This course will familiarize students with the topography of the ancient city of Rome, while focusing on architectural development as Rome grew from hilltop village to world city. Students will learn Roman building processes, building materials, and building types, as well as the changes in these aspects over the years and what those changes reflected about the current political and cultural transformations that Rome was experiencing. Students will also learn to appreciate Roman expression through building, and recognize the messages carried by individual examples and intended by individual commissioners. In addition, students will obtain a very good idea about the daily lives and movements of the Romans in and around their monuments, through close investigation of the private and public buildings, and the city itself. Finally, students will come away with a better understanding of what the Romans have left us in terms of physical and cultural legacy.

This course is held completely on-site around the city, and is arranged chronologically and by theme. At each class meeting we will investigate monuments in a different part of the city, and will discuss specific aspects of Roman life. The course will consider the major monuments in Rome, as well as materials used for building and ornamentation. Building types include public, religious and civic buildings, as well as private architecture in the form of houses, apartment buildings, expansive villas, and palaces. A very important aspect of the course will be studying two additional Roman towns, Ostia and Pompeii, which provide vastly different evidence, in order to round out students’ ideas of the ancient city by understanding what Roman towns shared, and by seeing firsthand which aspects made each of them unique.

Students will consider several different types of evidence, including material culture and literary sources, which will allow and encourage them to think critically, and better understand the sites and monuments visited, as well as the role of the archaeologist in reconstructing the past. The written and oral assignments will help improve research and communication skills.

Assessment Guidelines for assigning main letter grades: A, B, C,D, and F.

A:  Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensiveknowledge 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.

B:  This is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.

There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.

C:  This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.

D:  This 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.

F: This work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.