The ancient Greek and Roman civilizations provide the foundation for much of the cultural, political, and social institutions of the Western World, and today we acknowledge our indebtedness in terms of our art, literature, philosophy, science, politics, and much more. However, many Americans have misperceptions about ancient Greece and Rome, and what is worse, often distort the past to justify their own contemporary values. This class will examine modern misunderstandings of the ancient Greek and Romans and ask what is the value of studying the past.