Civilization of Ancient Rome

Catalog description

This survey course covers the history of ancient Roman civilization from its origins to Late Antiquity. The course is divided into three major sections. The first section, FOUNDATIONS, covers the early development of Italy, the establishment and development of the Roman Republic, and key Roman cultural institutions, especially the Roman state religion. The second section, TRANSFORMATION examines the slow disintegration of the institutions of the Republic, and its eventual collapse under the weight of the political ambition of senators such as Marius, Sulla, Pompey and Julius and Augustus Caesar. The third section, IMPERIUM, covers the history of the empire from Augustus to its collapse in the West in 476 and beyond, with special attention to the development of new religions to challenge the older order, namely Christianity and the other Mystery Cults. Throughout the semester we will be exploring sub-themes, such as the legitimacy and usefulness of drawing parallels between the histories of Rome and the United States, and the ever-changing perception of Rome in the modern popular imagination as evidenced in film. Also part of the course will be an extended simulation of the Roman Senate in the aftermath of the assassination of Julius Caesar, with students representing senators faced with the conflict between the achievement of personal ambition and the good of the state in troubled times.