Module overview
The Roman empire has held the imagination of successive generations. Conquest by Rome brought social, cultural and economic change to large swathes of what is now Europe, the Middle East and north Africa. Never before or after will these parts of the world enjoy centuries of stability and peace as they did under the Romans. It was a unique political institution that encompassed a mosaic of peoples, languages and cultures that was unprecedented in its richness, leaving a legacy that has profoundly shaped the course of Western civilization. Its success and longevity has fascinated many, and long after its demise it remained a model for the European and American imperialism in the nineteenth, twentieth and even twenty-first centuries. The great wealth of the archaeological evidence has produced a long tradition of scholarship, but in the last twenty years, new approaches have reawakened these debates, making the study of the Roman world one of the most dynamic fields within archaeology, with major implications for other areas of the Humanities. Post-colonial discourse, theorists of Globalization and North African states trying to raise their agricultural output, to name just few, have all looked back to the Roman Empire for clues.
So what was the secret of the Roman empire’s success? How did it come to be and how was it maintained? In this module, you will look at the causes, consequences and the changing nature of Roman imperialism and its political, social, cultural and economic foundations. You will touch upon key issues and debates in Roman archaeology and learn about major sites and artefact types from all parts of the Roman world. Assessment is through coursework and an exam.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- Social, political, economic and cultural basis of the Roman Empire
- Strong (warfare) and soft power (political and cultural influence) that underpinned the creation of the Roman empire
- Key theories relating to the causes and consequences of Roman imperialism
- Archaeological evidence and theories relating to cultural change among the provincial communities
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Critically analyse complex issues
- Evaluate and synthesize complex bodies of data
- Present evidence and arguments in written form, with and without time constraints
- Undertake independent research on a specific theme
Cognitive Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Evaluate evidence for and think critically about a variety of archaeological issues
- Be critical in your thinking about the nature of imperialism
- Test competing theories through knowledge of the archaeological evidence
- Undertake a comparative approach to past societies
- Interpret varying forms of archaeological evidence
- Better understand the complex interplays of academic argument in Roman archaeology
- Integrate the analysis of different kinds of archaeological and historical data
Syllabus
The module provides an introduction to the archaeology of the Roman empire, including key issues and debates, major themes, sites and evidence types. Lectures will be used to introduce the topic, outline the theoretical framework and background to the subject. Small group tutorials will be used to explore specific issues and materials and to help consolidate your knowledge.
Typically, topics covered will include:
1.Introduction to the Roman Empire
2.Roman Imperialism and Government
3.The Army and Administration
4.Imperial ideology
5.The Roman Economy
6.Living under Rome: towns, cities and technology
7.Diversity of Religious Beliefs and Practices in the Roman Empire
8.What does it mean to be Roman? Cultural change/Becoming Roman
9.Resistance and Rebellion
10.The Transformation of the Roman Empire
11.Revision seminar
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Revision seminars
Learning activities include
- Preparatory reading for tutorials
- Follow up reading after lectures (including lecture PowerPoint on Blackboard)
- Essay writing, source evaluation and learning through oral presentation
- Hands on learning with different forms of material culture
- Revision for exam
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Follow-up work | 45 |
| Revision | 27 |
| Lecture | 12 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 5 |
| Seminar | 11 |
| Completion of assessment task | 50 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Journal Articles
Mattingly, D.J. (ed) (1997). Dialogues in Roman imperialism. Journal of Roman Archaeology Supplement 23.
Textbooks
Garnsey, P., and Humfress, C. (2001). The evolution of the late antique world. Cambridge: Orchard Academic.
Zanker, P (1988). The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Scott, S. and Webster, J. (eds.) (2003). Roman imperialism and provincial art. Cambridge: CUP.
Edwards, C (ed.) (1999). Roman Presences: receptions of Rome in European culture, 1789–1945. Cambridge: CUP.
Oleson, J. P. (2008). Handbook of Engineering and Technology in the Classical World.. Oxford: OUP.
Ando, C (2000). Imperial Ideology and Provincial Loyalty in the Roman Empire. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Woolf, G (2013). Rome: An Empire's Story. Oxford: OUP.
Garnsey, P., and R. Saller. (2014). The Roman empire: economy, society and culture. London: Duckworth.
Lintott, A (1993). Imperium romanum: politics and administration. London: Routledge.
Greene, K (1986). The archaeology of the Roman economy. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Individual Project Interim ReportSummative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Research essay | 50% |
| Written assignment | 50% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Resubmit assessments | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External