This course examines Roman conquest in the Mediterranean from the third century BCE onwards, when Republican Rome expanded into North Africa, Spain, Greece, and Asia Minor, among other regions. Scholars have debated the reasons for this expansion and its success since the second century BCE, with explanations ranging widely from Roman cultural practices to the political and economic relationships of Mediterranean states. Students will engage with some of these explanatory frameworks, applying them to some of the major areas of conflict and conquest and across political, economic, and cultural spheres. Students will engage with contemporary historical arguments in dialogue with their readings of ancient historians such as Polybius, Livy and Appian. All readings will be in translation.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

-Evaluate and analyse scholarly arguments

-Think critically about how when theory and terminology can be applied to varying historical contexts.

-Understand how context and audience contribute to shape historical narratives

-Formulate a research question about a historical topic

-Assemble and critically evaluate primary and secondary sources

-Effectively communicate information and ideas orally and in writing

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. 

Week 1: Introduction

What is Empire?

Week 2: Polybius, Symploke, and Roman Conquest Culture

Secondary Readings:

-Walbank F.W. and Kagan D. “Symploke: its role in Polybius’ Histories.” In Studies in the Greek Historians. Cambridge University Press (1975): 197-212.

-Rich, J. “Warlords and the Roman Republic.” In War, Warlords, and Interstate Relations in the Ancient Mediterranean (2017): 266-294.

Sources:

Polybius 1.1-13

Week 3: Metrocentric

Secondary Readings:

-Rich, J. “Greed Fear, Greed, and Glory: The Causes of Roman War Making in the Middle Republic.” In War and Society in the Roman World (1993): 38-68.

-Harris, “On War and Greed in the Second Century BC” The American Historical Review, Vol. 76, No. 5 (1971): 1371-1385.

Sources:

Champion, Roman Imperialism (selections)

Week 4: Pericentric

Secondary Readings:

-Champion, G. “Empire by Invitation: Greek Political Strategies and Roman Imperial Interventions in the Second Century B.C.E.” TAPA Vol. 137 No. 2 (2007): 255-275.

-Burton, P.J. Friendship and Empire: Roman Diplomacy and Imperialism in the Middle Republic (353–146 BC). Cambridge University Press; (2011): selections

Sources:

Champion, Roman Imperialism (selections)

Week 5: Realist

Secondary Readings:

-Eckstein, A. Mediterranean Anarchy, Interstate War, and the Rise of Rome. University of California Press (2009): selections

-Crawford, M. “Rome and the Greek World: Economic Relationships” The Economic History Review, Vol. 30, No. 1 (1977): 42-52.

Sources:

Champion, Roman Imperialism (selections)

Week 6: Spain, Rome’s Imperial Experiment

Short Response paper due

Secondary Readings:

- Sánchez Moreno, E. “Imperialism and Multipolarity in the Far West: Beyond the Lusitanians (237–146 BC)” War, Warlords, and Interstate Relations in the Ancient Mediterranean (2017): 326-350.

- Ñaco del Hoyo, T. and Principal, J. “Q. Sertorius: A Warlord in Hispania?” In War, Warlords, and Interstate Relations in the Ancient Mediterranean (2017): 380-414.

Sources: Plutarch, Life of Sertorius

            Appian, Spanish Wars

Week 7: The Hannibalic Wars and the Conquest of Southern Italy and North Africa

-Neville, M. “‘Carthage Must Be Destroyed’: The Dynamics of Roman Imperialism.” The Roman Empire: Roots of Imperialism, Pluto Press, 2010: 14–37.

-Fronda, M.P. and Gauthier, F. “Italy and Sicily in the Second Punic War: Multipolarity, Minor Powers, and Local Military Entrepreneurialism” In War, Warlords, and Interstate Relations in the Ancient Mediterranean (2017): 308-325.

Sources:

Livy, Books 21-30 (selections)

Plutarch, Life of Cato the Elder (selections)

Appian, Punic Wars (selections)

Week 8: The Macedonian Wars and the Conquest of Greece

Secondary Readings:

-Champion, G. “Conquest, Liberation, Protectionism, or Enslavement? Mid-Republican Rome from a Greek Perspective” In War, Warlords, and Interstate Relations in the Ancient Mediterranean (2017): 254-265.

-Eckstein, A. “T. Quinctius Flamininus and the Campaign against Philip in 198 B. C.” Phoenix Vol. 30, No. 2 (1976) 119–42.

Sources:

Livy, Book 45 (selections)

Plutarch, Life of Flamininus (selections)

Polybius, Book 18 (selections)

Week 9: The Wars for Coele-Syria and Roman Entrance into Asia 

Sources:

Polybius, Book 16 (selections)

Week 10: Consequences of Expansion: Land, Labor, and the crisis of 133

Secondary Readings:

-Hopkins K. Conquerors and Slaves. (1981) Cambridge University Press: Chapter 1: The Impact of Conquering an Empire on the Political Economy of Italy.

Sources:

Plutarch, Life of T. Gracchus (selections)

Plutarch, Life of G. Gracchus (selections)

Appian, Civil Wars, Book 1 (selections)

Week 11: Subject peoples

Readings:

Erskine, Roman Imperialism, Chapter 4 and selected sources (appendix)

Week 12

Presentations and Peer Review

Week 13

Presentations and Peer Review

Week 14

Presentations and Peer Review