Arch of Constantine, Rome

History 203:  Ancient Rome: Republic, Empire and the Rise Christianity
John Lewis     Spring, 2007
Office:  113 Andrews   Phone: 5346    classicalideals@yahoo.com
Office Hours: Drop in, or by appointment (send me an email)
Website:  www.classicalideals.com

Ancient Rome is a cultural and political phenomenon that remains unmatched in western history.  The challenges facing Roman government and society were particularly strong at the end of the Republican period, and during the rise of Christianity.  The difficulties included foreign threats, political conspiracies, and internal conflicts between upholders of pagan and Christian values.  These conflicts could threaten Rome’s political stability if not her very survival.

To investigate these issues we will not adopt a broad-based, survey approach.  Instead we will read several Roman writers in-depth, and peer into selected events, placing them into a general chronology of Roman history.  Livy, in his Early History of Rome, paints us a picture both of Rome’s founding as well as of the character of the Roman people. Polybius’ Rise of the Roman Empire are the views of a Greek who observed the conquest of the Mediterranean by Rome, including the final destruction of Carthage; we will read his Book 6 on the Roman Constitution.  Other writers such as Sallust, Plutarch and Cassius Dio dealt with military leaders and emperors, bringing to life their virtues and depravity; Dio, for instance, is concerned with the ascension of Augustus. Such accounts can be in marked contrast with the claims of a man such as Augustus himself.  Eusebius, The History of the Church from Christ to Constantine adopts a Christian perspective to record the lives and virtues of the founders of the early church. Olympiodorus of Thebes tells us about the events leading up to the sack of Rome in AD 410.

Two short Writing Assignments:  Two short written essays, typed, edited for proper grammar, expressing an argument and supporting the argument with information from the readings, as described below. Chicago style of citations preferred. No late papers will be accepted.

A Research Paper will be the capstone of the course.  Select your topic and follow the guidelines from the bibliography / research topic sheet.  You need to have a topic selected by the Midterm exam. Submit by week 15 (April 17). This is something that we should talk about during the course. The earlier you get on this, the better. 15 pages (approx. 4500-5000 words)

Grading:  Based on the two writing assignments (10% each); the Research Paper (30%), a Midterm (20%), and Final Exam (30%).  Class participation can influence your final grade by up to one letter value.  Please commit to making our class discussions lively. Because this class meets once per week, and the second class is missed for MLK Day, no absences from class can be accepted.

Accommodations Statement from Classroom Support Services:  “For students who have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please let me know early in the semester so that your learning needs can be appropriately met.  It is your responsibility to provide documentation for your disability to the Office of Disability Services, 105 Amstutz Hall, ext. 5953.”

Academic Responsibility and Integrity Statement: “Academic integrity must be maintained at all times.  No form of cheating or plagiarism will be tolerated.  Such actions will be dealt with in accordance with the procedures documented in the Ashland University Student Handbook.”

Plagiarism:  This is my standard paragraph, and standard promise.  Plagiarism results in an F for the paper, and may result in an F for the course.  ALL plagiarism is reported to the registrar’s office, no exceptions, ever.  Please note carefully: plagiarism is stealing someone else’s work and passing it off as your own.  ANY DIRECT COPYING that is not enclosed in quotation marks is plagiarism, even if the source is cited.  USING SOMEONE ELSE’S IDEAS WITHOUT CITATION is plagiarism, even if you do not quote the words exactly.  If you are in doubt, come see me in advance.  INTERNET WEB SITES ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR WRITTEN WORK, unless discussed in advance.  For this course you must go to the library, and read books.  If you wish to use an internet source, please see me first.

Primary Source Readings:

Livy The Early History of Rome

Polybius The Rise of the Roman Republic
Cassius Dio The Roman History: The Reign of Augustus

Eusebius’ The History of the Church from Christ to Constantine

            Olympiodorus of Thebes (handout)

            Plutarch, Life of Julius Caesar (Handout)

Augustus Res Gestae (Handout)         

Secondary Sources

            M. Le Glay A History of Rome (Oxford, Blackwell, 2005)

Secondary Sources (Library):

             The Oxford Classical Dictionary (OCD) (Use this for all topics)

            The Cambridge Ancient Histories (Library Reference)

Internet Sources (OK, two exceptions):

            Roman Emperor’s Site:  http://www.roman-emperors.org/

            Perseus:  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/

SCHEDULE

ROME’S RISE, AND THE REPUBLICAN CONSTITUTION

Week 1, 1/5:  MLK Day, No Classes 

Week 2, 1/22: Basic Roman History
            Lecture on Basic Chronology

Week 3, 1/29:  Livy on Kingship and the Republic    
Read:   Livy Early History Book 1 (pp. 33-101)

            Penguin Atlas 12-21

Short Paper (1000 Words) Due 2/5: Evaluate Livy’s account of the establishment of the Republic. How and why, according to Livy, did the Romans do this? What interpretation can you make of Livy’s own method?

Week 4, 2/5 Livy on Rome’s Dominance of Italy

Read:   Livy Early History Books 2 through 3.56 (to p.246).

            Penguin Atlas to p.23

Week 5, 2/12  Polybius on the Roman Constitution

Read:   Polybius Rise Book 6 (pp.302-352)

Week 6,  2/19:  Polybius on the First Punic War
Read:  Polybius Rise Book 1

                        Penguin Atlas to p.25

Week 7,  2/26: The Crisis of the Republic

Read:   Plutarch, Tiberius Gracchus (Handout)

                        Penguin Atlas to p.37

THE IMPERIAL SOLUTION

Week 8, 3/5: The Fall of the Republic

Read:   Plutarch Julius Caesar (Handout)

            Week 9, 3/12: Spring Break

Week 10, 3/19:  Augustus and the Principate
Read:   Augustus Res Gestae (Handout)
            Cassius Dio The Roman History Books 50-52

Week 11, 3/26: The Augustus Constitution and the Julio-Claudian Emperors

Read:   Cassius Dio The Roman History Books 53, 56 .

            Penguin Atlas to p.57

Short Paper (1000 Words), Due 3/26:  Write an essay on the “Crisis of the Republic” and the Imperial Solution.  Examine one of the issues that led to the collapse of the Republic, and how the Romans reformed their system.  Use Polybius, Plutarch, et al as required. 

Week 12, 4/2:  The Emperors

(Handout)

Penguin Atlas to p.101

THE CHRISTIAN REVOLUTION

Week 13,  4/9:  Eusebius on the History of the Church
Read:  Eusebius History, Book 2.22-Book 3 (Penguin 57-104)

            Penguin Atlas to p. 127

Week 14, 4/16: Eusebius on the History of the Church
Read:  Eusebius History, Books 8-10 (Penguin 256-332)

Handouts: Gelasius on the Two Swords and other handouts

Week 15,  4/23:  The Barbarians and the Sack of Rome

Read:   Ammianus Marcellinus on the collapse of the Gothic Border

            Olympiodorus of Thebes and the Sack of Rome, AD 410

            Penguin Atlas: Complete

Research Paper due 4/23.

Week 16, 4/30: Review / Wrap-up

Week 17,  5/1:  FINAL EXAM

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This page updated 01/23/06           Dr. John Lewis  jlewis8@ashland.edu