Canceled due to COVID-19

Please see
Virtual OnSite 2021: Italy Before Rome, May 19-June 30, 2021

Italy Before Rome: Archaeology, Visual Culture, and Political Power
For further information, please contact Professor Keely Heuer at heuerk@newpaltz.edu

Applications are submitted online through SUNY New Paltz Center for International Programs’ website at http://www.newpaltz.edu/studyabroad. Deadline for all application materials is January 15, 2020.

Generally, the term “ancient Italy” brings to most minds images of togas and gladiators, but between the 9th and the 2nd centuries B.C., this pivotal area of the Mediterranean was home to a wide variety of peoples who flourished prior to the rise of the Roman Empire. Unfortunately, these populations, ranging from the Greeks and Phoenicians, who colonized the south, to the Etruscans and Celts, who dominated the north, have left us no surviving written sources other than very brief texts, often dedicatory in nature. Thus, our knowledge of these civilizations is based on inherently biased references in the writings of outsiders, often mainland Greeks and later Romans, and what we can glean from the rich archaeological record. Through travel in Sicily and the Italian peninsula, this unique six credit-hour course explores the artistic and architectural achievements of pre-Roman Italy to reveal the splendor of the regions that inspired and fueled what would become one of the greatest superpowers in world history.

Keely Heuer is an Associate Professor of Art History at SUNY New Paltz. Her research concentrates primarily on the iconography of Greek vase painting and the interrelations between Greek settlers and indigenous populations of pre-Roman Italy. Professor Heuer’s courses cover the breath of ancient Mediterranean visual culture, with a particular focus on the art of Greece and Rome.

This intensive study-abroad experience is packed with adventures and first-hand exploration of Classical antiquity. From 2,500 year old Greek temples and theaters to many of the finest collections of ancient art in the world, this trip offers an immersive investigation that few tourists experience when visiting Italy. Naturally, we will also take advantage of the wonderful modern culture of southern Italy and Sicily as well, from food to the performing arts.

Tentative Itinerary