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CLAS 2307 The Roman CLAS 2307 The Roman HistoriansHistorians
Tuesdays and ThursdaysTuesdays and Thursdays
2 – 3:20 in A 1222 – 3:20 in A 122
SummarySummary
1. Course Mechanics1. Course Mechanics2. Introduction to CLAS 2307 The 2. Introduction to CLAS 2307 The
Roman HistoriansRoman Historians
The InstructorThe Instructor
Dr. Ilse MuellerDr. Ilse MuellerOffice: H 339Office: H 339Tel. 474 3450 X 4423Tel. 474 3450 X 4423Email: [email protected]: [email protected] Hours: Tue and Thu 12:30-1:30Office Hours: Tue and Thu 12:30-1:30
Course Books Course Books
Ronald Mellor, ed. Ronald Mellor, ed. The Historians of The Historians of Ancient Rome, An Anthology of the Ancient Rome, An Anthology of the Major WritingsMajor Writings, Routledge 2004., Routledge 2004.
Additional primary material will be Additional primary material will be supplied via the course website.supplied via the course website.
Grade DistributionGrade Distribution
Assignment 1/Presentation – 15% (due Assignment 1/Presentation – 15% (due dates throughout the term)dates throughout the term)
Term Essay 5-6 pagesTerm Essay 5-6 pages 30% (due 30% (due December 8)December 8)
Mid-Term test in classMid-Term test in class 15% (October 15% (October 20)20)
Final ExamFinal Exam 30%30% Attendance/participation 10%Attendance/participation 10%/preparedness /preparedness
Assignment 1Assignment 1
Students are given a choice to give a Students are given a choice to give a short presentation on one of the short presentation on one of the given topics on the reading of that given topics on the reading of that week and short write-up of 2 pages, week and short write-up of 2 pages, or an essay or 4 pages in length. or an essay or 4 pages in length.
Sign up list for topics and dates will Sign up list for topics and dates will be made available by next Tuesdaybe made available by next Tuesday
Class FormatClass Format
Tuesdays – normally lectures to Tuesdays – normally lectures to provide context for the primary texts provide context for the primary texts read in this courseread in this course
Thursdays – shorter lectures, class Thursdays – shorter lectures, class presentations and close readings and presentations and close readings and discussions of the textdiscussions of the text
Preparedness and participation is an Preparedness and participation is an important element in this course.important element in this course.
Course DescriptionCourse Description
This course examines the major Roman This course examines the major Roman Historians in their historical and Historians in their historical and cultural context. It examines the cultural context. It examines the development of Roman Historiography development of Roman Historiography and its characteristics and forms, as and its characteristics and forms, as well as the role it played in Roman well as the role it played in Roman society and culture. The course will also society and culture. The course will also examine in some detail the purpose, examine in some detail the purpose, methods and literary style of the methods and literary style of the authors studied. authors studied.
Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives
Familiarity with the major extant Roman HistoriansFamiliarity with the major extant Roman Historians Familiarity with the traditions of Roman Familiarity with the traditions of Roman
HistoriographyHistoriography Understanding of the Roman concept of historyUnderstanding of the Roman concept of history Understanding the importance of the cultural and Understanding the importance of the cultural and
historical context of Roman History writing historical context of Roman History writing Understanding of the characteristics and the Understanding of the characteristics and the
nature of ancient Roman historical writingsnature of ancient Roman historical writings Familiarity with the various genres of ancient Familiarity with the various genres of ancient
Roman historical writingsRoman historical writings Understanding of the role history had in Roman Understanding of the role history had in Roman
culture culture
Why is it important to Why is it important to study the ancient study the ancient
Historians?Historians?
Every Historian must be able to read Every Historian must be able to read and evaluate the ancient sources and evaluate the ancient sources him/herself.him/herself.
A modern historian must have an A modern historian must have an understanding of the nature and the understanding of the nature and the problems of the sources in order to problems of the sources in order to interpret them correctly.interpret them correctly.
Primary and Secondary Primary and Secondary SourcesSources
The writings of the ancient historians The writings of the ancient historians are all are all primary sourcesprimary sources for us for us
All modern history books/articles are All modern history books/articles are secondary sourcessecondary sources; they are ; they are interpretations based on primary interpretations based on primary sources.sources.
What are the Challenges of What are the Challenges of Studying the Roman HistoriansStudying the Roman Historians
Romans had a different Romans had a different understanding/concept of what history understanding/concept of what history isis
Often written centuries after the eventOften written centuries after the eventLarge periods not covered by extant Large periods not covered by extant
sourcessourcesBiases of individual authorsBiases of individual authorsDifferent approach/different Different approach/different
interests/different questionsinterests/different questionsTheir sources are often poorly Their sources are often poorly
substantiatedsubstantiated
What do we need to ask of ancient What do we need to ask of ancient texts in order to evaluate their texts in order to evaluate their
usefulnessusefulness?? Who is the author?Who is the author? What is his position in society?What is his position in society? What is his purpose? What is his purpose? What is his focus/interest?What is his focus/interest? Does he write about contemporary events or of Does he write about contemporary events or of
the past?the past? If it is a past event – what are his sources? If it is a past event – what are his sources? Who is his audience?Who is his audience? What is the political/cultural environment he What is the political/cultural environment he
writes in?writes in? Does he have particular biases? Does he have particular biases?
Livy on the early history of Livy on the early history of RomeRome
““The traditions of what happened prior to the foundation of The traditions of what happened prior to the foundation of the City or whilst it was being built, are more fitted to adorn the City or whilst it was being built, are more fitted to adorn the creations of the poet than the authentic records of the the creations of the poet than the authentic records of the historian, and I have no intention of establishing either their historian, and I have no intention of establishing either their truth or their falsehood. This much licence is conceded to truth or their falsehood. This much licence is conceded to the ancients, that by intermingling human actions with the ancients, that by intermingling human actions with divine they may confer a more august dignity on the origins divine they may confer a more august dignity on the origins of states. Now, if any nation ought to be allowed to claim a of states. Now, if any nation ought to be allowed to claim a sacred origin and point back to a divine paternity that sacred origin and point back to a divine paternity that nation is Rome. For such is her renown in war that when nation is Rome. For such is her renown in war that when she chooses to represent Mars as her own and her she chooses to represent Mars as her own and her founder's father, the nations of the world accept the founder's father, the nations of the world accept the statement with the same equanimity with which they statement with the same equanimity with which they accept her dominion.” (Livy, Praefatio. Trans. R.C. Roberts, accept her dominion.” (Livy, Praefatio. Trans. R.C. Roberts, 1912).1912).
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed-new?id=Liv1His&tag=public&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed-new?id=Liv1His&tag=public&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed parsed
Does Livy’s statement Does Livy’s statement justify dismissal of his justify dismissal of his
account of Rome’s early account of Rome’s early history?history?
Does it provide us with a Does it provide us with a history of early Rome? history of early Rome?
