The course engages students in diverse analyses of the city of ancient Rome by drawing on approaches that are artistic, historical and topographic in nature. Hence, it provides an in-depth appreciation of the multifaceted nature of Roman material culture and the context for the world in which it was created.

Taking advantage of the on-site format emphasis is placed on the visual impact of monuments and artworks for a deeper understanding of their social meaning. The course examines the development of Rome and the importance of public monuments for the visualization of the city, and it analyses these as dynamic spaces of social interaction.

It considers the urban and political articulation of Rome: the city as memory theatre; the interplay between emperor and citizens; the impact of empire. The course asks questions about public imaging, political engagement, and the perceived merits of peace and warfare for a nuanced examination of what it meant to be Roman.

Proficiencies
Ability to analyze – and contextualize – characteristics of ancient Roman culture
Ability to understand key aspects of Roman art and to analyze motives of their creation and reception. Ability to identify trends and developmental aspects, as well as cross-cultural inspirations

Ability to analyze art, architecture and material culture as primary sources
Ability to interpret diverse artistic media and their impact, and ability to use relevant historical, art historical and architectural terminology to effect. Understanding of the context of public and private art and architecture – and the ability for comparative analyses of these

Ability to contextualize the construction of cultural identities and artistic developments
Ability to analyze material culture as dynamic interactions of inspiration, response and emulation – not simply imperialism or military control. Appreciation of diversity of directions of artistic inspiration. Ability to see the selectivity in adoption or rejection of forms

Skills
Communicative skills – writing and oral competence
Term paper: Organization of material, focus on topic, and nuance in discussion
Exams: Contextual and nuanced discussion, focused presentation of data
Class presentations: Public speaking (presentation and development of argument) and didactic methods (engaging audience, posing questions)
Participation: Analytical responses; participating in debates; posing questions

Cognitive skills – critical thinking and interpretation
Class presentation: Evaluation and analysis of evidence; reflection on significance
Participation: Reasoned consideration of evidence and methods; willingness to adapt/revise ways of thinking; openness to alternative perspectives
Term paper and exams: Subtlety, nuance and engagement in approach to the topic
Lectures and class presentations: Visual analysis; historical contextualization; interpretative thesis

Collaborative and shared inquiry skills
Lectures and participation: Investigative response-skills; collaborative contributions; open debate
Class presentations: Test, explore and communicate complex ideas

Investigative skills and evaluation of data
Term paper and class presentations: Using and evaluating diverse secondary texts; interpreting the arguments presented
Lectures and participation: Evaluation of context and impact of objects and space 

You are expected to participate in all scheduled classes. Absences will be noted and may affect your final grade. Please refer to the university catalogue for the attendance and absence policy.
All classes will start punctually; late arrival will be noted and may affect your final grade.
Class will take place no matter the weather. Please dress accordingly and appropriately for visiting public sites and museums in the city.

You are responsible for identifying the location of - and route to - the meeting points of the classes. You should calculate around 40-50 minutes travel time to our meeting points. Note that most classes will end at on-site locations different from the meeting point. For bus/subway route planner see www.atac.it.

Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed.

Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam: a major exam (midterm or final) cannot be made up without the permission of the Dean’s Office. Permission will be granted only when the absence is caused by a serious impediment or grave situation, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or funeral service for immediate family. Absences due to conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. 

No recording (of any type) of the class is permitted.

Study guides to help you organise your notes and gain an overview of the material - and hence to assist you revise - will be posted weekly, in advance of each class, on MyJCU.
Changes, additional course information, etc. will be posted on MyJCU. Please check this regularly and, certainly, in advance of each class.
Make-up work is not offered, except in exceptional circumstances and after consultation with the Dean of Academic Affairs.

For specific inquiries or to set up an appointment please contact me via email on [email protected]

1. Mon. 21^st May. Introduction to the Course and to Rome.

Themes/Works:             Course requirements and logistics. Introduction to Rome and Roman monuments; art and society in ancient Rome.

Meet:                             JCU classroom.

Assigned Reading:        None.

2. Tues. 22^nd May. Mythological and Topographical Origins of Rome. 

Themes/Works:             Trade and defence. Greek and Etruscan influences. Tiber Island, the Cloaca Massima, Forum Boarium, the great altar of       Heracles Invictus, S. Omobono area, Capitoline hill. 

Meet:                             Tiber island.

Assigned reading:             Claridge: history: 4-9; materials and orders: 39-41, 52-54; Tiber Island: 257-8; Great Altar of Heracles Invictus 288-90  (section entitled ‘S. Maria in Cosmedin’); S. Omobono: 282-5; Capitoline, Temple of Jupiter: 259-62, 268-70; Tuck: ‘Chapter 2: Regal Period’: Introduction, The Etruscans, Etruscan architecture and city planning, 19-22, Etruscan sculpture  and portraiture, 25-7, Archaic Rome 29-36, plus art and literature box on 37, Conclusion: 46. 

3. Wed. 23^rd May.  From the Kings to the Republic – the Roman Forum.

Themes/Works:             City foundation; survival of Regal period monuments; Republican period expansion. Lapis Niger, Curia/Comitia, Basilica        Aemilia, the Temple of Saturn, the Temple of Castor and Pollux, Temple Concordia, Temple of Vesta, Hut of Romulus       (Republican monuments on the Palatine Hill).

Meet:                             Entrance to Roman Forum, Via dei Fori Imperiali.

Assigned reading:         Claridge: Roman forum: 63-67, 75-77, 83-84, 105-11; Palatine hill, hut of Romulus (‘victory precinct’ section): 131-2; Tuck: Chapter 3: ‘The Early Republic’ : Introduction, Brief Historical Survey: 49-50.

4. Thurs. 24^th May. The Republic – Triumphs and Temples

Themes/Works:             The Roman military triumph; victory temples. Circus Flaminius, Porticus of Octavia, Forum Holitarium, Portus       Triumphalis, Forum Boarium temples, Circus Maximus.

Meet:                              Tiber Island.

Assigned reading:           Claridge: history: 9-10, Circus Flaminius 250-1, Porticus of Octavia, 253-6; Forum Holitarium 279-82, Portus Triumphalis, Forum Boarium temples, 285-88, Circus Maximus, 299-300. Tuck: The Role of Elites 4-5, Italic versus Classical Styles and Forms I: Temples 5-6; Chapter 3: ‘The Early Republic’: Roman tomb painting of the early Republic: 63-65, including Art and Literature text box; Chapter 4: ‘The Later Republic’: Introduction 78, Architecture and Urban Planning 78-83, including Art and Literature text box, 79.

5. Mon. 28^th May. Monumentalizing in the Late Republic and Early Empire

Themes/works:            The privatization of public space. Rome and the Hellenistic world. Reorganisation of the forum. Theatre of Pompeii, Largo                                     Argentina temples, Fora of Caesar and Augustus, Theatre of Marcellus.

Meet:                            Piazza Farnese.

Assigned reading:       Claridge: history: 10-12; Theatre of Pompey: 239-41; Largo Argentina temples: 241-6;  Forum Romanum: Porticus of     Gaius and Lucius, 69-71, Rostra, 85-87, Basilica Julia, 92-3, and Temple of Castor 94-95; Temple of Divus Julius, 100-1,     Arch of Augustus, 101-3; Forum of Caesar: Curia 71-5, 161-9; Forum of Augustus: 177-80; Theatre of Marcellus: 275-7.     Tuck: Chapter 4: ‘The Later Republic’, Greek urban planning and sanctuary design: 90-94, Conclusion 111-12; Chapter 5:    ‘The Age of Augustus’: Forum Augustum: 124-8, including text boxes.            

6. Tues. 29^th May. Pax Augusta

Themes/Works:             The creation of a new Augustan order; the princeps as role model. The Ara Pacis, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Horologium.

Meet:                             Entrance to the Ara Pacis Museum.

Assigned reading:         Claridge: history: 12-15; materials: 40-44; Campus Martius and Augustan monuments: 197-216, 232-3. Tuck: Chapter 5:       ‘The Age of Augustus’: Intro, Augustus: 114-5, Augustus and the city of Rome 118-24, Conclusion 141-3. 

7. Wed. 30^th May. Julio-Claudian and Flavian Palaces and Houses

Themes/Works:             The Palatine. The monumentalisation of domestic architecture, from Republican houses to Imperial palaces. The house of                                          ‘Augustus,’ the Temple of Apollo, the Domus Transitoria, the Palace of Domitian.

Meet:                             Entrance to the Palatine: Via di San Gregorio

Assigned reading:            Claridge:  history: 15-18, the Palatine, 125-8, Temple of Apollo, 142-144, Domitian’s Palace, 145-55. Tuck: The Roman  House 14-16; Chapter 5: ‘The Age of Augustus’: The Palatine Hill 128-132; Chapter 6: ‘The Julio-Claudians’: Intro 146,  Nero, 163-4, Palace Architecture, 167-168, Conclusion, 177; Chapter 7: ‘The Flavians’: Architecture 205-209.

8. Thurs. 31^st May. Late Republic to Imperial Rome: Portraits and Painting

 Themes/Works:             Portraits and identity, portraits and politics. Veristic and Augustan portraiture: statue of general from Tivoli, statue of       Augustus from the Via Labicana. Augustan painted interiors: Livia’s dining room from Prima Porta, Villa Farnesina       paintings. Hellenistic sculpture: the Boxer. The Portonaccio Sarcophagus.

Meet:                             Entrance to Palazzo Massimo, Piazza dei Cinquecento.

Assigned reading:         Claridge: history: 15-18. Tuck: Cultural Property Controversies, 2-3, Dating Dilemmas, 3, Restoration Issues, 4, Italic       versus Classical Styles and Forms II: portraiture, 7-9, Narrative Moment, 16-17, Roman Wall Painting in the Late Republic,       94-100, including Scholarly Perspective text box, 99, Late Republican Sculpture, 108-11, Third Style Wall painting, 132-3.       Portraits of Augustus 115-117, including text boxes. Chapter 6: ‘The Julio-Claudians’: Portraiture, 147. 

9. Mon. 4^th June. Nero and the Flavians: the emperor and the people

Themes/Works:             Articulating imperial status in Rome; Hellenism and Italic traditions; the Domus Aurea (again), the Temple of Peace, the        Flavian Amphitheatre, the Arch of Titus, the Forum Transistorium [Forum of Nerva].

Meet:                             Metro Colosseo.

Assigned reading:         Claridge: Arch of Titus, 121-2, Temple of Peace and Forum of Nerva, 169-76, Domus Aurea, 301-6, Colosseum, 312-9.       Tuck: Chapter 4: ‘The Later Republic’: Historical Context text box on amphitheatres, 90; Chapter 6: ‘The Julio-Claudians’:       Domus Aurea: Nero’s Golden House, 168-71; Chapter 7: ‘The Flavians’: 179-181, Architecture 182-186, Domitian, 197,       Historical Reliefs: Arch of Titus 201-3, Conclusion, 209. 

10.  Tues. 5^th June. *Mid-term exam* and discussion of term paper

Themes/Works:             Aspects related to completion of the Term Paper: Source evaluation, reference use, bibliographic formatting.

Meet:                              tba.

Assigned reading:          tba.

11. Wed. 6^th June. Trajan and Hadrian: the High Empire.

Themes/Works:             The emperor and the gods; depictions of war and non-Romans; commerce and cosmopolitanism. Trajan’s column, Trajan’s                                       markets, the imperial fora, portraits of Trajan and Hadrian; the Temple of Venus and Rome.

Meet:                             Trajan’s column.

Assigned reading:         Claridge: history 18-21, Temple of Roma and Venus, 118-21, Forum and Markets of Trajan, 180-96. Tuck: Chapter 8: ‘Trajan and Hadrian’, 212-14, Architecture, 215-19 (end of first paragraph), Sculpture, 225-230, including View from the                                         Provinces textbox, 229-30, Scholarly Perspective textbox, 234, Conclusion, 244.

12. Thurs. 7^th June. Hadrian and the Antonines in the Campus Martius

Themes/Works:           War and the gods; architectural innovation and continuity. The Stadium and Odeon of Domitian, the Pantheon, the Temple                                     of Hadrian, the column of Marcus Aurelius.

Meet:                            Piazza Navona, near southern fountain.

Assigned reading:       Claridge: Campus Martius, 197-204, Columns of A. Pius & M. Aurelius, 216-21, Hadrianeum, 223-6, Pantheon, 226-34,     Stadium and Odeon of Domitian, 234-8. Tuck: Tools and Techniques text box on concrete 85, also Concrete Architecture     141-2; Chapter 8: ‘Trajan and Hadrian’ Architecture 219 (second paragraph) -224; Chapter 9: ‘Antonine Emperors’ Intro,     246-7, Architectural sculpture, 253-5, Reliefs from the Victory Monuments of Marcus Aurelius, 257, Conclusion, 271-2.

13. Mon. 11^th June. Emperors and Religion.

Themes/works:             The Capitoline Museums. Imperial portraiture through the years. Marcus Aurelius’ equestrian statue and panel reliefs,       statue of Constantine. Head of Brutus, role models and virtus. Verism and naturalism. The Capitoline Wolf – dating issues.

Meet:                            Statue of Marcus Aurelius on the Campidoglio.

Assigned reading:         Claridge: Statue of Marcus Aurelius, 266. Tuck: Female Portraiture and embedded values, 9-10; Chapter 3: ‘The Early                                               Republic’: Capitoline Brutus, 69 (last paragraph)-70; Chapter 7: ‘The Flavians’: Portraiture, 181, 197-200, including       scholarly perspective textbox; Chapter 8: ‘Trajan and Hadrian’: Portraiture, 214-5, Portraiture of Empresses, 215; Chapter       9: ‘Antonine Emperors’: Portraiture, 247-53, Reliefs from the Victory Monuments of Marcus Aurelius, 256; Chapter 10:      ‘Civil War and Severan Dynasty’: Portraiture, 275-9; Chapter 12: ‘Constantine’: Portraiture: 336-7.

14. Tues. 12^th June. The Forum from the Severans to Late Antiquity

Themes/works:             Appropriations and additions in the forum, mapping the city. (The Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina); the Arch of                                             Septimus Severus, the Arch of the Argentarii; rebuilding under Diocletian, the Decennalia Monument, the new Rostra,       honorary columns along the Basilica Julia, the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine, the column of Phocas. The Forma       Urbis.

Meet:                             Entrance to the Roman Forum, Via dei Fori Imperiali.

Assigned reading:         Claridge: History 21-4, Arch of Septimus Severus, 78-9, Rostra, 85-87, the column of Phocas, 87-8, honorary columns, 91-       2, Temple of Antoninus Pius and Diva Faustina, 111-3, Basilica Maxentius and Constantine, 115-7, Arch of the Argentarii,       292-3. Tuck: Chapter 10: ‘Civil War and the Severan Dynasty’: Intro, 274, Trends and developments in Severan art, 274-5,       Historical Reliefs, 284-7, including Historical Context textbox, 285, Forma Urbis Romae, 292-5, Conclusion 299-30;       Chapter 11: ‘The Third Century and the Tetrarchy’: The Decennalia Monument, 312-13.

15. Wed. 13^th June. Baths and Bathing *Term Paper due*

Themes/works:         Public works and participation in the empire, water supplies, popular luxury; Baths of Caracalla; Septizodium and the Via                                        Appia.

Meet:                        Metro Circo Massimo.

Assigned reading:    Claridge: the Septizodium and the Via Appia, 356-7, Baths of Caracalla, 357-65. Tuck: Chapter 10: ‘Civil War and the     Severan Dynasty’: Baths of Caracalla: Architecture and Sculpture in Rome: 279-83, including Art and Literature text box, 283.

16. Thurs. 14^th June. Infrastructure and Art at the Edges of the City

Themes/works:             The Aurelian walls, aqueducts, demotic art. Porta Maggiore, the baker’s tomb. Basilica churches: S. Giovanni in Laterano.

Meet:                             Steps of San Giovanni in Laterano.

Assigned reading:         Claridge: Aqueducts, 60-1, Aurelianic Walls, 61, Porta Maggiore and the Tomb of the baker Eurysaces, 383-7, S.       Giovanni in Laterano, 376-7. Tuck: Chapter 5: ‘The Age of Augustus’: Traditional Italic style in the age of Augustus, 137-       9; Chapter 11: ‘The Third Century and the Tetrarchy’: Intro, 302-6.

17. Mon. 18^th June. Myth and Sarcophagi. 

Themes/Works:             Changes in burial practice, sarcophagi, use of myth in private art; the Baths of Diocletian.

Meet:                             Baths of Diocletian, Viale Enrico di Nicola 79.

Assigned reading:         Claridge: Baths of Diocletian, 391-5. Tuck Chapter 9: ‘Antonine Emperors’: Sarcophagai 263-8, including Scholarly       Perspective text box, 266; Chapter 10: ‘Civil War and the Severan Dynasty’: Sarcophagai, 289-92, including More on Myth       text box, 291; Chapter 11: ‘The Third century and the Tetrarchy’: Diocletian, 307-8, the Tetrarchy 308-9; Sarcophagai, 315-       8; Imperial Architecture, 320-2.

18. Tues. 19^th June. Tetrarchs to Constantine: Re-using Rome

Themes/Works:             Art quoting art, art quoting history, re-use of sculpture and themes, spolia, orientating new monuments to the old city, the       rise of Christianity. The Arch of Constantine, San Clemente.

Meet:                             Metro Colosseo.

Assigned reading:         Claridge: History, 25-9, Arch of Constantine, 308-12, San Clemente: 319-24; Tuck Chapter 11: ‘The Third Century and the                                     Tetrarchy’: Scholarly Perspective text box on Spolia, 316, Conclusion 330 and 332; Chapter 12: ‘Constantine’: Intro, 335-6,                                     Architecture and Sculpture at Rome, 340-6, including Historical Context text box, 341, and Art and Literature, 345, text box,     Conclusion, 356-7.

19. Wed. 20^th June. Early Christianity

Themes/Works:  Movement to the edges of the city, changes in burial practice and beliefs, new and old iconography. Sant’Agnese and catacombs, Santa Costanza.

Meet:                       Metro Colosseo.

Assigned reading:    Claridge: 439-41, Mausoleum and Circus-Basilica of ‘St Constantia’. Tuck: Chapter 11: ‘The Third Century and the                                                 Tetrarchy’: Art and Literature Textbox, The Good Shepherd, 318-20; Chapter 12: ‘Constantine’: Constantinian Church and                                        Tomb Architecture in Rome, 346-50, including Scholarly Perspective text box, 348-50.

20. Thurs. 21^st June. Review Class.

Themes/Works:              Overview and discussion of class content.

Meet:                              tba.

Assigned reading:          Course reader page 9 – identify monuments discussed in class. Pose 3-5 questions, based on your revision study, for which you would like clarification and further detail. 

 
21. Fri. 22^nd June. *Final Exam*

Meet:                            tba.


Details of further reading suggestions as well as a relevant bibliography for the course will be provided at the start of the semester.

In the meantime, core bibliographies works are:

Beard, M., J. North and S. Price. 1998. Religions of Rome. Cambridge.

Bell, S. and Hansen, I.L. (eds) (2008) Role Models in the Roman World. Ann Arbor.

Clarke, J.R. (2003) Art in the Lives of Ordinary Romans. Berkeley.

Coarelli, F. (2007) Rome and Environs: An Archaeological Guide. Berkeley.                                    

Davies, P. (2000) Death and the Emperor. Cambridge.

Dillon, S., and K.E. Welch, (eds.). 2006. Representations of War in Ancient Rome. Cambridge.

Ewald, B.C. and Noreña, C.F. (eds) (2010) The Emperor and Rome: Space, Representation, and  Ritual. Cambridge.

Fejfer, J. (2008) Roman Portraits in Context. Berlin and New York.

Galinsky, K. (1996) Augustan Culture: an Interpretative Introduction. Princeton.

Jacobs, P.W. II and Conlin, D.A. (2015) Campus Martius. The Field of Mars in the Life of Ancient Rome. Cambridge.

Kleiner, D. (2014) Roman Architecture: A Visual Guide. New Haven.

Kleiner, D.E.E. (1992) Roman Sculpture. New Haven.

Stewart, P. (2008) The Social History of Roman Art. New York, Cambridge.

Tuck, S.L. (2014) A History of Roman Art. Oxford.

Zanker, P. (1988) The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus. Ann Arbor.