History 593V - Sem-The Origins of War

This Junior Year Writing course looks at ancient warfare from many angles (emotional, psychological and sociological). We will begin even before the beginning. We will deal with the relationship between prey and predatory behaviors in primates, hominids, and humans and in the relationship of hunting and warfare among foragers and farmers. We will deal with the kinds of structures of leadership and hierarchy created among brigands, war bands, and armies. We will deal with the varieties of cultic behaviors of hunters, warriors and soldiers - the varieties of ?holy wars.? We will be reading both primary and secondary sources on a great variety of cultures including: the foragers of Africa, Australia and New Guinea, the war bands of ancient Germany, the Americas and medieval Japan, the armies of the Aztecs, Greeks and Romans. This satisfies the Junior Year Writing requirement for history majors.

Open to Seniors and Juniors in History, Middle East and Judaic majors only.