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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CL/HS 231-3"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to the History of Ancient Rome"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Emily Hurt
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 11:30-12:45 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.

Satisfies "Ancient History" core course requirement for History majors.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This class is designed to give students a broad overview of Roman history. This is the fascinating narrative of how a small village on the banks of the Tiber river in the sixth century BCE rose to conquer the entire Mediterranean from the Thames to the Euphrates, the Rhine to the Sahara. Over the course of a thousand years of history the Romans encountered and incorporated a vast, multicultural Mediterranean population and spread its language, religion, and laws to the corners of the known world. This class takes students on a journey from Iron-Age Italy to the city of Constantinople, from the Roman Republic-ruled by an elite series of interconnected families-to a Christian Empire and that Empire's eventual decline and transformation in the fifth century CE. Through studying Roman politics, religion, society, culture, and economy, we will examine how Rome conquered and ruled its empire, built its cities, spread and changed its language, produced and acquired goods, ran its households, encountered new gods and worshiped old ones.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Taking this course will allow students to:

Identify the main phases and historical characters of Roman History

Develop an understanding of the geography and peoples of the ancient Mediterranean 

Understand and contextualize some of the major Roman works of art and architecture 

Identify the strengths, and weaknesses of written documents as sources of factual information

Glean historical knowledge from a wide range of written and material sources

Develop cohesive historical arguments

Understand and analyze the impact that the classical world has on modern culture and politics.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
ParticipationYou ae expected to attend every class and to participate in the discussions. Planned group work and discussions are in the syllabus and you are expected to prepare the readings appropriately so that you can participate in the class activity. 20
Three film responses-Two Pages Roman history students are required to attend at least 3 films out of the film series accompanying this course and to write one-page responses integrating and citing primary sources. 15
Source Criticism-Three PagesWrite a three-page response to the accounts of EITHER Lucius Iunius Brutus OR Marcus Furius Camillus, two legendary heroes of the early Republic. Primary and secondary leadings are provided.15
Midterm You will be expected to be able to identify the major people and events covered in the class as well as to be able to identify and explain some of the major trends and developments in Roman history. The exam will be a series of multiple choice questions and short identifications. 25
Final This exam is cumulative. You will be expected to be able to identify the major people and events covered in the class as well as to be able to identify and explain some of the major trends and developments in Roman history. The exam will be a series of multiple choice questions and short identifications. 25
Forum Assignment (part of final exam)Write a paper on the Roman Forum. This can be an examination of the forum as a political, social, or religious space. It can look at the forum in one specific historical context (such as the Augustan period) or examine the development of the space over time. Other options would be the close analysis of a specific monument (such as the Arch of Titus or the Basilica Julia) or a specific event (such as the death of Tiberius Gracchus).10 (out of the 25% of the final)

-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

Week One

 

Class 1:

Introductions

Lecture: Sources for Roman History

 

Class 2: 

Lecture: The foundation of Rome, Rome under the kings 

 

Week Two

 

Class 1:

Lecture: The Early Republic, Constitution, Struggle of Orders, Law 

 

Class 2: 

Lecture: Roman Expansion in Italy  

 

Week Three

 

Class 1: 

Lecture: The Hellenistic Med, The Punic Wars, The Macedonian Wars

  

Class 2:

Class Debate

            

Week Four

Assignment One Due: Source criticism (10%)-Before class Tuesday.

 

Class 1:

Lecture: The Gracchi, the transformation of Italy, the Social War 

 

Class 2:

Lecture: Marius, Cinna, and Sulla

 

 

Week Five

 

Class 1: 

Lecture: Pompey, Pirates, Pontus, and the Cataline Conspiracy

 

 

Class 2:

Lecture: The First Triumvirate, Caesar, The Civil Wars 

 

Week Six:

 

Class 1:  

Lecture:  The Fall of Caesar, the Second Triumvirate, and the End of the Republic 

 

Class 2: 

Lecture: Women at the end of the Republic, Midterm review

 

 

Week Seven

 

Class 1 Midterm (25%)

 

Class 2:

Lecture: Augustus

  

Week Eight

 

Class 1: 

Lecture: The Early principate 

 

 

Class 2: The Early principate

 

Week Nine     

 

Class 1: 

Lecture: The evolution of the Principate

 

 

Class 2: 

Lecture The Provinces 

 

 

Week Ten

 

Class 1:

Lecture: Rome and Roman Cities

 

 

Class 2: 

Lecture: The Antonines to the Severans, The Roman Army 

 

 

Week Eleven

 

Class 1:  The Roman Economy

 

 

Class 2:

Lecture: Roman Religion 

 

 

Week Twelve:

 

Class 1: 

 Lecture: The Roman Family

 

 

Class 2: Lecture: Third-century Crisis and the Tetrarchy

 

 

Week 13

 

Class 1:

Lecture: Constantine and a Christian Empire

 

 

Class 2: 

Lecture: The Fall of the Western Roman Empire and the rise of Byzantium

 

 

Week Fourteen:

Assignment Two Due: The Forum (10%)

Class 1: Forum Presentations and exam review

 

Class 2: Forum Presentations and exam review

 

Week Fifteen: Exam, Date TBA