THE ROMAN WORLD

SCHEDULE OF TOPICS & READING ASSIGNMENTS

Orientation and Introduction

 

Geography of Italy & the Roman World

Text, chpt. 1, 1-25

 

The Etruscans & Greeks in Italy

Text, chpt. 1, 25-31

 

The Latins & their Culture Down to the End of the Monarchy

Text, chp. 2, 32-57

 

The Constitution of the Early Republic and the "Struggle of the Orders"

Text, chpt. 3, 58-75, 94-95

 

The Young Republic and its Neighbors

Text, chpt. 3, 58-59, 75-86

 

Society & Religion in the Early Republic

Text, chpt. 4, 97-104

 

Roman Expansion in Italy and the Wars with Carthage

Text, chpt. 3, 86-95, chpt. 4, 104-119

 

Conquest of the Greek Eastern Mediterranean

Text, chpt. 4, 119-134

Texts on Slavery

"Slavery" from P. Veyne, "A History of Private Life from Pagan Rome to Byzantium" PDF

 

Crisis of Roman Expansion: Republic and Empire?

Text, chpt. 5, 136-153

 

The Roman Revolution Begins: The Gracchi

Text, chpt. 5, 153-165

 

Marius, Sulla and the Crisis of Republican Rome

Text, chpt. 6, 166-191, Text, chpt. 7, 192-203

 

Pompey the Great & the First Triumvirate

Text, chpt. 7, 203-221, 223-238

 

Julius Caesar

Text, chpt. 8, 238-263

 

The Death of the Republic: Marcus Antonius & Octavian

Text, chpt. 9, 264-283

 

Augustus & the Establishment of the Principate

Text, chpt. 9, 283-313

Graves, Suetonius-- The 12 Caesars, "Augustus"

Augustus "Res Gestae"

 

Search for Stability: Julio-Claudians & the Flavians

Text, chpt. 10, 314-361

Graves, Suetonius-- The 12 Caesars, "Tiberius" through "Nero"

 

Let the Games Begin: Roman Spectacles & Blood sports

Text, chpt. 11, 375-388

D. Kyle, "Spectacles of Death," chpt 2 "the Phenomenon" PDF

 

The "Good Emperors" and Roman Government in the Early Empire

Text, chpt. 11, 361-375, chpt 12, 389-401

 

"Pax Romana": Roman Foreign Policy, Provincial Administration and Society

Text, chpt. 12, 401 -420

 

The "Civilizing Mission" of the Roman Empire, Life in the Provinces

 

The "Pagan" Religions of the Roman Empire and the Rise of Christianity

Text, chpt. 12, 420-425

D. Kyle, "Spectacles of Death," Chapter 8 "Christians: Persecutions and Disposal" PDF

 

"What are We Going to Do About these Christians?": From Persecution to Toleration

Roman Views of Christians

Correspondence of Pliny & Trajan

Bahrt Erman, Lost Christianities.

 

The Crisis of the Empire during the Third Century

Text, chpt. 13, 426-452

 

The "Fall" of the Roman Empire?