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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CL/HS 231-2"
COURSE NAME: "History of Ancient Rome and Italy"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2015
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Massimo Betello
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 6:00 PM 7:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: Wednesday after class or by appointment

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.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course surveys the history of ancient Rome and Italy.
We will follow the development of the Roman State, from the monarchic phase to the rise and collapse of the Roman Empire, ending with the deposition of the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. The time encompassed is vast and the events numerous: we will emphasize both fundamental facts and key topics such as the changes in Roman politics, the causes of the misgovernment which brought down the Republic, how the hollow skeleton of the Republic was used to house the Principate of Augustus, the rise of the Roman Empire, and the success of Christianity, to mention just a few.
Readings will include writings from ancient authors (i.e. Polybius, Cicero, Livy, Suetonius, Tacitus, Caesar, Augustus), from modern historians and archaeologists (i.e. Boatwright, Carandini, Montesquieu), made at times more significant by the use of art, architecture and archaeology.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Taking this course will allow students:

1)      to have at their fingertips the most important facts and personalities of Roman History and Culture;

2)      to be able to discuss the major political and social changes happened in ancient Rome;

3)      to become aware of the geography and topography of the Mediterranean basin and of the city of Rome;

4)      to be able to contextualize, discuss and evaluate how and why Roman historians were writing history;

5)      to be able to describe selected Roman archeological remains and understand their connections and importance with the history of Rome;

to have the ability to illustrate and discuss some of the traits of the living legacy of Rome: for an attentive mind Roman history is not the empty study of old facts, but a source of inspiration for both European and American culture

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
The Historians of Ancient Rome. An anthology of the major writings. 3rd edition (2012)Mellor RonaldRoutlegde9780415527163E-BOOK (freely avaliable from JCU library)    
A Brief History of the Romans. 2nd edition (2013)Boatwright, Gargola, Lenski and TalbertOxford University Press9780199987559The second edition is not owned by JCU library    
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
A History of Rome down to the reign of Constantine. 3rd edition (1976)Cary and SchullardsBedford/St. Martin's9780312383954DG210.C33 
Considerations on the causes of the greatness of the Romans and their decline. Montesquieu CharlesHackett Publishing Company (1999)0872204960DG210.M778Available on line at the address: http://www.constitution.org/cm/ccgrd_l.htm. A similar translation is available at the address https://archive.org/details/cu31924028288722.
Rome: day oneCarandini AndreaPrinceton University Press (2011)9780691139227DG233.3.C375 
As the Romans did: a sourcebook in Roman Social HistoryShelton Jo-AnnOxford University Press (1988)9780195089738HN10.R7 S45 

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Readings, classroom participation and assignmentsThe students are asked to complete the readings before coming to class: in this way they will get the most out of this course, and the time of the exams will be much less stressful. The students are welcome to participate appropriately to class discussion and to express their problems, ideas and perplexities about the readings. During the semester students will be asked to complete assignments based on the assigned readings.10
2 testsDates TBA. These short tests (20 minutes) are intended to foster a regular study of the subject and get the students ready for the exams. Most questions will test factual knowledge (events, date, people etc.), but some questions may be about concepts. Format: short answers, multiple choices, true-false, identifications, map questions etc.20 (10% each)
Midterm examDate TBA. The topics tested will be those of the first half of the semester. It will be made up by two parts: • one testing the student’s factual knowledge (events, date, people etc) using identifications, multiple choices, true-false, etc.; • the other testing the student’s understanding and knowledge of the concepts explained using open questions, essays, etc. More specific details will be given during the semester.30
Final examDate TBA The topics tested will be those of the second half of the semester. The format will follow that of the midterm exam. More specific details will be given during the semester. Please, do not make travel plans until the dates of the final exams will be released.30
One projectFrom week 4 onwards. Each student/ group of students will need to select and complete a project by the date assigned. The provisional guidelines are as follow: A) the project needs to be relevant for the field of Roman history, B) the project needs to be original (using the same project for more than one class is considered cheating), C) the project needs to be approved by the professor before a student starts working on it, D) the project can be of several types: 1) a group presentation, 2) a Google Sketch-up rendering of a Roman building, 3) completion/creation of a wikipedia entry following the wikipedia guidelines, 4) a video production (JCU has a video lab which can be used for this purpose), 5) a research paper. These guidelines can be subject to change before the beginning of the semester. Students are welcome to suggest projects they may be interested in.10
10 Extra Credit AssigmentsVoluntary and not requested. Most of them will be personal visits to archeological remains pertinent to the weekly topics. Students will be asked to take pictures and write a very short paragraph about them. Some may request the payment of a ticket, others may not. Students do not need to complete these extra credit assignments to get the final grade of A. Each assignment will be singularly evaluated. Students are allowed to do only 10 extra credit assignments, no more.5% total (0.5 % each of them)

-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 cour
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 will be taken at every class.

Students are allowed THREE unexcused absence. Each other unexcused absence beyond three will sadly result in the lowering of the final grade by one degree (e.g. from A to A-).

More than 6 unexcused absences will have you fail the class. As from the university catalog:

“When the student misses more than the maximum number of classes allowed by the syllabus, the instructor refers the student to the Assistant Dean for Student Academic Affairs.

Absences due to illness, hospitalization, death in the family, or other situations of similar gravity will normally be excused. Absences due to travel difficulties, misunderstanding on the part of the student, or personal convenience will not be excused.

Absence from a class session does not exempt a student from the completion of all the required work for a course.  The student is responsible for making up any missed work, and for covering the material covered in any missed class session.

A student absent from a class meeting in which a final examination, mid-term or other major examination has been scheduled will be officially excused only if the student:

1. notifies the Office of the Assistant Dean for Student Academic Affairs of his/her inability to attend before the beginning of the class meeting for which the examination is scheduled;

2. subsequently presents to the same office documented evidence of a serious difficulty preventing attendance.”

Please, refer to the university catalog for any other doubts regarding attendance policy

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

N.B: the page numbers in Italic correspond to those of the 2nd edition of Boatwright’s book.

Week 1

Aug 31 – Sept 6

 

Introduction to the course: syllabus, assessments, logistics, textbooks.

 

What are we going to deal with in this class? Roman History: What is history? How to write history. Cyclical vs Unpredictable nature of History. A quick general outlook to all Roman History.

 

How do we know what we know? Our main sources: ancient historians, archaeology, epigraphy, numismatics.

 

At the beginning it was just Early Italy (Latins, Etruscans, Greeks in Italy).

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT: none

Other readings: none

Questions: none

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT: 1-14 (Chapter 1) / 1-14 (Chapter 1)

Other readings:

- Batuman, Elif. “The Sanctuary” The New Yorker, December 19, 2011 – to be found on line.

- Mellor: Intro pages xvi-xvii, xxix-xxx

- Mellor: Polybius pages 10-15 (introduction and I.1-4)

- Mellor: Livy pages 118-21 (to the end of the Preface)

Questions:

- According to Batuman’s article, how did the standards of living changed from the hunter-gathers to farmers?

- According to Mellor (Introduction), which were generally the most important reasons for writing history?

- Why does Polybius think that studying history is important? And what is instead the position of Livy?

- Between Polybius and Livy, which of the two is more interested in the moral lessons that history can give?

Week 2

7-13 Sept

Mythical and archaeological origins of the city of Rome.

 

Monarchy and the 7 mythical kings.

 

The deposition of the last king and the Early Republic.

 

The Struggle of the Orders

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT: 15-23 (Chapter 2) / 15-21 (Chapter 1)

Other readings:

- Carandini 1-15, 50-63. Check the images of this book: they are very useful to visualize archaic Rome’s surroundings and the religious operations used to found a new city.

- Mellor: Livy 121-129 (I.4-13).

Questions:

- What is an archaeologist, according to Carandini?

- Describe the rite that Romulus used to physically found the city of Rome.

- Human sacrifices in Ancient Rome? Which is the archaeological evidence that Carandini thinks he has found for such cruel acts? And to which events do these sacrifices seem to refer?

- Who or what was the she-wolf?

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT: 23-31 (Chapter 2) / 21-30 (Chapters 1 and 2)

Other readings:

- Mellor: The laws of the 12 tables, pages 1-4 (only in the 3rd edition)

- Mellor: Polybius 30-40, 48-49 (VI.1-9,11-18, 56-57)

Questions:

- Which is your “favorite” among the laws of the 12 tables and why?

- Why does Polybius think that the Roman Constitution is the best?

- Create a chart showing the sequence of the different constitutions-polities as described by P.

- Which are the characteristics of the worst form of constitution according to Polybius?

- Polybius: Cyclical history or unpredictable history? Why?

- Polybius: Religion or not? What is religion for?

Week 3

14-20 Sept

Conquest of Veii, and the sack of Rome in the fourth century

 

Roman political institutions in the fourth century

 

The conquest of Italy (Samnite-Latin wars, and wars with the Greeks of Italy)

 

Monday

 

BOATWRIGHT: 32-44 (Chapter 3) / 30-41 (Chapter 2)

Other readings:

- Mellor: Livy 167-80 (V.34-49)

Questions:

- Which are the reasons that Livy adduces for the defeat of the Romans against the Gauls?

- What saved the Citadel from being taken by the Gauls?

- Which are the reasons (not the persons) that Livy adduces for the comeback of the Romans against the Gauls?

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT : 44-53 (Chapter 3) / 41-49 (Chapter 2)

Other readings:

- Montesquieu 39-41 (chapter 3)

Questions:

- According to Montesquieu, which is the reason that brought Rome to become so powerful during the early phases of the Republic?

Week 4

21-27 Sept

How Rome dealt with her newly conquered Mediterranean empire.

 

A new way of doing politics: the assassination of the Gracchi.

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT : 54-70 (Chapter 4, only its first part) / 50-66 (Chapter 3)

Other readings:

- Mellor: Livy 198-200, 212-16(XXI.35-8; XXX.30-7)

Questions:

- What exotic animals did Hannibal have in his journey to Italy?

- Which two forces does Hannibal mention as his possible guides? Which one does he favor and why?

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT : 78-82, 87-90, 92-98 (Chapter 5) /74-77,80-84,86-92 (Chapter 4)

Other readings: none

Questions: none

Test 1 (20 minute long): chapters 1-3 (chapters 1-2)

Week 5

28 Sept – 4 Oct

 

External forces attack the Republic: the war with Numidia, and the menace of the German populations Cimbri and Teutones

 

The first of a series of civil wars: the clash between the generals Marius and Sulla.

 

The end of Sulla, the beginning of Pompey.

 

Slave revolts, pirate wars, Catiline’s attempted revolution.

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT : 99-112(Chapter 6) / 94-110 (Chapter 5)

Other readings:

-Mellor: Appian, pages 478-90 (book I, chapters 1-2;6-26)

Questions:

- Does Appian have different opinions about Tiberius Gracchus and his brother Gaius Gracchus?

- Where are the supporters of Tiberius from? How are they different from the plebeians that Tiberius courted while he was trying to get elected tribune for the second time?

- Is Appian in favor or against the Gracchi brothers?

- Are there any historical figures of the modern times which remind you of the Gracchi brothers? Why?

- Why does Appian say that his history is worth of attention?

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT : 112-118 (Chapter 6) AND 132-4 (Chapter 7) / 11-115 (Chapter 5) and 126-128 (Chapter 6)

Other readings:

- Montesquieu: Chapter 8 up to page 85 (The dissention what always existed in the City), 9 (Two causes of Rome’s ruin).

Questions:

- Which form of state is more fortunate, according to M?

- Which are the two causes of the ruin of the Roman Republic, according to M?

Week 6

5-11 Oct

The end of Sulla, the beginning of Pompey.

 

Spartacus’s slave revolt, pirate wars, Catiline’s attempted revolution.

 

The penultimate chapter in the history of the Roman Republic: the first Triumvirate and another civil war.

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT : 119-124, 128-129, 132, 137-140  (Chapter 7) / 116-121,241-126,130-135 (Chapter 6 all)

Other readings:

Mellor: Sallust, pages 50-57, 64-65 (The Catilinarian Conspiracy 1-16, 60-61).

Questions about Sallust’s reading:

- According to Sallust, why did the Romans have a lack of good writers of history?

- According to Sallust, which are the “roots of all evils”?

- Which is the problem in Rome at the time of Catiline, as suggested by Sallust?

- How does the description of the associates of Catilina (and their implied immoral qualities) fit with their end during the final battle?

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT : 142-147, 152 (“Caesar’s campaign in Gaul)( Chapter 8) /136-141, 144 (“Caesar’s campaigns in Gaul”)(Chapter 7)

Other readings:

Mellor: Suetonius, pages 396-400, 404, 418-424 (Life of Iulius Caesar 1,18,19,20,31,32,76-89),

Questions:

- Why is Sulla comparing Caesar to Marius?

- Why did Caesar use the specific expression “Iacta alea est”?

- According to Suetonius, which acts by Caesar caused him to be killed?

Week 7

12-18 Oct

Gaius Iulius Caesar: his rising, assassination and his dream of a new order for Rome.

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT : 154-166 (Chapter 8) / 148-159 (Chapter 7)

Other readings:

- Montesquieu: Chapter 11 (Sulla. Pompey and Caesar)

Questions:

- What do you think is Montesquieu’s judgment of Sulla and why?

- Find the passage in which M explains why the Republic was crushed

- Find the passage where M explains what was the proverbial “straw which broke the camel’s back” of the Senate against Caesar.

 

Wednesday

MIDTERM (Chapters 1-7) (Chapters 1-6)

Duration: the entirety of the class time.

Week 8

19-25 Oct

Octavian Augustus: the establishment of new order within the hollowed out Republican institutions.

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT : 167-184 (Chapter 9) / 160-179 (Chapter 8)

Other readings:

-Mellor : Suetonius pages 424,425,427,429,437-439,459-60 (Life of Augustus 5-7,13,17,41-43,99,100,101)

Questions:

- Why do you think that Augustus distributed so much money and appeared so much in public?

- What is the word “Augustus”? What does it mean?

- Where was Augustus buried?

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT : 184-199 (Chapter 9) / 179-192 (Chapter 8)

Other readings:

-Mellor: Augustus pages 255-62 (Introduction plus Res Gestae), Tacitus pages 311-312 (I.9-10)

Questions:

- Divide the Res Gestae in sections according to the themes treated.

- Whose names did not Augustus mention in the Res Gestae? Why so?

- Find the lines where Tacitus refers the various judgments about Augustus.

- What is Tacitus’s judgment on Augustus and his rule?

Week 9

26 Oct – 1 Nov

The Julio-Claudian Emperors: Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero.

 

The secret of the empire

 

Imperial Cult

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT : 201-211 (Chapter 10) / 193-200 (Chapter 9)

Other readings:

-Mellor: Tacitus pages 351-4, 360-3 (XII 65-69, XIII1-5, XV 37-44: death of Claudius, Accession of Nero, Great Fire),

Questions:

- Why was Agrippina, Nero’s mother, kept “out of sight, but not out of hearing”? Book 13.5

- What are the features of the Golden House, as described by Tacitus?

- How is Nero planning to rebuild Rome after the fire of 64 AD? What is the reason for those plans?

- Christians: first persecution. Why?

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT : 211-221 (Chapter 10), / 201-212 ( Chapter 9),

Other readings:

- Shelton Jo-Ann: Deification pages 386-388, Patronage pages 12-3 (Patrician and Plebeian, Patrons and Clients in Republican Rome, Patrons and Clients in Imperial Rome)

- Mellor: Pliny the Younger pages 388-392 (Letter to Tacitus on the Vesuvius),

Questions:

- How old was the practice of deification among Romans?

- Who was the first Roman to be deified?

- Who was the second Roman to be deified?

- How can the patronage system be applied to the new imperial system? How would it work?

Week 10

2-8 Nov

The Flavian Emperors

 

The Age of the Adopted Emperors (the five good emperors: part one): a new golden age for humanity?

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT : 222-227 (Chapter 11) / 213-217 (Chapter 10)

Other readings:

Mellor: “The law bestowing power on the emperor” Lex de Imperio Vespasiani, pages 8-9.

Or you can find a more precise translation at this link:

http://droitromain.upmf-grenoble.fr/Anglica/vespas_johnson.html

Questions: Find the passage in which it is said that Vespasian has the right to make and pass laws.

Wednesday

TEST 2 (20 minute long) (8-10) / (7-9)

BOATWRIGHT : 227-237 (Chapter 11) / 217-227 (Chapter 10)

Other readings: none

Questions: none

Week 11

9-15 Nov

The five good emperors: part two.

 

The Severan Emperors.

 

Caracalla and the granting of citizenship to all the free inhabitants of the Empire.

 

Christianity and the Romans

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT : 247-260 (Chapter 12) / 237-247 (Chapter 11)

Other readings:

- None

Questions: none

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT : 260-262, 268-271 (Chapter 12) / 247-251, 256-260 (Chapter 11)

Other readings:

- Mellor: Pliny the Younger pages 392-4 (Letters between Pliny and Trajan on the Christians)

- Shelton Jo-Ann: Judaism pages 404-6, Christianity pages 406-416, Syncretism page 417

Questions:

- What was the Roman religious policy for the Christian at the time of Pliny the Younger and Trajan, as you can deduct from their letters?

- Think about Roman reaction to Christianity. How did Christianity differ from the other religions?

- Was Christianity considered different from Judaism, in the eyes of the Romans?

- Which religion seemed more tolerant? The official Roman religion or Christianity? Why so?

Week 12

16-22 Nov

The Soldier emperors: Aurelian, a case study

 

The Tetrarchy: Diocletian

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT : 261-266 (Chapter 12)

Other readings:

- None

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT : 266-270, 273-279 (“Administrative reorganization) (Chapter 12)

Other readings:

- Montesquieu: Chapter 17th (Change in the State), Chapter 18th (New Maxims adopted by the Romans).

Questions:

- Montesquieu’s judgment on Constantine. Is it good or bad? Which are the things which Montesquieu analyzes on Constantine?

-What actions weakened Rome, as the Capital of the Western Roman Empire, according to M?

- The Roman army had become a burden from being originally an asset. How did it happen, according to M?

- According to Montesquieu, what was the reason that made the Romans become pray of all peoples?

Week 13

23-29 Nov.

The dissolution of the tetrarchy

 

Constantine: the first Christian Emperor

 

Julian the Apostate

 

The fall of the Roman Empire: part one

 

Monday

BOATWRIGHT : 270-73, 281-285 (Chapter 12)

Other readings:

Mellor : Eusebius 537-541 (Life of Constantine I.26-38)

Mellor : Lactanctius 525-526 (On the death of the persecutors)

Questions:

- How can we say that the main recipient of the Edict of Milan were the Christians?

- How does the description of the life of Constantine by Eusebius differ from the lives of previous emperors and in general by older authors?

- What is the role of the deity in Constantine’s life, according to Eusebius? Is it similar to the role of other deities in the lives of previous emperors?

Wednesday

BOATWRIGHT; 290-291

CARY AND SCHULLARD: 550-553 (Chapter 44)

Other readings:

- Mellor :Ammianus Marcellinus pages 565-6, 569-572 (Julian the ApostateXXV 1 and 4)

- Montesquieu: Chapter 19 (Attila’s greatness, Cause of the settlement of the barbarians, Reasons why the Western Empire was the first to fall).

Questions:

- There seem to be a contradiction in what Ammianus write about Julian. Can you find it?

- What is Montesquieu’s judgment on Attila?

- According to Montesquieu, how did the strategy “Divide and rule” came to be used first in favor of the Romans, and then later against them?

- Why did the Western Empire fall first?

- What was an effective way of dealing with the barbarians once there was nothing left to pillage?

Week 14

30 Nov – 3 Dec

The fall of the Roman Empire: part two

 

Review.

 

Monday

CARY AND SCHULLARD: 553-558 (Chapter 44)

Other readings: none

Questions: none

Wednesday

Review and final questions

Week 15

5-8 Dec

 

FINAL EXAM

TBA

FINAL EXAM

TBA

Do not make travel plan for this week