01009 - Roman History

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will know and be able to critically assess main themes and events in Roman history (concerning politics, institutions, ideology, religion, economy). Students will have knowledge of the main methodologies in historical research and will be able to appropriately analyze literary and documentary sources, with special attention paid to historiography and epigraphy.

Course contents

This course unit studies Roman history from the archaic period to Late Antiquity. Lectures will be structured around three main thematic sections:

1. Sources and methods.

2. Roman political and institutional history, with a focus on the establishment of Rome as a global empire; political and social structures and the government of the provinces; culture, religion and ideology.

3. Social history of the Roman world, with a focus on women, gender and subaltern history.

Readings/Bibliography

All students must prepare the following:

1. Lectures notes  and materials, including sources, maps, images, etc. (those not attending in person: materials uploaded on the course unit's virtual space);

2. General historical outline:

• G. Geraci, A. Marcone, Storia Romana (Editio Maior) Milano: Mondadori Education 2017.

3. For Rome as a global empire:

• Greg Woolf, Roma: Storia di un impero, Torino: Einaudi 2014 (one can also opt for the English edition: Rome: An Empire's Story).

4. One book from the following:

• E. Cantarella, Passato prossimo. Donne romane da Tacita a Sulpicia, Milano Feltrinelli (1998, various editions).
• F. Cenerini, La donna romana. Modelli e Realtà, Bologna: Il Mulino (2013, various editions)
• E. D'Ambra, Roman Women, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2007.

Further instructions on bibliography, readings and sources will be provided in lectures.

Students who are not attending lectures and seminars must contact the professor at least one month ahead of the examination to agree on supplementary readings and sources.

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars in class with the use of Powerpoint presentations and other materials, which will be made available online in pdf format. Active participation to discussions in class is required: time will be dedicated to the analysis and discussion of ancient sources, key-issues and topics to facilitate the learning process.

Assessment methods

Oral examination, to evaluate the following:

• knowledge of ancient sources and bibliography studied for the course;
• understanding of the issues and problems analyzed in lectures;
• ability to critically address topics, themes and issues considered in lectures and readings;
• ability to shape an argument in verbal form using appropriate terminology, including technical words.

You will be marked according to the following criteria:

• insufficient: very limited to no knowledge of the topics and sources studied in the course unit;
• sufficient (18-24): basic knowledge of topics, materials and sources of the course unit; notional and superficial understanding of the course contents and materials, with very limited ability to critical, independent analysis;
• good (25-27): good knowledge of the course contents and methods; correct interpretations and analyses, although not always fully developed and/or appropriately expressed;
• very good to excellent (28-30 cum laude): full command of the subject; interpretations of sources and issues according to correct methodology with high degree of critical, personal analysis. Excellent ability to develop arguments in oral form with use of technical, appropriate vocabulary.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint, PDF, images, maps and videos.

Everything will be uploaded on Unibo virtual platform (https://virtuale.unibo.it/ ).

 

Students who are affected by learning disability (DSA) and in need of special strategies are kindly requested to contact me to be referred to colleagues tasked with support and get proper advice and instructions.

Office hours

See the website of Roberta Mazza