units

ATS2083

Faculty of Arts

18 September 2017 23 December 2024
Monash University

Undergraduate - Unit

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

LevelUndergraduate
FacultyFaculty of Arts
Organisational UnitArchaeology and Ancient History
OfferedNot offered in 2014
Coordinator(s)Dr Evangelina Anagnostou-Laoutides

Synopsis

The unit examines the cultural experiences of the Romans from the time of the early Republic to the Empire through their literature and archaeology. Students will examine themes including: war and peace, violence and the games, science and knowledge, politics and litigation, love and sex, death and the Afterlife, through a study of lyric poetry (Horace), elegy (Catullus, Propertius, Tibullus, Ovid), historical writings and biography (Livy, Tacitus, Plutarch, Suetonius), philosophy (Cicero, Seneca), comedy (Plautus, Terence), legal and political writings and magical tracts. All texts will be studied in translation. The quintessential Roman love of the games and their inherent violence is studied through the archaeological record.

Outcomes

  1. Study the literary genres of ancient Rome and its conventions
  2. Study the evolution of Roman literature in relation to contemporary socio-political changes
  3. Become familiar with the Greek/Hellenistic influences on Roman literature
  4. Explore the theoretical tools for the study of these genres including feminism and gender studies.
  5. Study the scholarly history of these genres
  6. Develop critical thinking and particular research skills to investigate the primary and secondary sources with regard to the above
  7. Be familiar with archaeology of the games and their social and political significance.

Assessment

Literature review(900 words): 20%
Essay(2250 words): 50%
2 x Class tests(equivalent 900 words): 20%
Tutorial participation(450 words): 10%

Chief examiner(s)

Eva Anagnostou-Laoutides

Workload requirements

One x 90 minute lecture and one x 1 hour tutorial per week plus 9 and a half hours per week, reading primary texts in translation and secondary literature.

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Ancient cultures