CAMS 1102: ROMAN CIVILIZATION

Spring 2010

Lectures: Tu Th 3.30-4.20 p.m. Arj. 105

Instructor: Dr. Maria NOUSSIA Assistants

Office: 218 Arjona Christa Bucklin: christa.bucklin@uconn.edu

Eda Dedebas: eda.dedebas@uconn.edu

Nicole Mcclure: mcclure.nicole@gmail.com

Suzanne Ondrus: suzanne.ondrus@uconn.edu

Further contact information:

Email: maria.noussia@uconn.edu

Office Hours: Tu 4.30-6.30 p.m. and by appt.

Full contact information for TAs will be listed on the website when it becomes available.

Attendance:

Students are expected to attend all classes, complete all readings, and actively participate

in all discussions. Your Tas will use your discussion assignments to monitor attendance,

though this is only one aspect of your participation grade. This grade is based on the

student's attendance, his/her willingness to verbally participate in discussion,

commitment to learning, and their demonstrated preparation for discussion. Attending

discussion every week fulfills only the minimum requirements.

Classroom behavior:

The use of iphones, cell phones, etc. is prohibited during class. Please turn off and put

away any such devices before class begins. In addition, please put away any reading

material not related to the course. Please do not speak to the person sitting next to you

when the instructor or anyone else is addressing the class – it is very distracting. If you

have a question, comment, or objection, please raise your hand so that you can have the

opportunity to address the entire class at the earliest opportunity. The use of laptops is

permitted only if used for notes’ taking.

Discussions with the instructor: You should discuss any questions about the course

with me during my office hours or by e-mail. You should also plan on seeing me at least

once during the semester to discuss your progress in the course.

Required Textbooks:�

1: J. Boardman, O. Murray, et al. (ed): The Oxford Illustrated History of the Roman

World, Oxford UP 2000. ISBN: 0192854364

2: E. Fantham: Roman Literary Culture from Cicero to Apuleius, Johns Hopkins UP

1999. ISBN: 0801862019

�3: Plautus, Four Comedies, transl. E. Segal, OUP 1998, ISBN: 0192838962

4: Virgil, The Aeneid. (Tr. R. Fitzgerald) Vintage Books 1990. ISBN: 0679729526

�5: Livy, The Early History of Rome (Books I-V), Viking Penguin 1972, ISBN:

0140441042

�6: Catullus, Complete Poems (tr. G. Lee), Oxford UP 1998. ISBN: 0192835874

**FURTHER MATERIAL WILL BE POSTED ON LINE ON THE COURSE WEB

SITE**

Grading: 2 Quizzes 10 %, Midterm 25%, Final 40%, Brief Paper OR Creative Projects

15%, Class Participation 10 % (attendance and participation in class discussion are

essential).

Grading Scale: A= 93-100%; A-=90-92%; B+= 87-89%; B= 83-86%; B-= 80-82%; C+=

77-79%; C= 73-76%; C-= 70-72%; D+= 67-69%; D= 60-66%; F= 59% and below

BRIEF PAPER: Paper length: 4 pages (1,5 spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman, – lengthy

quotations from the primary sources, as well as the bibliography, do not count toward the

page requirement). Although the student may send me his/her paper as an email

attachment, a hard copy must also be handed into me. Papers less than 4 pages will not

be read and will receive 0 points. Students are strongly advised to start thinking about

potential topics of interest as soon as they familiarize themselves with the course material

and should feel free to consult the instructor if they need guidance in choosing a viable

project.

OR

CREATIVE PROJECT: You can do any type of creative project relating to the material

discussed in class (painting, cartoons, film, webpage, any type of creative writing, from a

poem to a story or a script, performance, costume design etc). Example of a creative

project: choose a mythological subject and draft the outline of a "lost" drama and

compose an extended scene in its entirety. Alternatively, you can write a modern

theatrical piece or brief novel inspired by your readings. Remember, there is no limit to

creativity; you set the guidelines. CREATIVE PROJECTS WILL BE DUE on the

same date as Papers. Although the student may send me his/her project as an email

attachment, a hard copy must also be handed into me.

FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE PAPER/CREATIVE PROJECT BY THE

DEADLINE WILL RESULT IN NO POINTS FOR THE COURSE

**There will be a group assignment in association with any of the film screenings to

take place the last 2 discussion sections for all students of the course**

Class Conference (for Honors’ Section ONLY): Papers or creative projects will be

presented in session 9D at a class conference, starting after the 10th week of classes.

There will be panels of conference type formal 5-7 minute presentations and discussion,

with a program of panels to be circulated well in advance. This is a great introduction in

the academic experience of real conference activities. Announcements will be posted on

the course website.

Disability: Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this

class are encouraged to arrange for such accommodations to be implemented in a timely

fashion.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

QUIZ 1: February 23

SPRING BREAK: March 7-March 13

MIDTERM: March 16

SHORT PAPER/CREATIVE PROJECT: April 6

QUIZ 2: April 13

LAST DAY OF LECTURES: April 29

Date for makeup quizzes/midterm is Tuesday, April 27, at 5.00 pm (Arjona 218).

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES (SOME CHANGES MAY OCCUR)

1rst week Jan. 19: no specific assignment. Introduction to the course

Jan. 21: Early Rome and Italy: Fantham’s introduction (pp. 1-19); Oxford

Illustrated History (OIH) pp. 9-15; Livy, pp. 31-49 (Penguin edition)

2nd week Jan. 26: Early Rome and Italy II. Re-read assignments of Jan. 21

Discussion sections: Livy pp. 51-105

Jan. 28: Early Rome and Italy: OHI pp. 19-38;

3rd week Feb. 2: Study map of Italy; Roman Expansion: OIH pp. 39-58

Discussion sections: Livy, selections from Book 2

Feb. 4: Politics, society and culture in the growing Republic-Polybius:

OIH. Pp. 226-31; Polybius’ text for the lecture is to be found and read on line

(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/polybius-cannae.html).

4th week Feb. 9: The first Roman Literature: Film: “A Funny Thing Happened on

the Way to the Forum” (1966). READ OIH, pp. 60-67

discussion sections: Plautus, The Braggart soldier.

Feb. 11 Film continued: “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the

Forum”; discussion on Plautus and his comic mirror on Republican Rome

5th week Feb. 16: The late Republic and Cicero: OHI, ch. 4; Fantham, Ch. 1

discussion sections: a selection from Cicero's letters (Letters 1 and 3 on the following

website: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/cicero-letters.html)

Feb. 18: As the Romans Did, pp. 216-21 (selection will be put on line)

6th week : Feb. 23: From Caesar to the coming of the Empire: OIH pp. 101-109,

121-139, 231-235 QUIZ

discussion sections: Augustus, Records of His Accomplishments

(http://classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html)

Feb. 25: The age of Augustus: poetry and society. OIH pp. 182-193; 361-

374; Fantham ch. 2.

7th week: March 2: Virgil’s Roman Achilles I; OHI, ch. 9

discussion sections: Aeneid; Statius

March 4: Virgil’s Roman Achilles II

8th week: March 7-13: SPRING BREAK

9th week: March 16: MIDTERM

discussion sections: Ovid, The Art of Love, pp. 166-190

March 18: Social life in Rome: families, marriage, women. Reading

material on line from Shelton, As the Romans did.

10th week: March 23: Love-poetry in the Augustan age: OIH 109-120; 194-205;

discussion sections: Catullus, The Complete Poems (selection to be announced)

March 25: Love-poetry in the Augustan age: Fantham, ch. 3;

11th week: March 30: Politics and suppression after Augustus; Nero. FILM: QUO

VADIS (1951); Read: OIH, 139-149, 235-242, 374-380; Fantham, ch. 4

discussion sections: Suetonius, Nero (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/suet-nero-

rolfe.html)

April 1: FILM continued: QUO VADIS (1951)

12th week: April 6: Nero: discussion on the film and conclusions

PAPERS/PROJECTS DUE

discussion sections: The dinner-party of Trimalchio

(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/petronius-satyricon-feast.html)

April 8: Social Reaction: What is in a meal? Fantham, ch. 5; OIH pp. 267-

282, 380-386.

13th week: April 13: An imperial elite: Fantham, ch. 6; OIH ch. 11, pp. 282-287

QUIZ 2

discussion sections: Claudius on admitting provincials to the Senate from Tacitus

(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tacitus-ann11a.html); and on an inscription:

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/48claudius.html

April 15: Spectacles. Movie: GLADIATOR (selection); Reading

material from Shelton to be put on line;

14th week: April 20: Case Study: Pompei-Roman Art & Architecture. Film in Class:

The Last Days of Pompei (1935) ; OIH, pp. 361-397

discussion sections: presentation of group assignments in association with any of the

screenings.

April 22: Film in Class continued: The Last Days of Pompei (1935)

15th week: April 27: A Farewell to Antiquity; OIH, pp. 401-22. DATE FOR MAKEUP

QUIZZES

discussion sections: presentation of group assignments in association with any of the

screenings April 29: FINAL CLASS: REVIEW