Living with the Romans: Urbanism in the Roman Empire | ARCH3028

Module overview

The towns in which the Romans lived are some of the most familiar features of the Roman world. Although they seem to look and feel like modern towns, they actually worked in quite different ways, a reflection of the fact that ancient Roman society was distinct to our own.

This module introduces you to archaeology of towns from across the Roman world between the 3rd century BC and the 6th century AD.

You will learn of the very different ways in which the Romans thought about towns and how they were organized. In particular, you will be introduced to the vibrant political and commercial life of towns in the Roman towns and provinces, and their links with Rome itself. You will also gain an appreciation of how Roman towns actually worked from day to day and their roles within the broader empire, and will also discover why there were very marked differences between towns in different parts of the Mediterranean, northern Europe and north Africa and the Middle East. You will also venture out into the countryside surrounding the towns, and learn something of their links to villages, farms and villas. Following this module, in short, will introduce you to some breath-taking archaeological sites and provide you with a fascinating glimpse into a key part of our European cultural heritage.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

the ways in which towns acted as key conduits for social and political change in the Roman empire
the role of Roman towns in creating interlinked economies within the Roman empire
the ways in which monuments and public texts created a sense of “belonging” within the empire
the structuring principles underlying the layout of different kinds of public and residential buildings and townscapes
social, economic and cultural connectivity between towns in the Roman empire
the relationship between pre-Roman and Roman towns
the ways in which monuments and public texts worked together to help articulate ideologies of empire

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Critically analyze complex issues
Make/contribute to group presentations with confidence
Work successfully in a group
Evaluate and synthesize complex bodies of data
Undertake research on a specific theme

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Understand the broader ramifications of the archaeological evidence for towns on study visits and on the excavation/survey of Roman towns
Deal with historical, epigraphic, geophysical and architectural evidence
Undertake comparative analyses of archaeological evidence for towns across the Roman empire

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Be more critical in your thinking about the nature of urbanism in the Roman world
Better understand the complex interplays of academic argument in Roman archaeology
Think across the academic divide between the Late Pre-Roman Iron age and the Roman period
Analyse and interpret evidence for towns within the broader social, economic, political and cultural contexts of the Roman empire.
Integrate the analysis of different kinds of archaeological and historical data

Syllabus

The module is organized thematically, and encompasses Roman towns from across the Roman world between the 3rd century BC and the 6th century AD.

Part One explores ideas concerning the origins of the Roman concept of town, the susceptibility of towns to definition from a range of different perspectives, and the relevance of urban models to our understanding of towns in the Roman empire.

Part Two looks at the archaeological evidence for townscapes, analyzing evidence for the changing roles and character of walls, streets, public building and public architecture, houses and gardens, cemeteries, and buildings/areas set aside for production and exchange.

Part Three introduces you to issues such as visibility and access, the ways in which people may have “negotiated” townscapes, either individually or as groups through processions and in meetings.

Part Four explores the relationship between buildings and monumental writing and art. In particular, it presents a range of texts and examples of monumental art, examines the kinds of information/message that they carried, and looks at the ways in which both were meant to be read in the context of the buildings themselves.

In Part Five the module concludes by looking at towns in the broader landscape, touching upon issues such as the “edges” of towns, the relationship of towns to non-urban settlements, and the connectivity of towns in regional contexts. The module will maintain a balance between general background and specific case-studies in different parts of the Roman empire at different periods.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include

Lectures
Student-led discussion groups
Student led presentations

Learning activities include

Formal and structured seminar classes to support the lecture programme.
Standard lecture and class-based activities; use of handouts
Essay writing, source evaluation and learning through oral presentation
Preparation of detailed reading lists for assessments
Some informal self-learning through videos/CD-Rom/Web

Study time
Type	Hours
Preparation for scheduled sessions	15
Completion of assessment task	45
Follow-up work	30
Wider reading or practice	35
Seminar	5
Lecture	20
Total study time	150

Assessment

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Presentation

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Essay	50%
Written assignment	50%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Essay	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External