BREVARD COLLEGE
Brevard, NC
AH 324 Art and Archaeology of Ancient Italy and the Roman Empire
Dr. Anne Chapin
Office: 216 Sims Art Building
Email: chapin@brevard.edu
Web page: http://www2.brevard.edu/chapin/annewebpage/
Office Hours: M W 2-4 and by appointment.
SP2006
Sims Art Building
MWF 11:30-12:20
Tel: 883-8292 ext. 2329
Prerequisites: sophomore status or permission of the instructor.
Description: This course offers an introduction to the artistic, architectural and archaeological monuments
of ancient Italy and its expansive Roman Empire from c. 900 BCE to 330 CE. This span of time –
approximately 1200 years – traces the rise of Roman art and architecture from its early beginnings under
Etruscan influence through the era of the Roman Republic, when Italy was unified under Roman rule and
the armies of Rome began their relentless conquests of Mediterranean cultures. The course continues to
follow the development of Roman art, architecture, and archaeological monuments under of the Imperial
system, focusing on the monuments from the reigns of famous Roman emperors such as Augustus, Trajan,
Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, and Constantine. Finally, the rise of Christianity and the breakdown of the
Roman Empire is examined through it artistic and archaeological remains.
This course satisfies Area IIID distribution requirement.
Teacher's Education: This course meets the following requirements for Art Education Majors.
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Standard 1 (Teachers know the content they teach)
Goals and Objectives:
Major monuments of ancient Roman art and archaeology are presented in class as representative
of the culture that produced them and reflective of the major historical, social and philosophical
developments of the era that still impact on our lives today. Though AH 324 is primarily a lecture course, it
is designed to have strong discussion and question-and-answer components. Individual objects are
presented to the class in a lecture setting, but students are frequently asked questions that promote group
discussions about the objects themselves. In addition to the study of monuments from art history and
archaeology, students are asked to prepare and present an oral report on a topic in Roman art, history, or
culture. The goal of this course work is to produce a broad but varied look at Roman art and archaeology
within its extended cultural context.
The goals of this course are achieved through a variety of means. First, class attendance is
critically important and is rewarded by points earned for every class attended. Participation in class
discussions is also a vital component of the course. From consistent attendance and class participation,
students will develop the skill of visual analysis – the process of analyzing what is seen in a work of art –
that is the foundation of art history.
Additionally, regular quizzes test knowledge and understanding of the monuments. Learning to
recognize the art objects and archaeological monuments provides a working visual “vocabulary” while
memorizing their dates provides the students with a lasting grasp of historical periods. Testing develops
skills to think and analyze quickly while being able to put those thoughts into written form, and poster
preparation and PowerPoint reports offers the student the opportunity for greater reflection into the
meaning of a monument while further practicing writing skills.
EXPECTATIONS:
 All students are expected to come to every class unless sick or participating in a Brevard
College-sponsored activity
AH 324 Roman
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All students are expected to arrive on time to each class.
All students are expected to have done the required reading every week.
All students are expected to be courteous to their fellow students and to their ideas and
opinions
All students are expected and encouraged to participate in class and share views
All students are invited to ask questions, seek answers, to thrive and prosper in this
course.
Course Requirements:
1.
Class attendance (100 pts.).
Class attendance is mandatory, and as such, it will be calculated into your final grade. Attendance
will be taken at every class starting in the second week of class. Each class attended is worth 2.5 points for
a total of 100 points.
2.
Reading assignments are from Roman Art: Romulus to Constantine, 4nd ed., by Nancy H. and Andrew
Ramage, 2004. Available in the King Creek Bookstore.
3.
PowerPoint Report (50 pts.)
There is one oral report in which the student researches, prepares and presents a short (15 minutes)
oral report in PowerPoint on a topic in Roman art, archaeology or culture. Content and presentation are
primary components of the grade. Possible report topics will be circulated in class.
4.
Research Poster (100 points)
This is a concise research project presented as a poster and is a scaled-down version of a format
that is becoming popular at professional meetings. Your poster will present a subject of your choice related
to the course, using text, bullet lists, headlines, illustrations, etc., with a brief bibliography. The posters will
be publicly displayed for the last two weeks of the semester. We will discuss them in class, and material
from the posters will be on the final exam. An example of a real research poster will be shown in class, and
more details will be provided in class. During the semester, there will be interim deadlines for selecting a
topic, turning in a proposed bibliography, and submitting a rough draft prior to making the final poster.
5.
Quizzes and Exams
There are 4 quizzes, each designed to test students on identifications and terms. The lowest grade
will be dropped.
Additionally, there one midterm and a final exam. Each exam consists of slide identifications,
testing on factual information, and one essay. The monuments for slide identifications will be drawn from
those available to the students as photographs in the textbook and class handouts. A list of images that
could appear on exams is given to the students before the exams.
In addition to material from the second part of the course, the final exam may also have a
cumulative essay. Possible essay topics will be circulated and discussed during the last week of class.
Grading Summary for 200-level:
Attendance
PowerPoint Report
Research Poster
Quizzes
Midterm
Final Exam
Total
100
50
100
90
100
150
590 pts.
Grading Scale.
The grades are determined on a curve before extra credit points are added to the individual totals.
AH 324 Roman
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POLICIES:
Missed exams and quizzes will be counted “0”. No make-up exams or quizzes are given without
compelling reason and without documented proof. A written paper may not be substituted for a missed
exam.
Exams not picked up in class on the day that they are handed back can be picked up during the professor’s
office hours.
Students with documented or undocumented learning disabilities or special needs (including emergency
medical information) should speak with the professor during the first week of class about any special
arrangements that are necessary. The student with a learning disability should go to the Learning
Enhancement Center to obtain an accommodation letter.
All students will follow the Honor Code and adhere to its guidelines. Any student who has not signed the
Honor Code pledge may get a form at the office of the Registrar. All students should be particularly aware
of the rules in the Honor Code regarding plagiarism and cheating.
 Plagiarism is the submission of another person’s work or thought as one’s own, either by direct
copying or by insufficient acknowledgement of the source.
 Cheating is the use of any form of assistance while taking a quiz or examination.
Brevard College takes the infringement of these rules very seriously and carries out the appropriate
academic and disciplinary actions.
Your finalized research poster text must be submitted as a Word document to Turnitin.com and to the
instructor..
No student may leave the classroom once an exam begins unless it is an emergency.
The professor will attempt to adhere as closely as possible to this syllabus but details are subject to change.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND ASSIGNMENTS
Week 1
1/11
Introduction
1/13
Discovery of Roman Archaeology and the Impact of Ancient Rome on the
Modern World
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Introduction
Week 2
1/16-20
The Forerunners of Ancient Rome: The Villanovans and the Etruscans.
Week 3
1/23
Early Roman Archaeology and the Mud Hut of Romulus.
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 1
1/25
Legal Foundations of the Roman Republic
Guest Lecturer: Dean Robert Bauslaugh, Ph.D.
1/27
The Roman Republic, c. 200-27 BCE: Architecture and Town Planning
Read: Ramage & Ramage, begin Chapter 2
QUIZ 1
Week 4
1/30-2/3
The Roman Republic, c.200-27 BCE: Architecture and Town Planning, cont.;
Sculpture and Painting.
Read: Ramage & Ramage, finish Ch. 2.
Week 5
2/6-10
The End of the Republic and the Rise of Augustus
AH 324 Roman
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VIDEO: Great Egyptians-The Real Cleopatra
Begin Ramage & Ramage, Ch. 3.
Augustus and the Imperial Ideal, c. 27 BCE-14 CE: Architecture
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 3, pp.86-94
QUIZ 2
Week 6
2/13-17
Week 7
2/20-22
The Julio-Claudians, 14-68 CE
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 4
2/24
EXAM I
2/27-3/1
The Flavians, 69-98 CE: Architecture. The Colosseum
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 5
3/3
Guest Lecturer: Dr. Robert Bauslaugh
Topic: Ancient coins
Week 9
3/6-10
SPRING BREAK
Week 10
3/13
TBA
3/15-17
The Flavians, 69-98 CE: Pompeii and Herculaneum
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 5
Week 11
3/20-24
Trajan, 98-117 CE: Architecture and Sculpture
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 6
Week 12
3/27-29
Hadrian and the Classical Revival, 117-138 CE: Architecture
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 7
QUIZ 3
3/31
Greek Cities Under Roman Rule: Athens, Ephesus, and Aphrodisias
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 7
4/3-5
The Antonines, 138-193 CE
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 8
4/7
The Severans, 193-235 CE
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 9
4/130
The Roman Empire in the Third Century: North Africa, Syria, and Egypt
4/12
The Soldier Emperors, 235-284 CE
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 10
4/14
The Tetrarchs, 284-312 CE
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 11
QUIZ 4
4/17
EASTER HOLIDAY: NO CLASS
4/19
Constantine, 307-337 CE and the Rise of a Christian Empire
Read: Ramage & Ramage, Chapter 12
4/21
TBA
4/24-28
The Late Antique Period, 4th-6th centuries CE
Week 8
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
AH 324 Roman
Week 17
5
4/26
Honors and Awards Day: NO CLASS
5/1
Review
FINAL EXAM
Friday, May 5 @ 1:30 p.m