Roman Historians: Livy

Catalog description

(59 BCE - 17 CE) wrote a 142-volume history of the city of Rome from its founding down to his own day. This monumental opus became the standard account of the history of the Roman republic, and it remains one of the best historical sources for this period. But Livy’s work is also a complex piece of literature in its own right, as he selected, arranged, and presented the historical material to create his own overarching story of the Roman past and its relationship to the Roman present. In this course, we will read selections from the extant portions of Livy’s work, ranging from the expulsion of Rome’s kings, to the war against Hannibal, to the infamous Bacchanalian conspiracy. In doing so, we will explore topics such as Livy’s conception of history, narrative structure, literary style, characterization, speeches, morality, monumentality, religion, and women. We will also consider where Livy himself stands in history, by looking back at selections of his sources (for example, Cato the Elder, Polybius, inscriptions) and by eamining the impact on Livy’s work of the transition from republic to empire that occurred during his own lifetime. Prof. Truetzel will be on campus, and she welcomes the opportunity to meet outside of class - both in-person and digitally - throughout the semester. Satisfies Literary Studies, Creative Writing, and Rhetoric requirement. Counts towards the Classical Languages and Literature major and as an elective for the Classical Studies major. Counts towards the interdisciplinary minor in Global Literary Theory. Prerequisites & Notes LAT 201 or placement test. Students who have taken a LAT course beyond 201 should enroll in this course as LAT 334. Spring 2027