HIS 3502 - HISTORIANS OF ANCIENT ROME

credits: 3.0
An in-depth study of historians of Ancient Rome from the first Century B.C. to the fourth century A.D., focusing on Julius Caesar, Livy, Tacitus, and Ammianus Marcellinus, with emphasis on Roman historiography. The development of the writing of Roman history from its beginnings in the first century B.C. to the fourth century A.D. in terms of the way the ancient historians wrote the history of their times, the emphasis on certain subject matters, their use of sources and their bias towards their own city or a certain politician will be examined. This course would be an excellent course for Classical Studies and History majors in terms of the analization of primary sources. Objectives: A) In-depth study of Roman History through the eyes of Julius Caesar, Livy, Tacitus and Ammianus Marcellinus. B) Examine the development of history-writing in terms of content, bias, use of sources, and analysis of historical data in the Roman period and compare to history writing today. Method of Instruction: Lecture and discussion. Method of Evaluation: Mid-term exam, final exam and research paper. Meets *WRT Distribution Requirement.