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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AH 181"
COURSE NAME: "Politics and Power in Roman Architecture - Augustus to Mussolini"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2014
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Laura Foster
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: T9:15 AM 12:00 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: On-site; activity fee: €25 or $33
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will provide you with a general knowledge of the topography, urban makeup and architectural history of Rome.  It will also introduce some of the different methodological tools needed to examine city form, design and architecture. 

•Formal analysis: how to identify building materials and to apply an architectural vocabulary to the analysis of a monument’s design

•Contextual analysis:  how to interpret urban space and to recognize the signficance of site for individual monuments

•Historical analysis:  how to recognize monuments according to period styles and to understand the cultural, religious and political contexts in which works were constructed
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This survey course will examine many of Rome’s most significant architectural and urban monuments through the lens of political representation, exploring the relationship between architectural design and political power from the 1st c. AD until the 20th century.  Moving roughly in chronological order, our on-site visits will treat the development of Rome as an imperial power in antiquity and the influence of classical architecture on all later construction in the city.  We will examine the transformation of the papacy in its dual role as head of the Catholic Church and secular leader of the city, seeking to represent itself as the rightful inheritor of imperial Rome through the design and decoration of ecclesiastical and secular structures.  We will also try to imagine what life was like for common Romans in different historical periods, contrasting local building traditions to grand architectural monuments.  Finally, we will study Rome’s latest transformation as the capital of a modern nation-state and reflect upon the possibilities for contemporary architecture when measured against the city’s imposing artistic past.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
•a general knowledge of Rome’s history and urban development

•a familiarity with period styles in architecture

•the ability to discuss works of architecture and urban spaces in terms of their formal and contextual qualities

•an understanding of the different methodological tools used to examine architecture and

urbanism through readings, written assignments, and class discussion
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
The Ancient Roman CityJohn E. StambaughJohns Hopkins University Press0801835747HT114.S7 
Streets: Critical Perspectives on Public SpaceZeynip Celic, Diane Favro, Richard Ingersoll, eds.University of California Press0520085507NA9053.S7S82 
Rome: An Oxford Archeological GuideAmanda ClaridgeOxford9780199546831  
Rome: Profile of a City, 312-1308Richard KrautheimerPrinceton University Press0691049610   
The Architecture of MichelangeloJames AckermanPenguin0140211845NA1123.B9A63 
High Renaissance Art in St. Peter's and the VaticanGeorge HerseyUniversity of Chicago Press0226327825N6920.H45 
The Villa in the Life of Renaissance RomeDavid CoffinPrinceton University Press0691002797  
Baroque and RococoVernon Hyde MinorLaurence King9781856691734  
The Rome of Alexander VIIRichard KrautheimerPrinceton University Press069104032X   
The Architecture of Modern Italy, Vol. 1Terry KirkPrinceton Architectural Press1568984383   
The Architecture of Modern Italy, Vol. 2Terry KirkPrinceton Architectural Press1568984367  

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Formal and Site Analysis of a BuildingThis writing assignment at the beginning of the semester will aid in acquiring architectural vocabulary and in understanding the relationship between site and design. Instructions will be given in the second lecture.10%
Class presentation and write-upEach student will be assigned a specific monument to present in class on site. Students are expected to provide a through description of the building’s urban context, historical context and architectural design. The presentation will then be written up as a paper (4-5 pages in length), after revisions in consultation with the professor. 20%
Midterm ExaminationThe midterm examination will be composed of •Slide identifications: identify name of building or space and the date constructed provided on your key monuments lists. A short question requiring only a one to two word answer will also be asked. •Short answer questions regarding historical and stylistic terminology, building materials, and patronage. •Essay: You will have a choice of two essay topics that treat general themes discussed in the first half of the course. You will need to provide specific examples taken from works discussed in class. 20%
Final Paper: Monuments in ContextFor this assignment, students will choose a monument not seen in class and will provided an analysis of the monument’s site, architectural design, and historical context. Students will go off the beaten path and explore Rome in depth by focusing on urban development as well as architectural styles and the changing function of buildings. Students will also put to use the analysis of power structures in Rome to built form. The final paper will be 8-10 pages in length with some research involved. Further details about the assignment and a list of monuments will be given in class.20%
Final ExaminationThe final examination will be composed of •Slide identifications: identify name of building or space, the architect, and the date constructed provided on your key monuments lists. •Short answer questions regarding historical and stylistic terminology, building materials, and patronage. •Slide comparisons: students will identify two monuments in slides by name and write a short essay comparing and contrasting them •Essay: You will have a choice of two essay topics that treat general themes discussed over the entire course. You will need to provide specific examples taken from works discussed in class in order to illustrate your argument.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:
Attendance and participation is mandatory for this class.  Because the course takes place entirely on site only once per week, missing even a single lecture can affect preparation and performance on exams.
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
Tuesday Jan 14   Course Introduction
Meeting Place:     TBA
Itinerary:  Class lecture, followed by walk           

Week Two
Tuesday Jan 21  Ancient Rome I:  The City as “Capital of the World”
Meeting place: Outside of entrance to Foro Romano, via dei Fori Imperiali
Itinerary: Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Required Readings: Complete before the class session
•John E. Stambaugh, The Ancient Roman City, Ch. 7 (pp. 101-122). On Permanent Reserve in the library, HT114 .S7
•Diane Favro, "The Street Triumphant:  The Urban Impact of Roman Triumphal Parades," in Streets: Critical Perspectives on Public Space, pp. 151-164.  On Permanent Reserves in the Library, NA9053.S7S82

Recommended Reading: 
•Amanda Claridge, Rome (Oxford Archaeological Guide), 2010 ed., entries
on:  The Roman Forum (pp. 62-68), Senate House (71-75), Basilica Julia (92-93), Arch of Titus (121-123), and Domitian's Palace (145-156). On Permanent Reserve in the library, DG62 .C53 2010

Week Three
Tuesday Jan 28   Ancient Rome II:  Articulating Power in the Imperial Period
Meeting Place Itinerary: Via dei Fori Imperiali, near the Column of Trajan Markets of Trajan, Forum of Trajan, Temple of the Divine Trajan and Pantheon

Required Reading:
•John E. Stambaugh, The Ancient Roman City, Ch. 5 (pp. 67-85) and Ch. 13 (pp. 213-224).  On Permanent Reserve in the library, HT114 .S7

Recommended Reading: 
•Amanda Claridge, Rome (Oxford Archaeological Guide), 2010 ed., entries on:  Forum of Augustus and Trajan (177-196), the Pantheon (227-232)

Week Four
Tuesday Feb 4   Ancient Rome III/Early Christianity:  The Lateran and Surrounding Area
Meeting Place: In front of Basilica of S. Giovanni in Laterano
Itinerary: Aurelianic Walls, Basilica of S. Giovanni in Laterano, Baptistery, Church of S.  Stefano Rotondo

Required Reading: 
•Richard Krautheimer, Rome:  Profile of a City, 312-1308, Ch. 1 (pp. 3-31); start Ch. 2.  On Permanent Reserves in the library, DG811 .K7

Recommended Reading:
•Amanda Claridge, Rome (Oxford Archaeological Guide), 2010 ed., entries on: The Lateran: Baptistery and Church (373-377); S. Stefano Rotondo (345-347)

Week Five
Tuesday Feb 11     Medieval Era I:  Miracles, Martyrs and the Language of Christian Architecture
Meeting Place: In front of Basilica of S. Maria Maggiore
Itinerary: Basilicas of S. Maria Maggiore, S. Prassede, and S. Clemente

Required Readings:
•Richard Krautheimer, Rome:  Profile of a City, 312-1308, Complete Ch. 2 and Ch. 5 (pp. 109-142).  On Permanent Reserves in the library, DG811 .K7

*Formal analysis due in class

Week Six
Tuesday Feb 18  Medieval Era II:  Trastevere and the Formation of an Urban Vernacular
Meeting Place: JCU Guarini Campus Entrance
Itinerary: Walk through Trastevere neighborhood; S. Maria in Trastevere, S. Cecilia, S. Sabina

Required Readings:
•Richard Krautheimer, Rome:  Profile of a City, 312-1308, Ch. 7 and Ch. 13. On Permanent Reserves in the library, DG811 .K7
•Deborah Robbins, “Via della Lungaretta:  The Making of a Medieval Street,” in Streets:  Critical Perspectives on Public Space, pp. 165-176.  On Permanent Reserves at the library, NA9053.S7S82

Week Seven
Tuesday Feb 25   **Midterm Examination** @ 9:00 AM
Meeting Place:  TBA

Week Eight
Tuesday Mar 4   Renaissance I:  Restoring Rome in the 15th and 16th Centuries
Meeting Place: In front of Church of S. Maria sopra Minerva (near Pantheon)
Itinerary: S. Maria sopra Minerva, S. Agostino, S. Maria della Pace and Chiostro di Bramante, Palazzo della Cancelleria, Palazzo Farnese, Ponte Sisto

Required Readings:
•James Ackerman, The Architecture of Michelangelo, Ch. 7 (pp. 171-192).  On permanent reserves in the library, NA1123.B9A63
•David Coffin, section on the Villa Farnesina in The Villa in the Life of Renaissance Rome, pp. 87-109.  On Frohring Reserve NA7755.C6

Week Nine
Tuesday Mar 11  Renaissance II:   St. Peter’s and the Borgo
Meeting Place:  Piazza S. Pietro, near obelisk
Itinerary:St. Peter’s Basilica and Borgo neighborhood

Required Reading:   
•George L. Hersey, High Renaissance Art in St. Peter’s and the Vatican:  An Interpretive Guide, pp. 65-96.  On Permanent Reserves in the library, N6920.H45.

Week Ten
Tuesday Mar 25  Renaissance III:  Urban Planning and Urban Surveillance
Meeting Place: JCU Guarini Campus Entrance
Itinerary: Hospice of S. Sisto, Jewish Ghetto, Campidoglio, Church of il Gesù

Required Readings: 
•James Ackerman, The Architecture of Michelangelo, Ch. 6 (pp. 139-174).  On permanent reserves in the library, NA1123.B9A63
•Charles Burroughs, “Absolutism and the Rhetoric of Topography:  Streets in the Rome of Sixtus V,” in Streets:  Critical Perspectives on Urban Space, pp. 189-202. On Permanent Reserves at the library, NA9053.S7S82

Week Eleven
Tuesday Apr 1  Baroque I:  Competition and Notoriety Among Architects and Their Patrons
Meeting Place: Exit of Metro A Barberini stop
Itinerary: Palazzo Barberini, Churches of S. Susanna, S. Carlo alle Quattro Fontana  S. Andrea al Quirinale, Quirinal Palace, Trevi Fountain

Required Reading:
•Vernon Hyde Minor, Baroque & Rococo, pp. 75-93 (“The Baroque Church”).  On reserve for class, N6410 .M56.
•Patricia Waddy, Seventeenth-Century Roman Palaces:  Use and Art of the Plan, pp. 3-13.  On reserve for class, DG797.9.W33.

Week Twelve
Tuesday Apr 8  Baroque II:  Narrative in Facades and in Public Spaces
Meeting Place: Largo S. Andrea della Valle, at beginning of Corso Rinascimento
Itinerary: Churches of S. Andrea della Valle and S. Ivo, Piazza Navona, S. Maria della Pace, Chiesa Nuova and Oratory

Required Readings:
•Richard Krautheimer, The Rome of Alexander VII, pp. 37-73. On Permanent Reserves in the library, NA9204.R7K7

Week Thirteen
Tuesday Apr 15 Via del Corso from the Baroque to Italian Unification, 17th- 20th centuries
Meeting Place: Piazza del Popolo, at obelisk
Itinerary: Piazza del Popolo, Spanish Steps, Palazzo di Montecitorio, Galleria Sciarra, Monument to King Vittorio Emanuele II

Required Readings:
•Richard Krautheimer, The Rome of Alexander VII, pp. 114-125.  On Permanent Reserves in the library, NA9204.R7K7
•Terry Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy, Vol. 1, pp. 222-259.  On reserve for AH293 in library, NA1114 .K574 Vol 1.

 
Week Fourteen
Tuesday Apr 22  The Form of a New Empire under Fascism and Lessons for Architecture in Contemporary Rome
Meeting Place: Piazza L. De Bosis/Ponte Duca D’Aosta
Itinerary: Foro Italico (once Foro Mussolini), Villaggio Olimpico and Palazzetto dello Sport, Auditorium della Musica, MAXXI 

Required Readings:
•Terry Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy, Vol. 2, pp. 120-132.  On reserve  for AH293 in the library, NA1114 .K574 Vol 2.

 *Final paper due in class