History   

The Roman Republic (509-27 BCE) was plagued with civil unrest and rebellion in its final years. One such rebellion, the Second Catilinarian Conspiracy, ended in a dramatic battle when conspirators raised an army against their own city. We will study ancient evidence against the purported ringleader Lucius Sergius Catiline—much of which comes from his political enemies—and reconsider the case against him. The victor, after all, writes history. Required textbook: How to Stop a Conspiracy: An Ancient Guide to Saving a Republic by Sallust, trans. Josiah Osgood (2022), ISBN: 978-0691212364.

In this interactive course, we will survey 4000 years of geography, history, art, literature and places to visit in order to gain an appreciation of ancient Egypt and its culture. Recommended textbooks: Ancient Egypt: The Definitive Visual History by DK (2021), ISBN: 978-0744029246; and Egyptian Hieroglyphs for Complete Beginners by Bill Manley (2021), ISBN: 978-0500290286.

The names of whiskey’s founding fathers are easily recognizable—Johnny Walker, Jack Daniels, “Pappy” Van Winkle—but what about the women of whiskey? Nettie Harbinson, Margie Smith, Elizabeth Cumming and many more played an integral role in the spirit’s history, yet they remain unknown. We will pay homage to these women by learning how they changed whiskey around the world. We will end with an optional, fun and informative whiskey-tasting. Note: Class 5 will meet at the instructor’s home in North Asheville. Materials fee (payable to instructor): $20 for tasting.

Utopian communities have been a part of America since its founding. We will take a closer look at some of the most important communities from the 17th to the 20th century and the religious, political, social and economic events that influenced their founding, development and legacies. Note: Participants may choose to attend each week either in-person or online.