Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AH 181"
COURSE NAME: "Politics and Power in Roman Architecture - Augustus to Mussolini"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session I 2024

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Alberto Prieto
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 9:00 AM 12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: On-site; activity fee: €25 or $33
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This on-site survey investigates the history of Rome primarily through its monuments—its architecture and urban form. This course will provide the student with a clear grasp of how the city of Rome has changed over the course of two thousand years from a modest Iron Age settlement on the Palatine Hill to a thriving modern metropolis of the twentieth century. The student will become intimately acquainted with the topography, urban makeup and history of the city and its monuments and will acquire the theoretical tools needed to examine, evaluate and critically assess city form, design and architecture.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The course necessarily begins with a brief introduction to two interrelated features of the city which exerted a decisive influence on its early development: its physical setting and its origins somewhere between legend and history (753-509 BC). The city’s Republican phase (509-31 BC), when the senate assumes control of the government, establishes the pattern of aristocratic sponsorship of architecture and urban organization as an expression of social prestige and dominance. As this pattern ultimately endures for two millennia, finding its greatest expression in terms of scale and splendor in the monarchic rule of the emperors (31 BC-AD 313), the course explores in depth the messages, meanings, aspirations, and values that Roman aristocrats and emperors sought to transmit via their creations.

The conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity (313-600) sees the urban landscape transformed via the construction of churches, the conversion of existing buildings into churches, and the cannibalization of the ancient urban fabric for the realization of these new structures. In the course of the Middle Ages (600-1400), as the papacy struggles to assert itself as both spiritual and temporal leader of Italy and aristocratic families vie to occupy the papal throne, the fracturing of the ancient city is accelerated, and piety and power are equally emphasized with the construction of new churches and monasteries and the division of the urban fabric into a series of fortified positions. The Renaissance and Baroque periods (1400-1800) see the papacy, humiliated by the forced relocation to Avignon and the outbreak of the Protestant Reformation, adopt a militant spirituality advertised in a massive program of urban reorganization involving palaces, streets, squares, churches, villas, and fountains.

In the Napoleonic era (1800-1870) power replaces piety as the main focus of architecture and urban organization, setting the stage for the extreme makeover of Rome sponsored by the new Italian state headed by the Savoy monarchy (1870-1922) with the aim of presenting the new Capital of Italy as a rival for Paris or London. The Fascist epilogue (1922-1943), while borrowing many of its cues from previous periods, marks a significant deviation from past practice due to its peculiar historical context, developing a style of architecture and urban organization that emphasize the sheer power of the state and its supreme leader over the citizenry and all forms of social organization.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

As a result of this course, the student will be able to:

· describe and discuss buildings, spaces, and other urban features in terms of their formal design, construction, decoration, purpose/function, meaning, and physical context;

· identify and describe the methodological tools used to study architecture and urban organization;

· identify, describe, and discuss continuity and change in architectural style and function/purpose, construction techniques and materials, and urban organization across time periods;

· discuss how the architecture and urban organization of a given period related to the prevailing social, economic, and political conditions in Rome, and how those conditions changed over time.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
Rome : an urban history from antiquity to the present	R. Taylor, K. Rinne, and S. Kostof	Cambridge University Press	9781107013995			Ebook

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments
The Renaissance in Rome	L. Partridge	Laurence King Pub.	9781780670294	N6920 .P38 2012

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Attendance and participation	Students are allowed to miss one of the ten scheduled class sessions without question or penalty. Students who miss a class are required to understand the material covered in their absence. The University does not require medical certificates for routine illnesses causing minor absences from regular class meetings. Every subsequent absence from class not substantiated by a valid excuse will result in a loss of 2 points from the 10-point participation component of the course, equivalent to 2% of the final course grade. Personal travel is never considered a valid excuse for missing class.	10
Mid-term examination	The mid-term examination will consist of 1. a series of terms (concepts/terms, dates, locations, and historical persons) to be identified briefly (2-4 sentences) in relation to their significance for the architecture and urban organization of Rome; 2. a timeline of milestones in the architecture and urban organization of Rome to be arranged in chronological order; 3. a blank map of an area of the city requiring labels, dates, and/or other significant information; and 4. one short (3+ pages) essay addressing a theme in the architecture and urban organization of Rome.	25
Final examination	The final examination will consist of 1. a series of terms (concepts/terms, dates, locations, and historical persons) to be identified briefly (2-4 sentences) in relation to their significance for the architecture and urban organization of Rome; 2. a timeline of milestones in the architecture and urban organization of Rome to be arranged in chronological order; 3. a blank map of an area of the city requiring labels, dates, and/or other significant information; and 4. one longer (5+ pages) essay addressing a theme in the architecture and urban organization of Rome.	35
On-site presentations (2)	Assignments 1 and 2 are brief research projects relating the most important information about, and the overall significance of, a site or structure built during antiquity and a site or structure built during the Renaissance and later periods within the context of the history, architecture, and urban organization of the city. For the assignments the student will compose a brief written summary (minimum 2 double-spaced typed pages of text) of the research to be submitted to the instructor via Moodle or e-mail, and make a brief presentation of the research on-site. The individual topics will be assigned in the second week of the course. The instructor will provide guidance on research sources and expected contents.	30

-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:

Students are allowed to miss one of the ten scheduled class sessions without question or penalty. Students who miss a class are required to understand the material covered in their absence. The University does not require medical certificates for routine illnesses causing minor absences from regular class meetings. Every subsequent absence from class not substantiated by a valid excuse will result in a loss of 2 points from the 10-point participation component of the course, equivalent to 2% of the final course grade. Personal travel is never considered a valid excuse for missing class.

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

All readings beyond the textbook are available as PDF files on the course Moodle site, WWW links, or reserve readings in the Frohring Library.

Week 1

M 5/20 Course introduction; topography-geography, geology, and geomorphology of Rome; origins and development through the Late Republic

Meeting point: classroom; on-site

Visits: Tiber Island, Largo Argentina, Capitoline Hill, Palatine Hill, Forum Boarium, Forum Holitorium

Readings: Rome. An Urban History Chs. 1-4 and 6

G. Heiken, R. Funiciello, and D. De Rita, The Seven Hills of Rome. A Geological Tour of the Eternal City. Princeton: Princeton University Press 2007.

Ch. 1, “A Tourist’s Introduction to the Geology of Rome”

W 5/22 From Republic to Empire

Meeting point: Piazza del Campidoglio (next to bronze statue at center)

Visits: Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Circus Flaminius, Theater of Marcellus, Porticus of Metellus/Octavia, Pantheon, meridian of Augustus

Readings: Rome. An Urban History Chs. 5 and 7

P. Aicher, Rome Alive. A Source-Guide to the Ancient City. Wauconda: Bolchazy-Carducci 2004. Available at the Frohring Library (Reference section): REF DG13.A37 2004

Sections 21-57 (overview of the Roman Forum to Arch of Titus), concentrating on the introductory commentaries

A. Claridge, Rome. An Oxford Archaeological Guide. 2^nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. ONLINE

pp. 214-216, 253-256, 275-279

K. Galinsky, ed., The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Augustus. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2005.

Ch. 10 D. Favro, “Making Rome a World City”

Week 2

M 5/27 Urbs aeterna Assignment 1

Meeting point: Piazza del Campidoglio (next to bronze statue at center)

Visits: Imperial Forums, Temple of Venus & Roma, Pantheon, Stadium of Domitian, Column of Marcus Aurelius, Temple of Divine Hadrian, Mausoleums of Augustus and Hadrian

Readings: Rome. An Urban History Chs. 8-10

P. Erdkamp (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Rome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2013.

Ch. 11 R. Don Miller, “Monumental Rome” PDF on Moodle

A. Claridge, Rome. An Oxford Archaeological Guide. 2^nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. ONLINE

pp. 39-60, 161-196, 204-238 (only sections on sites listed above), 410-415

W 5/29 Entertainment, leisure, infrastructure, cemeteries Assignment 1 cont’d

Meeting point: Temple of Hercules Victor in the Forum Boarium

Visits: Circus Maximus, Baths of Caracalla, Colosseum, Servian & Aurelianic Walls, Pyramid of Cestius

Readings: Rome. An Urban History Chs. 11-13

J. Coulston and H. Dodge, eds., Ancient Rome: The Archaeology of the Eternal City. Oxford: Oxford University School of Archaeology, 2000.

Ch. 9 K. Coleman, “Entertaining Rome”

A. Claridge, Rome. An Oxford Archaeological Guide. 2^nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. ONLINE

pp. 60-61, 299-300, 312-319, 357-365, 397-401

F. Coarelli, Rome and Environs. An Archaeological Guide. Revised ed. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2014.

City Walls pp. 11-27 (skim)

Week 3

M 6/3 Late Antiquity; review for the mid-term exam

Meeting point: Arch of Constantine

Visits: Basilica Nova, Arch of Constantine, Lateran Archbasilica, Basilica of S. Clemente, Basilica of Sts. Cosmas & Damian, Basilica of S. Maria Maggiore

Readings: Rome. An Urban History Chs. 14-18

J. Coulston and H. Dodge, eds., Ancient Rome: The Archaeology of the Eternal City. Oxford: Oxford University School of Archaeology, 2000.

Ch. 12 N. Christie, “Lost Glories? Rome at the End of Empire”

W 6/5 Mid-term exam 9:00-10:30; Middle Ages 10:45-12:45

Meeting point: classroom

Visits: Theater of Marcellus, S. Nicola in Carcere, Pierleoni & Crescenzi houses, S. Maria in Cosmedin, Aracoeli Basilica and staircase, Imperial Forums

Readings: Rome. An Urban History Chs. 19-25

Week 4

M 6/10 Renaissance & Counter-Reformation Assignment 2

Meeting point: terminus of #8 tram (Piazza Venezia)

Visits: Palazzo Venezia, Piazza del Campidoglio, Il Gesù, Palazzo Spada, Palazzo & Piazza Farnese, Palazzo della Cancelleria, Chiesa Nuova, Castel Sant’Angelo, St. Peter’s Basilica

Readings: Rome. An Urban History Chs. 26-29

L. W Partridge, The Renaissance in Rome (Frohring Library reserve shelf)

Chs. 1-3

W 6/12 Baroque Assignment 2 cont’d

Meeting point: St. Peter's Square (next to obelisk at center)

Visits: St. Peter’s Basilica and Square, Ponte S. Angelo, Piazza Navona, Palazzo della Sapienza and Church of St. Ivo, S. Ignazio, Trevi Fountain, Quirinal Palace, S. Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Moses Fountain, S. Maria della Vittoria

Readings: Rome. An Urban History Chs. 30-31

K. James-Chakraborty, Architecture Since 1400. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press 2014.

Ch. 9 “Baroque Rome”

J. Smith Pierce, Visual and Auditory Space in Baroque Rome. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism (1959): 55-67.

P. Zucker, “Space and Movement in High Baroque City Planning.” Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 14.1 (1955): 8-13.

Week 5

M 6/17 Napoleonic period & Risorgimento

Meeting point: terminus of #8 tram (Piazza Venezia)

Visits: Vittoriano, Palazzo Generali, Palazzo della Banca d’Italia, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Piazza Esedra, Baths of Diocletian, Basilica of S. Maria degli Angeli

Readings: Rome. An Urban History Chs. 32-33

R. J. B. Bosworth, Whispering City: Rome and Its Histories. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2011.

Ch. 2, “Rome, Revolution and History”

J. Coulston and H. Dodge, eds., Ancient Rome: The Archaeology of the Eternal City. Oxford: Oxford University School of Archaeology, 2000.

Ch. 13 H. Petter, “Back to the Future: Archaeology and Innovation in the Building of Roma Capitale”

W 6/19 Fascism; review for final exam

Meeting point: Piazza Navona (Four Rivers Fountain)

Visits: Via della Conciliazione, Piazza Cavour, Corte Suprema di Cassazione, Piazza Augusto Imperatore, Piazza Navona, Corso Rinascimento, Palazzo dell’INA, Largo Argentina, Piazza Venezia, Vittoriano, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Colosseum

Readings: Rome. An Urban History Chs. 34-35

B. W. Painter, Mussolini’s Rome: Rebuilding the Eternal City. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. Available online (ebook)

pp. 1-49, 59-63, 68-75, 125-131

F 6/21 Final exam