Hist 307: The Roman Republic
2016 Fall
Lecturer: So Yeon Bae ()
Office: Holton Hall 349
Office Hours: Mondays & Wednesdays 11:00AM-Noon
Course Description
This course deals with the history of the Roman Republic, from the founding of the city of Rome to the death of Julius Caesar and the ensuing fall of the Roman Republic (BC 753–31). Students will consider how a small town grew into the superpower in the Mediterranean world and what factors led the Roman Republic, which lasted for more than seven centuries, to fall in the end. Did Rome really need an emperor? If so, why? If not, why? At the same time, the students will also form their own thoughts about who the Romans were, and how we can appropriate the legacy of Rome in the 21st century AD.
Required Text
Michael Crawford. The Roman Republic. 2nd ed. Fontana Press. 2015.=Crawford
David Shotter. The Fall of the Roman Republic. 2nd ed. Routledge. 2005.=Shotter
* Additional Readings will be uploaded to the course website.
Online sources
Lacus Curtius: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/home.html
Perseus Digital Library: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/
Important Dates
Nov. 7 / 1st Writing Assignment due in class
Nov. 16 / Deadline for submitting the topics for your 2nd writing assignment
Dec. 7 / Extra Credit Assignment due in class
Dec. 14 / 2nd Writing Assignment due in class
Dec. 16 / Final Exam
Grading
Attendance and Participation (15)
2 exams (20; 25)
1 museum assignment (10)
1 research paper (30)
& 1 extra credit assignment (3)
Grading scale
95 – 100 A
92 - 94.999 A-
88 - 91.999 B+
84 - 87.999 B
81 - 83.999 B-
77 - 80.999 C+
74 - 76.999 C
71 - 73.999 C-
67 - 70.999 D+
64 - 66.999 D
60 - 63.999 D-
58 - 59.999 F
Attendance and Participation (5+10)
Attendance: Attending lectures matters. I will record attendance 10 times randomly this semester; three absences will be excused without a need to explain the circumstances. After that, 5 points will be deducted from the 15 points assigned for attendance and participation. If you have any extenuating circumstances that explain why you cannot attend the lectures, contact me before the lecture, not after the lecture.
Participation: You are required to read the assigned readings prior to the class and participate in class discussions. Read the primary and secondary sources critically, and bring your own opinion about the assigned readings and the topics that I will cover each week. I may take a few notes on who prepares well or who does not do the readings for the sake of grading.
N. B. I.
Electronic gadgets, such as lap-tops or tablets, are allowed in the lecture for the sake of taking notes. However, other electronic gadgets (such as apple watches or cell phones) will be banned. If you are spotted using any electronic devices for irrelevant purposes, such as checking the result of games or text messaging, more than two times, 3 points will be deducted from your final grade.
N. B. II.
There are a few ways that you can show me the minimum amount of respect during the class. First of all, try not to be late. If you have an emergency that you have to attend to, please send me an email so that I know beforehand that you will arrive late. If you have to leave class early, again give me a notice explaining the circumstances prior to the beginning of the class.
Exams (20+25=45)
Two exams will account for 45% of your final grade. In the exams, you will be tested on basic knowledge on chronology, terminology, and historical figures, which will appear in the lectures, the textbook, and the required readings. There may be essay-type questions and map sections in these exams. There will be no make-up exams; you have to be present to take the exams on the 17th of October and the 16th of December, lest you lose 20 or 25 points.
Writing Assignments (10+30=40)
First Writing Assignment – 10%; double-spaced, 3 pages
Visit the Milwaukee Public Museum or the Milwaukee Art Museum and look for the artifacts that belong to the Roman period (both Republic and Imperial).
Choose one or two artifact(s) and describe the items briefly in a paragraph. Then, find a topic from our lecture that is relevant to your chosen artefacts (for instance, based on location, period, purpose etc) and explain the use of the artifacts and what kind of goals the maker/distributor/dedicator would have held in the time of its production. Any reference to primary and secondary sources will be also welcomed, provided that you cite them properly. You may also suggest some improvements on the collections of the museum.
Milwaukee Public Museum (https://www.mpm.edu/plan-visit/visitors/hours)
- Open Monday-Friday 10:00 AM-5:00 PM; Saturdays 9:00 AM-5:00 PM; Sundays 11:00 AM-5:00 PM
- Admission fee for college student $14
- Free on the first Thursday of every month
Milwaukee Art Museum (http://mam.org/visit/)
- Open Monday-Sunday 10:00 AM-5:00 PM; Friday until 8:00 PM
- Admission fee for students (w/ID) $15
- Free on the first Friday of every month
Second Writing Assignment – 30%; double-spaced, 6-7pages
In this assignment, you are asked to come up with your own topic for a short research paper. In case you have some troubles thinking of a possible topic, you will be given a pool of topics covered in the lectures. You may choose one of the topics or you can develop your own question from these topics. Regardless of if you come up with your own topic or choose one of the given topics, you have to consult me on whether or not your project is feasible prior to the Thanksgiving Recess (Nov. 16). You are required to consult at least 2 secondary sources in addition to 2 primary ones.
Do not forget to use the service of the writing center (http://www4.uwm.edu/writingcenter/) to polish your assignments before submission.
N. B. III.
Note that you have to submit the physical copies of your paper (no email submission) to me in person and no late submissions will be accepted in any assignment. In case of an emergency, you must contact me beforehand in order to set up alternative plans.
An assignment for extra credits – 3 points; double-spaced, 3 pages
You are given a chance to get extra 3 points in the following ways:
1) Watch every episode of the first season of HBO Rome (2005) and write a review. Summarize the first season briefly (no more than a page) and give your opinions regarding its strong and week points.
or
2) Read Colleen McCullough's novel, The First Man in Rome, and write a book review. Again, summarize the book briefly, and explain how you assess McCullough’s characterization of Marius, Sulla, and the other historical figures in her novel based on what we learn from the lectures.
This assignment is due in class on 7 December. Again, no late or email submissions will be accepted.
University Policies
1. Students with disabilities: http://www4.uwm.edu/arc
2. Religious observances: http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S1.5.htm
3. Students called to active military duty:
http://www4.uwm.edu/current_students/military_call_up.cfm
4. Incompletes: https://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S_31_INCOMPLETE_GRADES.pdf
5. Discriminatory conduct (such as sexual harassment):
https://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S_47_Discrimina_duct_Policy.pdf
6. Academic misconduct:
http://uwm.edu/academicaffairs/facultystaff/policies/academic-misconduct/
7. Complaint procedures. Students may direct complaints to the head of the academic unit or department in which the complaint occurs. If the complaint allegedly violates a specific university policy, it may be directed to the head of the department or academic unit in which the complaint occurred or to the appropriate university office responsible for enforcing the policy.
8. Grade appeal procedures:
https://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S_47_Discrimina_duct_Policy.pdf
Email policy
You need to elucidate on the topic of your e-mail and your section in the title, for instance, Absence, date. I will try to respond to e-mails within 24 hours.
Schedule (subject to change)
Week 1 Sep. 7
Crawford, Historical Introduction, I. The Sources.
Week 2 Sep. 12, 14
Sep. 12 / Archaic ItalyCrawford, II. Italy and Rome.
Livy, 1.1-21.
Sep. 14 / Founding Rome
Livy, 1.57-2.2.
Week 3 Sep. 19, 21
Sep. 19 / Founding the RepublicCrawford, III. The Roman Governing Classes.
Sep. 21 / Struggle of the Orders
Livy, 3.44-51.
Week 4 Sep. 26, 28
Sep. 26 / Roman Conquests of ItalyCrawford, IV. The Conquest of Italy.
Sep. 28 / Treatment of Defeated Enemies
Week 5 Oct. 3, 5
Oct. 3 / CarthageOct. 5 / First Punic War
Crawford, V. From Italian Power to Mediterranean Power.
Week 6 Oct. 10, 12
Oct. 10 / Second Punic WarPolybius 3.9.6-14.10; Cornelius Nepos Hannibal 1-7; Livy 21.1-5.
Oct. 12 / Third Punic War
Week 7 Oct. 17, 19
Oct. 17 / Mid-term ExamOct. 19 / Roman Conquest of the Greek world
Crawford, VI. The Conquest of the East.
Livy 33.32-3; Polybius 38.1 etc
Week 8 Oct. 24, 26
Oct. 24 / Transformation of Rome in the second Century; Lex Villia AnnalisShotter, Introduction, 1. The Government of the Republic.
Crawford, VII. The Consequences of Empire - The Governing Classes; VIII. The Imperial Power.
Oct. 26 / Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus
Shotter, 2. The Growth of Empire.
Crawford, IX. The Consequences of Empire - the Governed; X. Reform and Revolution.
Livy 42.34-5; Plut. Tib. Gracch. 13-21.
Week 9 Oct. 31, Nov. 2
Oct. 31 / Gaius Sempronius GracchusNov. 2 / External & Internal Threats in Rome
Crawford, XI. Rome and Italy.
Week 10 Nov. 7, 9
Nov. 7 / Rome's Internal Politics I: MariusShotter, 3. The Political Temperature Rises: the Gracchi, Marius and Sulla.
Crawford, XII. The End of Consensus.
Sall. BJ. 84-6.
1st assignment due in class
Nov. 9 / Roman Internal Politics II: Sulla
Crawford, XIII. The World Turned Upside Down.
Plut. Sulla 30-35.
Week 11 Nov. 14, 16
Nov. 14 / Pompey and CrassusShotter, 4. The Rise and Domination of Pompey.
Nov. 16 / Roman Slavery
Submit your paper topic in class
Week 12 Nov. 21
Nov. 21 / Cicero & the Catilinarian ConspiracyCrawford, XIV. The Embattled Oligarchy.
Nov. 23-27 Thanksgiving Recess
Week 13 Nov. 28, 30
Crawford, XV. The Military Dynasts.
Shotter, 5. The 'Three-headed Monster' and the Slide to Civil War.
Nov. 30. / Caesar’s Final Years
Shotter, 6. The Dictatorship of Julius Caesar.
Appian, BC. 2.111-9; Plut. Brut. 1-21; Suet. Caes. 78-83.
Week 14 Dec. 5, 7
Dec. 5 / Ides to ActiumShotter, 7. The Final Act: Antonius, Octavian and Lepidus.
Dec. 7 / Women in the Roman Republic
Culham, P. 2004. 'Women in the Roman Republic', in H. I. Flower (ed), The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic, pp. 139-159.
Extra Credit Assignment due in class
Week 15 Dec. 12, 14
Dec. 12 / Establishment of the PrincipateShotter, Epilogue.
Augustus, Res Gestae Divi Augusti.
Dec. 14 / Legacy of the Roman Republic
Crawford, Epilogue.
Chap. 9. The Afterlife of the Roman Republic, from David M. Gwynn. The Roman Republic: A Very Short Introduction. OUP. 2012.
Final assignment due in class
Dec. 16 / Final Exam 10:00am-12:00 Noon
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