Power and Politics in the Roman Empire: 44 BC - AD 68

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This unit provides an introduction to Roman history from 44 BC to AD 68, a period which began with the assassination of Julius Caesar and finished with the death of the Emperor Nero. This was a period of profound cultural and political change at Rome and in the wider Mediterranean world, which coincided with the drift towards the establishment of a monarchical system of government at Rome, led by a 'princeps', or 'first citizen'. Moreover, with the completion of Rome's conquest of the Mediterranean, the inhabitants of once independent kingdoms and communities had now to adapt to life under Roman hegemony. In addition to charting the major political and administrative developments of the time, the unit also explores the interactions between Romans and the subject peoples of the Empire. The unit aims not only to impart knowledge about this seminal period in world history but also to interpret and explain key features of it. The unit offers a carefully structured program of lectures, identifying and tracing the development of the major political, social and cultural aspects of the ancient Julio-Claudian period, and a complementary series of tutorials and take-home assignments that examine some of these aspects in depth. Tutorial participation is a vital part of the learning process and in the development of reasoning and analytical skills. The unit emphasises the collection, analysis and criticism of the ancient source material and a written in-class assignment and tutorial discussion of this assignment deals specifically with this crucial aspect of ancient historical study. The unit aims to encourage students to develop critical abilities in the process of exploring and evaluating particular events and personalities throughout this period. Another important part of learning is for the student to be able to develop and articulate his or her views on the unit itself.