Aims of the course
- To introduce the Roman Republic to those new to the topic
- To show the Roman Republic as a part of wider Mediterranean culture
- To teach collaborative working techniques in an online environment
Course content overview
This course will examine the rise and fall of the Republic, and its change from a parochial kingdom to a multi-cultural Mediterranean-spanning political and cultural entity.
Developments in literature, religion and law will be examined, along with key trends in areas such as urbanisation and science and engineering.
Week 0 - Preparing to study this course
Purpose/Learning outcomes
•Become familiar with navigating around the VLE and from VLE to links and back
•Tested their ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sorted out any problems with the help of the eLearning Helpdesk
•Learnt how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
•Used forums to introduce themselves to other students
•Contributed to a discussion forum to introduce themselves to other students and discuss why they are interested in the course, what they hope to get out their studies and also to respond to News item sent out on behalf of tutor
Teaching week 1 - Foundations
Participants will examine the foundation of Rome both from a historical/archaeological perspective and from the point of view of Roman myth and legend. Participants will critically examine sources, and discuss the gradualist-literalist controversy. There will also be a discussion of the ethnic and cultural situation in the Archaic era in the Mediterranean world.
Learning outcomes
By studying this week the students should have:
•A good idea of the legends of the foundation of Rome
•An introduction to historical controversies and the idea of history as debate
•An understanding of the cultures with which Rome interacted
•Knowledge of the relevant original sources and how to approach them
•An understanding of how to engage in online group discussions
Teaching week 2 - Early Rome
This week will show Rome as an evolving Italian city – how Rome learned from others and also developed a distinct cultural identity. How Roman society formed into classes and roles within these classes. (e.g. Patricians and Plebeians, legal codes, the status of women)
Learning outcomes
By studying this week the students should have:
•An understanding of Rome's legal and political system
•A grasp of why Rome was an intensely militaristic society
•An appreciation of how much Rome learned from Greece, the Etruscans and elsewhere
•Practise in videoconferencing and presenting an argument to a group
Teaching week 3 - The Punic Wars
This week will look to explain why these wars were critical to Rome developing into a Mediterranean power, and to analyse how Roman society survived under extreme stress.
Learning outcomes
By studying this week the students should have:
•An understanding of the chronology and protagonists of the war
•An appreciation of Phoenician achievements and culture
•An introduction to ancient demographics and wartime economics
•An appreciation of history as propaganda
Teaching week 4 - Rome and the Mediterranean
To introduce the Hellenistic kingdoms, and their contribution to contemporary culture. The reasons these powerful and populous states fell to Rome, to introduce the peoples of Gaul and Iberia.
Learning outcomes
By studying this week the students should have:
•An understanding that most of Rome's conquests were of states more civilized than Rome itself.
•An understanding of the concept of Hellenization
•An appreciation of Roman art, literature and architecture
•An appreciation that Iberia and Gaul had nascent civilizations of their own
Teaching week 5 - The fall of the Republic
This week will examine how and why the Roman Republic fell, the reasons for political dysfunction, and why this same period saw an extraordinary flowering of the arts. To stimulate more general discussion of what preserves or destroys states.
Learning outcomes
By studying this week the students should have:
•A knowledge of the events and personalities of the era
•A knowledge of contemporary writers, poets and philosophers
•An appreciation of what social and political constructs survived into the empire
•An overall appreciation of the interaction of politics, social issues and the economy
Week 6 - What Next?
•Assessment of student learning
•Assessment of student satisfaction
•Encouragement of further study
Schedule (this course is completed entirely online)
Orientation Week: 12-18 April 2021
Teaching Weeks: 19 April-23 May 2021
Feedback Week: 24-30 May 2021
Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours reading material, etc., although this will vary from person to person.
While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material).
Virtual Learning Environment
Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (discussion boards etc).
Certificate of participation
A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.
