CLA 324 - Law and Orator: A Study of Ancient Law through Legal Speeches

Min Units: 3
Max Units: 3
By examining actual court speeches from ancient Athens and Rome, including famous trials such as that of Socrates, the infamous courtesan Neaira, and the trial of the corrupt governor Verres, students will explore how the study of law enables us to think about the values, assumptions, and even prejudices of societies. The course will ask students to think about how society deals with a variety of legal statuses, including citizen vs. non-citizen; age; and gender. Students will also engage with the question of the role of rhetoric in the legal process. In this course, students will engage in a variety of speaking exercises designed to understand better the mindset of ancient people in their engagement with their respective legal systems. (U) Occasionally