Death is a universal human experience. Cutting across time, culture, gender, age, and any other division humans might create between ourselves, it affects everyone on earth. Studying death, however, does not need to be morbid; indeed, the evidence for individual and cultural reactions to the dead has been created entirely by the living. In examining death, therefore, we find an excellent path of inquiry into life. This class will analyze Greek and Roman experiences of death in order to better understand ancient lives. Topics will range widely, and we will learn how to work with both literary and archaeological evidence. Furthermore, we will consider our contemporary notions of death, particularly its unique role in the culture of New Orleans.