Gonzaga-in-Florence. HIST 390 -ANCIENT ROME Spring 2017 M. & W. 2:00 P.M. - 3:25 P.M. COURSE DESCRIPTION

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1 Gonzaga-in-Florence HIST 390 -ANCIENT ROME Spring 2017 M. & W. 2:00 P.M. - 3:25 P.M. Prof. Giulia Péttena giulia.pettena@gmail.com, pettena@gonzaga.edu Office hours: by appointment only Prerequisites: None COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is a historical survey that will assess processes of change over time within a chronological and geographical framework. Italy is the homeland of the Romans. Rome was founded in central Italy and from there the Romans started to expand their culture, language, institutions and military power first conquering all of Italy, then a great part of Europe and many of the lands on the Mediterranean Sea. This course focuses on history, culture, society, religion, art, architecture, literature and daily life of the Romans, from Rome s beginnings in myth and legend through its rise to the domination of the Mediterranean world, its violent conversion from a Republic to an Empire and the long success of that Empire until to its collapse in the fifth century A.D. The analysis of the major institutions and achievements of the Romans will help the students in tracing the origins of many aspects of European culture and of contemporary western societies and political systems. Students will experience ancient Roman history in person, enhancing both their knowledge and their critical approach, through guided visits and on site learning activities. Both primary and secondary sources will be used to help students to develop analytical interpretations of textual and non-written evidence. 1

2 COURSE OBJECTIVES At the conclusion of this course, students should: Have a good understanding of the concept of primary and secondary source. Define and master the basic events of Roman History, from the foundation of Rome to the fall of the Empire. Become familiar with the daily life, values and social attitudes of the ancient Romans during the Republic and early centuries of the Empire. Demonstrate familiarity with some cultural issues typical of the period studied: the impact of Greek culture, the role of women, the importance and functionality of Roman religion, general features of art, Roman architecture and structural engineering, relations with non-roman populations, the frontiers and their cultural function. Demonstrate familiarity with some institutional features of Ancient Rome: the administrative organization, the role of the different assemblies, the role of the army, the cursus honorum, the structure of the provinces. Trace the origins of many aspects of Western European culture and of contemporary Western society in general. Gain understanding of the political, religious and intellectual heritage of Roman society and use it as a means of interpreting the human experience through history. Recognize and understand how much of the English language is affected by Latin vocabulary. Besides, the course has two main focuses: Institutions and Culture. Students will have the possibility to observe and study the different solutions that the roman civilization gave to the problem of political, administrative, fiscal and judiciary organization and to understand the origin of several issues concerning contemporary Europe, through the great cultural experience of the Roman world. LEARNING OUTCOMES At the completion of this course, students will be able to Demonstrate knowledge of particular social practices and cultural systems as constructed by the ancient Roman society. Demonstrate the skills necessary to engage people living in today s societies through knowledge of the cultural heritage left by ancient Roman civilization. Demonstrate openness to difference and critical reflection when encountering values and beliefs that are different from their own. Demonstrate knowledge of the general value of ancient history and culture as a means of interpreting human experience and the origins of contemporary societies. 2

3 Identify possible causes and consequences of significant historical events of the Roman civilization and demonstrate knowledge of the origins of many aspects of the European culture and of contemporary Western societies. Explain processes of change over time as well as historical continuity within a chronological and geographical framework. Understand and formulate historical argument, discussion and reasoning, evaluate historical evidence, and assess historical interpretations. TEACHING METHOD Class meets twice a week for 14 weeks. Our lectures will be supplemented by slide shows, inclass workshops and discussions, visits to museums and archaeological sites of interests, videos, and a field trip to Rome. Participation in the visits and the field trip is mandatory. Missing it will result in an absence. REQUIRED READINGS ( = RR) Required book:.t. Boatwright - D.J. Gargola - R.J.A. Talbert, Romans", Oxford University Press 2006 (get the book before leaving or ask for it in advance at the library!). Required readings: A packet of required course readings will be available at no charge in Gonzaga in Florence Library + further readings will be uploaded on Dropbox by the instructor. REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING 1. ATTENDANCE AND CLASSROOM CONDUCT. Because there is a close correlation between class attendance and satisfactory performance, the student is expected to come to class. Being present means being on time for class. Cell phones and other noise-making electronics must be turned off. Students are not allowed to use their laptops during class. Gonzaga in Florence Attendance Policy Attendance is taken at the beginning of class from the first day of the semester. The student entering class after attendance is taken has to contact the professor at the end and announce his/her presence. However, this does not mean that coming late is accepted. Two late arrivals may be excused, three turn automatically into an absence and will affect the attendance and participation part of the final grade. 3

4 Students can miss one week s work, irrespective of the course formula (three sessions, two sessions, one session). It is their responsibility to make up for the missed work. If they miss a quiz or a report they are not allowed to have it at another time, unless the absence is for certified medical reasons and the professor and Dean agree. More than one week s work missed is going to be penalized as follows: One extra absence: 1. by lowering the attendance and participation grade as determined by the professor Two extra absences: 2. by lowering the final grade by a whole letter grade Three extra absences: 3. by grading the whole course F Decorum Cell-phones off; no food and beverages admitted, except for bottled water. No technical devices are accepted (laptops, I pads, etc) Disrupting behavior (doing something else during the course, engaging in private conversations, playing with electronic devices) is not accepted and if repeated it will negatively affect the attendance and participation part of the final grade or may result in removal from the course. Make-up policy Exam extension requests will not be honored. The only good reason to be unable to attend class the day an exam is due is illness, attested by a physician s note. In any other case, the exam grade will be entered as an F. If you miss an exam because you are ill, you can make up for it by writing a paper about some aspect of Roman history. The exact subject of the paper and the extra-readings required for it will be agreed upon and discussed with the instructor. 2. ASSIGNMENTS AND PARTECIPATION. Participation in class discussions is strongly encouraged; preparation is expected and required for every class. The reading assignments will be of fundamental help in the full comprehension of the lecture topics. 3. SITE VISITS & FIELD TRIP TO ROME. Students will be required to participate in site visits and a field trip to Rome. The trips and visits will be carefully prepared in class: archaeological sites, monuments and works of art in general will be surveyed beforehand in a lecture-slide format with some discussion. - FIELD TRIP TO ROME (one day trip), date tba - VISIT TO FIESOLE, ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK AND MUSEUM (2 hours visit, date tba) 4

5 - WALKING TOUR DISCOVERING ANCIENT ROMAN FLORENCE AND VISIT TO PALAZZO VECCHIO, ROMAN THEATRE EXCAVATIONS (2 hours visit, date tba) 4. EXAMS. Major Exams: a mid-term (Week 7), a final (Week 14) and a final essay. The general format of the mid-term exam will be multiple choice, fill-in-the-blanks, matching short answers, maps, plans and slides identification. The mid-term exam will include questions on the topics covered in the first half of term. The general format of the final exam will be multiple choice, fill-in-the-blanks, matching short answers, maps, plans, texts and slides identification; final essay. The final exam will focus mainly on the topics of the second half of term. The examinations will be designed to allow students to demonstrate their comprehension of the basic concepts of the course. The final essay, due on the last week of term, is designed to encourage students to analyze critically the historical events they have studied and to draw conclusions about these events. Students will have the opportunity to pick one of two questions about major issues of historical interpretation. By writing the essays at home, they will be able to analyze material relevant to the exams in a setting where memorization and time limits will not be critical to their performance. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: Attendance and Class Participation 20% Midterm Exam 30% Final Exam 30% Final essay 20% I am more than willing to answer any questions at any time, and students are strongly encouraged to contact me by or ask for a special appointment if they have problems with the lectures or the assignments or if they have questions of any kind about the topics we will deal with. Significance for the final grade of attendance and participation A - the student has no absence, is punctual and respectful with the professors and the classmates, is always very well prepared for classes (has done the reading and writing assignments) and exams; he/she vividly participates in class discussions and contributes with interpretations which prove fine critical sense and creativity, using a grammatically correct, semantically rich and conceptually clear language. 5

6 B the student is respectful and punctual, is prepared for classes and exams, participates in discussions, has a good level of understanding the issues under focus and an appropriate use of language. C has a adequate but schematic or superficial understanding of the texts and issues under focus, is not always prepared for classes and exams, uses a simple language. Grades Significance for written assignments Grade A: the work is an excellent synthesis of elaborated course in-puts, extensive reading and original ideas; it is well articulated in a balanced argumentation and formulated in a clear, fluent style. Grade B: the work shows a good elaboration of the course inputs, a well-conducted discourse and a good use of bibliography; it has a good level of style. Grade C: the work proves a basic understanding of the research issue, but does not use the bibliography properly/or does not express ideas in a persuasive clear style or lacks in discourse planning, therefore needing improvement. Grade D: The work is acceptable, but weak in terms of formulating and discussing the question under focus and organizing the discourse. It relies on non-academic sources and does not, in general, comply with the requirements, unless in minimal way. Grade F: The work is not acceptable in terms of the basic requirements or has not been submitted in time. Grade 0 : the work has not been submitted Grade 0 + Main Campus Report: the work has been plagiarized. Grades Conversion Example Version I Version II A= ,6-100 A - = ,6-93,5 B+ = ,6 89,5 B= ,6-86,5 B- = ,6-84,5 C+ = ,6 79,5 C = , 6 76,5 C- = , 6 73,5 D+ = , 6 69, 5 D = , 6 66, 5 F = below 65 Academic Honesty Academic honesty is essential to education and represents the bond of trust between the university, the instructor and the student. 6

7 Academic dishonesty is any action by which a student seeks to claim credit for the intellectual effort of another person or uses unauthorized materials or fabricated information in any academic exercise. It includes unauthorized assistance in tests and examinations; intentionally impeding or damaging the academic work of others; submitting another person s work as your own, or providing work for this purpose; submitting work of your own that has been substantially edited and revised by another person, or providing such an editing and revision service for others; submitting material from a source (books, articles, internet sites) without proper citation and bibliographic reference; paraphrasing material from a source without appropriate reference and citation; submitting substantially the same piece of work in more than one course without the explicit consent of all the instructors concerned; assisting other students in any of the above acts. Students who are academically dishonest will receive 0, zero on the work in question or a failing grade for the course as a whole, depending on the importance of the work to the overall course grade and the judgment of the instructor. Plagiarism Academic dishonesty can manifest itself in plagiarism, defined as claiming intellectual property on somebody else's work, in other words as cultural theft. Written assignments will be submitted to the plagiarism detection procedures of TurnItIn.com., activated on Blackboard. A plagiated assignment/paper, research project, etc will be graded 0 (zero) and sent to the Main Campus accompanied by a report. Special Accommodation for students with learning disabilities Documented learning disabilities or other medically certified problems that need special accommodation for any of the student's expected academic performances will be treated with the due attention. SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS AND TOPICS Although we will try to follow the syllabus strictly, in some cases the schedule and the contents of the lectures and assignments may be changed so as to better fit the students needs and interests. Thus, it will always be the students responsibility to make sure what will be actually covered in class; if you miss a class, it is up to you to find out about the lecture, the assignment or the handout given out that day. Class Topic Reading Assignment Week 1 Meeting 1 (Jan. 9) Introduction to course and syllabus. Sources for Roman History. People and cultures of primitive Italy. Romans", Chap. 1 + Readings for Meeting 1 in the course 7

8 Meeting 2 (Jan. 11) The foundation of Rome: Romulus and the seven kings. Romans", Chap. 2, pp Readings for Meeting 2 in the course Week 2 Meeting 3 (Jan. 16) Meeting 4 (Jan. 18) The Early Republic: political institutions and military expansion. Society: Class & Family (The struggle of orders) Government and Army Religion & Daily Life Romans", Chap. 2, pp ; chap. 3 + Readings for Meeting 3 in the course Romans", Chap. 3 + Assigned materials and readings. Week 3 Meeting 5 (Jan. 23) Meeting 6 (Jan. 25) The Punic and Macedonian wars. Imperialism and the great conquests of the 2nd century BCE. The US Constitution's Separation of Powers: 1800 Years of Thought. From Polybius to Montesquieu to Madison. Romans", chap Readings for Meeting 3 and 5 in the course Readings for Meeting 6 in the course Week 4 Meeting 7 (Jan. 30) The Republican crisis: the 1st century BCE reform of the army and the rise of conflicting ambitions. Romans", Chap Readings for Meeting 7 and 9 in the course Meeting 8 (Feb. 1) Julius Caesar: life, Gallic Wars, Civil War. Romans", Chap Assigned materials and readings. Week 5 Meeting 9 (Feb. 6) From Republic to Empire: Julius Caesar, Octavian, Marc Antony and the collapse of the Roman Republic. Romans", Chap Readings for Meeting 7 and 9 in the course 8

9 Meeting 10 (Feb. 8) The Age of Augustus, Rome s first Emperor. Literature, art and the power of images in the new Roman Empire. Romans", Chap Readings for Meeting 10 and 11 in the course Week 6 Meeting 11 (Feb. 13) Art and architecture under Augustus: the Ara Pacis, Augustus statues and the Imperial Forums. Romans", Chap Readings for Meeting 10 and 11 in the course Meeting 12 (Feb. 15) Propaganda through architecture: Augustan Rome and the beginning of the Roman Architectural Revolution. Assigned materials and readings. Week 7 Meeting 13 (Feb. 20) Review class. Meeting 14 MID-TERM EXAM (Feb. 22) Week 8 Feb. 27-Mar. 3 SPRING BREAK Week 9 Meeting 15 (Mar. 6) Meeting 16 (Mar. 8) Rome under the Emperors: The Julio Claudians. The Flavian Emperors (builders of the Colosseum) Romans", Chap Readings for Meeting 15 in the course Romans", Chap. 11, pp Readings for Meeting 16 in the course Week 10 Meeting 17 (Mar. 13) Pompeii, Herculaneum and the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius. Life in the city of Pompeii. Romans", Chap. 11, pp Readings for Meeting 17 in the course Meeting 18 (Mar. 15) Pompeian art and graffiti. Assigned materials and readings. 9

10 Week 11 Meeting 19 (Mar. 20) Meeting 20 (Mar. 22) Week 12 Meeting 21 (Mar. 27) The Pax Romana: Tacitus and the golden age under the Antonine Emperors. Nerva and the principle of adoption. The Good Emperors (part 1): Trajan and Hadrian. The Good Emperors (part 2) and the end of the Golden Age: Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus and Commodus. Romans", Chap. 11, pp : chap. 12, pp Readings for Meeting in the course Romans", Chap. 11, pp : chap. 12, pp Readings for Meeting in the course Romans", Chap. 11, pp ; chap. 12, pp Readings for Meeting in the course Meeting 22 (Mar. 29) Week 13 Meeting 23 (Apr. 3) Life during the Roman Empire: daily routine, entertainment and leisure. The fall of the Roman Empire. Assigned materials and readings. Romans", chap. 12, pp ; chap Readings for Meeting 23 in the course Meeting 24 (Apr. 5) Review class. Final essay due. Week 14 Meeting 25 (tba) FINAL EXAM 10