This 3-credit course counts toward the AXLE (INT) requirement.

REQUIRED TEXTS

All primary and secondary source readings will be available on this website.

ASSIGNMENTS

Grade assessment will be based on the following criteria:

Attendance and active participation are expected and mandatory for all classes and events (30%). Note that “excellent participation” in the context of a Maymester course is somewhat different than in a typical course. Students are expected to be present, on time, alert, engaged, taking notes, and asking questions during class. Outside of class, the expectation is that students behave in a manner that is safe, responsible and respectful at all times, not just during class time.

Unexcused absences (i.e., without a doctor’s note) will negatively affect your overall grade in the following manner: Each unexcused absence will result in THREE points being deducted from your overall course grade!

Note that habitual tardiness will also be noted and will also negatively impact your grade: Three tardies will result in THREE points being deducted from your overall course grade.

Pre-class preparation: Students will be expected to know the items on the following list before the course begins.

Identify on a map of Rome (see map below): JANICULUM, TRASTEVERE, CAPITOLINE HILL, PALATINE HILL, QUIRINAL HILL, CAELIAN HILL, ESQUILINE HILL, FORUM, FIELD OF MARS (Aka CAMPUS MARTIUS), TIBER RIVER, TESTACCIO, VATICAN

Identify on a map of Italy: POMPEII, HERCULANEUM, CUMAE, SICILY, TIVOLI

Dates: Traditional founding of Rome, Traditional founding of the Republic, 2nd Punic War; Death of Julius Caesar, Battle of Actium, Year of Four Emperors; Eruption of Vesuvius, Edict of Milan

People: Romulus, Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Julius Caesar, Vergil, Cicero, Suetonius, Seneca, Livia

Emperors:

Julio-Claudians – Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero

Flavians: Vespasian, Titus, Domitian

Five “Good” Emperors: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius

Others: Commodus, Caracalla, Constantine

I recommend watching the BBC series, “Meet the Romans” on youtube as part of your pre-class preparation well.

There will be a CHRONOLOGY/GEOGRAPHY QUIZ covering this material in the first few days of the course (10%).

TWO EXAMS during the term  will assess your understanding of the readings, lectures and site-visits (12% each = 24% overall). Format is multiple choice and short answer questions.

Each student will complete THREE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS over the course of the term (12% each = 36% overall). These may include a writing prompt, an article review, or an object description. Each of these will engage directly with the material covered in class and will give the students the chance to explore themes or examine a topic in more detail.