CVLTVRA CIVITATVM GRAECAE
ROMAEQVE
SYLLABVS
J CAMBERLANVS, MAGISTER
Table of
Contents:
Course
Description:
This course will survey the
history of classical Greece and Rome, with special emphasis on Rome. It
will focus on the people of these cultures (from emperors to slaves) and
their lifestyles more than political events, literature, philosophy, or
the arts.
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Course
Objectives:
Upon completion of this course,
students should be able to:
-
Give an overview of the movements,
events, and ideas which characterized the history of classical Greece and
Rome.
-
Understand and appreciate allusions
to Greek and Roman history--allusions which are made frequently in our
society.
-
List and explain in detail
six or more ways in which the Romans and the Greeks were similar to us
today in terms of lifestyles, beliefs, hopes, dreams, etc., as well as
list and explain six or more ways in which they were different.
-
List and explain in detail
at least six significant legacies of each culture.
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Read, comprehend, and analyze
historical texts.
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Analyze particular issues of
the history and debate their positions on those issues cogently.
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Use research skills, critical
thinking, and writing to put together a significant historical paper.
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Use creativity and speech skills
to present a topic to the class.
-
Find and use significant resources
on the World Wide Web for the study of history in general, and Greece and
Rome in particular.
-
Enjoy subsequent learning and
study of history in general, and Greece and Rome in particular.
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Texts
and Documents:
The following are required
texts:
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Robert B. Kebric, Greek
People. 2nd ed. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1997.
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Robert B. Kebric, Roman
People. 3nd ed. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 2000.
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Steven Saylor, Roman Blood.
New York: Ivy Books, 1991.
The following are recommended
texts:
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David Sacks, A Dictionary
of the Ancient Greek World. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.
-
Matthew Bunson, A Dictionary
of the Roman Empire. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
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Jo-Ann Shelton, As the Romans
Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1998.
The required texts are
available from the USF Bookshoppe. Other readings will be required. Some
of these will be websites. These will be provided for you as links on the
syllabus. See the Course Schedule section.
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Course Requirements:
Note: All students with documented
disabilities who need accommodations should contact your professor
within the first
two weeks of school and schedule an appointment with the Disabilities Coordinator.
Please call Dr. MeShelda
Jackson at 815-740-3461.
-
Attendance/participation. It
is expected that you will attend class and that you will not miss more
than two classes without informing the instructor of the reason for the
absense before the meeting time. You are also expected to participate
actively in class discussions and exercises. Together your attendance and
participation will amount to 15% of the course grade.
-
Reading. You are required to
read course texts and other assigned readings. There will be quizzes and/or
assignments to make sure that you are keeping up with the reading. 20%
of the course grade.
-
Research project and class
presentation. You will be asked to write an 8-12 page paper on a particular
person or event from the classical world. Keep in mind that you will need
to develop a thesis (e.g., was Caligula the villain that he is often portrayed
to be?; was Solon of Athens as noble as it appears?; why was Julius Caesar
murdered?; what motivated Cleopatra and why did men fall for her?; why
did Diocletian and other emperors persecute Christians?; etc.) Students
who have taken the Doing History course will be required to format according
to Turabian. All others may use MLA. Please pay careful attention to the
History Department's Guidelines
for Writing History Papers in writing your papers. In addition, note
well the policy on PLAGIARISM
which applies to ALL work done in this course. This is a serious matter,
and I will not hesitate to flunk you and report you to the dean if you
violate the policy. You will be required to turn in a proposal and rough
draft for the paper in addition to the final draft. See the Course
Schedule. 20% of course grade.
You will be expected to
present the findings of your paper to the class towards the end of the
semester. You should find as creative a way to make your presentation as
possible--role play that person, preach a funeral oration, enact a scene
in the Forum with people talking about him/her, etc. There are many possibilities--be
creative! 10% of course grade.
-
Exams. There will be a midterm
and a final exam. The midterm will be worth 15% of the course grade; the
final 20%.
Extra Credit Options:
You will receive extra credit
for:
-
Revealing the most interesting,
dramatic, unusual, outlandish, or unbelievable fact (which is not from
the required texts or classroom materials) about the events or people of
the week. You will need to submit your fact in writing, cite a source for
your information, and be willing to share it in class. The class will vote
on the entries, but the instructor has the tie-breaking vote (1 point added
to the midterm or final score).
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Being able to demonstrate clear
connections between the material in this course and other courses you are
taking or have taken. For example, you might be able to diagnose a pyschological
condition of one of the Roman emperors on the basis of what you learned
in a psychology course; or you might be able to see how the life of Cicero
and his historical context explains his philosophy which you learned in
a philosophy course; or you might explain the economic degeneration of
Rome from information derived from an economics course; or you might see
the historical context of a theological development discussed in a theology
course. These connections should be submitted in writing (1 point added
to the midterm or final for every significant connection, with a maximum
of 1 point every other week).
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WWW Resources--Places to
Start:
I. Greece:
II. Rome:
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Grading Scale:
The grading scale for this course
will be as follows:
| 95-100=A |
75-77=C |
| 92-94=A- |
72-74=C- |
| 88-91=B+ |
68-71=D+ |
| 85-87=B |
65-67=D |
| 82-84=B- |
62-64=D- |
| 78-81=C+ |
61 and below=F |
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Tentative
Course Schedule:
NOTE: This course schedule
is tentative and is subject to change. You should check it regularly for
any changes in assignments and/or new links.
22 August--Course Introduction
and orientation
24 August--choose Greek
god/goddess name for your nickname in the first part of the course (have
a reason that you chose it; note: your instructor is already Zeus!): The
Immortals
29 August--Greek People,
1-31
31 August--Greek People,
32-52
5 September--Greek
People, 53-82
12 September--Greek People,
83-93
14 September--Greek People,
93-130
19 September--Greek
People, 131-147
21 September--Greek
People, 147-171
26 September--Greek
People, 172-196
28 September--Greek
People, 197-231
3 October--Wrap up of Ancient
Greece; Introduction to Rome
5 October--Midterm Exam
10 October--Roman
People, 1-18; begin reading Roman Blood
12 October--Roman People,
18-35
17 October--Fall Break;
no class, but continue reading Roman Blood
19 October--Fall Break;
no
class
24 October--Roman
People, 36-56, complete Roman Blood to p. 153
26 October--Roman People,
57-86
31 October--Roman
People, 87-121; Toga
Party (for Halloween, don't ya know)!!
2 November--Roman
People, 122-147; paper proposal due
7 November--Roman People,
148-184; complete Roman Blood to p. 274
9 November--Roman
People, 185-208
14 November--Roman
People, 209-224
16 November--Roman People,
224-242; rough draft of paper due
21 November--Roman
People, 276-301; finish Roman Blood (to p. 397)
23 November--Thanksgiving;
no class
28 November--Roman
People, 243-275
30 November--presentations;
final draft of paper due
5 December--Roman
People, 302-311; presentations
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