If you have an interest in ancient history, this is a really good GE to take. It's not unreasonably hard, and the workload is not bad at all. You really have to attend lectures if you want to do well, but if you attend lecture, you will have already done the majority of the work you will need to do. The professor covers everything you need to know in his lectures, and I didn't feel any need to read the textbook. The exams are really just about memorization, and the professor sends out a study guide with everything that will be on the exam a week before each exam. The hardest thing about the exam is that you have to memorize dates, or else you will lose a lot of points. As someone who enjoys learning about history, I found the lectures were really interesting and I learned a lot through this class.

Prof Phillips is extremely dull. Lectures often have one or two slides with no information on them, so you have to listen extremely closely to what he says. This is difficult in part because of all the ancient greek words that are used, so you don't know how they're spelled. He has some dry humor he throws in maybe once per class, which is admittedly pretty funny, but otherwise he's very stern. When I asked questions after class he was always very dismissive. The class also is extremely broad, so it's impossible to gain that much insight into the time periods. Pros: His periodical humor, his two tone doc martins. Cons: mean and boring, hard to follow, way too much material to cover.

If you don't want to be treated like an idiot, Phillips is your man. He won't baby you or give you free points. He expects excellence, though it seems he has become accustomed to mediocrity, which in his eyes, is still a massive achievement considering how academically rigorous he can be. Expect to be simultaneously entertained and blown away at how much information can reside inside one plump and unassuming Doc Marten-wearing professor's brain.

A probable candidate for smartest, most rigorous professor as well as best orator.

I am selling the PDF version of the textbook for this class (Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean, 3rd Edition) for $10. Text me at ********** if interested, I accept venmo as payment.

TL/DR: Enjoyed this class. Fair amount of reading, but the exams are pretty fair and if you are a good note-taker you will be able to do well in the class. Definitely recommend for history majors or people looking for a good GE where you will be able to learn a breadth of knowledge you might need to know.

Full Review with grading/material/etc info here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15vILblHwWrnV7KnB-sOFzTRnQE2QPA7nmHxj4gdNKBU/edit?usp=sharing

Phillips is one of the best professors I've had at UCLA.

He is not friendly. He discourages questions during during his lectures, is stern with his rules, and will not take kindly to attempts by students to act buddy-buddy. He purposefully exudes an aura of aloofness, but if you take one of his classes you will quickly realize that he has every right to do so.

That said, top tier professors are not obligated to be your friend. Phillips is quite obviously a master of his field; he effortlessly rails off ancient Greek quotes, and lays out Greek history in painstaking detail, mostly from the top of his head. If you do approach him with detailed questions during office hours or after class, he will undoubtedly have a straightforward answer. This is how UCLA professors should be.

As others have stated, his lectures are whirlwind affairs. I type upwards of 110 WPM, and I still have trouble keeping up on my off days. However, the lectures progress logically and are incredibly well put together. He shapes classes in the form of an outline, and he speaks in a clear, monotone voice that ensures you won't miss what he says. Despite speaking at a breakneck pace for fifty minutes at a time, almost every piece of information he gives is relevant--a welcome relief from the tendencies of most professors. His occasional forays into humor are dry but generally hilarious.

His style of history focuses on the wars and political intrigue of ancient Greece, a perspective that is all too rarely skipped these days in favor of "seeing through the eyes" of ancient civilizations. He touches on Greek culture when it is relevant, but you're not going to learn much about Socrates and Plato. This, in my opinion, is for the better.

The class is not particularly easy, but if you want an A you can get it. The upside of Phillips' courses is that his lectures are entirely parallel with the assigned books. I have received A's in both classes taken despite never dusting off the textbook. His study guides are hefty, and he expects you to remember large amounts of information (especially dates), but he gives you everything you need to succeed in lecture. Take good notes and give yourself three nights of moderate studying, and you will rock his tests. Despite his statements otherwise, he is not that hard of a grader.

I was not particularly interested in the Greeks pre-Phillips, but he makes Greek history into a very badass and interesting narrative. If you enjoy history, you should definitely take a Phillips course.

Phillips is a great professor and is clearly an expert on Greek history. As long as you attend lectures, take decent notes and follow his study guides you'll do well. He asks for a lot but is actually a generous grader. Definitely not an easy class but if you want to learn about ancient Greece and be taught by a world class expert on the subject then this is the class to take. There's a map quiz (easy) thats 15% of your grade, a midterm worth 35% and the final is worth 50%.

Professor Phillips is an amazing professor and orator. If you are an idiot, or if you like to ask questions in lecture, his class may not be for you. The class has 1 map quiz, 1 midterm, 1 (non-cumulative) final. That's it. If you attend lecture and take good notes, you will be fine. He releases a study guide 1 week before the exam. Compile your relevant notes and study those.

Lecture goes like this:
- Professor walks in the room and says nothing, everyone goes quiet.
- He spends 2-3 minutes writing various names, events, & places on the blackboard.
- He says "Okay. Last time we ended with ..." and begins lecture.
- Spends the next 47 minutes spewing out a ton of information.

Write down literally every date that you hear. In lecture there are no breaks, pauses, questions, and no slowing down.

Professor Phillips is definitely pompous and stern, so self-important that I don't think he knows you exist. He's not mean or unfair, he just frankly doesn't care about you. If you say thank you he'll just say "Mm." I've never seen him smile or elect to speak unless it is strictly relevant to the story he is telling. You grow to respect it to be honest. Like wow you are lowkey the worst but in an obnoxiously charming kind of way. I've had too many professors that waste time with frivolities. A professor in the Classics department took time to warn the class that the lecture on Pompeii could potentially be triggering to some because of the recent LA fires. Prof. Phillips is a much needed reprieve from all that. You go to class, you learn a ton of information, and you leave. He doesn't assign homework, he doesn't take attendance, there is no discussion, that's it. Show up, take notes, take your exams, and you're done.

Overall my favorite class so far at UCLA and my favorite professor.

Prof Phillips' lectures were clear and concise, you can tell he knows exactly what he's talking about. He doesn't ask the class questions, he doesn't do iclicker, he just goes through the slides (which are mainly images and dates so really pay attention to what he's saying) and explains the topics. Exams/midterms/finals aren't too hard, very much memory based (remembering vocab, key figures, dates) as it is a history class. He has a dry sense of humor which I think is under appreciated. I would recommend this class as a GE, just make sure you don't procrastinate studying, and go to lecture even though it isn't counted towards a grade. Maybe reconsider taking this class with Phillips if you're a hands on or visual learner. This class is a lot of listening and reading (still manageable, imo)

This is the best class I have taken at UCLA. Professor Phillips is a genius. And his lectures are captivating. He has no slides. Barely writes on the chalkboard. But somehow I was never bored for a single second. The coursework is very straightforward. If you go to lecture and write down everything he says, I don't think you could possibly do poorly on the exams. The readings are really helpful, and I think they are a perfect supplement to the lectures. Honestly I don't think there is a single negative thing I could say about this class. If he is teaching it you should take it.