Instructor: Jennifer Kendall
Email:
Phone: 621-7421
Office:Classics Dept. Rm. 224, 2nd floor of the Learning Services Bldg (LSB)
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesday 1:00-3:00 AND by appointment
Teaching Assistants:Erin Dombrady
Email:
Phone: 621-7329 / 621-3025
Office:Classics Dept. Graduate Pods, 2nd floor of the Learning Services Bldg (LSB)
Office Hours:TBA
Andrew Estes
Email:
Phone: 621-7329 / 621-3025
Office:Classics Dept. Graduate Pods, 2nd floor of the Learning Services Bldg (LSB)
Office Hours:TBA
Laura Grantham
Email:
Phone: 621-7329 / 621-3025
Office:Classics Dept. Graduate Pods, 2nd floor of the Learning Services Bldg (LSB)
Office Hours: TBA
Vasec Shatillo
Email:
Phone: 621-7329 / 621-3025
Office:Classics Dept. Graduate Pods, 2nd floor of the Learning Services Bldg (LSB)
Office Hours:TBA
Course Description
This course focuses on the reception of Rome in Europe and the United States from the fifteenth century to the present. The overarching theme of this semester’s course is the perception of “good” Roman leaders and “bad” Roman leaders in antiquity and later periods. Within this framework, there will be three primary areas of focus; 1) Rome and the French Revolution; 2) Ancient Rome and Mussolini’s Rome; 3) and good men and bad emperors in ancient Rome and American cinema. We will follow an interdisciplinary approach through the use of primary sources in translation, secondary sources, art, archaeology, and film.
Course Materials
There are three required textbooks for this course.
1. Livy, The History of Rome, Books 1-5 (trans. Warrior), Hackett Publishing
2. Tacitus, The Agricola and Germania (trans.Mattingly), Penguin Group
3. Jennifer Kendall, ed. Reception of Rome: Memory and Manipulation. Academic Readers 2012.
The first two books (Livy and Tacitus) are available in the bookstore.
The third textbook is a book of primary source readings for CLAS 221 available exclusively from Academic Readers ( Students must order this text directly from the publisher. Follow these steps to obtain your copy:
- Log on to
- Select your quantity and click on "add to cart."
- Once the page reloads click on next.
- You will be redirected to Google Checkout.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the transaction and purchase your book.Payment can be made by all major credit cards.
- Orders are typically processed within 24 hours. If you experience any difficulties, please call 1-877-571-8229.
Additional required readings:
In addition to the required texts, there will be a number of mandatory readings placed on D2L.
Letter grades for the course are assigned as follows: A (100-90%), B (89-80%), C (79-70%), D (69-60%), E (below 60%). They will be based on the following breakdown:
Short Papers (45% of final grade)
There are three short papers in this course (3-4 pages) that are exercises in analytical thinking. The questions for these papers will be based on both the readings and lectures and will require no additional research. Each paper is worth 15% of your final grade. You will receive detailed instructions for each paper. The papers are due in class at the beginning of the class (as noted on the schedule) in hard copy form and it is important that you turn them in on time. Any paper handed in late will lose ten points for each day it is late [Saturdays and Sundays included].
You will have the option to rewrite one of the papers (either paper #1 or paper #2). If you wish to rewrite a paper, you must meet with the instructor or a TA to go over the paper and discuss what aspects can be improved and the strategy for their improvement. This discussion will help facilitate your rewriting process. Rewritten papers will be held to the same grading rubric as the original assignment. In order to qualify for a rewrite, the original paper must have been handed in on time and met the minimum page length requirement. All rewrites are due on Wednesday, April 11. In order for your rewrite to receive consideration, the hardcopy of the original paper must be attached.
Exams (55% of final grade)
There are three exams in this course – two midterms and a final. The first and second midterm exameach count for 15% of your final grade. The final exam counts for 25% of your final grade. The exams will include fill-in-the-blank, term identification, and short answer questions. A study guide will be provided for each exam.
Course Content
This course contains content that some might find controversial such as brutally violent, sexually graphic and/or otherwise potentially offensive material. I assume that all students enrolled in CLAS 221 are mature enough to handle this type of material. If you are easily offended by such material, I recommend that you do not take this course.
Make-ups
Make-ups for missed exams will only be available in extreme cases. If you miss an exam, written notification must be submitted to the instructor with documentation 24 hours before the scheduled exam, or when a valid medical emergency is documented within 24 hours after the exam. In the case of a medical emergency, only documentation from a medical doctor will be accepted.
NOTE: If an exam coincides with a religious holiday, please notify me at least two weeks before the scheduled exam.
Testing Accommodations
Students with special learning needs who require extended time for exams orother accommodations should inform me in writing during the first week of class. They will also need to provide written verification from the Disability Resource Center that indicates the specific accommodations recommended by the DRC.
Extra Credit
There are no options for extra credit in this courseexcept for extra credit questions on each exam. If you have trouble with the lectures, readings, exams, or grading criteria see me or a TA as soon as possible.
Grades of Incomplete
The University’s policy for issuing “incomplete” grades is given in the General Catalog. Note that a grade of “I” may be given when all but a “minor portion” of the course work has been satisfactorily completed. Missing an exam does NOT constitute a “minor portion”.
Grade Posting
Grades will be posted on the D2L site. Grades for exams and assignments will be posted within two weeks of the assigned due date. Written work will be made available for review in my office in the Classics Department (for location see above).
D2L
Students in CLAS 221 will be expected to be familiar with D2L (Desire2Learn), the University’s online course content management system. The use of D2L in this class will include: 1) a repository for course documents including additional readings, handouts, images, and lecture outlines; 2) a place to post grades; 3) and a place for course updates and email communication. Students should check D2L ona regular basis. If you are unfamiliar with D2L, see the D2L homepage at:
Class Notes
I will post a brief lecture outline on D2L the night before each class. However, PowerPoint and extensive lecture notes are NOT provided for this course and you should not ask me or the teaching assistants to supply you with any. For the exams and assignments, you are responsible for all of the material contained in the lectures, readings, and handouts.
Attendance and Class Etiquette
Attendance is essential to your understanding of the course material. Each class builds upon the other in content and experience. If you must leave early or arrive late, please sit near an exit and in an aisle seat in order to minimize class disruption. Please respect your instructor and classmates. All electronic devices must be set on silent while in the classroom. Students creating disturbances that interfere with the conduct of the class or the learning of others will be asked to leave. Major violations will be handled according to university policy.
You may find the University’s Code of Conduct at:
The University’s policy on threatening behavior is at:
Readings
Students are responsible for completing the assigned readings BEFORE that day’s lecture. These readings will help with your focus and understanding of the lectures and assignments. All of the assigned readings are testable material.
Copyright and Recording of Lectures
The recording of lectures is strictly prohibited. In addition, I hold the copyright for my lectures and course materials presented in this course. This copyright includes student notes or summaries that substantially reflect my lectures and/or materials. These materials are made available only for personal use by the students, and students may not distribute or reproduce the materials for commercial purposes without my written consent.
Academic Integrity
Violations of scholastic ethics are considered serious offenses by the University of Arizona and by your instructor and you are required to abide by the University’s Code of Academic Integrity. All work done for this class, unless specified, must be your own. Copying and taking ideas from any source must be acknowledged through proper citations. Failure to comply with this standard will result in a zero for the assignment. Breaches in scholastic ethics, such as cheating on an exam will be dealt with severely. Students caught cheating on any assignment or exam will receive a zero, which will not be dropped in determining the final grade. In addition, at the instructor’s discretion, students may receive an “E” for the course.
The University’s code of academic integrity is at:
Problems?
If you require clarification of this syllabus or if you are having any problems with this course, please contact me as soon as possible. If you are unable to make my office hours, I would be happy to schedule an alternative time to meet.
Final Note
The course schedule below is subject to change according to course and time needs. If changes are made they will be posted on the D2L course site.
COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE-----The following schedule is tentative and subject to change-----
Date / Topics/Activities / Readings/Assignments Due
Wed, Jan 11 / Introduction to the course / Syllabus
Fri, Jan 13 / Introduction to Rome / Livy: Book 1, chapters 1-8 (pgs. 1-16)
Section #1: Rome and Revolution: From Monarchy to Republic
Mon, Jan 16 / NO CLASS MLK HOLIDAY
Wed, Jan 18 / Rome: In the Beginning / Livy: Book 1, chapters 9-45 (pgs. 16-64)
Fri, Jan 20 / Tarquinius Superbus and the
First Roman Revolution / Livy: Book 1, chapters 46-60 (pgs 65-83)
Livy: Book 2 chapters 1-5 (pgs. 84-90)
Mon, Jan 23 / The Early Roman Republic and Livy’s Heroes – part 1 / Livy: Book 2, chapters 6-15 (pgs. 90-102)
Kendall: Polybius, Histories (pgs. 1-9)
Wed, Jan 25 / The Early Roman Republic and Livy’s Heroes – part 2 / Livy: Book 3, chapters 15-29 (pgs. 181-198); Book 5, chapters 19-55 (pgs. 356-404)
Fri, Jan 27 / Rome and the Renaissance / D2L:Rome and Renaissance Paintings
Mon, Jan 30 / Rome and the Renaissance / Kendall: Machiavelli,Discourses on Livy (pgs. 10-23)
Wed, Feb 1 / Absolute Monarchy in France / D2L: Accounts of Louis XIV
Paper #1 Due
Fri, Feb 3 / French Revolution – part 1 / Reread Livy: Book 1, chapters 22-26 (pgs. 33-40)
Mon, Feb 6 / French Revolution – part 2 / Kendall: Maximilien Robespierre (pgs. 24-29)
Reread Livy: Book 2, chapters 3-5 (pgs. 87-90)
Wed, Feb 8 / French Revolution – part 3 / Reread Livy: Book 1, chapters 8-13 (pgs. 15-23)
Fri, Feb 10 / Review for Exam 1
Mon, Feb 13 / EXAM 1
Section #2: Rome and Revolution: From a Republic to the Rule of One
Wed, Feb 15 / Conquest / Kendall: Livy, Book 26 (pgs. 30-39)
Fri, Feb 17 / Consequences of Conquest / Kendall: Plutarch, Lives of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus (pgs. 40-54)
Mon, Feb 20 / Sulla / Kendall: Plutarch, Life of Sulla (pgs. 55-63)
Wed, Feb 22 / Julius Caesar – part 1 / Kendall:Syme, The Roman Revolutionchapters 1-2 (pgs. 71-102)
Fri, Feb 24 / Julius Caesar – part 2 / Kendall: Caesar, Civil War (pgs 64-70)
Mon, Feb 27 / Julius Caesar – part 3 / Kendall: Syme, The Roman Revolutionchapter 4 (pgs. 103-117)
Wed, Feb 29 / Second Triumvirate / D2L: Mark Antony
Fri, Mar 2 / From Octavian to Augustus / D2L: The Battle of Actium
Mon, Mar 5 / Augustus / Kendall: Syme The Roman Revolutionchapter 29 (pgs. 118-139)
Wed, Mar 7 / Augustus / Kendall: Res Gestae Divi Augusti (pgs. 157-164)
Fri, Mar 9 / Augustus / Kendall: Syme, The Roman Revolution (pgs. 140-156)
Kendall: Tacitus, Annals (pgs. 165-172)
COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE (continued)
-----The following schedule is tentative and subject to change-----
Date / Topics/Activities / Readings/Assignments Due
Mon, Mar 12 / Spring Break- No Class
Wed, Mar 14 / Spring Break- No Class
Fri, Mar 16 / Spring Break- No Class
Mon, Mar 19 / Europe on the Eve of WWII / D2L: Excerpts from the Versailles Treaty
Wed, Mar 21 / Mussolini’s Rome / D2L: The Fascist Doctrine
Paper #2 Due
Fri, Mar 23 / Mussolini’s Rome / D2L: The Speeches of Mussolini
Mon, Mar 26 / Mussolini’s Rome / D2L: Reading TBA
Wed, Mar 28 / Mussolini’s Rome / D2L: Reading TBA
Fri, Mar 30 / Review for exam 2
Mon, Apr 2 / EXAM 2
Section #3: Good Men and Bad Emperors
Wed, Apr 4 / Julio-Claudians / D2L: The Julio-Claudian Emperors
Fri, Apr 6 / Nero / Kendall: Suetonius, Nero (pgs. 173-184)
Mon, Apr 9 / Domitian / Kendall: Suetonius, Domitian (pgs. 185-195)
Wed, Apr 11 / Domitian / D2L: Cassius Dio: Domitian
Optional revised version of paper #1 or #2 due
Fri, Apr 13 / Tacitus and Agricola / Tacitus: Agricola (pgs. 3-31)
Mon, Apr 16 / Second Century CE Rome / D2L: The Antonines
Wed, Apr 18 / Commodus / Kendall: Historia Augusta, Life of Commodus (pgs. 196-206)
Fri, Apr 20 / Commodus / D2L: Cassius Dio: Commodus
Mon, Apr 23 / Introduction to Gladiator / Paper # 3 due
D2L: Introduction to the movie Gladiator
Wed, Apr 25 / Gladiator
Fri, Apr 27 / Gladiator
Mon, Apr 30 / Gladiator
Wed, May 2 / Conclusions
Wed, May 9 / FINAL EXAM
10:30am-12:30pm
Social Sciences 100
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