Prof. Ray Lahiri (ralahiri@uw.edu)
Student Hours: Wednesdays, 3-5pm in Denny M262A
Introduction
In the year 31 BCE, the adoptive son and grand-nephew of Julius Caesar stood alone at the forefront of the Roman state. He had vanquished his last rival and put an end to nearly two decades of civil war and political violence. With an army at his back, he was the undisputed authority in Rome. In hindsight, we now say that this man, soon to rename himself “Augustus,” was the first emperor of Rome.
But what does it mean to say the Roman Republic “ended” and the Empire “began?” What did it feel like to live through this period of civil turbulence and political transformation? Would Roman onlookers have realized they were on the precipice of a new system, one that would last for centuries?
This course traces the political and cultural history of ancient Rome from 63 BCE to 14 CE—the period of Augustus’ long life. We analyze how he sought to put an end to the discord of the civil wars and re-found Roman society and, exploring a wide range of sources and media—coins, monuments, art, poetry, prose, and more—we reconstruct the wide range of competing perspectives upon the turbulent end of the Republic and the contested beginning of the Empire.
Do note that you may register for this class as either CLAS 330 or HSTAM 330. You may also elect to take the course as a W-credit.
Note: the course is currently full. You can request to be automatically notified when seats open up by following the instructions listed here (https://itconnect.uw.edu/tools-services-support/academic-planning/notify-uw/using-notify-uw/). The SLNs for the course are 12555 (CLAS 330) and 15687 (HSTAM 330).
Required Textbooks:
- Cooley, M.G.L, ed. 2023. The Age of Augustus: LACTOR Sourcebooks in Ancient History. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge UP (ISBN-13: 978-1009382892, ~$21-30)
- Readings from this book will be identified with "Cooley" and page numbers or a letter and number combination (for example, G2).
- Osgood, J. 2018. Rome and the Making of a World State, 150 BCE - 20 CE. (ISBN-13: 978-1108413190, ~$20-30)
- Readings from this book will be identified with "Osgood, Ch. # (page numbers)" .
- Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars, translated by C. Edwards. Oxford: Oxford UP. (ISBN-13: 978-0199537563, ~$6-14)
- Used copies are readily available
Recommended Textbook:
- Galinsky, K. 2012. Augustus: Introduction to the Life of an Emperor. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. (ISBN-13: 9780521744423, ~$6-35)
- Used copies are readily available at fair prices through websites such as alibris.com. All readings from this book will be accessible through the UW Library, however, so I do not require you to purchase this book. Readings from this book will be identified as “Galinsky” plus chapter and page number.
Classics Department Textbook Fund:
If you are a current major or minor in the Department of Classics, you may apply for the Undergraduate Textbook Fund to defray or cover the expenses of required course materials. Please see the departmental website here (https://classics.washington.edu/undergraduate-textbook-fund) for more information and to find the application.