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2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

HIST2200 The Roman Empire in the Early Principate, 44 BC - AD 117

20 creditsClass Size: 28

Module manager: Mr IS Moxon
Email: i.s.moxon@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2008/09

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module surveys the failure of Rome's republican government to cope with the demands of managing a vast territorial empire, the resultant civil wars, and the monarchical rule of the principes which partly reinstated and partly replaced the republican administration. Military, administrative, economic, and social developments will be studied, together with the impact of the personalities of successive principes, such as Gaius (Caligula) and Nero, upon their fellow citizens and subjects throughout the empire.

Objectives

To investigate a formative period of Roman/European history. To develop an insight into the origins of much modern political terminology. To acquire a respectful, but critical, approach to the ancient literary, epigraphic and numismatic sources. To encourage precision of expression in the English language as part of the legacy of the Ancient World.

Skills outcomes
Enhances Common Skills listed below:

High-level skills in oral and written communication of complex ideas.
Independence of mind and self-discipline and self-direction to work effectively under own initiative.
Ability to locate, handle and synthesize large amounts of information.
Capacity to employ analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Ability to engage constructively with the ideas of their peers, tutors and published sources.
Empathy and active engagement with alternative cultural contexts.


Syllabus

Introduction: The Empire of the Roman Republic. Breakdown: The Career of Caesar. Augustus, the theory and practice of the Principate. The role of the Emperor and the problem of succession. The Ruling Class 1. The Ruling Class 2 - The Equites. The people of Rome. Citizenship; Slaves. Provincia and Provinces. Frontier Policy, Client states and Foreign Peoples. Manufacturing and Trade in the Empire and Beyond. Pagan polytheism in the Empire. Christianity: from Jewish sect to One God offered to the gentiles. The course will include consideration of the ancient sources in translation, Tacitus, Suentius, Cassius Dio, Augustus' Res Gestae and of the principates of individual emperors, as typifying certain trends of the early principate. These will form the subject of accompanying tutorials and essay topics. A rounded coverage of this formative period of European history is the objective, covering some political, military, Economic, social and religious aspects in turn.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Lecture111.0011.00
Tutorial61.006.00
Private study hours183.00
Total Contact hours17.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)200.00

Private study

Exam preparation; researching, preparing, and writing assignments; undertaking set reading; and self-directed reading around the topic. 183 hours.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Contributions to class discussions, an assessed exercise or exercises worth 10% of module marks, an assessed essay.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Essay1 x 2,000 assessed essay to be delivered in Teaching Week 730.00
Online AssessmentVLE exercise10.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)40.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated


Exams
Exam typeExam duration% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)2 hr 00 mins60.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)60.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2009

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