Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CL/HS 231"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to the History of Ancient Rome"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session II 2022

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Thomas Govero
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MTWTH 3:40 PM 5:30 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course surveys the history of ancient Rome and Italy, focusing on the origins and metamorphoses of Rome from its archaic foundations as an Italic-Latinate kingship to an imperial city. The course examines the establishment, expansion, and conflicts of the Republican period; the political and cultural revolution of the Augustan ‘Principate’; the innovations of the High Empire; and the transition into Late Antiquity. Course materials include the writings of ancient authors in translation (these may include Polybius, Sallust, Cicero, Livy, Augustus, Suetonius, and/or Tacitus) as well as modern historians and archaeologists, along with considerations of Roman art, architecture, and archaeology.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

1. The Mediterranean and Italian geographical environment

2. Cultures preceding the expansion of Rome in Italy: the Etruscans, Greek colonies

3. Legendary and historical accounts of the foundation of Rome. The consolidation and organization of the "Roman" people. Who were the "Romans".

4. Divisions and eras of Roman history: Regnum, Republic, Principate, Dominate. The Eastern survival.

5. Sources of Roman history: historians, literary texts, inscriptions, documents, laws, traditions.

6. The foundation myths: Livy and Vergil

7. The Regnum, revolution and foundation of the Republic

8 Major events in the history of the Republic. The expansion and unification of Italy, The Punic Wars. Rome as an empire.

9. Results of the Punic Wars. Growth of slavery and relations with colonies. The Gracchi.

10 Privatization of power in the late Republic. The dominance of great generals and the shift to autocracy, Julius Caesar.

11. Rise and rule of Octavian-Augustus. The centralized empire. First century CE emperors and their achievements.

12. First century CE topics continued.

13. The second century CE: The five "good emperors".

14. Developments after Marcus Aurelius. The Severan Dynasty.

15. The turbulent and chaotic 3rd century. Factors affecting Rome's decline.

16 The rise of Christianity and church-state relations.

17. The final years of Roman power in the West. The Eastern empire.

18. Factors and elements of the post-Roman world.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1. Students should finish the course with an overall and reasonable knowledge of the periods of Roman political and cultural history.

2. Students should be able to address precisely and clearly issues and concerns of Roman history, such as autocracy, kleptocracy, slavery, religious changes etc.

3. Students should be able to correlate regimes, their objectives and developments with the contemporary cultural, religious and social milieus.

4. Students should be able to identify and appreciate the influences on subsequent western and international societies such as Roman Law.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome	Mary Beard	Liveright	978163149228	XXX	Almost Corner		Almost Corner

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Quizzes (four quizzes, one each week)		30%
Blue Book entries (rèsumés)	The class will respond to prompts given in the class, write briefly their responses and these will be discussed and handed in at the end of the class to be graded. Prompts will be drawn from readings and lectures. Responses will require a critical approach.	30%
Final Paper	5-8 pages on a topic of Roman history to be discussed and outlined in class discussions and with individual students. Students will be required to give a 5 -8 minute presentation of the paper's content.	30%
Participation	Students will be expected to offer comments, questions, request clarifications and enter into discussions.	10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual 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. The final exam period runs until ____________

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Session	Session Focus	Reading Assignment	Other Assignment	Meeting Place/Exam Dates
Monday, July 5	The Mediterranean environment and geography and their impact and influence on Roman history. Review of syllabus, assessments and readings.	SPQR: Reading assignments will be made weekly from this text.	Articles: M. Beard, Cronon et al.
Tues. July 6	Review of articles. How and what we know about Roman history: sources and documentation. Pre-Roman peoples of Italy: Etruscans, Greeks, et al.
Wed. July 7	Discussion of SPQR reading. Early legends, stories and accounts of the foundation of Rome. Who were the "Romans"? Roman values.		Résumé writing: These summaries will be assigned as prompts and written in class with discussion.
Thurs. July 8	The periods of Roman history: Regnum, Republic, Principate, Dominate. Political and social developments. The Roman Republic: foundation, institutions, unification of Italy.
Weekend: July 9 - 11	Suggested visits: Museo dell Terme (opposite Termini Station, Piazza del Cinquecento) Exhibit: "Roma" Scuderia (across from the Presidential palace on the Quirinale Hill) Tarquinia, Cerveteri (Etruscan sites north of Rome), Castelli Romani and especially Castel Gondolfo (Alba Longa) the original home of the Latin people. Ask for directions if you want to visit museums and exhibits or consult the internet sites.)	SPQR: Reading assignment
Monday, July 12	The Regnum (seven kings of Rome). Foundation of the Republic. Institutionalization of Roman political, social and religious society. Expansion and unification of Italy. Encounter with other Mediterranean powers. The Phoenicians.	SPQR: Reading assignment.		Quiz 1
Tuesday, July 13	The conflict of the orders. Franchising the Plebians. Further expansions and absorption of Italian peoples. The engagement and conflict with Carthage.
Wednesday, July 14	Final engagements with Carthage. Hannibal. Conquests in Macedonia, Greece and Middle East. Consequences of the conquests: latifundia, slavery, kleptocracy, agriculture, food supply.
Thurs. July 15	Consequences of conquests and expansion. The Gracchi and their reforms. Slave revolts. Early developments of the decline of the Republic. Hellenism: cultural revolution of the elite.
Monday, July 19	The emergence of Marius: his victories in Africa and Gaul. Political precedence: decline of the Republic and centralization of power. The revolt of Spartacus.			Quiz 2
Tuesday, July 20	Collapse of the Roman Republic from Marius - Julius Caesar. The Catalinarian conspiracy. The rise and victory of Octavian. His reign, cultural developments, Important figures during the transition: Cicero, Vergil et al.	Augustus: Res Gestae Cicero, selected Letters
Wednesday, July 21	The Julio-Claudian dynasty. Roman expansion. The reign of Nero and Neronian cultural figures: Seneca and Lucan. Stoicism and politics. The Year of the four Emperors. Vespasian comes to power. The Flavian dynasty.	SPQR: reading assignment. Laudatio Turiae Seneca, Letters.
Thurs. July 21	From the reign of Nerva to Marcus Aurelius. The "Five Good Emperors" Hadrian and his architectural achievements. Roman law developments and the Jurists.
Weekend: July 22 - 24	Suggested visits: Colosseum, Forum Romanum, Pantheon, Palatine Hill (ruins of imperial palaces), Hadrian's Villa (Tivoli). Forum of Augustus. Trajan's Market.
Monday, July 25	The Severin Dynasty: Militarization of Roman politics and society. The Rise of Christianity. The chaos of the third century.	SPQR: Reading assignment (final)		Quiz 3
Tuesday, 26 July	The accession and reign of Diocletian. The victory and reign of Constantine. The victory of Christianity. The third century revival and decline. The Founding of Constantinople; its subsequent history until 1453.
Wednesday, July 27	The Roman Empire: decline and collapse. General assessments and interpretation of the collapse. Environmental impact on the decline.	"The Collapse of Complex Societies" (selections)
Thursday, July 28 (Last class)	Assessments and final analyses of decline and collapse. Questions about the collapse. The influences and impact of Roman society, politics and social elements on later societies.	Aelius Aristides, "On Rome" - in-class reading.		Final Quiz 4