01009 - Roman History (A-L)

Learning outcomes

After completing the course students will bring critical analysis to bear on issues relating to the history and institutions of the Roman world, having read and pondered the historical and documentary sources in the original language. They will have a grasp of key issues, events and phenomena in the history of the Roman world. They will be able to place specific issues in a broader context and to evaluate the results of their study upon scientific criteria. They will work from precise geographical and chronological coordinates, and be familiar with the main research tools, including digital form. They will read history texts in at least one language besides Italian and, in speaking, use the appropriate technical terminology

Course contents

The course opens with an introductory part addressing the subject matter of Roman history and the main methodological problems concerning the sources for the historical reconstruction of this period. In the second part, through the analysis of selected case studies, the course explores several cross-cutting themes in Roman history, examining ancient documentation and the historiographical debate on each theme.

No specific prerequisites are required, beyond a basic knowledge of the chronology and geography of Italy and the Mediterranean area.

Some of the themes addressed in the course – in particular the critical analysis of sources, the comparison between different historiographical interpretations, and the comparative study of civilisations (Rome and China) – also foster the acquisition of transferable skills such as critical thinking and comparative analysis.

The lectures will be organised around the following topics:

1. Course presentation (approx. 3 hours).
   1. General introduction to the course (approx. 1 hour).
   2. Use of Artificial Intelligence in exam preparation (approx. 2 hours).
2. The subject matter of Roman history (approx. 7 hours).
   1. The boundaries of Roman history (approx. 2 hours).
   2. A brief history of Roman history studies (approx. 3 hours).
   3. Roman history today (approx. 2 hours).
3. Sources for the reconstruction of Roman history (approx. 14 hours).
   1. Common features of the sources for Roman history (approx. 2 hours).
   2. Literary sources (approx. 3 hours).
   3. Epigraphic sources (approx. 3 hours).
   4. Papyrological sources (approx. 2 hours).
   5. Numismatic sources (approx. 2 hours).
   6. Archaeological sources (approx. 2 hours).
4. The debate on forms of government (approx. 7 hours).
   1. Polybius's theory of the mixed constitution (approx. 5 hours).
   2. Cicero's testimony and the later fortune of the idea of the mixed constitution (approx. 2 hours).
5. The environment in the Roman world (approx. 9 hours).
   1. Roman ideas about the environment (approx. 3 hours).
   2. Climate and climate change (approx. 3 hours).
   3. Pollution and overexploitation of resources (approx. 3 hours).
6. Women's public and political roles (approx. 8 hours).
   1. The Republican age (approx. 4 hours).
   2. The Imperial age (approx. 4 hours).
7. Rome and China: empires in contact (approx. 12 hours).
   1. Contacts between the Roman and Chinese empires: Roman sources (approx. 3 hours).
   2. Contacts between the Roman and Chinese empires: Chinese sources (approx. 3 hours).
   3. China as seen from Rome (approx. 3 hours).
   4. Rome as seen from China (approx. 3 hours).

Students are also required to independently study, on the basis of the core textbooks listed in the Texts/Bibliography section, the main lines of development of Roman history from its origins to the 5th century AD, paying particular attention to the ancient documentation that allows for the reconstruction of these events.
In addition, the syllabus includes required readings on institutional aspects, concerning both the Republican and the Principate periods, based on the works listed in the same Texts/Bibliography section.

Readings/Bibliography

For attending students:

On the main lines of development of Roman history, from its origins to the 5th century AD:

• G. Geraci – A. Marcone, Storia romana, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2002 or later editions, or G. Geraci – A. Marcone, Storia romana. Editio maior, Firenze, Le Monnier Università – Mondadori Education, 2017 [both available at the library of the Department of History and Cultures – Ancient History Section, via Zamboni 38, 2nd floor].
• G. Geraci – A. Marcone, Fonti per la storia romana, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2006 [available at the same library].

On the institutional aspects of Rome in the Republican and Principate periods (required reading):

• C. Nicolet, Strutture dell'Italia romana (sec. III-I a.C.), Roma, Jouvence, 1984 or later editions [available at the same library].
• One of the following volumes, to be chosen by the student (the relevant sections will be made available on the course website, on the Virtuale platform, at https://virtuale.unibo.it/):
  • D.S. Potter (ed.), A Companion to the Roman Empire, Malden, Blackwell Publishing, 2006, pp. 175-280 (Part III: Administration).
  • P. Le Roux, Le Haut-Empire romain en Occident d'Auguste aux Sévères, Paris, Éditions du Seuil, 1998, pp. 89-174 (chap. 3: L'empire monarchique ou le gouvernement du monde and chap. 4: Le centre conquérant: Rome et l'Italie).
  • K. Christ, Geschichte der römischen Kaiserzeit, München, Beck, 2002, pp. 434-480 (chapter on Ziele und Mittel imperialer Politik).
  • J. Guillén, Urbs Roma. Vida y costumbres de los Romanos, II, La vida pública, Salamanca, Sígueme, 1995, pp. 137-205 (chap. I.3: El Imperio and chap. I.4: Las magistraturas a lo largo de la vida romana).

For the topics covered in class, in addition to personal notes, the slides shown in class, which will be published on the course website, on the Virtuale platform (https://virtuale.unibo.it/).

For non-attending students:

On the main lines of development of Roman history, from its origins to the 5th century AD:

• G. Geraci – A. Marcone, Storia romana. Editio maior, Firenze, Le Monnier Università – Mondadori Education, 2017 [available at the library of the Department of History and Cultures – Ancient History Section, via Zamboni 38, 2nd floor].
• G. Geraci – A. Marcone, Fonti per la storia romana, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2006 [available at the same library].

On the institutional aspects of Rome in the Republican and Principate periods (required reading):

• C. Nicolet, Strutture dell'Italia romana (sec. III-I a.C.), Roma, Jouvence, 1984 or later editions [available at the same library].
• One of the following volumes, to be chosen by the student (the relevant sections will be made available on the course website, on the Virtuale platform, at https://virtuale.unibo.it/):
  • D.S. Potter (ed.), A Companion to the Roman Empire, Malden, Blackwell Publishing, 2006, pp. 175-280 (Part III: Administration).
  • P. Le Roux, Le Haut-Empire romain en Occident d'Auguste aux Sévères, Paris, Éditions du Seuil, 1998, pp. 89-174 (chap. 3: L'empire monarchique ou le gouvernement du monde and chap. 4: Le centre conquérant: Rome et l'Italie).
  • K. Christ, Geschichte der römischen Kaiserzeit, München, Beck, 2002, pp. 434-480 (chapter on Ziele und Mittel imperialer Politik).
  • J. Guillén, Urbs Roma. Vida y costumbres de los Romanos, II, La vida pública, Salamanca, Sígueme, 1995, pp. 137-205 (chap. I.3: El Imperio and chap. I.4: Las magistraturas a lo largo de la vida romana).

Finally, all students are advised to use a good historical atlas, such as the Atlante storico De Agostini, Novara, Istituto Geografico De Agostini, 2003 [available at the same library, shelfmark CONS ATL 36].

Teaching methods

Lectures introducing the subject matter of Roman history and the methodological problems concerning the sources for the reconstruction of this historical period; lectures examining case studies related to some cross-cutting themes in Roman history. During these lectures, numerous textual sources (in Italian translation, occasionally focusing on the specific meaning of certain Greek and Latin terms) and iconographic sources will be read and discussed.

In agreement with Prof. M. Vitelli Casella, lecturer in charge of the Roman History (M-Z) course for the degree programme in History, this course takes part in the University-wide teaching experimentation project based on the Integrative Digital Teaching model (DDI). The project is aimed at students who are unable to attend lectures in person and who will form a sort of virtual class.

The project involves recording lectures using the Panopto application; interaction with students will be ensured through a Forum (one of the tools available on the Virtuale platform) opened for each lecture, where students following the course in this mode can ask the lecturers questions for clarification and further discussion on the topics covered in class; questions and the corresponding answers will thus be visible to the whole virtual class.

The Virtuale platform will also be used to make available not only the lecture slides, as has already been the case in previous years for all course participants, but also supplementary in-depth materials specifically intended for the virtual class.

A preliminary online meeting will be held via Teams with all participants in the virtual class before the start of lectures, to explain this experimental project to those interested; the date of the meeting will be announced on the News page of the two lecturers' websites. In addition, simple learning assessment activities on the topics covered will be proposed lecture by lecture, also via the Virtuale platform; passing these activities will allow students to continue attending the course.

At the end of the course, a further online meeting will be held to assess the effectiveness of this teaching mode (this meeting will also include an anonymous questionnaire for the same purpose), which will certainly be very useful in identifying any adjustments needed for a possible future edition of this experimental project in the coming academic years.

Students in the virtual class who successfully complete the learning assessment activities, thereby demonstrating that they have followed the course attentively, will be considered attending students and will be able to sit the exam on the corresponding syllabus.

Assessment methods

The assessment takes the form of a traditional oral examination, lasting approximately 45 minutes, aimed at ascertaining:

• knowledge of the main lines of development of Roman history, from its origins to the 5th century AD;
• knowledge of the institutional aspects of the Roman world in the Republican and Imperial ages;
• knowledge of some cross-cutting themes in Roman history, through the analysis of ancient documentation and of modern historiographical interpretations;
• the ability to present orally, in particular the ability to summarise and logically organise arguments, and command of appropriate terminology.

For each of the criteria listed above, the following evaluation scale may be applied, with the corresponding grade out of thirty:

• Excellent (30 cum laude)
• Very Good (28-30)
• Good (25-27)
• Fair (22-24)
• Satisfactory (18-21)

The assessment of the individual criteria will contribute to determining the final grade. Failure to meet the minimum requirements for the criteria listed above, as well as not having covered the whole syllabus or not having been able to answer one or more questions, will result in a failing grade. For attending students, consistent attendance and active participation in class will also be taken into account.

More specifically, the examination generally consists of 5 questions; for attending students:

1. One question on the development of Roman history from its origins to the end of the Republic, based on the textbooks indicated in the Texts/Bibliography section on the main lines of development of Roman history.
2. One question on the development of Roman history from Augustus to the 5th century AD, based on the same textbooks.
3. One question on C. Nicolet, Strutture dell'Italia romana (sec. III-I a.C.), Roma, Jouvence, 1984 or later editions.
4. One question on D.S. Potter (ed.), A Companion to the Roman Empire, Malden, Blackwell Publishing, 2006, pp. 175-280, or on P. Le Roux, Le Haut-Empire romain en Occident d'Auguste aux Sévères, Paris, Éditions du Seuil, 1998, pp. 89-174, or on K. Christ, Geschichte der römischen Kaiserzeit, München, Beck, 2002, pp. 434-480, or on J. Guillén, Urbs Roma. Vida y costumbres de los Romanos, II, La vida pública, Salamanca, Sígueme, 1995, pp. 137-205.
5. One question on the topics covered in class, based on notes and on the slides shown during the lectures, available on the course website.

For non-attending students too, the examination will generally consist of 5 questions:

1. One or two questions on the development of Roman history from its origins to the end of the Republic, based on the textbooks indicated in the Texts/Bibliography section on the main lines of development of Roman history.
2. One or two questions on the development of Roman history from Augustus to the 5th century AD, based on the same textbooks.
3. One question on C. Nicolet, Strutture dell'Italia romana (sec. III-I a.C.), Roma, Jouvence, 1984 or later editions.
4. One question on D.S. Potter (ed.), A Companion to the Roman Empire, Malden, Blackwell Publishing, 2006, pp. 175-280, or on P. Le Roux, Le Haut-Empire romain en Occident d'Auguste aux Sévères, Paris, Éditions du Seuil, 1998, pp. 89-174, or on K. Christ, Geschichte der römischen Kaiserzeit, München, Beck, 2002, pp. 434-480, or on J. Guillén, Urbs Roma. Vida y costumbres de los Romanos, II, La vida pública, Salamanca, Sígueme, 1995, pp. 137-205.

During the examination, students will have access to the ancient texts collected in G. Geraci – A. Marcone, Fonti per la storia romana, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2006, and in the slides shown in class.

Students with specific learning disorders (DSA) or temporary or permanent disabilities are advised to contact the relevant University office in good time (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it ): the office will propose any necessary adjustments to those concerned, which must in any case be submitted, at least 15 days in advance, for approval by the lecturer, who will assess their appropriateness also in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

During the learning assessment, which will take the form of an oral examination, the use of Artificial Intelligence is prohibited. In preparing for the examination, however — for instance in drafting summaries or concept maps — its use is permitted. It should nonetheless be noted that the content examined will be that indicated in the bibliography of this syllabus. It will therefore be the responsibility of students who make use of AI to ensure that this tool has not introduced distortions, oversimplifications or inaccuracies into their preparation. One of the introductory lectures of the course will be specifically devoted to the conscious and responsible use of AI.

Over the course of the academic year, 10 exam sessions are scheduled, open to all students, in the months of November, December, January, February, March, May, June, July, September and October; in short, one exam session is scheduled every month, except in April and August.

Teaching tools

Lectures are supported by PowerPoint slides (which will be published on the course website, on the Virtuale platform at https://virtuale.unibo.it/), providing an outline of each lecture and, above all, texts and images that will be analysed and discussed in class.

Generative Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support individual study, for example through in-depth analysis, summaries and self-assessment activities. Guidance on the correct use of AI in preparing for the examination will be presented and discussed in the introductory lecture devoted to this topic.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Cristofori