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| Semester | fall semester 2022 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Brandon McDonald (brandon.mcdonald@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | The goal of this course is an in-depth analysis of Rome’s drive for empire. Between the fourth and first centuries BCE the Romans expanded their territory throughout the Mediterranean region, and in that time the Roman state went from an Italian city, to encompassing all of Italy, Gaul, Spain, Greece, Macedonia, Egypt, and areas of North Africa and Western Asia. This was achieved with military might, but also with institutions that were meticulously implemented and largely maintained for many centuries, leading to one of the most successful extensions of power and managerial prowess in recorded history. Still, there are questions surrounding the intensions behind Roman territorial expansion. One question that is continually raised is: was the expansion of Roman power a necessary defense mechanism – reactions to powerful and aggressive neighbors – or was Rome just a militaristic state with an embedded cultural ethos that fostered a thirst for power? This course will analyze that question, along with a multitude of other related questions, by examining the political, economic, social, religious and military structures that allowed for Rome’s massive expansion and the retention of their Empire in late antiquity. In class and in readings, we will review all of the evidence at our disposal, including written evidence (from ancient authors and documenters) and archaeological evidence (architectural, ceramic, numismatic, epigraphic, etc.), as well as secondary literature which has in recent decades seen much debating amongst scholars about Rome’s drive for territory. We will also investigate Rome’s environmental imperialism, a lesser studied aspect of Roman Imperialism, but sometimes crucial to its imperialistic decision-making given the Roman world was principally an agricultural economy. With the knowledge we gain from the historical (and in some places scientific) evidence, we will engage with scholarly discussion, and evaluate who, if anyone, is on the right track, but we will evaluate Roman Imperialism predominantly on our own terms. |
| Bibliography | A selection of the works that will be read in the course: Baronowski, Donald W. (2011), Polybius and Roman Imperialism, A&C Black Champion, Craige E. (2004), Roman Imperialism: Readings and Sources, Blackwell Publishing. Erskine, Andrew (2010), Roman Imperialism, Edinburgh University Press. Harris, William V. (1979), War and Imperialism in Republican Rome, 370-70 B.C., Clarendon Press Oxford Hopkins, Keith. (2004), “Conquerors and Slaves: The Impact of Conquering an Empire on the Political Economy of Italy”, in Craige E. Champion (ed) Roman Imperialism: Readings and Sources, pp. 108-128. Hoyos, Dexter (ed) (2013) A Companion to Roman Imperialism, Brill. Mattingly, D. (2011) Imperialism, Power and Identity: Experiencing the Roman Empire, Princeton University Press. Morley, N. (2001). The Transformation of Italy, 225–28 B.C. Journal of Roman Studies, 91, 50-62. Potter, David (2006) A Companion to the Roman Empire, John Wiley & Sons. Woolf, Greg (2004), “Becoming Roman: The Origins of Provincial Civilization in Gaul”, in Craige E. Champion (ed) Roman Imperialism: Readings and Sources, pp. 231-242. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Tuesday | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 20.09.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 27.09.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 04.10.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 11.10.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 18.10.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 25.10.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 01.11.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 08.11.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 15.11.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 22.11.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 29.11.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 06.12.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 13.12.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Tuesday 20.12.2022 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshof, Tagungsraum 306 |
| Modules |
Modul: Aufbau Alte Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: History) Modul: Epochen der europäischen Geschichte: Alte Geschichte (Master's degree program: European History in Global Perspective) Modul: Römische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Römische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Römische Geschichte MA (Master's degree subject: Ancient History) Modul: Theorie und Methoden der Alten Geschichte (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Theorie und Methoden der Alten Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Vertiefung in Alter Geschichte (Master's degree subject: Ancient History) Modul: Vertiefung in Geschichte und Altertumswissenschaften BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Vertiefung in Geschichte und Altertumswissenschaften BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Vertiefung in Geschichte und Altertumswissenschaften MA (Master's degree subject: Ancient History) Wahlbereich Master Geschichte: Empfehlungen (Master's degree subject: History) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Alte Geschichte |