By the end of the second century BCE, Rome was the greatest power in the Mediterranean World, and the master of a vast Empire. Yet, less than a century later, the Republican political system had disintegrated amid a series of horrifying civil wars. In its place, a veiled autocracy was established, with Augustus as the first emperor. Why was the Republican political system, which had delivered such stunning successes abroad, torn apart from within? And how did Augustus manage to secure and consolidate power, in spite of the traditional Roman distrust of autocracy? In this course, we shall attempt to answer these questions. In doing so, special attention will be given to various key aspects of the social history of the Roman World, and their interaction with political and military events.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:- critically engage with the political and social history and culture of the late Roman Republic;
- analyse and evaluate primary historical sources;
- conduct research using the primary sources and modern scholarship on the period;
- formulate logical arguments based on the primary source evidence;
- communicate clearly and effectively in both oral and written modes;
- develop a basic knowledge of European, Asian and Middle Eastern Geography, and an understanding of how ancient maps onto modern geographical space.
Indicative Assessment
Tutorial participation (10%) [Learning Outcomes: 1,2,4,5]4 quizzes, 15 mins each, (5% each for a total of 20%) [Learning Outcome 1, 2, 6]
Essay, 2,500 words (40%) [Learning Outcomes: 1-5]
Exam, 2 hours, held during the final examination period (30%) [Learning Outcomes: 1-5]
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 36 hours of contact: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorials.
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Sallust, Catiline's War, The Jugurthine War, Histories, trans. A.J. Woodman
Plutarch, The Fall of the Roman Republic, trans. R. Warner
Plutarch, Makers of Rome, trans. I. Scott-Kilvert
Cicero, Selected Political Speeches, trans. M. Grant
Dio Cassius, The Roman History: The Reign of Augustus, trans. I. Scott-Kilvert
Additional readings on Wattle
Preliminary Reading
Crawford, M., The Roman Republic, Fontana, London, 1992, 2nd edition.
Eck, W., The Age of Augustus, Blackwell, Oxford, 2003.
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $3120 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4800 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9117 | 27 Jul 2020 | 03 Aug 2020 | 31 Aug 2020 | 30 Oct 2020 | In Person | N/A |
