Rome: from Etruscan satellite to world state
S J Bastomsky
6 points * 3 hours per week * Second semester * Clayton
In the high-tech world of today we still need to be aware of our debt to the past, for our culture is a blend of the Greek and Roman tradition. The Roman is arguably the more important as it was largely through it that the Greek influence played a role in the formation of Western civilisation. The theme of the subject is the development of the Roman state and the way in which its growth led to the problems that caused the disintegration of the republican system of government in the first century BC. We look at the influences on the early Romans, particularly that of the Etruscans, where our knowledge comes from their archaeological remains. We then study the political institutions of the Roman Republic and the disparity in them between theory and practice. The link between domestic politics and foreign wars in the Roman Republic is then examined as well as the consequences of military expansion. Finally, the threads are drawn together and one can see why the Republic was doomed. The period covered by the subject is from the 8th century BC to 79 BC.
Assessment
Written (2500 words): 55% * Examinations (2 hours): 45%
Prescribed texts
Dudley D Roman society
Crawford M The Roman republic Fontana
or
Grant M History of Rome Faber