Otacilia Severa, wife of Emperor
Philip I, "the Arab." Coin dated 247/248 AD image courtesy of Edgar
L. Owen,
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Roman Civilization
Spring 2003
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games for Rome's 1000th birthday
and the new Saeculum,about 110 years in length image courtesy of
Edgar
L. Owen,
|
Instructor: Dr. Victor A. Leuci
Texts:
R. B. Kebric, Roman People,
3rd edition. Mayfield(Kebric)
C. Scarre, The Penguin
Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome, Penguin 1995 (Scarre)
Jo-Ann Shelton, As the
Romans Did, 2nd edition. Oxford 1998 (Shelton)
Links for materials to support this course:
The syllabus also provides
links to various sites
Objectives: The course
is a survey of ancient Roman life and thought. Our goals are to:
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establish a basic understanding
of ancient Roman culture and daily life;
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understand how everyday life of
the different social classes was affected by politics, economics, societal
norms, and the culture;
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appreciate the literature and
art produced by Rome and its significance;
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understand the evolution of political
and religious systems in Roman history;
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understand how the political,
economic, religious, cultural, and social aspects of ancient Rome were
related and integrated;
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appreciate how ancient Roman culture
is similar to and different from contemporary culture, providing roots
for much of our modern Western culture; and
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learn to reach and defend positions
based on careful analysis of primary sources and thoughtful and judicious
use of secondary sources (with an awareness of how and why the secondary
sources agree and disagree).
Relationship to the General Education Curriculum:
Roman Civilization 228 satisfies one of the two courses required within
the Historical Perspectives Context of Tier II. As stated in the course
objectives, Roman Civilization 228 provides students with opportunities
to immerse themselves in the ancient Roman culture and daily life, learning
how it evolved politically, socially, culturally, and economically over
time. Mastering an understanding of a culture’s art, architecture, literature,
philosophy, science, economics, politics, and religion offers opportunities
for reflection on varying cultural, social, and historical traditions including
work, family, voluntary associations, government. The course will also
foster an awareness of the role of values in decision making, search for
meaning and identity, and the ethical issues of society. Much of this will
be accomplished through the study of certain "archetypal" individuals from
the time period covered. Students should also gain insight into ways their
culture is similar to and different from the ancient Roman culture. It
is intended that students will acquire a deeper understanding of the breadth
of our human experience and heritage over the expanse of Roman history.
Also intended is the understanding of the interrelationships of the political,
social, artistic, cultural, intellectual, religious, and scientific aspects
of life in ancient Rome. Finally, it is expected that students will gain
a greater respect for other peoples and cultures because of their study
of ancient Roman civilization. Through this course, students will develop
a propensity for historical methods of study that lead to an understanding
of patterns and meaning in history. The teaching and use of historical
methods will be key for much of the above discussions, examinations, and
analysis. It is expected that the students will be able to reach and defend
their own positions based on careful analysis of primary sources (keeping
in mind that many of our ‘primary’ sources for this time period are, in
fact, secondary to varying degrees) and thoughtful and judicious use of
secondary sources.
Format: The course will
rely primarily on discussion with some lecture. We may also explore certain
aspects of Roman life via the Web. Certain course information regarding
assignments will also be posted to the web page created for this course
and will also be available via a discussion group in Exchange. More than
two unexcused absences will be considered excessive and will factor in
determining your grade. No make-up work will be accepted for unexcused
absences.
Writing Intensive Option:
Different types of writing will be part of the course: short papers and
exams that are predominately essay (two of which must be the take-home
versions). Seven to eight short papers will be assigned as a means to help
participants come to a better understanding of important themes, ideas,
and concepts. The first short paper will be revised on the basis of a conference
with me. Two other short papers must be revised on the basis of conferences
with me and with a tutor at the Writing Lab. A critique and conference
after the completion of a paper may also occur. In general, participants
in the class should highly consider using the services of the Writing Lab
and especially the Lab tutors, who can be of tremendous assistance.
Grading:
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Exams: 2-3 total, 100 points
each.
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Papers: 7-8 total; 600-900
words in length; 30 points each; your lowest two scores will be dropped.
These may form an important part of class discussion.
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Final: the final will simply
be papers # 7 and 8 (or 6 & 7 if only 7 total). You may opt to double
the points each is worth by doubling its length and indicating in the header
of the paper that you are doubling it.
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Class Participation: 50
points; will also include posts in class discussion folder
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Honor Code: All students
and faculty must adhere to the Honor Code; please see the Student Life
Handbook for the full description of the Honor Code.
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ADA Accommodation: Any
student who feels that he or she may need an accommodation based on the
impact of a disability should contact me to arrange an appointment as soon
as possible. At that time, we can discuss the course format, anticipate
your needs, and explore possible accommodations.
Exams:
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In-class version: The exams
will be a combination of fill-in the blank or short answer with essays.
Usually there will be 15 fill in the blank questions worth 2 points each
(30 points total) and two essays (70 points total). The essays should be
well written in standard paragraph format and replete with pertinent facts
to support your thesis (or theses). The average length for a good long
essay is usually at least 300 words, i.e. one to two full pages depending
on how large you write, what type of margins you use, etc. A review
sheet will typically be posted in the discussion folder and linked to the
web syllabus one week before the exam as an aid in your preparation.
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Take-home version: You
may choose a take-home option on the exams. This will involve writing either
two 900-1200 word essays or three 600-900 word essays. The topics for these
essays will be provided along at the same time and places as the review
sheet for the in-class exam.
Papers:
Content: Each short paper
will focus on a specific question based on your readings or possibly on
a web site. The questions will typically be narrow in focus, and your paper
should follow suite. The thesis you maintain in your paper should be supported
with facts from the readings and from quotes where appropriate, both the
facts and the quotes need citations. The paper, however, should not be
one long quotation.
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Formatting:
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Header: start with a simple
heading at the top of the page giving your name, course number, the number
of the assignment (e.g. Paper #6), a word count, etc.
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Citations: for citations
from our textbooks, give the author's name and the page number; for other
citations, follow standard format, e.g. APA, MLA, etc, but note that I
prefer italicizing titles, etc. to underlining. There will be a post in
the discussion folder with examples for your aid.
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Spacing & Font: you
may use any font, point size, or line spacing that you want--within reason,
that is.
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Submission: A paper copy
is due at the beginning of the class period. An electronic copy of each
paper is also required and should be submitted within 24 hours of the due
date for the paper copy; note that there is a two letter grade deduction
for failure to submit an electronic copy.
Attendance: Regular
attendance and participation are essential for the success of the whole
class. More than three unexcused absences will be considered excessive,
and no make-up work will be accepted for unexcused absences. Each unexcused
absence past three will result in a deduction of 5 points from the total
number of points one has at the end of the semester. If you are ill, e-mail
me before class, if possible, or as soon as you are able.
Assignments: The
assignments given below are not "set-in-stone," and may vary depending
on how each class period goes. The syllabus will be updated as needed.
Unit I: From Romulus to
the Rubicon (753-49 BC)
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Reading assignments (click
here for specific due dates):
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Kebric, Chapters 1-2
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Scarre, pp. 12-15, 20-27,
and 49 (map)
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Shelton, Chapters I; IV # 79-96
(pp. 59-71); VIII-IX; XV #402-404 (pp. 360-363), #412-428 (pp. 369-386),
and #455-459 (pp. 417-420)
Unit II: From Caesar to Vespasian
(49 BC - 69 AD)
Unit III: From Vespasian to
Constantine (69 - 337 AD)
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Reading Assignments (click
here for specific due dates):
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Kebric, Chapters 6-9
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Scarre, 56-57, 60-61, 64-73, 88-127
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Shelton, Chapters V #109-133 (pp.
85-99), and XV #444-453 (pp. 406-416)
Unit IIII: Leisure and Entertainment