CLAS 335 A: The Age of Nero

The Age of Nero

Autumn Quarter 2023** TTh 10:30-12:20 ** CMU (Communications) 226

NO PREREQUISITES

SATISFIES A&H (VLPA) and SSc (I&S) AND COUNTS AS 'W' CLASS

Please note that this class will be taught live and in person; there is no online or remote option

Professor Alain M. Gowing
e-mail: alain@u.washington.edu

Autumn Quarter Office Hour: Th 1-2 PM (starting 10/5) either in person in my office (Denny M262C, the north mezzanine of Denny Hall) or by Zoom (via this link:  https://washington.zoom.us/j/91011615789) or by arrangement (email me).

Course description: This class entails an overview of the history and culture of the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero (AD 54-68), a man celebrated in both ancient and modern times for his many eccentricities and contradictions. In addition to reading the primary historical evidence for Nero (esp. the Roman historian Tacitus), we will read selections from the best-known authors who wrote under Nero -- for example, the epic poet Lucan, the satirist Persius, the 'novelist' Petronius, the philosopher-politician Seneca -- as well as investigate the artistic and architectural achievements of the period (esp. Nero's famous Golden House). No previous knowledge of Roman history is expected or required.  NB: CLAS 335 counts for A&H (VLPA) credit; HSTAM 335, for SSc (I&S) credit.  This is a W class: all participants will receive Writing (W) credit.

Course requirements:

A) (30%) successful completion of at least 4 of 8 short, weekly 'response' papers. Description

HERE

B) (40%) 2 quizzes, each 20%. Administered via Canvas in Week 4 and 10 respectively.

C) (30%) final essay (due on or before the day of the final exam).

CLICK HERE FOR THE 'FINAL ESSAY' ASSIGNMENT

Required texts:

• Griffin, M.T. Nero. The End of a Dynasty.  Routledge 1984. [available online through UW Libraries]
• Lucan.  Civil War.  S. H. Braund, trans.  Oxford World Classics. [an ebook of this is available through the publisher and elsewhere]
• Petronius. The Satyricon. Seneca. The Apocolocyntosis. J.P. Sullivan,trans. Penguin Classics 1986 (the revised edition). [a electronic copy of this is available through ebooks.com] MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE PENGUIN EDITION THAT HAS BOTH THE SATYRICON AND THE APOCOLOCYNTOSIS AND IS TRANSLATED BY J.P. SULLIVAN.
• Tacitus. The Annals. A.J. Woodman, trans.  Hackett. [e-version available from publisher]
• Barrett, A.A., et al. (edd.).  The Emperor Nero.  A Guide to the Ancient Sources.  Princeton 2016. [available online through the UW Libraries]

Please note: I understand that you may prefer to have all our texts in electronic form.  I have indicated here when I am aware of e-versions (to purchase or free), but the situation changes regularly. Regardless, you will need right away -- and I mean from the first class meeting -- the Griffin, Barrett, and Tacitus.

And please ALSO note: You should be aware that you may find at least some of the events and material we cover and read in this class to be offensive or disturbing. In the interests of providing a complete picture of the nature of Neronian culture and of the history of the period, I will not exclude this material although I will make every effort to treat such instances sensitively and objectively.  

IMPORTANT UW POLICIES: PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THESE IMPORTANT COURSE POLICIES ABOUT RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS, THE STUDENT CONDUCT CODE, ACCESS AND ACCOMMODATIONS, and ACADEMIC INTEGRITY.

PLEASE NOTE that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) content generators, such as ChatGPT, is NOT permitted for any of the writing required for this class (this includes everything -- weekly papers, quizzes, and the final essay).

A FEW CLASS GUIDELINES:

• In order for this class to be successful and meaningful for you, please a) make a concerted effort to keep up with and understand the readings, and b) come to class prepared to ask questions and contribute to discussions
• Laptop, cell phones, iPads etc.: It’s OK to use these for class-related stuff -- but please don’t use them for anything else.
• Coming late: I understand that it can sometimes be a challenge to get to class on time, but on those occasions when you have to enter the room late, please do so as unobtrusively as possible.
• Missing classes: I also understand that from time to time you may have to miss a class, but please don’t ask me to recap a lecture or provide you with lecture notes. Ask someone in the class if you miss anything. 

Schedule of topics to be covered:

NB: This is merely a rough outline of only the primary readings we will cover and when.  Each week, however, I will post, in advance and in the appropriate spot below, a link to the weekly assignment that will include the readings to be covered – in primary (ancient texts, both the stand-alone texts and those in the Barrett sourcebook) AND secondary sources (modern studies, i.e., Griffin) -- and a few specific issues to think about in connection with that reading as well as a link to the week's writing assignment.  You will get the most out of each class meeting if you have done the assigned week’s reading prior to the class meetings in which we cover it (in each class I'll try to be clear about what we will cover in the next class meeting).

→I will post on a separate page HERE a list of any maps, overheads, etc. (mostly in your texts) and the occasional PowerPoint presentation that I use in class.

• Week 1, 28 Sept.: Introduction

• Week 2, 2-6 October: Seneca, Apocolocyntosis; Tacitus

Detailed assignment for Week 2 (2-6 October)

• Week 3, 9-13 October: Tacitus cont'd.

Detailed assignment for Week 3 (9-13 October)

• Week 4, 16-20 October: Suetonius, Life of Nero; Seneca, On Mercy, Letters (texts to be provided)

Detailed assignment for Week 4 (16-20 October)

• Week 5, 23-27 October: Persius, Calpurnius Siculus (texts to be provided)

Detailed assignment for Week 5 (23-27 October)

• Week 6, 30 October - 3 November: Lucan

Detailed assignment for Week 6 (30 Oct.-3 Nov.)

• Week 7, 6-10 November: Lucan

Detailed assignment for Week 7 (6-10 Nov.)

• Week 8, 13-17 November: Petronius

Detailed assignment for Week 8 (13-17 Nov.)

• Week 9, 20-24 November, Petronius (NB: No class Th. Nov. 23 Thanksgiving)

Detailed assignment for Week 9 (20-22 Nov.)

• Week 10, 27 November - 1 December: Petronius concl.; Neronian art and architecture: the Golden House

Detailed assignment for Week 10 (27 Nov.-Dec. 1)

Description of Quiz #2

• • • • • Week 11, 4-8 December: Neronian art and architecture: the Golden House concl; wrapping up

Detailed assignment for Week 11 (4-8 Dec.)

FINAL ESSAY: Due by 11 PM on Monday, Dec. 11.  CLICK HERE FOR THE ASSIGNMENT