The Archaic Greek Sibyl, a respected female voice of prophecy that inspired branches of Sibylline prophecy in Roman, Jewish, and Christian traditions, spoke truth to power. This course will introduce students to the religious and gender discourses of the ancient Mediterranean through texts that are currently viewed as of peripheral importance. How does centering the pseudepigrapha help us to see anew what is in or, perhaps more importantly, what is not in the canon? Reaching to the margins, beyond the canon- be they scriptural or departmental canons- enables us to engage in a more interconnected ancient world. This course will be of interest to students in Jewish and Christian studies, as well as classics, and history. It offers an example of how centering women’s studies in religion allows for different questions to be asked and new avenues to be explored.
HDS 1983