01009 - Roman History

Learning outcomes

Introduction to the study of Roman history. At the end of the course the student is acquainted with the most relevant themes and events (concerning politics, institutions, mentality, religion, economics) of the Roman history and is able to locate them critically. Introduction to the methodology of historical research and to the analysis of literary and documentary scources. Particular attention is paid to historiography and epigraphy.

Course contents

This is a six-month course (second half of the year) and it will be articulated into modules. Students who choose a 6 CFU program shall attend lessons during the first half of the course, while students who choose 12 CFU program shall attend lessons in the second half as well. Frequency is warmly suggested. For those who cannot attend the lessons, it is possible to follow a program with a supplementary text (cfr. sect. "Texts"). The aim of the course is to supply the students with an in-depth analysis of some relevant subjects that are not sufficiently treated in the manuals. Two main groups of subjects will be dealt with: 1)- In depth-analysis of the manual; 2)- Guide to the knowledge and employment of the bibliographical resources.

Readings/Bibliography

12 CFU program: 1) Filippo Cassola, Storia di Roma dalle origini a Cesare, Roma: Jouvence, 1985. 2) Santo Mazzarino, L'impero romano I-II, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1973. 3) Materials presented and discussed during the lessons. Students do not follow the lessons shall substitute 3) with: Elio Lo Cascio (a cura di), Storia romana, Antologia delle fonti, Bologna: Monduzzi Editore, 2008. 

6 CFU program: 1) Arnaldo Momigliano, Manuale di Storia romana, a cura di Attilio Mastrocinque, Torino: UTET Università, 2011. 2) Elio Lo Cascio (a cura di), Storia romana, Antologia delle fonti, Bologna: Monduzzi Editore, 2008. 3) Materials presented and discussed during the lessons. Students do not follow the lessons shall substitute 3) with: Herrmann Bengtson, Introduzione alla storia antica, Bologna: Il Mulino.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons.

Assessment methods

Oral examination. The interview will  evaluate critical and methodological skills developped  by the student, who is invited to get confronted with the texts covered during the course. The student's capability to face the sources and the bibliographical materials in order  to identify  useful information allowing to describe all cultural areas of the discipline will be assessed. The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the issues addressed during the course, the development of a critical attitude towards their use and his/her mastery of a specific scientific language will be assessed with a mark of excellence. A mechanical and / or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, a low capability of synthesis and analysis  and / or correct but not always appropriate language will lead to a decent evaluation; training gaps and / or inappropriate language - although in a context of a minimal knowledge and examination of the material - will lead to votes that will not exceed the sufficiency. Training gaps, inappropriate language, confusion while facing the reference materials offered during the course will be evaluated as unsatisfactory.

Teaching tools

The course will be organized in frontal lessons held by the teacher himself. He will sometimes make use of an overhead-projector, computer presentations and photocopies of the texts. All these materials can be found at the end of the course also on-line on the web-page of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Tommaso Gnoli