Republic to Empire: Rome 50 BC to AD 50

II. Republic to Empire: Rome 50 BC to AD 50

The course studies the impact of the first emperors on the history and archaeology of Rome and its subject states in the period of revolution and transition from Late Republic to Early Empire. Some themes and topics are: Roman political culture in crisis, Republican war-lords to Augustan princeps; emperor, senate, and the evolving administration; the Julio-Claudian dynasty and court culture; the city of Rome, imperial building, and imperial representation; villas and villa culture - wallpainting, marbles, gardens and suburban parks; municipal culture - houses, amenities, tombs, and freedman art; land-use and the countryside - estates, vici, and centuriated settlement; manufacture, trade, and natural resources - coins, amphorae, and quarries; the archaeology of the frontier armies; traditional religion and emperor cult. Typically, there would be classes on 1. Augustan Political Culture; 2. The Army and the Frontiers; 3. Municipal Culture; 4. Villas; 5. Julio-Claudian Self-Representation; 6. Manufacture, Commerce and Trade; 7. Romanization and Colonization; 8. Imperial Cult (Convenor: J. Quinn, Worcester)