Current course offerings

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Course description

This course takes an in-depth look at the workings of the law courts and some of the most important trials that took place in ancient Greece and Rome. The course spans archaic Greece to the high Roman empire, with particular attention to Classical Athens and the late Roman republic. Each lecture examines a different area of ancient law and its historical development, followed by close study of a particular trial speech in the linked tutorial. These texts include allegations of murder, treason, and magic, and high-powered oratory by two of the ancient world¿s most famous speakers: Demosthenes and Cicero. In the process, the course will explore issues and themes that have helped to shape modern legal systems, including the use of trial by jury, the idea of equality before the law, and the relationship between law and politics.