AN2002 The Roman Empire

Academic year

2023 to 2024 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

20

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 8

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

4.00 pm Tue and 4.00 pm Thu

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module Staff

Team taught

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module explores the complex history of the Roman Empire from Augustus to Late Antiquity, an empire which, for the first and last time, united the whole Mediterranean and its diverse hinterlands. Yet Roman diplomatic and economic connections spread far beyond to Iran, India, China and sub-Saharan Africa. The history and archaeology of this period are studied through the themes of power, society, gender, cultures, soldiers, cities, economies, and religions. How did an ever-evolving imperial monarchy oversee a relatively stable, slave-owning domain? What powers of coercion and persuasion did Rome exert? How was Rome and its empire culturally transformed over the centuries? Original sources are studied in translation, and no prior study of the period is required or expected.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS AT LEAST 40 CREDITS FROM {ANY LEVELS MATCHING MO1, ANY LEVELS MATCHING ME1, ANY LEVELS MATCHING AN1, ANY LEVELS MATCHING SC1} OR PASS AT LEAST 20 CREDITS FROM ANY LEVELS MATCHING AN1 AND PASS AT LEAST 20 CREDITS FROM ANY LEVELS MATCHING CL1

Assessment pattern

2-hour Written Examination = 50%, Coursework = 50%

Re-assessment

3-hour Written Examination = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

20 lectures, 6 tutorials and 2 practical workshops across the semester.

Scheduled learning hours

28

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

172

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Describe key historical developments, elements of cultural diversity, and societal makeup in the Roman Empire.
  • Describe and evaluate leading modern theories of state formation, gender and cultural diversity, urbanism, and economy, as they apply to the ancient Mediterranean world and its hinterlands in the 1st-5th centuries AD.
  • Describe and evaluate the key areas of historical and material evidence, including elite literature, epigraphy, provincial archaeology and numismatics.
  • Analyse and critically evaluate published research.
  • Interpret, evaluate and apply literary, sub-literary and archaeological evidence to address overarching historical questions.
  • Construct coherent and critically-aware arguments using models and evidence, and communicate them in writing and orally.