I got my Masters from a different school, and now at the PhD level I am having to take a certain number of classes (10 in total) and finish up my language requirements.  After this, I have to take my cumulative exam and submit a proposal for a dissertation, which can then take anywhere from 2 to 10 years (or more) to complete.  Had I gone into a PhD program directly from undergrad, it probably would have been different and taken less time and I could have probably gotten my Masters “along the way” to getting a PhD.I am in the process of getting a dissertation topic figured out, and I am trying to get one which will be manageable (that is, which I can complete in a shorter, rather than longer, timeframe).  Once I am ABD, I can actually start working elsewhere and don't need to be tied to campus as I work on my dissertation.  The downside to that is that it might prolong the time I spend until completion.

For all I know you might not have to, depending on the program you went into.  I personally love taking classes (except maybe around paper due dates) and it's not a huge bummer for me, but then again I would like to get through the program relatively quickly and get on to my dissertation.  That might be something to consider when/if you go shopping around for programs – find out how quickly you could dive into your actual writing.

I'm getting excited to start my classes, especially my Hellenistic class.  I haven't taken a class yet that was specifically on Greece, so this will be somewhat new to me.  I started reading one of the books that is required or recommended for the course, and it is quite interesting.  One of the benefits for me is that what I learn in class one day I can use the next day in the class that I teach, since I teach a survey course which (broadly) covers the same topic. 

Well I must say that I am deeply disappointed with my Hellenistic class.  I had high hopes for it, but the professor has turned out to be a huge letdown.  He's a new professor so this is the first semester he's teaching.  He doesn't provide enough context, he gets wrapped up in minutiae, and he speaks to the students like everyone already has a degree in ancient history.  On top of that, it's more work than I have ever had to do in any of my graduate classes (and it's a split-level class, so undergrads and a few of us graduate students sit in on the same lectures).  We have a midterm next week on material that is rather vague in nature.  I have considered dropping it because it may get worse, but that might be bad form because not that long ago I was writing him telling him how I wanted to take it.  Aargh!  Goes to show that a good professor can make or break your spirits.

Yeah, I guess it's just one of those “grin and bear it” kind of situations.  In my case, I may go into “damage control” mode where I am not striving for an excellent grade so much (seems like it would require way too much involvement for that) as to get through with a “decent” grade.  I also wonder if this professor is trying to be particularly hard because he has something to prove, being a new professor and all.  Anyone else think this may be the case?

Sounds like he's just trying to impress you all with his vast knowledge. (of things you've never heard of that aren't all that important)

I will say this - I would rather learn under a "less brilliant" professor who could explain the most important concepts in a clear, organized fashion, than a "brilliant" professor who I could not understand.  I might be alone in this but that is my personal preference.