Rome Syllabus Dr. Christopher Craun
History 4391 416 Irby Hall
craunc@uca.edu
Office Hrs: MWF: 11-12 AM and 1PM – 2:30 PM 501-450-5036
T/TH: by appointment
This class will cover the major events in Roman History from its foundations until its devolution into Eastern and Western territories during the Fifth Century CE. There will be a lot of reading and quite a bit of work involved—be warned! The class time will be spent in a mixture of lecture and discussion. Grades will be figured on the following rubric:
1) Discussion and participation: 100 points
2) Weekly summaries of primary sources: 200 points
3) Two exams: 400 points
4) Final Essay Exam: 200 points
5) Research paper: 100 points
Each of these categories is described below in greater detail.
- Discussion/participation will be a mixture of class attendance and involvement. Merely showing up to class will NOT earn you full credit! There is no set penalty for each absence and attendance will not be taken. However, frequent absences will be noted and will not help your grade.
- This syllabus lists assigned readings for the entire semester. A portion of each week’s readings are from the RC1 or RCII volumes; these contain extracts from primary sources. Each week, you are expected to write a 2-page, double-spaced summary of one or two of these extracts. For example if pp. 37-45 consist of two short extracts and one long extract, you could write your paper entirely around the long extract or you could compare the two shorter ones. These extracts are due on the Monday of each week except for Exam weeks, when you do not have to do them at all. This should add up to twelve summaries. Ten will be graded (20 pts apiece) and two will be ‘bonus’ points (10 pts each) which I will apply to your grade at the end of the semester.
- There will be two exams in this course aside from the final. Each will cover roughly half the material in the class. They will consist of terms, multiple-choice questions, true/false questions, and short answers. Each is worth 200 points. These tests are intended to measure your grasp of detail.
- There will be a final essay exam, which is comprehensive and will consist of a series of essays. You will have a list of possible essays at least one week in advance of the test in order to prepare. Essays should be written clearly, in good prose, with a clear introduction, body and conclusion.
- You are expected to write a 10-12 page research paper concerning a topic within Roman Civilization. This may include Roman literature, architecture, art, religion, or politics. It should have a clear argumentative thesis and be based upon at least two primary sources (in translation) and a minimum of eight secondary sources. The paper should be in Turabian style with either footnotes or endnotes. NO PARENTHETICALS! A written thesis statement should be handed in March 21st worth 10pts. The paper will be due April 14th with a 10% penalty for each day thereafter.
Resources: I highly recommend that you check out the Internet Ancient History Sourcebook or the Internet Medieval Sourcebook when looking for primary sources to use in your paper. Both sites are from Fordham University and present translations of many cool texts. Google them and check them out!
General Class Rules
1) Attendance is important to your grade! While a very small portion of you may be able to pass this class on the reading alone, the vast majority will suffer without the extra support of lectures and classroom discussion. Coming to class is the single best way to positively affect your grade. I will not treat you as children and take roll every class period. If you miss a lecture however, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed.
2) Make-up exams may only be arranged with me before an absence or afterwards in unavoidable emergencies. The definition of an unavoidable emergency is up to my discretion, i.e.–your excuse had better be very compelling and should probably involve such things as a sudden appendectomy or automobile accident. Reading responses may not be made up.
3) Dates for exams and the paper will be announced in advance during class. Reserve a specific area in your notebook to keep track of these dates in order to be prepared.
4) Academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade. See statement in the UCA Student Handbook.
5) UCA adheres to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need an accommodation under this Act due to a disability, please contact the UCA Office of Disability Services at 450-3135.
6) UCA adheres to the uniform Sexual Harassment Policy for state universities. Please refer to the UCA Student Handbook for more information.
7) Disruption of class and disrespectful conduct will not be tolerated, period. Repeat offenders will be asked to leave class. Orderly discussion, however, will make the class more enjoyable and stimulating for everyone. A key goal of World History I is the analysis of earlier world cultures which have shaped later civilizations, including our own, a great deal. Feel free to ask questions in an open and supportive atmosphere.
Lecture and Assignment Schedule:
Week 1)
- Discussion of the Italian Peninsula’s geography, climate, and early peoples. Read HRP, pp. 1-22, and RC1, pp. 51-56.
- Continue Lesson a, and begin discussion of the Etruscans and pre-Republican Rome. Read HRP, pp. 22-47, and RC1, pp. 56 -74.
- Continue Lesson b.
Week 2
- Roman Republic; Read HRP, pp. 48-65,
- Continued discussion of the Roman Republic; Read RC1, pp. 94-136.
- Roman Conquest of Italian tribes; Read HRP, pp. 66-80, and RC1, pp. 75-94
Week 3
- Conquest, imperialism and 1st Punic War. Read HRP, 81-90.
- 20 yr truce and the 2nd Punic War. Read HRP, pp. 91-110
- Punic Wars; Read RC1, pp. 159-182.
Week 4
- Early Roman religion, custom and law.
Read, RC1, pp. 136-158
- Imperialism after the Punic Wars. Read HRP, pp. 111-130.
- Primary documents from this period. Read RC1, pp. 179-210.
Week 5
- Internal effects of Imperialism. Read HRP, pp. 131-154
- Primary Documents, Read RC1, pp. 237-248
- Gracchi and Land Reforms; Read HRP, pp. 155-166
Week 6
- Gracchi continued. Read RC1, pp. 249-270
- Breakdown of the Republic. Read HRP, pp. 167-209
- Resorting to Violence. Read RC1, pp. 283-298
Week 7
- Julius Caesar, Read HRP, pp. 209-231.
- Views of Caesar, Read RC1, pp. 299-317
- Culture of the Late Republic, Read HRP, pp. 249-270
Week 8
- Exam I
- End of the Republic, beginning of Empire, Read HRP, pp. 232-248
- Relationship between Ruler and Ruled at the time of Augustus. Read RC1, pp. 370-409.
Week 9
- Augustan Reform. Read HRP, pp. 271-298.
- Read RC1, pp. 555-572; 620-621; 625-627; 640.
- Augustan Culture and literature, Read HRP, pp. 299-313 and RCII, pp. 503-505; 514-529 PAPER THESES DUE!
Week 10
- The Julio Claudians, Read HRP, pp. 314-339. RCII, pp. 19-26; 50-55; 114-116; 318-323.
- Crisis and Recovery—the Flavians. Read HRP, pp. 339-350. RCII, pp. 135-144
- The Five ‘Good’ Emperors, Read HRP, pp. 350-370. RCII, pp. 5-16; 278-283; 288-295; 459-466.
Week 11
- Roman Culture in the early Imperial Age, Read HRP, pp. 371-397 and RCII, pp. 530-548; 362-371; 323-331.
- The Severi. Read HRP, pp. 398-409 and RCII, pp. 404-412; 444-449.
- The Crisis of the Barracks Emperors. Read HRP, pp. 410-420 and RCII, pp. 380-383; 479-490; 457-459.
Week 12
- Diocletian and the Tetrarchy. Read HRP, 421-431 and RCII, pp. 413-428.
- Constantine the Great. Read HRP, 432-443 and RCII, pp. 429-443
- Culture in the Late Imperial Age, Read HRP, pp. 444-458.
Week 13
- Christianity and its triumph. PAPERS DUE!!! Read RCII, pp. 550-582.
- Wars of the Christian Emperors and Theodosius. Read HRP, pp. 458-468 and RCII, pp. 583-597; 608-618.
- Loss of the West. Read HRP, pp. 468-480 and RCII, pp. 618-630.
Week 14
- Survival (?) of the East. Read, HRP, pp. 481-487.
- World of Late Antiquity
- Exam II.