Classics 330/HSTAM 330: The Age of Augustus

Winter Quarter 2014

Denny 216

MTWThF 9:30-10:20

 

 

Professor A. M. Gowing

Office: M-24 Denny Hall

Office Hours: M 10:30-11:30 and by appointment; Th conference (see below)

Phone: 543-2266

e-mail: alain@u.washington.edu

 

Course website: http://faculty.washington.edu/alain/CLAS.HSTAM330/CLAS.HSTAM330home.html.  Here you'll find the syllabus and a select bibliography on Augustus and aspects of his reign (including online resources).  I will also periodically post to this site any handouts or assignment instructions.

 

Required texts: Coursepack with readings from K. Chisholm and J. Ferguson, edd. Rome. The Augustan Age. Oxford 1981. (= C&F). Available at Univ. Bookstore with other texts.

            A.H.M. Jones.  Augustus.  New York and London 1970. (= Jones)

            P. Zanker.  The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus.  Alan Shapiro, trans.  Michigan 1988. (= Zanker)

            A. Wallace-Hadrill.  Augustan Rome.  Bristol Classical Press 1993. (= WH)

 

 

Description: This course will examine all aspects of the Age of Augustus (31 BC - AD 14), a period of profound political and cultural change that permanently altered the course of Roman history.  The history, politics, literature, art, architecture, and religion of the period will all come under scrutiny as we investigate the various ways in which Rome's first emperor sought to repair and redirect a society fragmented by years of civil war -- and the various ways in which the citizens of Rome reacted to the Augustan reforms.  The readings will be drawn largely from primary texts, including Augustus' own account of his rule (the Res Gestae); selections from the works of Vergil, Ovid, Horace, and other Augustan writers; Suetonius' Life of Augustus; and numerous inscriptions illustrating various aspects of life in Rome as well as in the provinces.

 

Requirements: 1) Regular class attendance is strongly urged (5%)

            2) Midterm (25%) (Friday, Feb. 7) and Final Examination (30%) (Wednesday, Mar. 19, 8:30-10:20).  Both exams will consist of short answer and brief essay questions.  While the final exam will focus principally on material covered in the second half of the course, familiarity with the issues covered in the first half will be assumed.

            3) Two 3-5 page papers (40%, 20% each), due Tuesday, Feb. 4 and Monday, Mar. 10 respectively.  Information sheets including instructions, grading criteria, and suggested topics for each paper will be posted on the course website.  The principal aim of each paper is to have you compose something (for example, a letter, fragment of a history, etc.) addressing a particular topic from the perspective of a person living in the Augustan period.  Unless previously cleared with me, late papers will be penalized.

 

Thursday Conference: WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20 -- and unless you are otherwise notified -- there will be no class meeting on Thursdays, but I will be available in my office during our regular class period (9:30-10:20 AM) for individual conferences.

 

Optional W-Course: You may elect to take this as a W-Course.  This will entail EITHER writing an additional paper along the lines of the required two and due on Wednesday, Mar. 12 OR if you prefer, you may elect -- in lieu of 3 shorter papers -- to write a 12-15 page research paper on a topic of your choice and approved by me.  A draft of this will be due on Wednesday, Feb. 19; a final revised draft will be due on Wednesday, Mar. 12.  NB: If you intend to take this as a W-course, please let me know as soon as possible but no later than Jan. 24; please let me know as well which option you intend to pursue.

 

Schedule of readings and lectures:

 

Part I.  History and Politics

Week 1

Jan. 6: Introduction

7: The breakdown of the Republic.  Jones Chap. 1; C&F G2, G5.  Optional: Zanker Chap. 1

8: breakdown cont'd.  Caesar's heir.  Jones Chap. 2; C&F B2-B12

10: The triumvirate (formation down to 35 BC).  Jones Chap. 3; C&F B13-B22, B50 and I39

 

 

Week 2

13: The triumvirate cont'd. (35 to Battle of Actium in 31).  C&F B24-B26

14: Analysis: the myth of Actium.  WH Chap. 1.  Optional: Zanker Chap. 2

15: The 'restoration' of the Republic and the Augustan settlement.  Jones Chap. 4; C&F B27-B29

 

THERE WILL BE NO CONFERENCE THIS THURSDAY AND NO CLASS ON FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK (unavoidably, I will be away at a meeting on those days).

 

 

Week 3

20: NO CLASS -- MLK DAY

21: restoration cont'd (down to 19 BC).  C&F I39, B30-34; Zanker Chap. 3

22: the principate (19 BC - AD 14).  Views of Augustus; his death.  Jones Chap. 5; C&F A1, B35-49, B51-53

24: AugustusŐ ÔconstitutionalŐ position.  Jones Chap. 6; C&F C1

 

Week 4

27: magistracies and the senate.  Jones Chap. 7; C&F C5-6

28: magistracies and the senate cont'd.

29: the provinces.  Jones Chap. 8.  C&F C9-10, C13-32, L5, L7, L9, M6, M8, N8-9, O1, O10, O15

31: the provinces cont'd.

 

Week 5

Feb. 3: the army and finance.  Jones Chaps. 9 and 10; C&F C3-4; M5. 

4: the army and finance cont'd. FIRST PAPER DUE.

5: Analysis: the Augustan reforms.  WH Chap. 2

7: MIDTERM EXAMINATION

 

 

Part II. Culture and Society

Week 6

10: Overview.  WH Chap. 3; Jones Chap. 14

11: Vergil.  C&F B50, F1-3

12: Vergil.  C&F F4

14: Vergil.  C&F F5-6

 

Week 7

17: NO CLASS-PRESIDENTS DAY

18: Horace.  C&F F7-10

19: Horace. C&F F11-17

20: Horace.  C&F F18-27, I2b

21: Ovid.  C&F F28-30

 

Week 8

24: Ovid.  C&F F31

25: Ovid.  C&F F32-43

26: Analysis: Augustan poetry.  WH Chap. 5

28: Augustan art and architecture.  Zanker Chap. 4; C&F E1-6, J6

 

Week 9:

Mar. 3: Augustan art and architecture contŐd.  Zanker Chap. 5; C&F E7-17

4: Augustan art and architecture contŐd.  Zanker Chap. 6; C&F E18-19

5: Analysis: The Augustan building program.  WH Chap. 4

7: religion.  Jones Chap. 13; C&F D1-13, I3, I5-18, J1a-e

 

Week 10

10: religion cont'd. Analysis: Augustus as god.  WH Chap. 6; Zanker Chap. 8.  SECOND PAPER DUE.

11: judicial system.  Jones Chaps. 11 & 12; C&F D15-32, I33, I50

12: What was it like to live in Augustan Rome?  Jones Chap. 15; I1.  Optional: Zanker Chap. 7

14: The legacy of Augustus.  C&F K1-5; summary and review

 

March 19 (Wednesday): FINAL EXAMINATION, 8:30-10:20 AM