Roman Britain Empire's Edge

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course introduces students to the Roman Province of Britannia from 55 BCE to 455 CE, placing it in its context as part of the wider Roman empire, but also as an island with its own peculiar place in antiquity. It will engage with changes over time, from the initial contact between the Romans and Britons, through conquest, settlement, and the coming of Christianity, to the final severing from direct Roman control. The course will also look at ways in which Britain's Roman heritage is presented, and how the Roman past still shapes the modern United Kingdom. The teaching of this course is accomplished through a mixture of in-class sessions, site visits, and independent research, all of which inter-relate, so that students gain a full understanding of wider contexts. Students will explore Roman Britain from both historical and archaeological perspectives. They will be introduced to primary literary sources and archaeological/visual evidence, the latter through both published reports and visiting of Roman sites and museums in Britain. They are also introduced to secondary discussions of the period, and expected to evaluate the material and understand how the picture of Roman Britain is constantly changed through new evidence and fresh perspectives.