Socrates, Ovid, and Claude walk into a bar: using generative AI tools to support learning about the ancient Mediterranean

Abstract

In the Fall term of 2024, I taught a class on the ancient Mediterranean, with a focus on Plato, Ovid, and Roman satire. The goals of the class include exposure to epic, philosophy, and humour from antiquity; honing critical thinking skills; and consideration of how human nature has changed (or has not) over the millennia. To pull back the curtain surrounding generative AI tools, I required students to use Claude.ai on their essay assignments. Students critiqued the large language model (LLM)’s composition of essay questions, its judgement of virtue of fictional characters, and its gloss on Platonic idealism. I also required students to write about their experiences with Claude.ai at the end of term. This paper offers a case study of classroom use and my own explorations of this emerging technology. While instructors’ apprehension surrounding AI tools is justified, there is room for using LLMs to show students what the tools can and cannot do. As familiarity with these tools becomes a requirement for new graduates and rising professionals, we need not forget the lessons of antiquity. My investigations illustrate a challenge that humanity has always faced: we must learn how to confront the siren song of technology without it leading to our demise.