CLST 277-16-016: The World of Late Antiquity

Schedule of Reading Assignments and Topics

The reading assignments yield essential preparation for class meetings:
complete the reading before the first class for which a reading is listed;
review it again for subsequent days.

The electronic syllabus contains links to more on-line reading assignments and other resources.

The syllabus will be updated periodically with more links
for research and optional exploration. Keep checking back!

Texts

• Ammianus Marcellinus, The Later Roman Empire, tr. W. Hamilton
• Augustine, Confessions, tr. R. Pine-Coffin
• The Emperor Julian: Panegyric and Polemic, ed. Samuel N. C. Lieu
• Course packet
• Internet links
• Averil Cameron, The Later Roman Empire, AD 284-430

M 1/18	Introduction: Course objectives, structure, procedures; A Quick Overview of the Roman Empire Study questions
W 1/20	The Third-Century Crisis Cameron, Ch. I Study questions
F 1/22	Imperial Biography Creates a Hero: Diocletian Takes Charge Selections from Historia Augusta Life of Carus, Numerian, and Carinus Diocletian (284-305 AD), De Imperatoribus Romanis For reference: the De Imperatoribus Romanis website contains many imperial biographies relevant to our period, maps, and links to numismatic and other imperial portraits. Study questions
M 1/25	No class. 11:30 and 12:30 classes today canceled for observation of Martin Luther King Day.
W 1/27	Literary Sources and Historical Inferences: Overview of Material and Methods Cameron, Ch. II For reference, a good statement of general principles: Patrick Rael's Guide to Reading Primary Sources (Prof. Rael is in the History department at Bowdoin College.) Study questions
F 1/29	Library Session!! Introduction to Late Antiquity on the Internet: Important HANDS-ON session. Report to Cudahy Library, first floor information desk. Attendance WILL be taken!
M 2/1	The Formation of the Tetrarchy Cameron, Ch. III For fun: late-third and early-fourth century images to explore (double-click on a thumbnail image to see it full-scale) Study questions
W 2/3	"We Feel Your Pain": Emperors Speak Out about the Late Antique Economy Diocletian, Edict on Maximum Prices, preamble and select price-sections (packet) Cameron, Ch. VIII For fun: Coins of Diocletian (some ancient coins are now of better quality than others) For reference: the Virtual Catalog of Roman Coins is a good teaching site, with lots of images. For fun: picture of your instructor lecturing at the reconstructed monument that preserves the fullest surviving example of the Price Edict. Can you identify her? Note also the goose. Study questions
F 2/5	Christian Polemical History: Persecuting Emperors Lactantius, On the Manner in which the Persecutors Died, I-XVI Diocletian's Edicts against the Christians For reference: many of our on-line selections come from Paul Halsall's (of Fordham University) Internet Medieval Sourcebook -- a terrific resource Also for reference (while I'm on the subject): another terrific resource is the ORB [On-line Reference Book] for Late Antiquity in the Mediterranean maintained by Steven Muhlberger of the History Department of Nipissing University Study questions Project assignment! Preliminary statements of interest due today
M 2/8	A Martyr's Tale (NB, an earlier persecution): First-Person Narrative and Real Life The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas Study questions Project assignment! Group assignments: exchange phone numbers and start to plan
W 2/10	Imperial Persecution Complex, to the Edict of Galerius Lactantius, On the Manner in which the Persecutors Died, XVII-XXXIV (you'll have to scroll down the file after it loads up) Study questions
F 2/12	A Christian View of Vindication and the Rise of Constantine Lactantius, On the Manner in which the Persecutors Died, XXXV-LII (you'll have to scroll down the file after it loads up) Study questions
M 2/15	The Rise of Constantine Cameron, Ch. IV Selection from Eusebius, Life of Constantine, 27-32 Head of Constantine, marble colossus, Capitoline Museum, Rome Study questions
W 2/17	Ash Wednesday. Rhetoric of Place: Rome and Constantine's "New Rome" Cameron, Ch. XI Selection from Sozomen, Ecclesiastical History 2.3 For fun: page on The Art and Architecture of Constantine maintained by Kathryn Andrus-Walck of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. (double-click on thumbnail images to see them in full) For fun: Images of Constantinople (click on the link to see the image) For fun: fifth-century ivory diptych, perhaps from Syria, depicting Roma and Constantinopolis Study questions
F 2/19	Christian Emperors and the Christian Church Cameron, Ch. V Select Laws of Constantine Constantine's Laws about Easter For fun: ecclesiastical relief sculpture to explore (mostly fourth century) (double-click on a thumbnail image to see it full-scale) For fun: ecclesiastical mosaics to explore (mostly fourth and fifth century) Study questions
M 2/22	Narrative in a Paranoid Mood: Treason and Usurpation Ammianus, Bk 14.1-15.6 Study questions
W 2/24	First-Person History (part review) Ammianus, Bk. 15.5; 18.4-19.9; the very last paragraph of 31.16 Study questions
F 2/26	A Satirical Look at Roman Morals (part review) Ammianus, Bk. 14.6; 15.7; 16.10; 17.4; 19.10 Study questions Project assignment! First progress reports due
M 3/1	Julian: Overview Cameron, Ch. VI marble portrait statue of Julian, garbed as a priest Study questions Project consultations this week: make an appointment with the instructor
W 3/3	Heroizing History: Ammianus on the Rise of Julian Ammianus, Bk. 15.8; 16.1-8; 16.11-12 Study questions
F 3/5	Justifying a Usurpation: Third-Person History Ammianus, Bk. 20.4-5, 20.8-10, 21.1-5 Study questions Midterm Study Guide
M 3/8 - Su 3/14	No classes. MIDSEMESTER BREAK!
M 3/15	Midterm examination. Study questions
W 3/17	Justifying a Usurpation: First-Person Polemics and Appeal Julian, Letter to the Senate and People of Athens (packet) Study questions
F 3/19	Panegyric Justification Claudius Mamertinus, "Speech of Thanks" in Lieu, ed. Study questions
M 3/22	Living Up to Imperial Ideals in Triumph and Controversy Ammianus, Bk. 22.1-23.1 Study questions
W 3/24	Frustration in Antioch: Satirical Rhetoric Julian, Misopogon (packet) Julian and the beard: marble portrait statue again coins of Julian -- the SECVRITAS REI PVB "bull" coins are the ones that Christians mocked Study questions
F 3/26	An Antiochene Bishop Talks Back John Chrysostom, "Homily on St. Babylas" in Lieu, ed. Study questions
M 3/29	Confessional Autobiography I: Childhood Faith and Growing Awareness Augustine, Bk. 1-2 For reference: Augustine's webpage, maintained by James O'Donnell of the University of Pennsylvania For fun (part of the website): fifteenth-century frescoes depicting scenes from Augustine's autobiography Study questions
W 3/31	Confessional Autobiography II: Worldly Temptation and Misspent Friendship Augustine, Bk. 3-4 Project assignment! Second progress reports due Study questions
Th 4/1 - M 4/5	No class. Easter Holiday from 4:30 PM Thursday through 4:30 PM Monday.
W 4/7	Confessional Autobiography III: I Get By with a little Help from my Friends Augustine, Bk. 5-6 Study questions Project consultations this week: make an appointment with the instructor
F 4/9	Social Systems and Imperial Transitions Cameron, Ch. VII Study questions
M 4/12	The Problem with Barbarians Cameron, Ch. IX Ammianus, Bk. 31.2-4 Battle of Adrianople: go to this page, scroll down to the link Battle of Adrianople, AD 378 for a description of the battle; click on the link to get a map in a second window (check the "Windows" pull-down, or toggle, if the map "pops up" behind the battle description page) For reference: Hugh Elton's essay on The Late Roman Army (Prof. Elton is in the History Department of Florida International University) Hugh Elton, "Barbarization" in the Late Roman Army For even more general reference, Prof. Elton's website on Warfare in the Ancient World Study questions
W 4/14	The Roman Senatorial Aristocracy: Epistolary Networking Select inscriptions (packet) Symmachus, select Letters (packet) For fun: ivory diptych of the Nicomachi and Symmachi Study questions
F 4/16	The Debate over the Altar of Victory: Letters of Petition Letters of Symmachus and Ambrose about the Altar of Victory For fun: an image of Victory, dating between 240-190 BC, from the image archive of Prof. Kathryn Andrus-Walck, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Study questions
M 4/19	Special Event! Project Group A: Julian, Oration in Praise of Eusebia Epistles of Ambrose: The Power of the Episcopate Ambrose, Letters LI, LVII, LXI (you will have to scroll down after the page loads up -- which, alas, takes a relatively long time with this page -- be warned, and be patient!) Study questions
W 4/21	Theodosius's Religious Policy and Legislative Rhetoric Selection from Zosimus, New History Theodosian Code 16.1.2 Selection of laws of the Theodosian Code: religious legislation Study questions
F 4/23	Special Event! Project Group 1: Claudian, Panegyric for the Sixth Consulate of Honorius and imperial adventus A Poet Steps Quietly Up to the Imperial Circle Claudian, Panegyric of Olybrius and Probinus (packet) Study questions
M 4/26	Heroic Poetry Slips past a Split in Fraternal Rule Claudian, The War with Gildo (packet) For fun: marble portrait bust of Arcadius For fun: ivory portrait of Honorius on consular diptych of Sextus Anicius Probus Study questions
W 4/28	Closure -- for a While (no, we weren't going to abandon Augustine) Augustine, Bk. 7-9 Study questions
F 4/30	Last day of class. Aftermath and On Cameron, Ch. XII Study questions Final Exam Study Guide
M 5/3 - Tu 5/4	Study days.
W 5/5 10:20-12:20	Final examination. See Loyola's Final Exam Schedule.

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This file last updated 4/29/99.