世界历史文选
Selected Readings in World History
历史文化学院 延安大学
刘建华
History & Culture School, YAU
Liu Jianhua
Property, Goal and Achievement
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(Course Property) Selected Readings in World History is a
Required course designed for History Specialty. It aims at to
improve students’ diathesis on history through reading the
original works of famous western historians.
(Course Goal) Selected Readings in World History is designed to
help students improve their ability to read academic papers and
to summarize the contents effectively and accurately.
(Course Achievement) Students are expected to distinguish the
difference of culture between Chinese and Westerners; are
expected to master the basic knowledge and the ability of
writing and oral expressions in English; also are expected to
gain the ability of reading the original works of English.
Time Schedule
Chapter
1
2
3
4
Contents
Classic Times
Middle Ages
Modern Times
Contemporary Times
Total
Class
Notes （Methods for
Teaching ）
12
Lecture and Practice
（English & Chinese）
12
Lecture and Practice
（English & Chinese）
16
Lecture and Practice
（English & Chinese）
14
Lecture and Practice
（English & Chinese）
54
Content
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UNIT ONE
UNIT TWO
UNIT THREE
UNIT FOUR
CLASSIC TIMES
MIDDLE AGES
MODERN TIMES
CONTEMPARY TIMES
UNIT ONE
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CLASSIC TIMES
Goals
Background Knowledge
The History（Selected） by Herodotus
The Annals（Selected） by Tacitus
Basic Skills on History Papers Reading
（I）
Goals
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Learn the development of Western
historiography in Classic Times
Study History (Selected) by Herodotus
and The Annals (Selected) by Tacitus
Get basic knowledge on history papers
reading.
Background Knowledge
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What’s the definition of Classic History?
A brief introduction to famous historians of
Classic times (Greece): Herodotus,
Thucydides, Xenophon, Polybius.
A brief introduction to famous historians of
Classic times (Roman): Julius Caesar, Tacitus,
Livy, Plutarch, etc.
Classic history: its characters.
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Developed on ancient
myth
Source of Western
history
Include ancient Greek
period and ancient
Roman period
Focus on Human’s value;
Objective description.
Herodotus: Father of Western history
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Herodotus lived in the 5th century BC
(from 485 to 425).He was born on the
coast of what is now Turkey but during
his 20's or 30's migrated to Athens.
During his lifetime Herodotus witnessed
many significant events including the rise
of the Athenian Empire, the growing
hostility between Athens and Sparta and
the end of the Golden Age of Athens.
Herodotus wrote histories, which were
based on the stories passed down from
generation to generation.
Cicero referred to Ancient Greek historian
Herodotus as being the 'father of history'
《历史》(Histories)
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Herodotus undertook
to write a history of
the world up until his
own time and is
probably most famous
for the nine books
documenting the
Persian conflict with
Greece that book was
named Histories.
Thucydides
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(c. 460-c. 399 BCE) He was elected by the Athenians
to the position of army general in 424 BCE.
After Thucydides lost the city of Amphipolis, the
most important stronghold in Thrace, he was
banished for 20 years from Athens. During this time
he wrote a history of the Peloponnesian Wars, in
which he was able to describe the great skill of the
general who defeated him. His work, along with that
of Heroditus, formed the beginning of historical
writing that sought to inquire into such information
as may lead to the facts concerning the past.
Careful collection of information, judgment of
sources, and the application of reason. These are
what Thucydides attempted to develop on history,
so he is a scientific historians rather than a mythical
basis history teller.
Xenophon
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Xenophon was born in Athens
during the early years of the
Peloponnesian War and may have
been one of Socrates' students. He
is known as an historian.
Like Thucydides, Xenophon was
exiled and wound up in Sparta
where he was given an estate and
raised a family.
Xenophon also wrote about Greek
topics, including The Hellenica, a
history of Greece from 411-362. It is
thought to have been a continuation
of Thucydides' work to the Battle of
Mantinea.
Polybius
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Polybius was an influential second
century B.C. historian from Greece.
Polybius wrote about various
governments and provided data on the
Punic Wars from a non-Roman
perspective.
The end of Greece, the beginning of
Roman in history field.
Polybius get his thought from Greece
but put it in History, a famous book
that describes Roman history.
Sallust
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Gaius Sallustius Crispus (Sallust) was born c. 86 B.C.
to a plebeian Sabine family, at Amiternum (now San
Vittorino, Italy).
Sallust's first monograph was his Bellum Catilinae
(43-42 B.C.) about the conspiracy of Catiline.
Sallust's second monograph was the Bellum
Jugurthinum (41-40 B.C.) about the struggle of King
Jugurtha of Numidia with Rome which led to the rise
of Marius.
Sallust is considered a great literary stylist and the
first Roman historian. Earlier, there had been Roman
annalist. His model was Thucydides, according to J.W.
Mackail.
Julius Caesar
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Julius Caesar kept
detailed records of his
military campaigns and
wars in his Civil and
Gallic Wars.
Tacitus
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Little is known for certain about the
origins of Tacitus, although he is
believed to have been born, around A.D.
56, into a provincial aristocratic family in
Gaul (modern France) or nearby, in the
Roman province of Transalpine Gaul. He
had a successful political course,
becoming senator, consul, and
eventually governor of the Roman
province of Asia. He probably lived and
wrote into Hadrian's reign (117-38) and
may have died in A.D. 120.
His famous books on history include
Agricola, Germania, Historiae (Histories),
and Annales (Annals).
Livy
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Titus Livius (Livy) was born in Patavium, and lived
from c. 59 B.C. to c. A.D. 17.
'From the Founding of the City' was his famous
book on Roman history.
With history as his vehicle, Livy displayed his
rhetorical flair and literary style. He sought to
engage the attention of the listening audience
through speeches or emotive description.
Occasionally he sacrificed chronology to variety.
He rarely explored contradictory versions of an
event, but made his selections with an eye to
championing Rome's national virtues.
Plutarch
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Plutarch is know for writing biographies of
famous ancient people Since he lived in the first
and second centuries A.D. he had access to
material that is no longer available to us which
he used to write his biographies. His material is
easy to read in translation.
Plutarch wrote and lectured. Seventy-eight of his
pieces are preserved in the "Moralia," but his
most famous work is the "Parallel Lives," which
compares Greek and Roman statesmen. This
work gained the attention of the Emperor Trajan.
Even though Plutarch lived hundreds of years
after many of his subjects, his information is our
best source for many historical figures.
History（Selected）
by Herodotus
Content of Histories (1)
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Book 1 Lydia, Medes, Persia, Cyrus
Book 2 Egyptian And African History, Customs,
Geography
Book 3 Cambyses Conquers Egypt; Cambyses'
Death; Smerdis; Darius; 20 Persian Satrapies
Book 4 Europeans; Darius Fails To Conquer
Scythia; Greek Colonies In Libya (Cyrene, Barca);
Persia Invades Libya
Book 5 Persia Conquers Thrace,
Paeonians; Ionian Revolt Under Aristagoras Of
Miletus; Former Athens-Sparta Conflicts; Athenian
Tyrants & Democracy; Conflict Between Athens
And Darius Begins
Content of Histories (2)
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Book 6 Miletus Conquered & Ionian Revolt
Quelled; Thrace, Athos, acedonia Fall; Rivalry
Between Spartan Clemenes & Demaratus; AthensAegina Conflict;
Athens & Plataeans Defeat Persia At Marathon Under
Miltiades
Book 7 Darius Dies--Xerxes King;Invasion Of Thrace,
Thessalia;Athens And Sparta Unite;
Shipwrecks Of Persians;Leonidas' Defeat At
Thermopylae
Book 8 Battle At Artemesium;Attacks On Phocis,
Boeotia, Delphi, Plataea, Athens; Victory At Salamis
Book 9 Greek Victories At Plataea (Mardonius Killed);
Greeks Attack Thebes; Victory At Mycale, Siege Of
Sestos
Outline of Book 1
Mythical Origins of Conflict between
Greeks and Asiatic peoples
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Phoenicians abduct Io (Isis) daughter of king of
Argos to Egypt (or did she go willingly?).
Abduction of Tyre (in Phoenicia) king's daughter
Europa by Greeks
Abduction of Colchis king's daughter Medea by
Greeks
Abduction of Helen of Lacedaemonia by Alexander
(Paris) of Troy and subsequent destruction of Troy
[34]
Croesus Of Lydia (560-546)
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First to subdue and enslave Ionians, Aeolians, and Dorians in Asia Minor.
Ruled at peak of Lydian empire from Sardis
Predecessor Candaules displays his wife to Gyges, who kills Candaules at
her insistence
Delphic Pythia foretells vengeance in the 5th generation of Gyges
descendants [38]
Tale of Arion saved by the dolphin [42]
Visit of Solon of Athens: Tales of the men "most blessed of all" [45] "So,
Croesus, man is entirely what befalls him... To me it is clear that you are
very rich ..., but I cannot say of you of yet until I hear that you have
brought your life to an end well."[47] Croesus sends him away.
Croesus' son Atys killed by Adrastus accidentally in boar hunt, after Atys
insists in going along. [51]
Croesus seeks oracle whether of invade Persia- Delphi replies that "if he
made war on the Persians he would destroy a mighty empire" [55] and
that "whenever a mule [Cyrus] become sovereign king of the Medians"
he should flee.
Croesus Of Lydia (560-546)
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Croesus inquires of status of Greek cultures to win friendship withdigression on Athenian Pisistratus [57-61] & Lacedaemonians/Spartans
[61-5]
Croesus ignores warning [65]
Cr invades Syrian Cappadocia & is captured by Cyrus {546} [66-69]
Tale of Scythians feeding Cyaxeres boy's meat and fleeing to Lydia [67]
Sardis captured [72], Croesus' dumb son speaks out to save his father
[73]
Cyrus spares Croesus life when he calls out "Solon" on the burning
pyre and tells his story [73]
Croesus counsels Cyrus
The Pythia clarifies the oracles [76-7]
Lydian customs and "facts"
Assyrian/Median/Persian
History
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Assyrians ruled 1229-709
Medes revolt & is united by Deioces ruling from Ecbatana (modern Iran)
{704-647}
Phraortes {647-625}
Cyaxeres {625-585} (Scythians rule for 28 years {634-606})
Astyages (Median, rules {585-529}) fears a dream and marries his
daughter to a Persian, Cambyses. Astyages orders her son (Cyrus) to be
slain by Harpagus, but he turns Cyrus over to a shepherd.
Young Cyrus acts like a king, is brought to Astyages. Harpagus is fed
his son when Astyages learns of the deception.[88]
Harpagus incites Cyrus to revolt against Media {559}
Persian customs
Persian Empire Expansions
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Cyrus threatens the 12 Ionian cities of Panionium, first attacking
Phocaea (attack led by Harpagus)- they flee to Corsica.[107]. Ionia
enslaved by 545.[110]
Carians, Caunians, Lycians
Cyrus attacks Assyria including Babylon (established 612 after fall of
Nineveh, captured 538)
Babylonian rulers: Semiramis, Nitocris
Babylonian customs- compulsory sex at the temple of Aphrodite
Cyrus attacks the Massagetae (on the Asian steppes W of the
Caspian); their customs (get drunk on fruit). Queen Tomyris warns
Cyrus as does Croesus, but he ignores them and is slain (529)
Annals (Selected)
By Tacitus
Content
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Books 1-6: Tiberius (CE 14-37)
[most of Book 5 does not survive)
Books 7-12: Caligula & Claudius (CE 37-54)
[only part of book 11 and book 12 survive]
Books 13-16 (18?): Nero (CE 54-66 (68?))
[only up through part of book 16 survives]
Book 1 (1) (14-15 CE)
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1.1
Prologue
1.2-5 Quick account of Augustus, focusing on the end
14 CE: 1.6-1.54
1.6
"1st act of the new principate" — murder of Postumus Agrippa
1.7-10 Tiberius's first meeting with the senate and the funeral of
Augustus
1.11-15 Tiberius's second meeting with the senate; sycophancy
1.16-51 Revolt of the Pannonian and German legions
1.16-30 Revolt in Pannonia (roughly modern Bosnia)
1.31-51 Revolt of legions along the Rhine in Germany
1.52-54 Miscellaneous in Rome
Book 1 (2) (14-15 CE)
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15 CE: 1.55-1.81
1.55-71 Renewed war with Germans (esp. Segestes and Arminius)
55-56 Preliminaries
57-59 Segestes' capture & capitulation; Arminius' response
60-62 Discovery of the Teutoburg disaster
63-68 Battle in the marshes
69 Agrippina prevents panic
70-71 N ear disaster as Germanicus moves his troops
1.72-81 Miscellaneous in Rome, including the first treason trials
Book 2 (1)(16-19 CE)
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16 CE: 2.1-40
2.1-26
Foreign affairs
1-4
Disruptions in the East
5-26
Further campaigning in Germany
2.27-41
City affairs (sorting out the nature of Tiberius's command)
27-32 Treason case of Libo
33
Failed sumptuary legislation
34
L. Piso's attacks and Urgulania's influence with Livia
35-36 Gallus tests Tiberius about magistrates
37-38 Speeches of Hortalus and Tiberius about Hortalus's
poverty
39-40 Clemens pretends to be Postumus Agrippa
41
Miscellaneous dedications
Book 2 (2)(16-19 CE)
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17 CE: 2.41-52
2.41-43
Miscellaneous political & military,
including the triumph of Germanicus &
installation of Cn. Piso as governor of Syria
2.44-46
Further fighting in Germany
2.47-51
Miscellaneous political & military
2.52
War in Africa
Book 2 (3)(16-19 CE)
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18 CE: 2.53-58
2.53-58 Germanicus and Cn. Piso
53-55 Germanicus's tour of Greek
world & Piso's disparagement of Greeks
56-58 Beginning of operations in
Armenia; accelerating feud with Piso
Book 2 (4)(16-19 CE)
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19 CE: 2.59-88
2.59-68 Affairs in Germany and the East
2.69-75 Death and funeral of Germanicus
2.76-81 Wrangling over the fleet and
Syria
2.82-84 Mourning for Germanicus and the
birth of twins for Drusus
2.85-88 Miscellaneous business, including
the death of Arminius
Book 3 (1)(20-22 CE)
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20 CE: 3.1-30
3.1-6
Further funeral of Germanicus
3.7-19
Trial and condemnation of Cn. Piso
3.20-21 Tacfarinas in Africa
3.22-23 Lepida's condemnation
3.24
Restoration of D. Silanus (adulterer with the younger Julia)
3.25-28 Limits set to the lex Papia Poppaea (incl. digression on the
history of law)
3.29
Maturing of Nero Julius Caesar (son of Germanicus)
3.30
Death of L. Volusius and Sallustius Crispus
Book 3 (2)(20-22 CE)
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21 CE: 3.31-51
3.31-38 Miscellaneous
31
Dispute between Corbulo & Sulla
32
Further trouble with Tacfarinas
33
Severus Caecina tries to ban wives from the provinces
35-38 Further sycophancy and treason trials
3.39-47 Rebellions in Gaul
3.48
Death of Sulpicius Quirinius
3.49-51 Trial and condemnation of Clutorius Priscus for his poetry
(including defense by M. Lepidus in a direct speech).
Book 3 (3)(20-22 CE)
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22 CE: 3.52-76
3.52-55 Sumptuary legislation sidestepped by letter of Tiberius
(digression on luxury)
3.56-59 Tribunician power for Drusus
3.60-63 Right of "refuge" (asylia) among the Greek cities
3.64-65 Livia's health & a famous digression on the writing of
history
3.66-70 Trial of C. Silanus & others
3.71-72 Miscellaneous (incl. vows for Livia & restoration of the
Theater of Pompey)
3.73-74 Blaesus & the war in Africa
3.75-76 Miscellaneous significant deaths
Book 4 (1)(23-28 CE)
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23 CE: 4.1-16
4.1-3
Introduction to Aelius Sejanus
4.4-6
Review of the state of the state
4.7-11
Murder of, and mourning for,
Drusus (son of Tiberius)
4.12
Agrippina and sons
4.13-16 Miscellaneous business
Book 4 (2)(23-28 CE)
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24 CE: 17-33
4.17-22 Trials (18-19: Trial of C. Silius)
4.23-26 End of the war with Tacfarinas
4.27-31 Trials and informants (delatores),
incl. a son as the accuser of his father
4.32-33 Digression on the material and
usefulness of studying history
Book 4 (3)(23-28 CE)
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25 CE: 34-45
4.34-35 Trial and speech of Cremutius Cordus
4.36
Several accusations
4.37-38 Speech of Tiberius spurning the dedication of a
temple to himself
4.39-41 Sejanus requests to marry Livia and Tiberius
responds in a letter
4.42
Trial of Votienus Montanus, at which Tiberius
hears abuse
4.43-45 Miscellaneous deaths and requests from the
provinces
Book 4 (4)(23-28 CE)
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26 CE: 46-61
4.46-51 Sabinus's successful war with the
Thracians
4.52-54 Agrippina asks for a husband
4.55-56 Debate among the cities of Asia
Minor over a temple
4.57-60 Tiberius's withdrawal to Sperlonga;
plotting against Nero (son of Germanicus)
4.61
Prominent deaths
Book 4 (5)(23-28 CE)
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27 CE: 62-67
4.62-63 Collapse of amphitheater at
Fidenae
4.64-65 Fire on the Caelian Hill
4.66
Further trials
4.67
Retreat to the island of Capri
Book 4 (6)(23-28 CE)
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28 CE: 68-75
4.68-71 ***Trial of Titius Sabinus
4.72-73 Frisian revolt
4.74
Haughtiness of Tiberius and
Sejanus
4.75
Marriage of Agrippina (the
younger) to Domitius Ahenobarbus
Book 5(29 CE)
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5.1-2
Death and funeral of Livia
5.3-5
Accusations against Agrippina
(elder) & Nero (s. Germanicus)
Book 6 (1)(31-37CE)
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31 CE: 5.6-11
5.6-7
Tail end of a trial
5.8-9
Further trials and executions
of Sejanus's supporters
5.10-11 Miscellaneous
Book 6 (2)(31-37CE)
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32 CE: 6.1-14
6.1
Tiberius's lusts on the island of Capri
6.2-10
Trials and accusations (incl. speech of
Terentius)
6.11
Obituary of Piso and the City
Praefecture
6.12
Sibylline poems
6.13
Food crisis
6.14
Miscellaneous deaths
Book 6 (3)(31-37CE)
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33 CE: 15-27
6.15
Husbands for Drusilla & Julia
6.16-17 Financial troubles
6.18-19 Further trials
6.20-22 Marriage of Gaius Caligula & digressions
on prophecy and fate
6.23-26 Trials & suicides, incl. Drusus and
Agrippina (elder)
6.27
Obituaries of Aelius Lamia & M. Lepidus
Book 6 (4)(31-37CE)
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34 CE: 28-30
6.28
Appearance of the Phoenix in
Egypt
6.29-30 Constant slaughters of
accused and accusers
Book 6 (5)(31-37CE)
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35 CE: 31-39
6.31-37 Parthian affairs
6.38-39 More trials & deaths (incl.
Fulcinius Trio's public abuse of Tiberius)
Book 6 (6)(31-37CE)
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36 CE: 40-45
6.40
Long list of trials & deaths
6.41-44 Eastern affairs
6.45
Fire on the Aventine /
Tiberius's building program
Book 6 (7)(31-37CE)
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37 CE: 46-51
6.45-49 More trials, executions, &
suicides
6.50-51 Death of Tiberius
Book 11 (1)(47-48CE)
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47 CE: 1-22
11.1-4
Trial and suicide of Valerius Asiaticus
11.5-7
Debate over the Cincian Law
11.8-10
Parthian affairs
11.11-15 Miscellaneous in the city Celebration of the
Secular Games; M essalina's adultery with Silius; Claudius
as censor; digression on the alphabet; college of diviners
11.16-20 Military actions in Germany (incl. Corbulo)
11.21
Curtius Rufus & ghost story (cf. Pliny min. epist.
7.27.2-3)
11.22
Quaestors now give gladiatorial shows
Book 11 (2)(47-48CE)
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48 CE: 23-38
11.23-25 Debate over reforms in the
senate & Claudius's speech
11.26-38 Messalina's new marriage
(to Silius) and death
Book 12 (1)(48-54CE)
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48 CE: 1-4
12.1-4
Debate among the freedmen
(Narcissus, Pallas, Callistus) about a
new wife and arrangements for the
marriage of Domitius (Nero) and
Octavia
Book 12 (2)(48-54CE)
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49 CE: 5-24
12.5-7
Vitellius speaks in the senate in favor
of the (incestuous) marriage
12.8
Suicide of L. Silanus
12.9
Formal betrothal of Nero and Octavia
12.10-21 Affairs in the East
12.22
Agrippina eliminates rivals
12.23-24 Miscellaneous business in the city (incl.
extending the pomerium)
Book 12 (3)(48-54CE)
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50 CE: 25-40
12.25-26 Adoption of Nero
12.27-30 Events in Germany
12.31-40 Events in Britain (war with
Caratacus)
Book 12 (4)(48-54CE)
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51 CE: 41-51
12.41-42 Agrippina solidifies power (Nero
receives toga virilis; Burrus becomes
Praetorian Prefect)
12.43
Portents
12.44-51 Affairs in the East
Book 12 (5)(48-54CE)
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52 CE: 52-57
12.52
Trial of Furius Scribonianus
12.53
Legislation of Pallas
12.54-55 Affairs in Judea & Cilicia
12.56-57 Opening of the Fucine Lake
canal
Book 12 (6)(48-54CE)




53 CE: 58-63
12.58
Marriage of Nero & Octavia;
Nero advocates for cities
12.59
Trial and suicide of Statilius
Taurus
12.60-63 Assorted legislation (Cos &
Byzantium)
Book 12 (7)(48-54CE)



54 CE: 64-69
12.64-65 Elimination of Domitia Lepida
12.66-69 Murder of Claudius; accession
of Nero
Book 13 (1)(54-58CE)







54 CE: 1-10
13.1
First deaths of Nero's reign (Julius
Silanus & Narcissus)
13.2
Main influences on Nero (Agrippina &
Pallas; Seneca & Burrus)
13.3
Funeral of Claudius (incl. digression on
the eloquence of emperors)
13.4-5
Nero's first interactions with the senate
13.6-9
Eastern affairs & Corbulo
13.10
Miscellaneous
Book 13 (2)(54-58CE)





55 CE: 11-24
13.11-14 Nero's lust for the
freedwoman Acte; Agrippina's jealousy
13.15-17 Murder of Brittanicus
13.18-22 Accusation of Agrippina
13.23-24 Miscellaneous
Book 13 (3)(54-58CE)







56 CE: 25-30
13.25
Nero's nighttime forays and Julius
Montanus
13.26-27 Discussions in the senate about the
status of freedmen
13.28-29 Handling of magistracies
13.30
Suicides & trials
57 CE: 31-33
13.31-33 Miscellaneous
Book 13 (3)(54-58CE)







58 CE: 34-58
13.34-41 Eastern affairs & Corbulo
13.42-43 Trial of Suillius
13.44
Octavius Sagitta kills his mistress
13.45-46 Sabina Poppaea
13.47-52 Miscellaneous domestic affairs
13.53-58 Affaris in Germany
Book 14 (1)(59-62CE)





59 CE: 1-19
14.1-10 Murder of Agrippina
14.11-13 Aftermath of the murder
14.14-16 Nero, the games, and poets
14.17-19 Riot at Pompeii, expulsions from
the senate, prominent deaths
Book 14 (2)(59-62CE)





60 CE: 20-28
14.20-21 Scandal of the Quinquennial
Games (arguments pro & con)
14.22
Comet and rumors of Rubellius
Plautus taking command
14.23-26 Corbulo in the East
14.27-28 Miscellaneous
Book 14 (3)(59-62CE)



61 CE: 29-47
14.29-39 Boudicca's rebellion
14.40-47 Crimes, esp. debate over
whether an entire establishment (fam ilia)
of slaves should be killed because one killed
his master
Book 14 (4)(59-62CE)







62 CE: 48-65
14.48-49 Treason trial of Antistius (Thrasea speaks up)
14.50
Treason trial of Fabricius Veiento (author of
literary wills)
14.51-56
Death of Burrus / sinking of Seneca (request
for retirement, Nero's response)
14.57-59
Murders of Sulla & Rubellius Plautus
14.60-64
Divorce & execution of Octavia; marriage to
Poppaea
14.65
Assorted deaths of freedmen
Book 15 (1)(62-65CE)







62 CE: 1-22
15.1-17
Affairs in Armenia (disgraceful defeat of
Caesennius Paetus)
15.18-22
Miscellaneous in Rome (speech of Thrasea
Paetus about haughty provincials)
63 CE: 23-32
15.23
Birth & death of Nero's daughter
15.24-31
Affairs in the East (return of Corbulo;
submission of Tiridates)
15.32
Miscellaneous in Rome
Book 15 (2)(62-65CE)








64 CE: 33-47
15.33-34
Nero's desire to perform
15.35
Suicide of Torquatus Silanus
15.36
Decision to stay in Rome
15.37
Banquet of Tigellinus and Nero's
marriage to Pythagoras
15.38-45
Great fire and Nero's Golden House
(Domus Aurea)
15.46
Gladiator revolt at Praeneste
15.47
Assorted portents
Book 15 (3)(62-65CE)













65 CE: 48-74
15.48-74
Conspiracy of Piso
48 Description of Piso
49-50 The primary conspirators
51 Epicharis attempts to sway nauarch Proculus & is betrayed by him
52-53 The plan
54-56 Exposure of the plan when Scaevinus is betrayed by his freedman
Milichus
57 Torture & suicide of Epicharis
58 Rounding up of conspirators; equivocation of Faenius Rufus
59 Attempt to rally Piso; Piso's suicide
60-65 Suicide of Seneca
66-70 Deaths of others of the most prominent of the conspirators (66–
Faenius Rufus; 67–Sabrius Flavus; 68-69–Vestinus; 70–Lucan)
71-74 Further aftermath of the conspiracy
Book 16 (1)(65-66CE)








65 CE: 1-13
16.1-3
False gold hunt of Caesellius Bassus
16.4-5
Games at which Nero performs
16.6-9
Accusations and executions
16.10-11
Triple suicide of L. Vetus, Sextia, and
Pollitta (Antistia)
16.12
Miscellaneous (incl. changing names of
months)
16.13
Portents and miscellaneous
Book 16 (2--1)(65-66CE)






66 CE: 14-35
16.14-15
Suicides of Anteius & Ostorius
Scapula upon betrayal by Antistius Sosianus
16.16
Digression on method
16.17
Sequence of forced suicides
(Annaeus Mela, Cerialis Anicius, Rufrius Crispinus)
16.18-19
Suicide of Petronius
16.20
Exile of sex toy Silia; execution of
Minucius Thermus by Tigellinus
Book 16 (2--2)(65-66CE)










16.21-35
Accusations of Barea Soranus & Thrasea Paetus
21 Background of the case against Thrasea
22 Capito Cossutianus's accusation against Thrasea
23 The case against Barea Soranus & timing of the accusations
24 Thrasea's note to Nero
25-26 Debate among supporters as to what Thrasea should do
27-29 Thrasea's challenge to the senate & M arcellus's vitriolic
response
30-32 Accusation of Soranus & his daughter Servilia
33 Verdicts
34-35 Suicide of Thrasea
Basic Skills on History Papers
Reading (1)
Ways of academic reading and its
skills
Ways of academic reading(1)

Read in the right order
Make sure you look at a book that will give you the
general picture or background to what you are studying
first. If you do not know which this is, ask your tutor.
Then turn to the more difficult monographs and try to
understand the gist of what the writer is saying. Skip the
more difficult passages at this stage. You can return to
them when you have gained more insight.
Ways of academic reading(2)

Learn to ‘gut’ whole book
Read introductions, conclusions, relevant chapters, and
index references. Concentrate on new information and
ensure that you gain knowledge of what important
scholars in the field are saying.
Ways of academic reading(3)

Read around the subject
Don’t limit yourself to recommended books. Be
adventurous and consult primary sources if you are able.
Do, however, read any book your tutor has said is central
to the subject.
Ways of academic reading(4)

Take notes
Don’t simply copy. Jot down the ‘facts’, e.g. dates, names,
places, then concentrate on arguments and reasons. Read
sections/chapters in one go then summarize the argument
and evidence.
Keep your notes short and to the point. Ensure that you
will still understand them in 2 years later.
Ways of academic reading(5)

Read critically
Look for footnotes—what sources are being used? Why? What is the
relevance/weight?
Try to deconstruct the book (time permitting)—break it into its
constituent parts.
Be suspicious. Are the arguments logical, believable, true? e.g. Do they
truly relate to the original documents?
Is the evidence supporting the argument believable, accurate, based on
primary sources, correctly interpreted, substantiated with logical
reasoning, supported by scholarship and scholars in the field? Does it
make sense?
Academic Reading Skills
General knowledge


Try to guess the meaning of unfamiliar
words from context.
Read in group of words (ie. phrases and
clauses) rather than single word.
How to skimming




Move eyes across the lines rapidly.
Do not stop. Always look forward. Do
not look back.
Focus as much as possible on key
words.
Remember that the first sentence
usually prepares the reader for the para.
How to scanning





Read the question.
Decide what kind of information you are
looking for- e.g. A number, a data, a person’s
name.
Look only for that information. Do not read
every word in every sentence.
Find the sentence you think has the answer.
Read this sentence to be certain you have
the correct answer.
Write the answer.
Skim for topic/thesis/what the
article or book is about






Assess article/book-how long? Who by?
Speed is important-keep looking forwards,
don’t stop to read more at the stage.
Introduction para-is there a topic
sentence/thesis?
Conclusion-is there a ‘therefore’ statement?
If necessary look for topic sentences at
beginning of paras
Focus on key words.
Scan for answers to questions
which, what, why, when, how…





Look for main points, ie. first level details-these should be
in separate paras or groups of paras.
Who or what is each para about? What does the writer
really want me to know about the who or what?
Make a note in one sentence or phrase about each main
point.
Look for specific information such as numbers, dates,
names…
Is the main point of the para explicitly stated of implied?
Make a note.
Detailed reading for reasons
and explanations




Look for the second level details ie. examples,
explanations, specific cases…
Fit these details to the main idea in your mind.
Make a note of necessary details against the
main points
Note the patterns of writing-how the details
been organized.
Detailed reading





What is the structure of the piece?
Is it academically written?
What transitions, vocabulary, phrases
are new to you? Make a note.
How are some of the sentences
structured?
How are the details organized? Why?
Critical analysis





Who is the author? What are their credentials? Date
of publication?
Is this a scholarly article? Who is the publisher? Is
the article/book written in an
academic/journalistic/popular style? Make a note.
Check the bibliography-what works are cited?
Authors attitude-is the author objective? Is the
author arguing from a particular perspective? If so,
which? Make a note.
How strong is any data used? Is it new research?
Make a note.
UNIT TWO





MIDDLE AGES
Goals
Background Knowledge
The City of God（Selected） by Sanit.
Augustine
Life of King Louis the Fat by Abbot
Suger
Basic Skills on History Papers Reading
（Ⅱ）
Goals




Learn the development of Western historiography
in Middle Ages
Study The city of God (Selected)by St.Augustine
Study Life of King Louis the Fat by Abbot Suger
Get advanced knowledge on history papers
reading and basic skill on academic paragraph
writing.
Background Knowledge



Christianity History in Early Middle
Ages
History of Europe Countries in
Middle Ages
Conclusion: Main Characters of
medieval history
Christianity History in
Early Middle Ages



Sextm Julius Africanus阿非利加那
Eusebius攸西比乌斯
St·Augustine奥古斯丁
Sextm Julius Africanusc. 160-c.
240


Julius Africanus is the father of Christian chronography.
The works of S. Julius Africanus are:
(1) The "Chronicle" (Gk. Chronographiai) in five books,
covering the time from the Creation (B.C. 5499 in his
calculation) to the third year of Eliogabalus (A.D. 221). It
is an attempt to combine the account in the Bible and the
secular (Roman and Greek) history known to the author,
with special regard to chronology;
(2) The "Embroideries" (Gk. kestoi; compare the title of
Clem. Alex.: stromata), also called "Puzzles" (Gk.
paradoxa), is a kind of encyclopedia of sciences -mathematics, botany, medicine, etc.
Eusebius of Cæsarea(a city in
Palestine, 260-340)




The Chronicle ---Consists of two parts: the first was
probably called by Eusebius the “Chronograph” or
“Chronographies”; the second he terms the “Canon”, and
also the “Chronological Canons”. It is brought down to the
year 225. The "Chronography" is an epitome of universal
history. It is divided into five parts: (1) the history of the
Chaldeans, and the Assyrians, followed by lists of the
Assyrian, Median, Lydian, and Persian kings; (2) Old
Testament history; (3) Egyptian history; (4) Grecian
history; (5) Roman history.
The Church History
The Life of Constantine
On the Martyrs of Palestine
St. Augustine of Hippo (354430)


The Confessions are the history of his heart;
the Retractations, of his mind; while the Letters
show his activity in the Church.
In The City of God (begun in 413, but Books
20-22 were written in 426) Augustine answers
the pagans, who attributed the fall of Rome
(410) to the abolition of pagan worship.
Considering this problem of Divine Providence
with regard to the Roman Empire, he widens
the horizon still more and in a burst of genius
he creates the philosophy of history, embracing
as he does with a glance the destinies of the
world grouped around the Christian religion,
the only one which goes back to the beginning
and leads humanity to its final term. The City of
God is considered as the most important work
of the great bishop.
Historians of Middle Ages


Gregoly, Paul, Bede, Lambert, Otto,
Arnulf, Eunapius, Procopius, Psellos etc.
Seen in textbook.
Characters of church history



Put the fate of humanity under God control.
Regard human history as a complete
conflicting course between good and bad,
the city of god and the city of earth.
Religion, Legend, instead of Science,
Historical relation became the main
characters of this time.
The City of God (Selected)
By St. Augustine of Hippo
Selections

Book XIV Chap. 28
Of The Nature Of The Two Cities, The Earthly
And The Heavenly

Book XV. CHAP. 4
Of The Conflict And Peace Of The Earthly City

Book 19. CHAP. 17.
What Produces Peace, And What Discord,
Between The Heavenly And Earthly Cities
Life of King Louis the Fat
By Abbot Suger
Suger, abbot of Saint-Denis
(1081-1151).



Abbot Suger on the
Abbey Church of St.Denis and Its Art
Treasures.
Council of Louis 6th and
Louis 7th.
Author of Life of King
Louis the Fat
Summary of Life of King
Louis the Fat (1)



PROLOGUE
Chapter 1: How valiant he was in youth, and
with what energy he repelled the king of the
English, William Rufus, when he attacked
Louis' inherited kingdom.
Chapter 2: How he restrained Bouchard de
Montmorency, a noble man, and all his
followers from attacking St. Denis.
Summary of Life of King
Louis the Fat (2)


Chapter 3: How Count Matthew of Beaumont
was forced to restore the castle of Luzarches
to Hugh of Clermont when the Lord Louis had
besieged that castle with powerful forces.
Chapter 4: How when he was besieging
another castle belonging to the same
Matthew, Chambly, a sudden storm forced his
army to flee; how without Louis' valiant
resistance his army would have been all but
wiped out; and how Matthew humbly gave
him satisfaction.
Summary of Life of King
Louis the Fat (3)







Chapter 5: Concerning Ebles, Count of Roucy
Chapter 6: The castle of Meung
Chapter 7: The castle of Montaigu
Chapter 8: How Milo entered the castle of
Montlhery
Chapter 9: Bohemond, prince of Antioch
Chapter 10: Pope Paschal II's visit
Chapter 11: Concerning the capture of castle
of Gournay
Summary of Life of King
Louis the Fat (4)





Chapter 12: Concerning the capture of the castle of
Sainte-Severe.
Chapter 13: Of the death of King Philip.
Chapter 14: Of his solemn elevation to the throne.
Chapter 15: Of the Capture of La Ferte-Baudoin and
the freeing of the Count of Corbeil and Anselm of
Garlande.
Chapter 16: Of the interview between King Louis and
Henry, king of the English, of Neaufles.
Summary of Life of King
Louis the Fat (5)


Chapter 17: How William, his brotherin-law, committed treason against Guy
at Roche-Guyon; of Guy's death and the
prompt revenge taken against William.
Chapter 18: How he seized the castles
of Mantes and Montlhery from his
brother Philip, despite Philip's
resistance.
Basic Skills on History Papers
Reading (2)
Notes Taking
SEE: Importance on Notes-Taking



S: time saving.
E: easier to work later.
E: easier to remember later.
Guidelines for notes-taking






Use phrases instead of complete sentences.
Avoid using unusual abbreviations as a form of
shorthand in notes-taking.
Identify facts and opinions as you take notes.
Facts of common knowledge such as, Herodotus the
father of history, do not have to be documented.
When copying quotations, use ellipses if you omit a
few words.
Keep all your note cards until surely you do not need
them.
PSCD: Methods for notes-taking




Paraphrase: express the article in your
own words.
Summarize: put a long opinion in a few
of words.
Comment on: add your own opinion on
the note card.
Directly quote: just coping.
Format of note card



Topic and source
reference on the top
Main idea in the
middle
Page number and
card serial number
at the bottom
UNIT THREE
TIMES
MODERN
 Goals





Background Knowledge
A Global History（Selected） by L.S.
Stavrianos
The Age of Capital （Selected） by Eric
Hobsbawn
The Significance of the Frontier in American
History by Frederick Jackson Turner
Basic Skills on History Papers Reading （Ⅲ
）
 Goals

Learn the development of Western
historiography in Modern Times.
Study A Global History（Selected） by L.S.

Study The Age of Capital （Selected） by Eric

Study The Significance of the Frontier in

Stavrianos.
Hobsbawn.
American History by Frederick Jackson
Turner.

Acquire advanced knowledge on history
papers reading and basic skills on academic
papers writing.
 Background Knowledge


Introduction the Development of History
in Modern Times
Introduction Several Main Historians in
This Age
 the Development of History
in Modern Times






The
The
The
The
The
The
combining of history and pilitics
rise of Humanism History
appearance of Rationalism History
birth of Gottingen School
birth of Ranker School
birth of Markism History
 Introduction Several Main
Historians in This Age
1) Machiavelli(1469-1527)
 The father of modern
political theory.
 His most famous work is
The Prince which was
wroten in 1513.

His other works include Florentine
Histories, Discourses on the First Decade of
Titus Livius (commonly known as The
Discourses), a Life of Castruccio Castrancani
(unfinished), a History of the Affairs of Lucca,
Seven Books on the Art of War.

Machiavelli's contribution lies in that he
combined the historical facts and political
theories together.



Guicciardini(148
3-1540)
Francesco Guicciardini (March
6, 1483 - May 22, 1540) was
an Italian historian and
statesman. A friend and critic
of Niccolò Machiavelli, he is
considered one of the major
political writers of the Italian
Renaissance.
Guicciardini is considered as
the Father of Modern History,
due to his use of government
documents to verify his
"History of Italy."
His History of Italy

Guicciardini is, however, better known as the
author of the History of Italy. He is an
impartial spectator, a cold and curious critic. This
want of feeling impairs the interest of his history.
He does not seem to be aware that he is writing a
great historical tragedy from his own times. He
takes as much pains on a petty war with Pisa as in
probing the papacy. Whatever he touches, lies
already dead on the dissecting table. He fails to
understand the vigour of the forces contending in
Europe for mastery; this is very noticeable in what
he writes about the Reformation. The History of
Italy was still undoubtedly the greatest
historical work that had appeared in the early
modern era. It remains the solid monument of the
Italian reason in the 16th century.



Flavio Biondo (1392-1463)
Flavio Biondo was an Italian
Renaissance humanist historian.
He was the historian who coined
the term Middle Ages and is
known as one of the first
archaeologists.
His historical works
Biondo's greatest works were
Italy Illuminated, (written
between 1448 and 1458,
published 1474) and the Decades
of History from the Deterioration
of the Roman Empire, (written
from 1439 to 1453, published in
1483).
Flavio Biondo's
gravestone in Rome

His Italy Illuminated (1474) is a geography, based on the
author's personal travels, and history of eighteen Italian
provinces. Unlike medieval geographers, whose focus was
regional, Biondo, taking Strabo (a geographer of acient
Greece) for his model, reinstated the idea of Italy to include
the whole of the peninsula. Through topography, he
intended to link Antiquity with modern times, with
descriptions of each location, the etymology of its toponym
and its changes through time, with a synopsis of important
events connected with each location. This first historical
geography starts with the Roman Republic and Empire,
through 400 years of barbarian invasions and an analysis of
Charlemagne and later Holy Roman Emperors. He gives an
excellent description of the humanist revival and restoration
of the classics during the first half of the fifteenth century.

Flavio's greatest work is the Decades of History from the
Deterioration of the Roman Empire, a history of Europe in
three "decades" and the start of a fourth, of thirty-two books
from the plunder of Rome in 410 by Athanaric, to then
current-day Italy in 1442. Using only the most reliable and
primary sources, it was highly influential in furthering the
chronological notion of a Middle Age that lay between the
fall of Rome and Flavio's own time. It is the first work in
which the term Middle Age is used; earlier Leonardo Bruni
was the first to conceptualize the concept of a three-tiered
history in his History of the Florentine People and a century
earlier the concept of a Dark Ages had been laid out by
Petrarch.




Lorenzo Valla (14071457)
Lorenzo Valla was an
Italian humanist,
rhetorician, and
educator.
He believed that history
is the foundation and
core of all knowledge.
His book marks the birth
of literature Collation.


Jean Bodin （1530～1596
）
Bodin was a French jurist
and political philosopher,
member of the Parlement
(not to be confused with
the English Parliament) of
Paris and professor of Law
in Toulouse. He is best
known for his theory of
sovereignty.

Bodin has made a contribution on the development
of history. In 1566, he published The Means of
Understanding History which is the first detailed
books of history theory in Western Europe. He
opposed the popular historical cycle theory and put
forward the concept of historical progress. He
pointed out that history is a special subject like
science, he also proposed the geographical
environment played a decisive role on the
development of the history theory. At that time
conditions, these ideas may be brilliant insights.
G.Vico (1668-1744)
 He is an Italian famous jurist
and historian.
 He firstly dissertated on
associations of literary and
Historical.
 He had repeatedly expressed
the views in his book The New
Science:





Poems must be the first family's historian of all
ethnic groups.
All ancient history origin myths.
These myths initially were the true history.
Before Herodotus, the history of the Greek
peoples were written by their poems.



Leopolde von
Ranke (1795—
1886)
He was a German historian of
the 19th century, and frequently
considered one of the founders
of modern source-based history.
Ranke set the tone for much of
later historical writing,
introducing such ideas as
reliance on primary sources, an
emphasis on narrative history
and especially international
politics and a commitment to
writing history "as it essentially
[was]" .
 Selected Readings


A Global History（Selected） by L.S.
Stavrianos
About L.S. Stavrianos

L.S. Stavrianos (1913-2004 )
He was a Greek-Canadian historian. His most
influential books are considered to be A Global
History: From Prehistory to the 21st Century and
The Balkans since 1453. He was one of the very
first historians who challenged the prejudiced
Orientalist views of Ottoman Empire.


About A Globe History
This classic exploration of
world history takes an
interdisciplinary global (rather
than a regional or national)
approach--tracing those major
forces, movements, and events
that have had a world-wide
impact. It stresses connections
between the past, present and
future, emphasizing the
question "What does it mean
for us today?"

About Selected Reading
 Europe’s Science and Industrial
Revolutions
 Europe’s Political Revolutions
 Detailed contents please see the
textbook

The Age of Capital （Selected） by Eric
Hobsbawn

About Eric Hobsbawn

Eric Hobsbawn (1917- )
He is a British Marxist historian and author. He
has written extensively on many subjects as one
of Britain's most prominent historians. As a
Marxist historiographer he has focused on
analysis of the "dual revolution" (the political
French revolution and the industrial British
revolution. Hobsbawm has been described as
"arguably our greatest living historian — not only
Britain's, but the world's."

About The Age of Capital
In this book, Eric Hobsbawm
chronicles the events and
trends that led to the
triumph of private enterprise
and its exponents in the
years between 1848 and
1875. Along with
Hobsbawm's other volumes,
this book constitutes and
intellectual key to the origins
of the world in which we
now live.

About Selected Reading
 The spring time of peoples.
 Detailed contents please see the
textbook.
The Significance of the
Frontier in American History by

Frederick Jackson Turner

About Frederick Jackson
Turner
Frederick Jackson Turner (18611932) is widely regarded, along
with Charles A. Beard, as one of
the two most influential
American historians of the early
20th century. He is best known
for his "Frontier Thesis”.

About The Significance of the Frontier in
American History

Turner first published this paper in Chicago to the
American Historical Association during the Chicago
World's Fair in July 12, 1893. In it, he stated that
the spirit and success of the United States is directly
tied to the country's westward expansion. According
to Turner, the forging of the unique and rugged
American identity occurred at the juncture between
the civilization of settlement and the savagery of
wilderness. This produced a new type of citizen one with the power to tame the wild and one upon
whom the wild had conferred strength and
individuality.

Detailed contents please see the
textbook
美国西海岸
 Basic Skills on History Papers
Reading （Ⅲ）

How to research a topic

Defining

Locating

Selecting

Organising

Presenting

Evaluating