Prof Phillips is a great lecturer. He really gets it - he makes the material entertaining so even people who would not normally care about Greek history are interested. Also, he's by far the funniest professor I've had. He has half the class laughing out loud almost every day. Don't believe the people who say he is difficult. Just go to class, write comprehensive notes, and then memorize the stuff he gives on the study sheets before tests. He lists about 5 required texts, but you'll only need one for the term paper. If you're a non-history major looking to take a history class, this is the one to take.