quizzes will be timed within OWL and the questions will be presented to you
randomly (i.e., your quiz will not look like your friend/group-chat mate’s quiz). All the
details about a quiz will be presented in the weekly information for when the quiz is due.
2. Forum Discussions (30% total; each forum post is worth 6% of your total course grade). There
are 5 forum discussions over the course of the semester (Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10). The class is
divided into smaller groups of 15-20 students within OWL, so your Forum discussion will take
place within that group only, and will remain constant throughout the semester. You’ll be
automatically placed in a group by OWL, so there’s no sign-up process. The small groups will
make it easier for you to read and comment on posts, without having to read through several
hundred contributions (it’s a big class!).
• The topics for each Forum post are pre-determined and are designed to get you thinking
about a particular aspect of what you are learning in that segment of the course. The
description of the topic for the week and the questions to get you started thinking about
a comment or response will be posted at the bottom of the weekly Course Content pages
in OWL.
• These discussions aren’t meant to take you hours to do, but it’s a good idea to spend a
bit of time thinking about the topic and organizing your thoughts. You should feel free
to discuss your ideas with classmates, but remember that what you contribute to the
Forum must be your own work, and also that I will only be able to evaluate what you
post/respond to, so be sure that you remember to post!
• You’ll want to plan your time so that you’re not leaving these to the last minute: you
cannot catch up and post a bunch of comments/responses all at once. The Forum will be
open for the week in which it is relevant and will then close at the end of the week. The
Forum will be open from Sunday of the start of the week until Sunday night at the end
of the week (at 11:55pm). You must participate during that time and think about the
ability for you to provide quality participation during the week (e.g., if you get on at
11:00 pm at the end of the week you will not have good luck being able to really engage
with the conversation).
• You can find some tips and guidelines for what makes a good Forum post at the bottom
of the Course Content for Week 2.
3. Final Exam (40%). There is one final exam for the course, which will be scheduled during the
exam period in April. The exam will be taken online via the Tests & Quizzes tool in OWL. It will
consist of 100 questions and cover all material since the start of the course (i.e., it is
cumulative). The questions on the final exam will be a mixture of multiple choice, true/false,
and fill in the blank formats, and will be in the same format and variety as the questions on
the quizzes. Thus the biweekly quizzes will prepare you well for the type of information asked
of you on the final exam. The exam will have a time limit of 3 hours and must be taken on your
own without any use of outside resources – no internet, books, chats, group sharing of answers
etc. You will only be able to proceed linearly through the exam (i.e., you can’t go back to check
your answers). It is considered an academic offense to use any outside tools on this exam. If
you have any questions about academic integrity or academic offences, please refer to the
button in the Course Introduction tab about Academic Integrity. Details about the final exam
will be given as we get closer to the end of the semester.
4IMPORTANT COURSE POLICIES:
1. Quiz/Test Deadlines: Failure to complete a quiz, test or exam as scheduled will result in a
grade of zero. If serious and unforeseeable circumstances beyond your control prevent you
from writing any of the above, please let me know as soon as possible that you will be seeking
academic consideration. See the Policy on Academic Consideration for Absences/Missed
Work, below.
2. Collaboration and Academic Integrity:
a. Your learning experience can be enhanced by group discussion, sharing thoughts and
ideas with your colleagues, and asking questions of your instructors and your
classmates. You are, however, expected to complete all quizzes, tests, and exams
independently and without consulting any other person or resource.
b. Consultation or sharing of questions and answers during online assessments will be
considered to be an academic offence on the part of all who are involved and will
result in serious consequences. This includes, but is not limited to, group chats on
Facebook, Discord, or any other media.
c. Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams may be subject to submission
for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer
patterns that may indicate cheating.
d. If you have any questions about what does and does not constitute an academic
offence, please discuss this with me. See also Western’s Academic Handbook section
on scholastic offences.
3. You must complete all course requirements in order to pass the course, even if you choose a
grade of pass/fail. Exceptions may be made only in cases where academic consideration has
been granted.
4. Do not ask to do an extra assignment to improve your grade. In the interests of fairness to all
students, I do not grant such requests. For the same reason, final grades are not negotiable
and, unless there has been an error in calculating your grade, I will not grant any requests that
a grade be changed.
Academic Policies
NOTE FROM THE DEAN OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES:
You are responsible for ensuring that you have successfully completed all course prerequisites and that you have
not taken an antirequisite course. Lack of prerequisites may not be used as basis of appeal. If you are not eligible
for a course, you may be removed from it at any time, and you will receive no adjustment to your fees. These
decisions cannot be appealed.
SCHOLASTIC OFFENSES:
Scholastic offenses are taken seriously and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the
definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offense, at the following website:
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
5POLICY ON ACADEMIC CONSIDERATION FOR STUDENT ABSENCES
https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf
Students seeking academic accommodation for any missed tests, exams and/or assignments worth 10% or
more of their final grade must either complete a Self-Reported Absence Form (provided the conditions for
submission are met) or apply to the Office of the Dean of their home faculty and
provide documentation. ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATION CANNOT BE GRANTED BY THE INSTRUCTOR
OR DEPARTMENT.
In addition to completing a Self-Reported Absence Form or applying to the Office of the Dean of their home
faculty, students seeking academic accommodation must communicate with their instructors no later than
24 hours after the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or Student Medical
Certificate, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence.
ACCESSIBILITY POLICY
Western has many services and programs that support the personal, physical, social and academic needs of
students with disabilities. For more information, visit the Accessibility Services website.
MENTAL HEALTH:
Students who are in emotional and/or mental distress should refer to the Mental Health@Western website for
a complete list of options about how to obtain help.
COPYRIGHT
Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, and similar materials,
are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own
educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or
distribute lecture notes, wiki material, and other course materials publicly and/or for commercial
purposes without my written consent.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR REMOTE LEARNING
Completion of this course will require you to have a reliable internet connection and a device that
meets the system requirements for Zoom. Information about the system requirements are available
at the following link:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us.
USE OF RECORDINGS
All of the remote learning sessions for this course will be recorded. The data captured during these
recordings may include your image, voice recordings, chat logs and personal identifiers (name
displayed on the screen). The recordings will be used for educational purposes related to this course,
including evaluations. The recordings may be disclosed to other individuals under special
circumstances. Please contact the instructor if you have any concerns related to session recordings.
Participants in this course are not permitted to record the sessions, except where recording is an
approved accommodation, or the participant has the prior written permission of the instructor.
ONLINE PROCTORING VIA ZOOM
Tests and examinations in this course may be conducted using Zoom. In this case, you will be required
to keep your camera on for the entire session, hold up your student card for identification purposes,
and share your screen with the invigilator if asked to do so at any time during the exam. The exam
session will not be recorded.*
6*Please note that Zoom servers are located outside Canada. If you would prefer to use only your first
name or a nickname to login to Zoom, please discuss this with your instructor in advance of the test
or examination.
More information about the use of Zoom for exam invigilation is available in the Online Proctoring
Guidelines at the following link: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/onlineproctorguidelines.pdf.
STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE
Some components of this course will involve online interactions. To ensure the best experience for
both you and your classmates, please honour the following rules of etiquette:
• Do not take screen shots, record, share or use any online material (including asynchronous
online material) for any purpose other than learning in this class.
General considerations for online discussions:
▪ Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course.
▪ Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are
discussing.
▪ Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your
readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment.
▪ Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Cite the ideas of others appropriately.
The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from
participants. To participate please consider the following:
▪ if you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge
you before beginning your comment or question
▪ remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking
▪ self-identify when speaking.
▪ remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed
otherwise)
Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the
chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious
online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct.
7Schedule of Readings and Lecture Topics
LT = Lecture Topic RA = Reading Assignment
Dates Lecture Topics and Reading Assignments Assessment
Week 1 LT: Introduction to Crime and Punishment in Ancient Greece and
Rome
RA: No reading for this week
Week 2 LT: Historical Background and Context Forum #1
RA: No reading for this week
Week 3 LT: Introduction to Greek Law Quiz #1
RA: VerSteeg, The Essentials of Greek and Roman Law, chs. 1, 2, 7,
and 8
Week 4 LT: Greek Tragedy of Crime Forum #2
RA: Aeschylus, The Oresteia
Week 5 LT: No lecture for this week; study for the quiz! Quiz #2
RA: No reading for this week
Week 6 LT: Modern Criminology and Ancient Crime Forum #3
RA: Walklate, Criminology: The Basics chapters 1, 4, 5 (available
online through Western Libraries)
Week 7 LT: Athens and Draco’s Homicide Law Quiz #3
RA: Lysias I (available on OWL)
Week 8 LT: Greek Philosophy of Crime Forum #4
RA: Plato, Gorgias
Fall Reading Week Nov. 1-7, 2021
Week 9 LT: No recorded lecture for this week; study for the quiz! Quiz #4
RA: No reading for this week
Week 10 LT: Introduction to Roman Law Forum #5
RA: VerSteeg, The Essentials of Greek and Roman Law, chs. 10, 11,
16, & 17
Week 11 LT: Criminals and Enemy Combatants Quiz #5
RA: Sallust, Catiline’s War
Week 12 LT: Character and Ciceronian Crime
RA: Cicero, In Defense of Marcus Caelius (available on OWL)
The Final Examination will be Scheduled by the Office of the Registrar
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