Ancient Rome: History, Culture, and Society

Rome is best remembered today as the world of gladiators, back-stabbing politicians, and bloodthirsty soldiers. The course goes behind our modern myths and preconceptions to uncover the reality of Roman history, literature, and culture. This was a society that produced beautiful poetry such as Virgil's Aeneid and stunning works of art like the Dying Gaul, yet it was also a culture built on enslavement, conquest, and plunder. Rome evolved and expanded from one city on the Tiber River to an empire that stretched from Spain in the west to Syria in the east, from Germany in the north to Africa in the south. Rome's leaders and imperialistic ambitions have served as models both to celebrate and to reject monarchical rule and colonialism. It was a world that witnessed some of the most important transitions that have shaped the modern world, from the rise of Christianity to law and legal institutions. This course will explore Rome from multiple perspectives, from politicians and poets to pilgrims and pirates, paying attention to the voices of the enslaved, dispossessed, and exploited and acknowledging the rich cultural diversity of the territories ruled by Rome. We will not only study ancient texts and monuments but also later literary and artistic interpretations of the Roman world.