Representations of War in Ancient Rome

Catalog description

Few societies in history have been as militaristic as ancient Rome--or as proud of their warrior culture. This course examines the many ways that Romans constructed and contested their conceptions of war from the founding of the Roman Republic in 509 B.C.E. to the reign of Constantine (306-337 C.E.). Why did Romans choose to represent war in certain ways, and how did these artistic representations shape Romans' military values? What can the visual record tell us about how different groups (soldiers, women, slaves) experienced war in the Roman world? We will explore major public monuments in the city of Rome (including triumphal arches and the Colosseum) and private objects (such as silver drinking vessels) to observe how Roman militarism pervaded different walks of life. We will also examine monuments on the edges of Rome's empire, such as the towering trophies in modern France and Romania, to explore how works of art and architecture mediated the relationship between Romans and the peoples they conquered. Students will be encouraged to think about how art and architecture contributed to the construction of militarism as a chief Roman value, but also about how visual representations provided an important means to debate the value of Rome's military efforts, to subvert Rome's rigidly hierarchical social order, and to grapple with what it meant to "be Roman" as wars transformed Rome from a small city in Italy to a massive, pan-Mediterranean empire. After exploring Romans' conceptions of war and victory, students also may ask whether the common comparison between the Roman Empire and modern America is appropriate. Offered as ARTH 336 , ARTH 436 , CLSC 336 and CLSC 436 . Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course.