1AEC module booklet, Tiberius to Hadrian

UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK

DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICS AND ANCIENT HISTORY

THE ROMAN EMPIRE FROM

TIBERIUS TO HADRIAN

CX 244/344

Mondays 10-11

Room A0.23

Fridays 10-11

Room H148

Reading Classes: Mondays 9-10

Room A0.05

CONVENOR: Prof ALISON COOLEY

MODULE BOOKLET

Autumn term, 2015

Module Outline

This module explores the politics, culture, and society of Rome and the provinces, AD 14-138, looking at art, archaeology, epigraphy, and literature. It considers how the power of emperors was consolidated and developed after the death of Augustus, and how the relationship between Rome and its provinces changed during this period.

Term 1 has a chronological framework, covering the whole period in terms of key characteristics of each emperor's reign, and is primarily political in emphasis. With the death of Rome's first emperor, Augustus, and the accession of his chosen heir Tiberius in AD 14, Rome witnessed for the first time the implementation of a dynastic succession. Heirs of Augustus (the 'Julio-Claudians') ruled Rome until the suicide of Nero in AD 68 heralded the tumultuous 'year of the four emperors'. The ending of the civil wars was achieved by the emergence of a new dynasty - the Flavians - who adopted a variety of strategies in order to consolidate their primacy at Rome. The advent of Trajan, the first provincial to become emperor at Rome, confirms the gradual shift towards intergration of provincials in Roman political, social, and cultural life, and marks the emergence of a system for passing on imperial power by adoption rather than birthright.

Term 2 has a more thematic framework, and explores significant changes in culture and society. The module draws upon the rich diversity of material and literary culture from the period. Key literary works for detailed examination include the historical works of Tacitus, the letters of the Younger Pliny, and the imperial biographies of Suetonius. Urban life in both West and East is explored via art, architecture, and archaeology.

Term 3 explores aspects of the modern 'reception' of the era.

Syllabus – Lectures & Seminars for all

Autumn Term 2015

Week 1 Mon 05/10: No lecture
Fri 09/10: The first imperial succession
Week 2 Mon 12/10: Tacitus' Germanicus
Fri 16/10: Death of Germanicus
Week 3 Mon 19/10: Maiestas - treason against the state?
Fri 23/10: Trial of Piso - Seminar Debate
Week 4 Mon 26/10: Tacitus and the Principate
Fri 30/10: Caligula: mad, bad, or misunderstood?
Week 5 Mon 02/11: Claudius, 'Saturnalian emperor'?
Fri 06/11: Claudius in his own words - Seminar Presentations
Week 6 Reading Week - No lectures
Week 7 Mon 16/11: Nero's Golden Age
Fri 20/11: Year of the Four Emperors
Week 8 Mon 23/11: The new Flavian dynasty
Fri 27/11: The last of the Flavians - Seminar Presentations
Week 9 Mon 30/11: The Flavian Reconstruction of Rome
Fri 04/12: Trajan's foreign conquests
Week 10 Mon 07/12: Hadrian's New Athens
Fri 11/12: The Panhellenion

Spring Term 2016

Week 1 Mon 11/01: Being Greek in a Roman World 1
Fri 15/01: Being Greek in a Roman World 2
Week 2 Mon 18/01: Images of the elite
Fri 22/01: Civic life in the East: a world of festivals?
Week 3 Mon 25/01: Hadrian and the Greek East
Fri 29/01: Hadrian and the City of Rome - Seminar presentations
Week 4 Mon 01/02: Integration of provincials into Roman society
Fri 05/02: Ruling the empire
Week 5 Mon 08/02: Pliny and Bithynia
Fri 12/02: The Best Roman Governor - Seminar debate
Week 6 Reading Week - No lectures
Week 7 Mon 22/02: Running the economy
Fri 26/02: Life in Egypt under Roman rule
Week 8 Mon 29/02: Popular resistance to Rome
Fri 04/03: Opposition to Nero - Seminar presentations
Week 9 Mon 07/03: Jewish revolts and resistance 1
Fri 11/03: Jewish revolts and resistance 2
Week 10 Mon 14/03: Civic life in the West: Spain
Fri 18/03: Emperor worship

Summer Term 2016

Week 1 Mon 25/04: Robert Graves' I Claudius and Claudius the God
Fri 29/04: Robert Graves' Claudius
Week 2 Mon 02/05: No lecture (Bank holiday)
Fri 06/05: Balloon debate
Week 3 Mon 09/05: Revision Class
Fri 13/03: Revision Class

Seminars:

  • Gp A, Fri at 10 in H1.48
  • Gp B, Fri at 9 in H3.56
  • Gp C, Fri at 11 in H0.56

Language classes for Q800 students

Mondays 9-10 inA0.05.

Please read the texts in advance and ALWAYS bring a copy of your text to class.

Recommended editions – NB texts available as PDF from module online bibliography:

Tacitus, Agricola

A.J. Woodman, with C.S. Kraus, Tacitus Agricola (Cambridge 2014) [PA6706.A3]

{Online download: Woodman, A (2014) De vita Iulii Agricolae. In: Agricola / Tacitus. ed,.A.J. Woodman, Basil L. Gildersleeve. with contributions from C.S. Kraus, Thomas A. Thacher. ed., Cambridge, United Kingdom : Cambridge University Press. pp.41-64}

SCPP

Lott, J (2012) Texts and translation: SCPP. In: Death and dynasty in early imperial Rome : key sources, with text, translation, and commentary . ed., Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press, Ch.2 (2.6), pp.125-157

Juvenal Satire 3

Braund, S., Juvenal, Satires: book 1 (Cambridge 1996) [PA 6446.A5]

{Online download: Juvenal (1996) Juvenal Satires 3 - Text and Essay. In: Juvenal Satires: Book 1. 1st ed., Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.55-64, 230-236}

Statius Silvae

Coleman, K. Silvae IV (Oxford 1988 - available as Bristol Classical Press reprint, 1998) [PA 6697.A3]

{Online download: Statius, P. (1998) Text and translation. In: Silvae IV / Statius; edited with an English translation, commentary and bibliography by K.M. Coleman. 1st ed., London: Bristol Classical Press, pp.2-21}

Autumn term 2015

  • Week 2: Mon 12th Oct - Tacitus, Agricola 1-3
  • Week 3: Mon 19th Oct - Tacitus, Agricola 4-9
  • Week 4: Mon 26th Oct - Tacitus, Agricola 10-17
  • Week 5: Mon 2nd Nov - Tacitus, Agricola 18-28
  • Week 7: Mon 16th Nov - Tacitus, Agricola 29-32
  • Week 8: Mon 23rd Nov - Tacitus, Agricola 33-38
  • Week 9: Mon 30th Nov - Tacitus, Agricola 39-43
  • Week 10: Mon 7th Dec - Tacitus, Agricola 44-46

Spring term 2016

  • Week 1: Mon 11th Jan - SCPP 1-70
  • Week 2: Mon 18th Jan - SCPP 71-176
  • Week 3: Mon 25th Jan - Juvenal Satire 3 vv.1-57
  • Week 4: Mon 1st Feb - Juvenal Satire 3 vv.58-125
  • Week 5: Mon 8th Feb - Juvenal Satire 3 vv.126-189
  • Week 7: Mon 22nd Feb - Juvenal Satire 3 vv.190-267
  • Week 8: Mon 29th Feb - Juvenal Satire 3 vv.268-322
  • Week 9: Mon 7th Mar - Statius Silvae 4.1
  • Week 10: Mon 14th Mar - Statius Silvae 4.2

Summer term 2016

  • Week 1: Mon 25th Apr - Statius Silvae 4.3
  • Week 2: No class: Bank Holiday
  • Week 3: Mon 9th May - Revision

Module Organization

There are two one-hour weekly lecture sessions, Mondays 10-11 in Room A0.23 and Fridays 10-11 in Room H148, three seminars in the autumn and spring terms.

The lectures will present the basic chronological framework of the period, and will explore how to interpret many different types of primary sources, providing guidance in assessing their relative strengths and weaknesses as historical evidence, and will highlight some of the main areas of debate.

After each lecture, students are advised how best to consolidate the topic covered through independent study, and will be required to read a small article/chapter to prepare for the following lecture. See details on the web:

In addition, the group will be divided into three for seminars in the first two terms. Some of these seminars will take the form of class debates for which everyone will be expected to prepare and in which all should participate. Other seminars will offer you to chance to practise making formal presentations and responding to such presentations. Seminar worksheets will be distributed two weeks before each seminar, and are available online.

Students are advised that attendance for every lecture and seminar is compulsory since the assessed essays and exam paper will draw upon the material covered in them. Lecture topics are listed above. If you have to miss a lecture or seminar for some good reason, please let me know in advance if possible, or as soon as possible thereafter. I will email anyone who misses a class to check all is well.

The weekly language classes are crucial for Q800 students since they not only offer linguistic and grammatical help in translating what are interesting but difficult texts, but they also offer the chance for us to discuss issues of historical and literary interpretation. They are essential background both for preparing for the second assessed essay and for the exam.

Assessment

Assessment of the module for all students is 50% for work submitted during the course and 50% for a 2-hour exam in the May/June session of examinations. Overlap should be avoided between pre-submitted essays and the questions answered in the exam. Lack of breadth may be penalised.

Non-assessed work:During the first half of the autumn term, students will also be required to produce a piece of non-assessed work. This will consist of practice in writing a gobbet, a skill required for the examination. The gobbet answer should be handed in during the classes in Week 3. It will be marked and returned to you.

  • Seminars:
    Note that all students are required to attend seminars, and are expected to prepare for and to be able to take part actively in them. Seminar groups will be finalized in due course, and worksheets distributed.
  • Assessed Essays:
    Students are required to produce TWO essays during the module (length 2,500 words, including footnotes, but excluding bibliography). The normal expected length for assessed essays is ‘c. 2,500 words’, which in practice means 2250-3000 words (including footnotes not including bibliography).Students are required to declare a word count on the cover sheet. Essays will be penalized for being too short or too long.
  • Use a clear type-face such as Arial or Times New Roman and do not use a tiny font. A 12-point font is recommended. Print with 1.5 or double line spacing, and with adequate margins.
  • Footnotes: these should acknowledge with accurate references what ancient or modern works you are using or quoting.Essays must include footnotes where appropriate, and a bibliography of works cited.
  • Due attention should be given to literacy (both spelling and grammar). Titles and submission dates follow below. Please refer to the departmental handbook and the documents ‘Advice on writing essays’ and the Style guide for further information about assessment criteria and marking. This is available online:

The second assessed essay for Q800 Classics students will be closely focused upon the set texts, and require detailed linguistic analysis of the Latin original.

Exam

The exam will be divided into two parts: students will be required

  • to comment on two 'gobbets' (from a choice of six) – one text and one artefact - from a choice of six
  • to write two essays (from a choice of seven titles).

Q800 Classics students will translate and comment on two text ‘gobbets’ (from a choice of six), and write one essay (from a choice of seven titles).

General guidance on essay writing

1. Presentation:Marks will be awarded for good English expression; marks will be deducted for poor presentation, including poor grammar and spelling. Marks will be awarded for correct presentation of footnotes and bibliography

2. Clarity of analysis: Marks will be awarded for work which is organised coherently on the basis of arguments and deducted for work which is incoherent or presents a mass of amorphous material. The case the student is arguing should be clear to the assessor in every paragraph - don't fall automatically into a chronological arrangement of your material, or a line by line examination of a text, unless you are making a specific point, narrowly argued, about development or change over time.
3. Primary data: Marks will be awarded for good use of a range of ancient texts and other materials – inscriptions, images, coins, archaeology etc. - and deducted for unsubstantiated arguments and opinions. Marks will be awarded for pertinent quotation andfor thoughtfulness about its usefulness as evidence. Don’t use quotations of primary materials or images merely as illustrations. Think about what contribution they make to your argument, what role they play as evidence, where the producers of the text or artefactare 'coming from'.

4. Secondary material: Marks will be awarded for isolating the main issues and debates in modern scholarship on the subject. Marks will be deducted for overdependence on a single unquestioned modern authority. Think also about where modern scholars are 'coming from', e.g. by reading reviews of their work from the websites of JSTOR, Bryn Mawr Classical Review, or Project Muse.

5. Originality and Sophistication: Marks will be awarded for thoughtfulness, well-founded scepticism and original ideas which attempt to surpass the issues and debates found in modern discussions in order to take the argument in a new direction.

Refer to the departmental essay-writing checklist in order to help ensure that you meet these criteria.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism, defined as ‘the attempt to pass off someone else’s work as one’s own’ is a variety of cheating or fraud. It is taken very seriously by the University and students who are caught can suffer penalties which are extremely detrimental to their career. If in doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, please consult the online tutorial at

To avoid any confusion however you should take special care with two things:

1: Cite the sources you are using

2: Use quotation marks for the quotes you are quoting.

Avoiding plagiarism

All written work produced for assessment must be entirely yours. Your work will often use material covered in lectures and seminars, but your work must demonstrably be your own representation of that material. You must not quote from other people’s work word-for-word without acknowledging this by use of “quotation-marks”. If you present someone else’s thoughts, words, or other work as your own, then you will have committed plagiarism. In general it is poor practice to scatter quotations from other scholars throughout your essay; you should attempt to rephrase what other people have said in your own words, and then also include a reference to the source of your ideas in a footnote. When taking notes from journals and books, make sure that you indicate clearly in your notes, using quotation marks, if you’re copying directly word-for-word. This will ensure that you do not inadvertently reproduce someone else’s words in your essay. In general, however, the best practice is to paraphrase and analyse as you read and make notes so that your notes do not simply copy out chunks of other people’s work. You should also avoid referring to what a lecturer has said without finding out for yourself on what his/her ideas are based. You may cite primary sources on handouts.

Rules for avoiding plagiarism

Good study technique, writing style and correct referencing of quotations will help you to avoid unintentional plagiarism. If you follow these simple rules you will always be safe:

  • Always take down a detailed reference for each text that you read and take notes from.
  • While copying quotations, make sure you clearly mark them as quotations in your working notes.
  • Gather and use your own examples whenever you want to support a particular view.
  • Ensure that all quotations are surrounded by quotation marks.
  • Ensure that your references can be used to locate the original source text.

Submission of Essays

Essays/dissertations should be submitted online via the Tabula site ( AND a hard copy of the essay should also be signed into the log in the departmental office and a cover sheet filled in before 12 noon on or before the deadline. Please indicate your year of study on the cover sheet. You should ensure that hard copy and e-copy are identical submissions. A copy of the e-submission receipt should also be submitted at the same time. Anonymity of marking is an adopted principle of the University for both assessed essays and examinations, so DO NOT put your name on your work. By University regulation, late essays will attract a penalty of 5 marks for each day they are late, excluding weekends (from 12.01 on the day they are due to 12.00 the next day is counted as 1 day).

Deadlines
  • Non-assessed gobbet: hand this in during classes in Week 3.
  • 1st assessed essay: 12 noon, Tuesday 8 December 2015.
  • 2nd assessed essay: 12 noon, Tuesday 8 March 2016.

Extensions to Essay Deadlines

Applications for an extension of the essay-deadline are only allowed in exceptional circumstances – such as well-documented medical reasons/ family bereavement. Predictable problems with time management as a result of deadline bunching or other commitments, and social problems with housemates are not usually admissible.Any such application can only be made to the Head of Department or Director of Undergraduate Studies well before the deadline. Problems with e.g. printers/computers, getting hold of books, bunching-up of essay-deadlines are not considered acceptable excuses. Nor is involvement in an extracurricular activity, whether sport, drama, or music. Students who wish to apply for an extension should support their case with independent documentation (eg GP medical note, Student Support report). When an extension is granted, students must ensure that the module coordinator is informed and that the extension (with date limit) is recorded by the secretaries in the ledger in the Dept Office. Only in very exceptional circumstances will an extension be allowed beyond one week.