THE ROMANS
Spring 2011
Class: Tu/Thurs 9:30-10:50AM
Office hours: Tu/Th 3:15-4:15
225A Sweet Hall
PM,
Anise K. Strong
Th 12-1 PM, or
akstrong@stanford.edu
by
appt.
Course Objectives and Structure:
How did Rome grow from a loose gang of shepherds, exiles, and criminals to an
empire of 65 million people stretching from Britain to Egypt? How and why did it then
fall into ruins? Topics include Roman history, society, culture, economics, religions, and
impact on Western civilization. We also discuss the origins of the republican form of
government, explorations of military strategy, imperialism, slavery, and public
entertainment. The focus is on original primary sources, including visual and
archaeological evidence. This course also teaches general historical methodologies and
techniques.
Accommodations: Students who may need an academic accommodation based on the
impact of a disability must initiate the request with the Office of Accessible Education
(OAE). Professional staff will evaluate the request with required documentation,
recommend reasonable accommodations, and prepare an Accommodation Letter for
faculty dated in the current quarter in which the request is being made. Students should
contact the OAE as soon as possible since timely notice is needed to coordinate
accommodations. The OAE is located at 563 Salvatierra Walk; phone: 723-1066; web
site http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/oae."
Grades and Evaluation:
For 3-Credit Students:
Final Exam on the Empire, which will test your ability to analyze new sources as well as
your knowledge of the content of the course: 45%
1 Primary Text Presentation on the Wiki: 30%
3 Links and Commentary on 3 other students’ documents: 5%
2 Map Quizzes: 10% (5% each)
Class Participation in regular discussions: 10%
For 4-Credit Students:
Final Exam: 40%
Primary Text Presentation (longer, more complex document): 35%
5 Links and Commentary (see above): 10%
2 Map Quizzes: 5% (2.5% each)
Class Participation: 10%
For 5-credit students:
Final Exam: 30%
Primary Text Presentation (longer, more complex document): 35%
5 Links and Commentary (see above): 5%
Oral Province Presentation (in pairs): 15%
2 Map Quizzes: 5% (2.5% each)
Class Participation: 10%
Reading Requirements. Reading assignments are listed below and are available at the
bookstore. The ancient texts in question can all be found at
www.perseus.tufts.edu/Texts.html; links will be available on Blackboard when necessary.
Required Textbooks:
Mary Boatwright, Daniel Gargola, Richard Talbert, A Brief History of the Romans, (Oxford
University Press), paperback.
Jo-Ann Shelton, As the Romans Did. (2nd ed.)
Tacitus, Agricola and Germany, Oxford World Classics
Please bring Shelton to each class.
Web Sites. Many of the current web sites concerning Roman history are of poor quality,
and you should be cautious in using them. The following can be useful:
1. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook.html [Ancient History Sourcebook]
2.www.stoa.org/diotima [women’s history]
3. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/home.html [Lacus Curtius, a photogazeteer of the ancient world]
4. www.perseus.tufts.edu/Texts.html [ancient texts]
5.
www.museoarcheo-aquileia.it [a great museum].
LECTURE TOPICS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS
3/29: INTRODUCTION – Before Rome: Ancient sources, legends vs. history, the
Etruscans and Magna Graecia
I. THE EARLY REPUBLIC
3/31: Rome “of the kings” and the early Republic, before 380 BCE: Central Italian
Expansion – a nation at war, domestic policy, Twelve Tables, Early Roman religion, role of
women and slaves. Reading: Boatwright Chps. 1-2, Twelve Tables (on CW).
4/5: 449-264 BCE - The Early Political Institutions and the Roman Conquest of Italy:
Patricians, Plebeians, and the Electoral System. Reading: Shelton 203-226; Boatwright Chp.
3.
II. FOREIGN EXPANSION: The Punic and Greek Wars.
4/7: Roman Imperialism outside Italy: Sicily, the Punic Wars, Rome as an Imperialist
power. Reading: Boatwright Chp. 4, Shelton 243-252, 268-284. Documents Signup on
Wiki.
III. ROMAN HISTORY, 133 B.C. - 14 A.D.: THE DESTRUCTION OF THE
REPUBLIC
4/12: Popular Revolts: The Gracchi to Spartacus. Boatwright Chp. 6., Shelton 148-162,
178-9. Map Quiz #1: Italy and North Africa.
4/14: The Oligarchy Strikes Back: Sulla and the Optimates. Reading: Appian and
Plutarch handout (on CW) BW Chp. 7.
4/19: The Crisis of the Republic, 70-31 BCE. Reading: Cicero handout on CW,
Boatwright Chp. 7. Document 3/5 Questions Due on Wiki.
4/21: The Civil Wars: 50-31 BCE Reading: Shelton 225-6; Boatwright Chp. 8. Research
trip to library, Classics library.
4/26: The Things I Did. Reading: Shelton 227-239, Boatwright Chp. 9, Res Gestae (on
CW)
4/28: The Things Everyone Else Did: Reading: Shelton 142-9, 284-7. Boatwright Chp.
10.
5/3: Economic History, Education, & Demography: Reading: Shelton 125-9, 79-107,
PROVINCE PRESENTATIONS START. Province Pres #1: Egypt
IV. ROMAN HISTORY, 14 A.D.-235 A.D.: THE HIGH EMPIRE.
5/5: Monarchy, Senate, Government., Military Life. Reading: Agricola, Shelton 252267. Province Pres #2: Britannia
5/10: Provinces, Rome, and Romanization Reading: Germania; Boatwright Chp. 11. Map
Quiz #2: The High Empire. Province Pres #3: Gaul
5/12: The Non-Elites: Women, Slaves, and the working class. Reading: Shelton 163-202,
288-300. Province Pres #4: Greece
5/17: Bread and Circuses. Shelton 307-358, Boatwright ,Chp. 12. Province Pres #5:
Syria and Palestine
Document Presentation Due on Wiki.
5/19: Religions of the Empire; the rise of Christianity. Reading: Shelton 329-430.
Province Pres #6: Asia Minor
V. ROMAN HISTORY, 235 A.D. - 410 A.D.: THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE
EMPIRE
5/24: The Problems of the Third-Century Empire. Boatwright Chp. 13. WIKI
INTERLINKS AND COMMENTS DUE. Province Pres #7: North Africa
5/26: The New Empire of Diocletian and Constantine. Readings: Shelton 129-132.
Boatwright Chp.. 13, Constantine handout on CW Province Pres #8: Spain (Hispania)
FINAL VERSION OF WIKI ARTICLE DUE.
5/31: Justinian and Theodora: The Byzantine Empire. The "Falls" of the Roman
Empire and Ways of Explaining it. Readings: On CW, Procopius handout. Province
Pres #9: Dacia
Final Exam: Friday, June 3rd, 12:15 PM-3:15 PM due.