ROMAN HISTORY
cod. 01009

Academic year 2019/20
1° year of course - First semester
Professor
- Alessandro PAGLIARA
Academic discipline
Storia romana (L-ANT/03)
Field
Storia, filosofia, psicologia, pedagogia, antropologia e geografia
Type of training activity
Basic
60 hours
of face-to-face activities
12 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in ITALIAN

Learning objectives

PREMISE
The aim of the Roman History course (LT) is to provide students with the critical tools for a basic approach to the study of the history of Rome from its origins up to the “noiseless fall” of the pars Occidentis. The course or Roman History is divided into two modules (A and B) of 30 hours each. Module A is open to all students; Module B is reserved for students who have completed Module A.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING SKILLS
The Roman History course (LT) will provide students with general knowledge and understanding of the political, social and institutional history of the Roman world, from the foundation of the Urbs to the ‘fall’ of the pars Occidentis of the Empire.

ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
The Roman History course (LT) will provide students with the basic critical and methodological tools required to read and understand the different types of source for the study of the history of Rome, and thus the ability to apply knowledge and understanding to issues in addition to those covered in the lessons.

INDEPENDENCE OF JUDGEMENT
Lessons focus on the different types of source for the study of the history of Rome and their interaction with different aspects of historical reality. Students thus develop, at a basic level, their autonomy of judgement in reading ancient texts and interpreting historical facts.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS
At the end of the Roman History course (LT), students will have acquired the ability to present non-specialist content related to the main events and issues in the field clearly, verbally and/or in writing.

LEARNING SKILLS
Theoretical and disciplinary content experience of the Roman History course (LT) should provide students with the methodological tools and learning abilities required for the continuation of studies and/or for non-specialist professional activities.

Prerequisites

None. High school level knowledge of classic languages is a plus.

Course unit content

The Roman History course (LT) is divided into two modules (A and B): Module A is basic; Module B is in-depth, focusing on a key theme/period in the history of ancient Rome.

ROMAN HISTORY (MODULE A)
Module A, basic (6 CFU = 30 hours of lectures and seminars), is aimed at students following the 6 CFU course and the 12 CFU course. Lectures focusing on events in political and military history from the foundation of the Urbs to the ‘fall’ of the pars Occidentis (754/3 BC - 476 AD) will alternate with lectures focusing on themes such as historical geography, economics, religion, law, epigraphy and historiography. An anthology of literary and epigraphic texts and illustrations will be used to study: a) major political, social and economic issues of the Roman world; b) the sources, tools and methodologies used to construct the history of Republican and Imperial Rome, and to outline the development of Roman historiography.

ROMAN HISTORY (MODULE B)
Module B, in-depth study (30 hours = 6 CFU, including lectures, workshops and seminars), is ONLY for students who are going to take the 12 CFU exam. This monographic focus - mainly delivered through seminars and workshops - will be devoted to a survey on the conflict between Paganism and Christianity during the 4th century A.D. In particular the following texts will be read: Symmachus, Relatio III; St. Ambrose, Epistles 17-18.

Full programme

- - -

Bibliography

A) 6 CFU EXAM

a) Students ATTENDING lessons:
1) G. GERACI - A. MARCONE, Storia romana, con la collaborazione di A. Cristofori e C. Salvaterra, quarta edizione, Milano, Le Monnier Università - Mondadori Education, 2016, pp. 360;
2) Further readings and anthology of ancient texts provided during classes (available also on the Elly platform).
N.B. Highly recommended is the use of a historical atlas of the ancient world.

b) Students NOT ATTENDING lessons:
1) G. GERACI - A. MARCONE, Storia romana, con la collaborazione di A. Cristofori e C. Salvaterra, quarta edizione, Milano, Mondadori, 2016, pp. 360;
2) G. POMA, Le istituzioni politiche del mondo romano, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2002 (o altra edizione), pp. 310.
N.B. Highly recommended is the use of a historical atlas of the ancient world.

STUDENTS WHIT A LOW LEVEL OF ITALIAN AND ERASMUS STUDENTS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO DISCUSS A BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE EXAMINATION WITH THE PROFESSOR.

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B) 12 CFU EXAM

a) Students ATTENDING lessons:
1) G. GERACI - A. MARCONE, Storia romana, EDITIO MAIOR, con la collaborazione di A. Cristofori, Le Monnier Università - Mondadori Education, Milano, 2017, pp. 590;
2) AMBROGIO - SIMMACO, La maschera della tolleranza, introduzione di I. Dionigi, traduzione di A. Traina, con un saggio di M. Cacciari, Milano, Rizzoli - BUR, 2006 (o successive ristampe), pp. 160;
3) Further readings and anthology of ancient texts provided during classes (available also on the Elly platform).
N.B. Highly recommended is the use of a historical atlas of the ancient world.

b) Students NOT ATTENDING lessons:
1) G. GERACI - A. MARCONE, Storia romana, EDITIO MAIOR, con la collaborazione di A. Cristofori, Le Monnier Università - Mondadori Education, Milano, 2017, pp. 590;
2) AMBROGIO - SIMMACO, La maschera della tolleranza, introduzione di I. Dionigi, traduzione di A. Traina, con un saggio di M. Cacciari, Milano, Rizzoli - BUR, 2006 (o successive ristampe), pp. 160;
3) A. GIARDINA, L’uomo romano, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1989 (o altra edizione), pp. 440.
N.B. Highly recommended is the use of a historical atlas of the ancient world.

STUDENTS WHIT A LOW LEVEL OF ITALIAN AND ERASMUS STUDENTS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO DISCUSS A BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE EXAMINATION WITH THE PROFESSOR.

Teaching methods

Classes, seminars, visit to libraries, papers and presentations.

Assessment methods and criteria

Assessment will take place during the final exam, which will consist of an interview on the different parts of the program. The aims of the exam are: 1) to assess knowledge of the main developments in Roman history from the origins to Late Antiquity (on the basis of the textbook), as well as the themes studied monographically (for students attending lessons, the more detailed knowledge will be assessed on the basis of documents studied in class, and for non-attending students, on the basis of the supplementary bibliography); 2) to evaluate the clarity of exposition, the mastery of required language, and appropriacy of candidate answers.

A fail is mark is awarded for lack of an understanding of the minimum content of the course, the inability to express oneself adequately, by a lack of autonomous preparation, the inability to solve problems related to information retrieval and the decoding of complex texts, and/or an inability to make independent judgments. A pass mark (18-23/30) is awarded to students demonstrating knowledge of the minimum, fundamental contents of the course, an adequate level of autonomous preparation and ability to solve problems related to information retrieval and the decoding of complex texts, as well as an acceptable level of ability in making independent judgments. Middle-range scores (24-27/30) are assigned to the student who produces evidence of a more than sufficient level (24-25/30) or good level (26-27/30) in the evaluation indicators listed above. Higher scores (from 28/30 to 30/30 cum laude) are awarded on the basis of the student’s demonstration of a very good or excellent level in the evaluation indicators listed above.

Students attending classes might have the option of taking a written test based on the textbook (G. Geraci - A. Marcone, Storia romana, con la collaborazione di A. Cristofori e C. Salvaterra, IV edizione, Milano, Le Monnier Università, 2016) at the end of the first module of 30 hours of lessons. This 60 minute test will consist of 60 questions (20 True/False, 20 completion questions, 20 Multiple Choice Questions). Answers will be assessed as follows: a) correct answer = 0.5 points; b) wrong answer or null = 0 points. The pass mark is obtained by answering correctly 36 questions. At the discretion of the student, the test can count for 50% of overall assessment of the exam, to be completed at the oral. If the mark for the written test is unsatisfactory, the student can opt to be tested on this part of the course during the oral exam.

Other information

Classes begin September 17, 2019.