CCAE COURSE PROPOSAL
Hi Jenna,
Chris and I have enjoyed teaching the Plutarch class. We have just two sessions
remaining. The students are excited about the material and have expressed interest in a
follow-up course. Several of them mentioned that they had watched the first season of the
HBO series Rome and had taken the course for background on the events and persons in
the TV series. We've designed a course that (1) explains the background to what was
happening in Rome before the series opens, (2) summarized and adds additional materials
about the events and persons in the series, (3) introduces the students to the persons who
will appear in the second season of Rome, which will begin sometime in early 2007.
Here's our outline.
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1. Introduction. Rome from its legendary founding in 753 B.C., through the establishment
of the Republic and growth to republican empire. Topics touched upon include:
-Rome's rise in Italy and the spread of her influence;
-The vanquishing the threat from the Gauls who sacked Rome in 390 B.C. and the wars
with and final defeat of rival Carthage;
-The political institutions of the republic; and
-The religion of the republic.
[No assigned reading for the first session.]
2. The social fissures in the Republic. The struggle between optimates and populares.
Urban vs. rural. The increase in the servile population and the displacement of poor but
free Romans. Concentration of wealth. Attempts to fit the governmental tools of a village
republic to a far-flung empire.[Assigned reading: Plutarch, "Life of Tiberius Gracchus"
and "Life of Caius Gracchus".]
3. The threats from without. The Social War. The Celtic and Germanic uprisings. Great
military leaders who crushed the foes but failed to solve Rome's internal
problems.[Assigned reading: Plutarch, "Life of Marius" and "Life of Sylla".]
4. The Crisis. Stubborn ideologues block all reform. Even some of the best men of the
time can't see the need for reasonable reform and so contribute the fall of the republic.
Political theory matched with rhetoric shows a way out, but with few allies in the battle,
even the noblest minds cannot save the Republic. [Assigned reading: Plutarch, Life of
"Cato Minor" and "Life of Cicero".]
5. The center cannot hold. The transition to autocracy. [Assigned reading: Plutarch "Life,
of Caesar" and "Life of Brutus" (through Ides of March, 44 B.C.); Caesar,
"Commentaries on the Wars in Gaul" (selections).]
6. Anarchy is loosed. The destructive power of unbridled sensuality. The dire prospect for
a people left with no leader with vision. [Assigned reading: Plutarch, "Life of Brutus"
(from Ides of March 44 B.C.), "Life of Antony"]
7. The new foundation. Octavian (Augustus) through Hadrian (to the death of Plutarch)
[Assigned reading: Seutonius, "The Twelve Caesars"; Plutarch, "Life of Galba", "Life of
Otho"]
David Trumbull