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| Semester | spring semester 2024 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Stefania Alfarano (stefania.alfarano@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course offers a comprehensive survey of daily life in the Roman world, focusing on a regional approach through archaeological evidence. Crossing the vast territory of the Roman Empire, students will examine artefacts, structures and material remains from specific sites in the western and eastern provinces of the Empire. The aim of the course is to explore the social, economic, cultural and political landscapes in order to understand the different experiences of ancient people living in different regions and how geographical factors influenced their daily lives. This proseminar provides a comprehensive introduction to the sources, methods and theories of archaeological and historical research. We will cover the topic by evaluating and combining textual sources and material culture through the analysis of specific case studies. |
| Learning objectives | Students will analyze the different types of evidence and methods used by history and archaeology to investigate the ancient world, and consider how different approaches can be used to understand everyday life in Roman society. The course will examine a range of topics related to everyday life in antiquity, including daily routines, economic activities, family affairs, religious and funerary practices, public and entertainment spaces, art and culture. Students will develop their analytical skills, formulate comparative assessments of socio-cultural and geographical contexts, and reflect critically on the available evidence. |
| Bibliography | Below a selection of the general literature. The specific bibliography will be provided in the Syllabus, and the readings for the course will be uploaded on a weekly basis to Adam. L. Adkins, R.A. Adkins, Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome, New York. G.S. Aldrete, 2004. Daily life in the Roman city: Rome, Pompei and Ostia, Westport. M. Beard,2010. Pompeii, The Life of a Roman Town, London. M. T. Boatwright, D. J. Gargola, N. Lenski, A Brief History of the Romans, Oxford. B. Campbell, 2012. The Romans and their World. A Short Introduction, New Heaven. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.12987/9780300172157/html#contents J. Carcopino, 19732. Daily life in ancient Rome: the people and the city at the height of the Empire, London. L. Casson, 1998. Everyday Life in Ancient Rome, Baltimore. E. Dickey 2017. Stories of daily life from the Roman world: extracts from the ancient Colloquia, Cambridge. J.W. Ermatinger 2015. The world of Ancient Rome: a daily life encyclopedia, Santa Barbara. B.K. Harvey, 2016. Daily life in ancient Rome: a sourcebook, Indianapolis. C. Laes, V. Vuolanto, 2016. Children and everyday life in Roman and late antique world, London-New York. K. Sessa 2018. Daily life in late antiquity, Cambridge. S. E. Phang, 2022. Daily life of women in ancient Rome, California M. Ward, F. M. Heichelheim, C. A. Yeo 2016. A History of the Roman People. 6th ed.. |
| Admission requirements | Für Studierende des BSG/BSF Altertumswissenschaften und BSF Geschichte im Grundstudium mit abgeschlossenem Einführungskurs Altertumswissenschaften/Geschichte. Teilnahme an der ersten Sitzung ist obligatorisch. Die Teilnehmerzahl ist auf 25 beschränkt. Bei Überbelegung werden Studierende des BA Altertumswissenschaften und BSF Geschichte im Grundstudium bevorzugt zugelassen. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 29.02.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 07.03.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 14.03.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 21.03.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 28.03.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Ostern |
| Thursday 04.04.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 11.04.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 18.04.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 25.04.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 02.05.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Friday 03.05.2024 | 11.15-12.45 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 115 |
| Thursday 09.05.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Auffahrt |
| Thursday 16.05.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 23.05.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 30.05.2024 | 16.15-17.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Modules |
Modul: Basis Alte Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: History) Modul: Griechische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Griechische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Grundstudium Schwerpunkt Alte Geschichte (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Grundstudium Schwerpunkt Alte Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Römische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Römische Geschichte BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Theorie und Methoden der Alten Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Theorie und Methoden der Alten Geschichte (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | There will be weekly readings which will be announced at least one week in advance, and from which you will be expected to take notes and participate in class. You will also be required to do presentations on specific readings or articles, which will be assigned during the semester. The presentations should be max 10-15 min in length and demonstrate outside research and original engagement with the topic of the course. That means, I want to see what you yourself have understood from the article or reading and whether you can apply what you analyze during the course to specific case studies. Additionally, 2 credits points for Proseminar Arbeit. The Proseminar Arbeit topic must be agreed with the lecturer by the end of the course and handed in by the end of July. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Alte Geschichte |