Democracy and Myth in Ancient Greece

A First-Year Ampersand Program

Explore how myth, culture, and democracy shaped ancient Greece—and how their legacies still inform our world today.

Democracy and Myth in Ancient Greece examines the stories, institutions, and cultural practices that defined Greek society, with a particular focus on classical Athens. Students explore foundational myths and literary works alongside the historical development of democracy, considering how literature, religion, and political life informed one another. Through close reading of texts and analysis of material and historical evidence, the program invites students to grapple with enduring questions about citizenship, belonging, justice, and civic responsibility. By placing ancient debates in conversation with contemporary concerns, the program reveals why Greek myth and democratic thought remain central to how we understand culture and public life today.

How To Sign Up

Signing up for a First-Year Program is a structured process designed to help match you with a program that best fits your interests. Ampersand Programs require a short essay responding to a program-specific prompt.

If you plan to rank this Ampersand Program, prepare a 250-500 word essay that responds to the following prompt: What makes you interested in the Democracy and Myth in Ancient Greece Ampersand Program?

Learn More About Sign-Ups

Ampersand Program Courses

Semester 1: Greek Mythology

The myths of ancient Greece are not only inherently interesting, but they are an incomparable starting point for the study of the ancient world, and they have offered numerous images and paradigms to poets, artists, and theorists. This course provides an introduction to the major Greek myths, their role in literature and art, their historical and social background, and ancient and modern approaches to their interpretation. Student work will include discussing course material in sections and online, taking two exams covering both the myths themselves and the ancient authors who represent our richest sources, and writing several essays interpreting or comparing ancient literary treatments.

Semester 2: The Age of Pericles

This seminar will explore the relationship between the sociopolitical history and cultural development of Athens in the fifth and fourth centuries BC. Students will be encouraged to analyze both archeological and literary evidence throughout the process of democratization, paying particular attention to the Periclean building program, including the sanctuary of Athena on the Acropolis, the Agora, domestic Athenian architecture, and the panhellenic sanctuaries of Delphi and Olympia. Selections from the histories of Herodotus and Thucydides, the plays of Sophocles and Aristophanes, the dialogues of Plato, and Aristotle's "Constitution of Athens" will highlight the functions and limitations of the democratic regime.