Overview of History
- The Early Empire (13–69 CE)
- Imperial Succession:
- key requirements for succession;
- what happened to bad emperors
- Determination of Policy:
- role of senate,
- amici,
- emperor
- Machinery of governance:
- at local level
- at provincial level
- Army:
- size (see Augustan lecture)
- terms of service: length, pay, restrictions
- retirement: bonus, position in society
- duties of service: peacetime; wartime
- The Flavian Dynasty (69-96)
- Who were they?
- What are some of the things each accomplished or were known for, if applicable:
- economic
- social
- political
- militarily
- Architecture/Art: Colosseum, Arch of Titus (themes for both)
- How did each die, i.e. natural or not?
- The Five Good Emperors & Commodus (96-192)
- Who were they?
- Where are some from?
- What are some of the things each accomplished or were known for, if applicable:
- the economy
- social changes
- political changes
- military changes
- Art/Architecture:
- Nerva: coin
- Trajan: Baths, Forum, Marketplace, Column (themes on its art)
- Hadrian: Mausoleum, Pantheon (construction themes), Villa at Tivoli
- Antoninus Pius: Base of Column (theme on it)
- Marcus Aurelius: Column (themes on its art)
- How did each die, i.e. natural or not?
- How were things beginning to deteriorate during the reign of Marcus Aurelius?
- The Severan Dynasty (193-235)
- Who were the two emperors just prior to Septimius Severus?
- What external enemy did Severus fight? What title did he take as a result of his final victory?
- What 3 changes did he make to the army?
- Role of Julia Domna?
- God that Severus favored? Goddess that Julia worshipped
- Severus' philosophy of rule?
- What happened to Geta?
- Significance of Caracalla's edit about Roman citizenship?
- Details and significance of Caracalla's coinage change?
- God that Elagabalus worshipped
- Severus Alexander-role of Julia Mammaea
- which of the above died a natural death, which did not?
- Art & Architecture:
- Septimius Severus: image of family & one arch (what missing); main arch (quality of art vs earlier)
- Caracalla: baths
Pompeii and Herculaneum
- Who later wrote an eye witness account of the eruption?
- Why are these cities important for our understanding of Roman culture and life?
- What were the roads like?
- What was the water supply like?
- Name four public buildings at Pompeii that are typical of Roman towns
- Name four private businesses at Pompeii that are typical of Roman towns
- What were the two key exports of Pompeii?
- Know the function of the: atrium, triclinium, lararium, peristyle.
- Know these places: popina, caupona, hospitia--what were they, how did they differ, what could one get at them?
- What were some of the general themes depicted on the art in the houses at Pompeii and Herculaneum?
Mystery Religions
- What are some of the elements most mystery religions had in common?
- Why are they called 'mystery' religions?
- Hallmarks for worship of Isis, Cybele, & Mithras
- What did these new foreign gods and their worship have in common with Christianity?
Christianity
- Why were the Christians mistrusted? Considered atheists?
- What is the Roman view of Christians and Christianity as revealed by the selections from Tacitus (Nero & the great fire), Pliny, Trajan, Minucius Felix, and by the story of Vibia Perpetua?
- What was the Christian response to the Roman charges (Tertullian), esp. those of Trajan and Minucius Felix?
- Know the story of Vibia Perpetua
Possible Essay Questions
- Art & Architecture: We've looked at a fair amount of Roman art & architecture — both from Pompeii and Herculaneum and from Rome (mostly), built by the various Roman emperors from the Vespasian through Caracalla. What does this art & architecture tell us about what was important to them? In your essay make sure you give examples both from Pompeii and Herculaneum and from at least 1-2 of the emperors.
- Religion: Argue for or against the death sentence for Vibia Perpetua. Make sure you use good examples from the primary evidence and that one of your paragraphs is a rebuttal of the opposite view's argument.
- Politics: Compare/contrast President Obama's approach to the Arab "Spring" and Syria with the approaches of the following emperors — Trajan, Hadrian, and Septimius Severus — to Parthia. Conclusions? [Note 1: don't start with a description of each's approach, but organize your discussion based on points of comparison/contrast. Note 2: restrict your evidence for Trajan, Hadrian, and Septimius Severus to that in your texts and links from the assignments for the unit and class discussion/lecture].
