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Lecturer(s)
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Course content
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The lectures in this course will be of two types: "History" and "Culture and Society." Due to the nature of the sources, the first lectures in this course will offer a chronological timeline of Roman history. Reading assignments for discussion in class will consist of selected passages of primary sources and secondary literature. Students will be provided with .pdf versions of the readings in advance. For each topic we will use one session for discussing primary sources and another session for discussing secondary literature. This first semester will explore several major topics as follows: 1. Introduction. Overview of the class. History: Foundation Myths. The Origins of Rome. From Monarchy to Republic. 2. History: Republican Rome and the Conquest of Italy. Towards a Mediterranean Empire Culture and Society: The Rise of Rome and the Conquest of Greece 3. History: The End of the Republic. Pompey and Caesar's dictatorship. Culture and Society: Roman Aristocracy and Public Oratory. 4. History: Augustus and the Transformation of the Roman World Culture and Society: Poetry and Imperial Propaganda: Vergil and the Origins of the Empire. 5. Culture and Society: Religion and Cult 6. History: The First Centuries of the Principate Culture and Society: Roman Architecture, Construction, and Engineering 7. Culture and Society: The Julio-Claudians
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture, Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Activating (Simulations, Games, Dramatization)
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Learning outcomes
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This class is intended to introduce students to the world of Ancient Rome. It covers Roman history from the very beginning to the birth of the Eastern Roman Empire in the sixth century and provide an introduction to the major themes of Roman culture and social history. The class will use a wide range of primary sources including literary texts, visual art, and archaeological evidence. Students will learn how to analyze these materials and understand the limitations and possibilities the sources at our disposal for the understanding of the Roman World. 1. To provide students with a clear overview of the history, culture, and civilization of ancient Rome. 2. To introduce students to the scholarly tools and methods of understanding Roman culture. 3. To understand basic social, political, religious, and cultural processes that shaped the Roman world. 4. To provide instruments for the critical evaluation of primary textual and non-textual sources. 5. To offer an account of the extent and the implications of the legacy of Rome in the medieval and modern world.
Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to: 1. Acquire instruments for the critical analysis of primary textual sources. 2. Use accurate vocabulary when discussing historical events, figures, and processes related to ancient Roman civilization. 3. Relate the influence and the impact of Roman civilization to the realities of the post-classical world. 4. Connect historical events to particular social and cultural circumstances. 5. Identify key figures, events, and texts in the history of ancient Rome.
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Prerequisites
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There are no prerequisites for this class. However, since the course will be taught in English, your knowledge of English is necessary. Primary and secondary sources will be provided in English. It is fine if you use a Czech translation or a translation in another language of your convenience.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Essay, Analyssis of the Student's Portfolio
1. Regular attendance in class. 2. Short paper (2 pages): presentation and discussion of two primary sources 3. Presentation in class 4.Final Essay
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Recommended literature
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Mary Boatwright, Daniel Gargola, Noel Lenski, and Richard Talbert. (2011). The Romans: from Villageto Empire. Oxford UK.
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