Environmental History of Rome

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

We live in the Anthropocene, a geological age defined by humanity’s dominant influence on climate and the environment. But there remains much debate as to when exactly the Anthropocene begins. This debate matters, as it puts into perspective our current environmental crises and the significance of human-environment interaction across time. This course will reflect on this significance over the short- and long-term by casting an environmental lens on the archaeology and history of the Roman Empire. Along the way, we will draw from diverse paleo-environmental, archaeological, art historical, and literary evidence to: interrogate Roman mentalities towards the environment; examine Roman technologies and organizational systems which enabled the Romans’ ability to bring about enduring environmental transformations; and explore the confluence of socio-political events and environmental calamities. Course content will be organized in three thematic modules: first, Fragmented Landscapes: students will explore how the Mediterranean basin both connected and separated people in antiquity; second, Environmental Mentalities and Management: students will explore how Roman mentalities of nature reflected and/or affected the Romans’ management of the environment; and third, (Un)natural Calamities: students will explore what role, if any, the Romans played in bringing about environmental catastrophes. The primary goal of this course is to learn the role of the environment in the history of Rome, and vice versa. In addition, students will compare Rome’s relationship with the environment to our own, in particular how ideas, tools, and institutions bring about or obstruct transformation. Questions will include: In what ways were the interactions between humans and the environment during Roman antiquity similar to or different from today? How is this reflected in the changing character of the environment in ancient historical and archaeological research? And does such comparison reveal an essential relationship between humans and the environment?