The Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome
This survey of Ancient Roman history begins with the myths and legends surrounding Rome’s foundation in the 8th century B.C., explores how such a small city-state expanded to control one of the largest territorial empires ever known to the Western world, and concludes with the story of its fragmentation and downfall in the 5th century C.E. What makes this history still compelling today is that we can see ourselves in all of Rome’s complexity and diversity.
As Rome expanded, it incorporated societies from places as far-flung as the Atlantic coast of Spain to Palmyra in modern Syria and from Hadrian’s wall along the British/Scottish border to Meroe on the edge of Sudan. Recent DNA mapping suggests a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural mix of people that were linked by war, trade, developing transportation networks, and slavery. The movement of people, goods, ideas, and diseases, along with a measurable impact on their environment, echo many stories we might find in more recent historical eras. Yet Rome was also unique - leaving behind many “firsts” (representative republic, blown glass, the widespread use of concrete, the adoption of Christianity as a state religion) that still inspire interest today.
Using a variety of primary and secondary sources, including biographies, satires, art, architecture, and artifacts, we will reconstruct the story of this ancient civilization and analyze its impact on the ancient world and our own.
Arts & Sciences Gen Ed: Arts & Humanities
3 credit hours