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The Last Days of the Roman Republic
CCIV274 SP

Crosslistings: HIST274,COL279

This course will examine the events and literature of the civil war years from the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. to the consolidation of power in the hands of Rome's first emperor in the '20s B.C. We will look both at the struggle for power by Octavian, Mark Antony, and others, and at the response to crisis of the intelligentsia as a new generation of historians and poets both fled from the real world to the escape of literary pursuits and also grappled with the events of the day through writing that hoped to influence that real world.

MAJOR READINGS

R. Syme, THE ROMAN REVOLUTION H. Scullard, FROM THE GRACCHI TO NERO, A HISTORY OF ROME FROM 133 B.C. TO A.D. 68 Selections from the late work of CICERO Sallust, THE JUGURTHINE WAR and CONSPIRACY OF CATILINE Livy, THE EARLY HISTORY OF ROME Horace, EPODES and SATIRES Vergil, ECLOGUES and GEORGICS

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Short (2 page) papers and brief class presentations during the term; a final 5-10 page paper or essay exam.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

No prior knowledge of Roman history or literature is required; the course may serve as an introduction to Roman culture.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: NONE    Grading Mode: Student Option   

Prerequisites: NONE

Last Updated on MAR-24-2000

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