NEW ANCIENT STUDIES COURSE IN FALL 2025

ANCS 350-01: ANCIENT ATHENIAN IMPERIALISM 

M/W 4:00-5:15, PAHB 441

Dr. David Rosenbloom

The Athenian empire (478/7-405/4 bce) has sometimes taken a back seat to democracy, economic and social dynamism, monumental buildings and urban amenities, and vibrant culture in historians’ assessments of the city. This class examines the centrality of Athens' naval imperialism to the city's political, economic, social, and cultural development during the late-sixth, fifth, and fourth centuries bce. Situating Athenian imperialism in the context of its predecessors and contemporaries in the Near East — Assyria, Lydia and Persia — this course focuses on the origins and evolving tactics and strategies of Athenian imperialism. Topics include the economics and social consequences of Athenian imperialism, interconnections and disconnections between empire and democracy, the religious dimensions of Athenian imperialism, and the uses of myth and drama both to legitimize and to question the empire. The class concludes with the fall of the empire after Athens’ defeat in the Peloponnesian War (432/1-405/4 bce), the resurgence of Athenian imperialism in the early- to mid-fourth century (378/7-355/4 bce), and ancient and modern assessments of the empire.

ANCS 350-01 has no formal prerequisites and assumes no prior knowledge of the subject; ANCS 201, ANCS 305, and/or ANCS/HIST 453 are recommended preparation.

One room in townhouse close to UMBC is available for rent from August 1st.  The house is located in walking 10-15 mins to UMBC campus, also UMBC bus stop is right across the street. The room is fully furnished. One private parking lot in the back yard or park on front street. Washer and Dryer are installed in the basement.

The rent price is $530 plus utilities. Male only.

If you are interested in it. Please contact at 6167173732. Thank you.

The ASPIRE Leadership Academy, starting in September 2025, is designed to cultivate our future leaders by equipping aspiring individuals with essential professional competencies and interpersonal skills needed to effectively lead.

ASPIRE is open to all non-supervisory employees past their probationary period who are eager to take the first step on their leadership journey. We are specifically looking for employees who demonstrate:

• High potential for leadership - Individuals who show initiative, a willingness to learn, and an eagerness to take on new challenges.)

• A commitment to growth -  Those who are actively seeking opportunities to develop their skills and advance their careers as faculty and staff

• Strong collaboration and teamwork skills -  Employees who excel in group settings and contribute positively to collective goals.

Program Details and Time Commitment

ASPIRE is a semester-long, cohort-based experience delivered through a mix of engaging in-person instruction and team coaching. It's an intensive program, and a participant's commitment is key to a rich experience. Important information on the time commitment required:

• Class hours: Five 3 hours sessions, every 3 weeks, September through December

• Estimated hours outside of class: Up to 2 in between sessions, for individual and group project work. The program will include a group capstone project that will be case-study based - additional details can be found in the overview.

• Attendance at all sessions is required. Missing more than one session will result in the inability to graduate from the current ASPIRE Leadership Academy. Participants can complete missing sessions in future ASPIRE cohorts and graduate upon completion.

Click here to view more details and application deadlines. 

For additional information and questions, please contact: 

•  Melody Wright, Learning & Development Manager - melodyw@umbc.edu

•  Monique Conelius, OD Consultant - mconeli1@umbc.edu