Cleopatra and Caesarion sacrificing to Hathor Temple of Hathor, Dendera Egypt (1st c. BCE; National Geographic 220.1 (July 2011) 48-49) Daily Assignments, Topics, Readings Course Requirements, Grading, Standards Bronze coin of Cleopatra VII minted in Alexandria (51-30 BCE; Hunterian Museum, Glasgow)

Harpur Freshman Seminar (HARP 101) N Cleopatra: The Last Pharaoh Binghamton University, Fall 2012 Fine Arts 352, MW 2:20-3:20 PM Instructors: John H. Starks, Jr., jstarks@binghamton.edu, (607) 777-4524 Office: Library Tower 1102 Office Hours: M 11-12 AM, Th 8:30-9:30 AM Morgan Appel, mappel@binghamton.edu, (607) 777-3996 Office: University Union West (UUW) 204, Dean of Students Office behind M&T Bank Office Hours: By appointment; please use this link to view my availability, and email me with a request: https://tungle.me/morgan.appel Images: Claudette Colbert as Cleopatra in Cecil B. DeMille’s “Cleopatra” (1934) Jean-León Gérôme “Cleopatra before Caesar” (1866 – lost original, frequently copied)

Course Description and Synopsis: Was she Egyptian? What did she look like? Why were Caesar and Antony drawn to her, and she to them? Cleopatra VII remains one of the most fascinating individuals from ancient history, admired, vilified, defined and (mis)represented countless times in print and image, especially after her famously dramatic death by asp-bite. In this seminar, students will engage this compelling ruler and cultural icon by reading, discussing and writing about significant comparative portions of two different modern biographies of Cleopatra both published in 2010: New York Times best-seller, Cleopatra: A Life by biographer Stacey Schiff, and Cleopatra: A Biography (Women in Antiquity) by Roman historian, Duane Roller. We will also examine and discuss ancient source materials, including coins, statues and other representations designed to project Cleopatra publicly in her own Egypt, as well as modern presentations of her in art and film that have heavily influenced her general public image.

Learning Outcomes for General Education Requirement:

Students in W courses will demonstrate

1. The ability to write effectively and coherently, in ways appropriate to the discipline and the level of the course.

2. The ability to revise and improve their writing in both form and content. (W courses require 10 minimum pages of revised and improved writing)