The power of Rome: Europe’s first empire

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

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

• Strong (warfare) and soft power (political and cultural influence) that underpinned the creation of the Roman empire
• Archaeological evidence and theories relating to cultural change among the provincial communities
• Social, political, economic and cultural basis of the Roman Empire
• Key theories relating to the causes and consequences of Roman imperialism

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Critically analyse complex issues
• Present evidence and arguments in written form, with and without time constraints
• Evaluate and synthesize complex bodies of data
• Undertake independent research on a specific theme

Cognitive Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Be critical in your thinking about the nature of imperialism
• Test competing theories through knowledge of the archaeological evidence
• Interpret varying forms of archaeological evidence
• Undertake a comparative approach to past societies
• Evaluate evidence for and think critically about a variety of archaeological issues
• Integrate the analysis of different kinds of archaeological and historical data
• Better understand the complex interplays of academic argument in Roman archaeology

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

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

Resources & Reading list

Journal Articles

Mattingly, D.J. (ed) (1997). Dialogues in Roman imperialism. Journal of Roman Archaeology Supplement 23.

Textbooks

Zanker, P (1988). The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Garnsey, P., and Humfress, C. (2001). The evolution of the late antique world. Cambridge: Orchard Academic.

Ando, C (2000). Imperial Ideology and Provincial Loyalty in the Roman Empire. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Scott, S. and Webster, J. (eds.) (2003). Roman imperialism and provincial art. Cambridge: CUP.

Oleson, J. P. (2008). Handbook of Engineering and Technology in the Classical World.. Oxford: OUP.

Edwards, C (ed.) (1999). Roman Presences: receptions of Rome in European culture, 1789–1945. Cambridge: CUP.

Greene, K (1986). The archaeology of the Roman economy. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Woolf, G (2013). Rome: An Empire's Story. Oxford: OUP.

Lintott, A (1993). Imperium romanum: politics and administration. London: Routledge.

Garnsey, P., and R. Saller. (2014). The Roman empire: economy, society and culture. London: Duckworth.

Formative

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

Summative

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

Referral

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

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External