CAMS 1102: ROMAN CIVILIZATION

Spring 2010
Lectures: Tu Th 3.30-4.20 p.m. Arj. 105

Instructor: Dr. Maria NOUSSIA Assistants

Office: 218 Arjona Christa Bucklin: christa.bucklin@uconn.edu
Eda Dedebas: eda.dedebas@uconn.edu
Nicole Mcclure: mcclure.nicole@gmail.com
Suzanne Ondrus: suzanne.ondrus@uconn.edu
Further contact information:
Email: maria.noussia@uconn.edu
Office Hours: Tu 4.30-6.30 p.m. and by appt.
Full contact information for TAs will be listed on the website when it becomes available.

Attendance:
Students are expected to attend all classes, complete all readings, and actively participate
in all discussions. Your Tas will use your discussion assignments to monitor attendance,
though this is only one aspect of your participation grade. This grade is based on the
student's attendance, his/her willingness to verbally participate in discussion,
commitment to learning, and their demonstrated preparation for discussion. Attending
discussion every week fulfills only the minimum requirements.

Classroom behavior:
The use of iphones, cell phones, etc. is prohibited during class. Please turn off and put
away any such devices before class begins. In addition, please put away any reading
material not related to the course. Please do not speak to the person sitting next to you
when the instructor or anyone else is addressing the class – it is very distracting. If you
have a question, comment, or objection, please raise your hand so that you can have the
opportunity to address the entire class at the earliest opportunity. The use of laptops is
permitted only if used for notes’ taking.
Discussions with the instructor: You should discuss any questions about the course
with me during my office hours or by e-mail. You should also plan on seeing me at least
once during the semester to discuss your progress in the course.

Required Textbooks:
1: J. Boardman, O. Murray, et al. (ed): The Oxford Illustrated History of the Roman
World, Oxford UP 2000. ISBN: 0192854364
2: E. Fantham: Roman Literary Culture from Cicero to Apuleius, Johns Hopkins UP
1999. ISBN: 0801862019
3: Plautus, Four Comedies, transl. E. Segal, OUP 1998, ISBN: 0192838962
4: Virgil, The Aeneid. (Tr. R. Fitzgerald) Vintage Books 1990. ISBN: 0679729526
5: Livy, The Early History of Rome (Books I-V), Viking Penguin 1972, ISBN:
0140441042
6: Catullus, Complete Poems (tr. G. Lee), Oxford UP 1998. ISBN: 0192835874
**FURTHER MATERIAL WILL BE POSTED ON LINE ON THE COURSE WEB
SITE**
Grading: 2 Quizzes 10 %, Midterm 25%, Final 40%, Brief Paper OR Creative Projects
15%, Class Participation 10 % (attendance and participation in class discussion are
essential).

Grading Scale: A= 93-100%; A-=90-92%; B+= 87-89%; B= 83-86%; B-= 80-82%; C+=
77-79%; C= 73-76%; C-= 70-72%; D+= 67-69%; D= 60-66%; F= 59% and below

BRIEF PAPER: Paper length: 4 pages (1,5 spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman, – lengthy
quotations from the primary sources, as well as the bibliography, do not count toward the
page requirement). Although the student may send me his/her paper as an email
attachment, a hard copy must also be handed into me. Papers less than 4 pages will not
be read and will receive 0 points. Students are strongly advised to start thinking about
potential topics of interest as soon as they familiarize themselves with the course material
and should feel free to consult the instructor if they need guidance in choosing a viable
project.
OR
CREATIVE PROJECT: You can do any type of creative project relating to the material
discussed in class (painting, cartoons, film, webpage, any type of creative writing, from a
poem to a story or a script, performance, costume design etc). Example of a creative
project: choose a mythological subject and draft the outline of a "lost" drama and
compose an extended scene in its entirety. Alternatively, you can write a modern
theatrical piece or brief novel inspired by your readings. Remember, there is no limit to
creativity; you set the guidelines. CREATIVE PROJECTS WILL BE DUE on the
same date as Papers. Although the student may send me his/her project as an email
attachment, a hard copy must also be handed into me.
FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE PAPER/CREATIVE PROJECT BY THE
DEADLINE WILL RESULT IN NO POINTS FOR THE COURSE

**There will be a group assignment in association with any of the film screenings to
take place the last 2 discussion sections for all students of the course**
Class Conference (for Honors’ Section ONLY): Papers or creative projects will be
presented in session 9D at a class conference, starting after the 10th week of classes.
There will be panels of conference type formal 5-7 minute presentations and discussion,
with a program of panels to be circulated well in advance. This is a great introduction in
the academic experience of real conference activities. Announcements will be posted on
the course website.
Disability: Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this
class are encouraged to arrange for such accommodations to be implemented in a timely
fashion.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

QUIZ 1: February 23
SPRING BREAK: March 7-March 13
MIDTERM: March 16
SHORT PAPER/CREATIVE PROJECT: April 6
QUIZ 2: April 13
LAST DAY OF LECTURES: April 29
Date for makeup quizzes/midterm is Tuesday, April 27, at 5.00 pm (Arjona 218).

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES (SOME CHANGES MAY OCCUR)

1rst week Jan. 19: no specific assignment. Introduction to the course

Jan. 21: Early Rome and Italy: Fantham’s introduction (pp. 1-19); Oxford
Illustrated History (OIH) pp. 9-15; Livy, pp. 31-49 (Penguin edition)

2nd week Jan. 26: Early Rome and Italy II. Re-read assignments of Jan. 21

Discussion sections: Livy pp. 51-105

Jan. 28: Early Rome and Italy: OHI pp. 19-38;

3rd week Feb. 2: Study map of Italy; Roman Expansion: OIH pp. 39-58
Discussion sections: Livy, selections from Book 2

Feb. 4: Politics, society and culture in the growing Republic-Polybius:

OIH. Pp. 226-31; Polybius’ text for the lecture is to be found and read on line
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/polybius-cannae.html).

4th week Feb. 9: The first Roman Literature: Film: “A Funny Thing Happened on
the Way to the Forum” (1966). READ OIH, pp. 60-67

discussion sections: Plautus, The Braggart soldier.

Feb. 11 Film continued: “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the

Forum”; discussion on Plautus and his comic mirror on Republican Rome

5th week Feb. 16: The late Republic and Cicero: OHI, ch. 4; Fantham, Ch. 1

discussion sections: a selection from Cicero's letters (Letters 1 and 3 on the following
website: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/cicero-letters.html)

Feb. 18: As the Romans Did, pp. 216-21 (selection will be put on line)

6th week : Feb. 23: From Caesar to the coming of the Empire: OIH pp. 101-109,
121-139, 231-235 QUIZ

discussion sections: Augustus, Records of His Accomplishments

(http://classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html)

Feb. 25: The age of Augustus: poetry and society. OIH pp. 182-193; 361-
374; Fantham ch. 2.

7th week: March 2: Virgil’s Roman Achilles I; OHI, ch. 9

discussion sections: Aeneid; Statius

March 4: Virgil’s Roman Achilles II

8th week: March 7-13: SPRING BREAK

9th week: March 16: MIDTERM

discussion sections: Ovid, The Art of Love, pp. 166-190
March 18: Social life in Rome: families, marriage, women. Reading
material on line from Shelton, As the Romans did.

10th week: March 23: Love-poetry in the Augustan age: OIH 109-120; 194-205;

discussion sections: Catullus, The Complete Poems (selection to be announced)

March 25: Love-poetry in the Augustan age: Fantham, ch. 3;

11th week: March 30: Politics and suppression after Augustus; Nero. FILM: QUO
VADIS (1951); Read: OIH, 139-149, 235-242, 374-380; Fantham, ch. 4

discussion sections: Suetonius, Nero (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/suet-nero-

rolfe.html)

April 1: FILM continued: QUO VADIS (1951)

12th week: April 6: Nero: discussion on the film and conclusions

PAPERS/PROJECTS DUE

discussion sections: The dinner-party of Trimalchio

(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/petronius-satyricon-feast.html)

April 8: Social Reaction: What is in a meal? Fantham, ch. 5; OIH pp. 267-
282, 380-386.
13th week: April 13: An imperial elite: Fantham, ch. 6; OIH ch. 11, pp. 282-287
QUIZ 2

discussion sections: Claudius on admitting provincials to the Senate from Tacitus

(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tacitus-ann11a.html); and on an inscription:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/48claudius.html

April 15: Spectacles. Movie: GLADIATOR (selection); Reading

material from Shelton to be put on line;

14th week: April 20: Case Study: Pompei-Roman Art & Architecture. Film in Class:
The Last Days of Pompei (1935) ; OIH, pp. 361-397

discussion sections: presentation of group assignments in association with any of the

screenings.

April 22: Film in Class continued: The Last Days of Pompei (1935)

15th week: April 27: A Farewell to Antiquity; OIH, pp. 401-22. DATE FOR MAKEUP
QUIZZES

discussion sections: presentation of group assignments in association with any of the

screenings April 29: FINAL CLASS: REVIEW