First-Year Seminar: Villians of Ancient Rome

3 units

Fall 2024: Who were the ancient Romans? What were their lives like? What did they care about, and what did they believe? In this seminar, you will work to answer these questions and more as you examine the rich culture and literature of the ancient Romans through the lens of villainy. You will read historical and literary accounts of ancient Rome and explore the great villains of the monarchy, republic, and empire-to name a few: Tarquinius Superbus, Lucius Catiline, Livia Drusilla, Marc Anthony, and Agrippina the Younger. As we make our way through our sources you will learn about the daily life, social structures, governments,economies, and multiple religions of Roman culture. Furthermore, you will come to see how traces of Romans (virtuous and villainous) live on today! After a semester of critical reading and class discussions, you should leave the course with a greater understanding of three things: Roman culture broadly, the impact that this culture has on our modern world, and what constitutes a villain in the Roman mind across the centuries. Note: This course is for first-year, non-transfer students only.