Roman Historians: The Portentous Princeps, Claudius, LAT 118 B
Brandeis University, Spring 2016
Class Meets: M, W, Th Block E, 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.
Instructor: Trevor S. Luke (Associate Professor, FSU)
Visiting Professor, Roman History and Latin
Department of Classical Studies, MS 092
Phone: 850-294-5800 (voice mail)
E-mail:
Office Hours: Mon. and Wed. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., and gladly by appointment
Course Assistant: James Martin, Candidate for an M.A. in Ancient Greek and Roman Studies
Office Hours: TBA and by appointment, in Rabb 359
Four-Credit Course (with three hours of class-time per week
Success in this four-credit course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for papers or exams, etc.).
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.
Required Texts:
1. D. W. Hurley (2001) Suetonius: Divus Claudius, Cambridge: CUP, ISBN 0-521-59676-9
2. H. W. Benario (1983) Tacitus Annals 11 and 12, New York: University Press of America, ISBN 0-8191-3481-3
Recommended Reading:
1. B. Levick (1990) Claudius, New Haven and London: Yale University Press
2. J. J. Cohen (1996) “Monster Culture (Seven Theses)” in Monster Theory: Reading Culture. University of Minnesota Press: 3-25
3. J. Mottershead (1986) Suetonius: Claudius, Bristol: Bristol Classical Press
4. W. Kierdorf (1992) Sueton: Leben des Claudius und Nero, Paderborn: Schöningh
5. A. Wallace-Hadrill (1984) Suetonius: The Scholar and His Caesars. New Haven: Yale University Press
6. J. P. Sullivan (1986) Petronius: Satyricon; Seneca: Apocolocyntosis. New York and London: Penguin
Course Description and Learning Goals:
LAT 118B is a course in reading Latin prose works of biography and history. In accordance with this mission, this iteration of the course will find its focus in the reading and understanding of the Latin prose of Suetonius and Tacitus. In addition, however, this course is about how Roman writers and thinkers of the early second century CE grappled with the figure of Claudius, an emperor who was by all accounts ill equipped and apparently unsuitable to serve as the ruler of the Roman Empire.
The latter goal demands that we consider Roman norms of politics, society, and religion as we try to understand how Romans responded to the unthinkable but factual occurrence of having an emperor who seemed to be a bad omen (portentous) in his very person. One Roman option for intellectually and emotionally grappling with such enormities was that of humor/satire. We will therefore consider the presence and influence of humor and satire in the historical narratives of the emperor Claudius.
In addition to in-class translations, each student will prepare and deliver a short (5-10 minute) article review from the articles listed on the schedule or another selection approved by the instructor. Graduate students will also deliver presentations on specific problems regarding the literary treatment of the figure of Claudius in Seneca, Suetonius, and Tacitus. Topics will be chosen in consultation with the instructor. The form of the presentations will be that of a conference paper, complete with a handout including pertinent texts with translations and a bibliography. A short question and answer period will follow each presentation. It is expected that students will utilize a broad range of materials and methods in addressing the questions they seek to answer. The course thus promises to enhance critical thinking, writing, and oral presentation skills.
Assignments and Grading:
Your performance in the course will be assessed in three areas: 1. Attendance and preparation for translations; 2. Translation exams; 3. Presentation and paper.
Undergraduate Students
1. Attendance and preparation: 30% (5% article review)
2. Quizzes (2): 10% (x2=20%)
3. Final Exam: 30%
4. Final Paper (10-12pp): 30%
Graduate Students
1. Attendance and preparation: 30% (5%, article review)
2. Quizzes (2): 10% (x2=20%)
3. Final Exam: 15%
4. Presentation (w/handout): 15%
5. Final Paper (15-20pp): 20%
Total: 100%
Academic honesty:
You are expected to be honest in all of your academic work. Brandeis Univ. policy on academic honesty is contained in your Student Handbook in section 5 under “Rights and Responsibilities.” Instances of cheating, plagiarism, or other alleged dishonesty will be reported to the Office of Campus Life for possible referral to the Student Judicial System. The adjudication process is also outlined in your Handbook. Potential consequences of academic dishonesty include (in addition to an “E” on the assignment in question) failure in the course, disciplinary probation, and suspension from the University. A record of any offense will remain in a student’s disciplinary file in the Office of Student Affairs throughout his or her career at Brandeis. Please know that I, although a visitor, take this code very seriously. If you have any questions, please direct them to me.
Paper:
Each student will write a term paper. Undergraduate papers will be 10 – 12 pages in length, graduate papers 15-20. The papers will have a title page including the title, the student’s name, course number, and instructor’s name. Formatting of the paper will be 1” margins, double-spaced, with 12pt Times New Roman font. Pages must be numbered. Citations and bibliography should follow the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style or Teubner. All papers will be graded on the coherence and persuasiveness of the argument (40%), analysis and use of evidence (40%), and mechanics (20%). All papers are due May 2 by midnight and are to be emailed to the instructor as a Microsoft Word .doc or .docx file.
Schedule of Meetings, Assignments, and Exams:
The assignments listed on a particular date are to be read before the meeting on that day. This schedule may be subject to changes, but the instructor will give students notice of any changes at least one meeting in advance.
JANUARY
Wednesday, January 13
Introduction to the course, its goals, and the syllabus. Lecture on the Roman Empire, Roman Emperors, and Suetonius.
Reading: Buy Hurley. Read DIR biographies of Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius. For latter, see:
http://www.roman-emperors.org/impindex.htm
Thursday, January 14
Reading: Suetonius, Divus Claudius (DC) 1; Hurley, 1-22; Suetonius, Divus Augustus. For latter, see: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html
______week 1
Monday, January 18
No meeting
Wednesday, January 20
Reading: DC, 2 – 4; Cohen, “Monster Culture (Seven Theses)” through Latte.
Thursday, January 21
Reading: DC, 5 – 8; A. W. J. Holleman, “Did the emperor Claudius have Etruscan blood in his veins?” AC 57 (1988), 298-300; J. Vanderspoel, “The Etruscan emperor Claudius,” RhM 133 (1990), 413-14
______week 2
Monday, January 25
Reading: DC, 9 – 11; Josephus, Antiquities 19.1-4; T. P. Wiseman, “Killing Caligula,” Pegasus 16 (1988): 1-9; A. G. G. Gibson, “All things to all men: Claudius and the politics of AD 41,” in The Julio-Claudian Succession: reality and perception of the Augustan model: 107-32
Wednesday, January 27
Reading: DC, 12 – 15; J. G. Wolf, “Claudius Iudex,” in Die Regierungszeit des Kaisers Claudius: 145-56
Thursday, January 28
Reading: DC, 16 – 20; F. X. Ryan, “Some observations on the censorship of Claudius and Vitellius, A. D. 47-48,” AJP 114 (1993), 611-18
______week 3
FEBRUARY
Monday, February 1
Reading: DC, 21 – 23; R. F. Newbold, “The spectacles as an issue between Gaius and the Senate,” PACA 13 (1975), 30-35
Wednesday, February 3
Reading: DC, 24 – 25; E. W. Haley, “Suetonius, Claudius 24.1, and the sons of freedmen,” Historia 35 (1986), 115-21; A. Major, “Claudius’ edict on sick slaves,” Scholia 3 (1994), 84-90
Thursday, February 4
Reading: DC, 26 – 28; C. M. C. Green, “Claudius, kingship and incest,” Latomus 57 (1998), 765-91
______week 4
Monday, February 8
Reading: DC, 29-34; B. Baldwin, “Executions under Claudius. Seneca’s Ludus de morte Claudii,” Phoenix 18 (1964), 39-48
Wednesday, February 10
Reading: DC, 35-40
Thursday, February 11
Reading: DC, 41-46; D. Fishwick, “The deification of Claudius,” CQ 52.1 (2002), 341-49
______week 5
February 15-19 No class
______week 6
Monday, February 22
Quiz 1
Wednesday, February 24
Reading: Tac. 11.1 – 5; F. Roemer, “Das Ende des Valerius Asiaticus bei Tacitus,” in Antidosis. Festschrift für Walther Kraus zum 70. Geburtstag: 290-96
Thursday, February 25
Reading: Tac. 11.11-12; J. P. Poe, “The Secular Games, the Aventine, and the pomerium,” ClAnt 3 (1984), 57-81
______week 7
Monday, February 29
Reading: Tac. 11.13-15; P. M. Swan, “A consular Epicurean under the early principate,” Phoenix 30 (1976), 54-60
MARCH
Wednesday, March 2
Reading: Tac. 11.23-25; [English] M. T. Griffin, “The Lyon tablet and Tacitean hindsight,” CQ 32 (1982), 404-18
Thursday, March 3
Reading: Tac. 11.25.5-30; G. Fagan, “Messalina’s Folly,” CQ 52.2 (2002), 566-79
______week 8
Monday, March 7
Reading: Tac. 11.31-34; C. J. Nappa, “The unfortunate marriage of Gaius Silius: Tacitus and Juvenal on the fall of Messalina,” in Latin historiography and poetry: 189-204
Wednesday, March 9
Reading: Tac. 11.35-38
Thursday, March 10
Reading: Tac. 12.1-4
______week 9
Monday, March 14
Reading: Tac. 12.5-9; R. G. Mayer, “Oratory in Tacitus’ Annals,”in Form and function in Roman oratory: 281-93
Wednesday, March 16
Reading: Tac. 12.22-24; M. T. Boatwright, “Tacitus on Claudius and the pomerium, Annals 12.23.2-4,” CJ 80 (1984), 46-44
Thursday, March 17
Reading: Tac. 12.25-27.1; R. M. Geer, “Notes on the early life of Nero,” TAPhA (1931), 57-67
______week 10
Monday, March 21
Reading: Tac. 12.31-33; A. A. Barrett, “The military situation in Britain in A.D. 47,” AJPh 100 (1979), 538-40
Wednesday, March 23
Reading: Tac. 12.34-37
Thursday, March 24
Reading: Tac. 12.37-40
______week 11
Monday, March 28
No meeting
Wednesday, March 30
Quiz 2
Thursday, March 31
Reading: Tac. 12.41-43
______week 12
APRIL
Monday, April 4
Reading: Tac. 12.52-54; N. Kokkinos, “A fresh look at the gentilicium of Felix, procurator of Judea,” Latomus 49 (1990), 126-41
Wednesday, April 6
Reading: Tac. 12.56-57; M. K. Thornton, “The draining of the Fucine Lake. A quantitative analysis,” AncW 12 (1985), 105-20
Thursday, April 7
Reading: Tac. 12.58-60
______week 13
Monday, April 11
Reading: Tac. 12.61-64; S. J. Bastomsky, “Tacitus, Annals 14.64.1: Octavia’s pathetic plea,” Latomus 51 (1992), 606-10
Wednesday, April 13
Reading: Tac. 12.65-69; M. K. Jaeger, “Blame the boletus?: demystifying mushrooms in Latin literature,” Ramus 40.1 (2011), 15-32
Thursday, April 14
Presentations
______week 14
Monday, April 18
Presentations
Wednesday, April 20
Presentations
Thursday, April 21
Presentations
______week 15
April 21 - 29: No meetings
______week 16
MAY
Monday, May 2
Course retrospective; Final Paper Due
May 11, 9:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Final Exam