Latin 426/526: The Roman Emperors

*Note: This is an old document. Some of the links may be broken.*

Map

Instructor:

John Bauschatz
Time/Location: M/W, 3:30–4:45; Modern Languages 202
Contact Info:

Office: Learning Services Building 215
Phone: (520) 621-7422 (office)
email: jbausch1@email.arizona.edu

OVERVIEW

This course explores Latin authors of the Roman Empire. Particular attention is given to their responses to the social and political structures of their times, and above all, to the Roman Emperors of the first two centuries A.D. Expressed attitudes towards emperors range from adulation to spite, but we will concentrate on authors who fall somewhere in between, writing skeptically or subversively. The course will include close reading of prose writers (Augustus, Velleius Paterculus, Tacitus, Suetonius, Pliny, Fronto, the authors of the Historia Augusta), but poets (among these Martial, Seneca and Statius) and documentary texts (inscriptions, papyri, etc.) will also be included.

PREREQUISITES

For undergraduates (Latin 426), the prerequisites are satisfaction of the mid-career writing assessment (MCWA) and successful completion of Latin 400 or the equivalent; for graduate students (Latin 526), the prerequisite is three units of 400-level Latin.

READINGS

There are ***no required books*** for this course. I will provide you with pdf copies of all assigned readings—both in Latin and in translation—on the course D2L site. See the Course Schedule (below) for what we're reading, and when.

You will definitely need a dictionary for this course. The Chambers-Murray Latin-English Dictionary (Chambers, 1994) or Cassell's Standard Latin Dictionary (Cassell's, 1977) will probably suffice for the purposes of the course. If you're looking for a dictionary for life, however, you can't go wrong with the Latin Dictionary Founded on Andrew's Edition of Freund's Latin Dictionary, edited by C.T. Lewis and C. Short (Oxford UP: revised edition, 1956; affectionately known as "Lewis and Short"). The Oxford Latin Dictionary (Oxford UP: 2012; a.k.a. the OLD) is also a safe bet, though I prefer Lewis and Short myself. All of these texts should be readily available locally or via the web.

Naturally, you'll want to have a basic Latin textbook at hand as a grammar reference. If you've moved beyond textbooks, I would advise that you purchase Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar (Dover, 2006) or (less enthusiastically) Gildersleeve's Latin Grammar (Dover, 2009), alongside E.C. Woodcock's A New Latin Syntax (Bristol, 1991).

GRADING

Grading for the course will be based on the following breakdown:

Attendance (15%): How often you come to class (duh). Your grade for attendance = the number of hours you actually spend in the classroom / the total number of hours you're scheduled to spend in the classroom. There are no exceptions to this policy, but I will allow you to make up up to 2.5 hours (= 2 classes) of missed time. The only way to do this is a 1/1 time trade: i.e., you'll spend however many hours you missed—up to 2.5—in my office doing extra course-related work (which I will provide to you).

Participation (15%): The quality and quantity of your participation in class discussions. I expect you to actively engage in class discussions. To a degree, your participation will be forced, as I will call on you. But I also expect you to volunteer. If you do not, your grade will suffer.

Presentations (10% each, 20% total): Each student enrolled in Latin 426/526 will give two ca 10-minute presentations in class over the course of the semester. Each student enrolled in Latin 526 will do a presentation on a piece of secondary scholarship connected with our Latin readings and will give a presentation on his/her final paper topic (see below); students enrolled in Latin 426 will lead two grammar and syntax review sessions. All presentations should be professional and rehearsed, and students should consult Appendix N on the Classics Department website for guidelines and suggestions. (There is also a list of more specific guidelines available on the course D2L page.) A schedule of presentations and presenters will be distributed in class by the beginning of the second week of the semester.

Hour Exams (10% each, 30% total): There will be three hour exams in this course. The first will occur on Wednesday, September 25; the second on Monday, October 28; the last on Wednesday, December 4. Each of the exams will focus primarily on translating some of the Latin we've covered in class over a given time period but also on providing grammatical, syntactic and general commentary. Students enrolled in Latin 526 will be required to write more difficult exams than those enrolled in 426. Do not miss the exams.

Final Paper (20%): In lieu of a substantial final exam, students will select a topic of their own choosing and write a final paper. Latin 426 students will write translations/ commentaries; Latin 526 students will write traditional term papers. Information on the formatting of the final paper can be found in Appendix M on the Classics Department website. The final paper is due by 5 p.m. on December 20. Late papers lose at least one full letter grade for every day late.

OTHER INFO

Surprise! Cheating is not allowed. If you cheat, and I find out, you will receive a grade of 0 for the assignment and other bad things will happen. (See the U of A's code of academic integrity.)

Office hours will be held M–Th, noon–1 p.m. in my office (#215) in the Classics Department (on the second floor of the blandly-named Learning Services Building). You are also welcome and encouraged to make an appointment to meet with me. Call, email or holler.

D2L: As mentioned above, students in Latin 426/526 will be expected to be familiar with D2L ("Desire2Learn"), the University's online course content management system. If you are unfamiliar with D2L, see the D2L homepage. As noted above, course readings will be posted on the course D2L page. Your grades will be posted there, as well.

Students with disabilities should contact the UA Disability Resource Center (520 621-3268) for any special needs or accommodations.

COURSE SCHEDULE

What follows is a sketch outline of the spring semester. Nightly reading assignments are due on the dates specified. ***Reading assignments in Latin are in boldface; those for students enrolled in Latin 526 are listed first; those for students enrolled in Latin 426 are listed second [in square brackets].*** All students are responsible for the readings in translation, in full. You will be held accountable for them at the beginning of each class, sometimes even with a degrading reading quiz! So read.

Check this page often. Readings and assignments are subject to change. I'll try to give a heads-up in class if a major shake-up is imminent. I'll also try to provide you with the readings at least one week in advance.
Week Monday Wednesday
1

8/26 (1) Introductions/Augustus

READ: Res Gestae Divi Augusti 1–15 [1–7] here; Res Gestae 1–15 here; Velleius Paterculus, Roman History 2.1–28 here

8/28 (2) Augustus

READ: Res Gestae Divi Augusti 16–30 [16–24] here; Res Gestae 16–35 + Appendix here; Velleius Paterculus, Roman History 2.29–58 here

PRESENTER (KOLETSOS): J. Elsner, "Inventing imperium: texs and the propaganda of monuments in Augustan Rome." Chapter 2 of Art and Text in Roman Culture, J. Elsner, ed. 32–53 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Res Gestae 1–3, 5

2

9/2 Labor Day: no class

9/4 (3) Tiberius

READ: Velleius Paterculus, Roman History 2.59–93 here; Velleius Paterculus, Historia Romana 2.94–101 [2.94–98] here; Velleius Paterculus, Roman History 2.94–108 here

PRESENTER (PIERCE): Ablative Absolute

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Res Gestae 13, 14, 24, 25

3

9/9 (4) Tiberius

READ: Velleius Paterculus, Historia Romana 2.109–113 [2.109–111] here; Velleius Paterculus, Roman History 2.109–124 here; Suetonius, Tiberius 1–38 here

PRESENTER (REPUBLICANO): R. Syme, "Mendacity in Velleius." AJPh 99 (1978): 45–63 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Historia Romana 2.94, 2.95.1–2, 2.96.1

9/11 (5) Tiberius

READ: Velleius Paterculus, Historia Romana 2.125–131 [2.125–128] here; Velleius Paterculus, Roman History 2.125–131 here; Suetonius, Tiberius 38–76 here

PRESENTER (NOBODY): Nothing

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Historia Romana 2.110–111

4

9/16 (6) Claudius

READ: Tacitus, Annals 11.1–22 here; Tacitus, Annales 11.23–25 here and the inscription containing the speech of Claudius to the senate here (there is a paraphrased translation of this speech in the Wellesley article, below) [Annales 11.23–24 and the speech of Claudius, first two paragraphs = through translata est]; Tacitus, Annals 11.26–38 here

PRESENTER (SPANNE): K. Wellesley, "Can You Trust Tacitus?" G&R 1 (2nd ser., 1954): 13–33 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Historia Romana 2.126; Annales 11.24.1–3

9/18 (7) Claudius

READ: Tacitus, Annales 12.1–8 [12.1–4] here; Tacitus, Annals 12.1–63 here

PRESENTER (TATE): Independent Subjunctive

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Speech of Claudius (inscription), all (see translation, on D2L); Annales 11.24.3–7; 12.3; 12.5.1–2
5

9/23 (8) Claudius

READ: Tacitus, Annales 12.64–69 [12.64–66] here; Tacitus, Annals 12.64–69 here; Suetonius, Claudius 1–23 here

PRESENTER (BAKER): J. Ginsburg, "Visualizing Agrippina," chapter 2 of Representing Agrippina: Constructions of Female Power in the Early Roman Empire (Oxford, 2006), pp55–105 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Annales 12.5.3; 12.6; 12.64

9/25 (9) Hour Exam #1
6

9/30 (10) Claudius/Nero

READ: Seneca, Apocolocyntosis 1–4 [1–2] here; Seneca, Apocolocyntosis 1–8 here; Suetonius, Claudius 24–46 here

PRESENTER (HUTCHINGS): C. Damon, "Too close? Historian and Poet in the Apocolocyntosis." In Latin Historiography and Poetry: Generic Interactions, J.F. Miller and A.J. Woodman, eds. 49–70 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Apocolocyntosis 1–3.1

10/2 (11) Claudius/Nero

READ: Seneca, Apocolocyntosis 9–11 [9–10] here; Seneca, Apocolocyntosis 9–15 here; Suetonius, Nero here

PRESENTER (NOBODY): Nothing

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Apocolocyntosis 3.2–4

7

10/7 (12) Gaius

READ: Suetonius, Gaius 1–30 here; Suetonius, Gaius 22–25 [22–23] here

PRESENTER (MASON): Purpose Clauses

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Apocolocyntosis 9; Gaius 22.1–3

10/9 (13) Gaius

READ: Suetonius, Gaius 31–60 here; Suetonius, Gaius 50–54 [50–51] here

PRESENTER (HUANG): Indirect Statement

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Gaius 22.4, 24, 50

8

10/14 (14) A.D. 69: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian

READ: Selections from Tacitus, Historiae I–III (on D2L); Inscription De Imperio Vespasiani (CIL VI 930) here (includes a translation); Suetonius, Galba here; Suetonius, Otho, here; Suetonius, Vitellius here

PRESENTER (RAMSEY): E.R. Varner, Mutilation and Transformation: Damnnatio Memoriae and Roman Imperial Portraiture. Chapter 1 ("Developments, Implications, and Precedents"), pp 1–13, and Chapter 5, "A.D. 69," pp105–110 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Tacitus, Historiae I.1–3; I.12 (for potential "sight" passage for 526 students)

10/16 (15) Vespasian/Titus

READ: Martial, Liber Spectaculorum 1–10 [1–5] (on D2L); Martial, On the Spectacles 1–36 (on D2L); Suetonius, Vespasian here

PRESENTER (WINNICK): K.M. Coleman, "Launching into History: Aquatic Displays in the Early Empire." JRS 83 (1993): 48–74 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Tacitus, Historiae I.15, 21, 22 (for potential "sight" passage for 526 students); Inscription De Imperio Vespasiani, paragraphs 1–5.5 (see layout of text here); Martial, Liber Spectaculorum 1

9

10/21 (16) Domitian

READ: Statius, Silvae 1.1 (on D2L); Statius, Silvae 4.1, 4.2 [4.2] here; Statius, Silvae 4.1, 4.2 (on D2L); Martial, Epigrams 2.2, 2.91, 2.92, 4.30, 5.1, 5.2, 5.19, 5.65, 7.1, 7.5, 7.6, 7.8, 7.61, 7.99, 8 (preface), 8.8, 8.24, 8.49 (50), 8.70 (on D2L); Suetonius, Titus here

PRESENTERS (HUANG, PIERCE): Conditions

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Tacitus, Historiae I.27, 40, 41, 49 (for potential "sight" passage for 526 students); Inscription De Imperio Vespasiani, paragraphs 5.5–end (see layout of text here); Statius, Silvae 4.2 (for "sight" passage for 426 students; also possible passage for 526 students)

10/23 (17) Domitian/Nerva

READ: Martial, Epigrams 9.5 (6), 9.7 (8), 9.18, 9.26, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.7 [9.5 (6), 9.7 (8), 9.18, 9.26] here; Martial, Epigrams 9.5, 9.7, 9.18, 9.26, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.7, 12.5 (2 + 6.1–6), 12.8, 12.15 (on D2L); Suetonius, Domitian here

PRESENTER (GREEN): A.L. Spisak, "Martial on Domitian: A Socio-Anthropological Perspective." CB 75 (1999): 69–83 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Martial, Liber Spectaculorum 2, 3, 9; Epigrams 9.18, 11.2

10

10/28 (18) Hour Exam #2

 

10/30 (19) Trajan

READ: Pliny, Epistulae 10.1–10 [10.1–5] here; Pliny, Letters 10.1–38 here

PRESENTER (MERRILL): Indirect Questions

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Tacitus, Historiae 1.50, 2.38 (for potential "sight" passage for 426 students); Pliny, Epistulae 10.1, 10.2, 10.4.1–2

11

11/4 (20) Trajan

READ: Pliny, Epistulae 10.39–48 [10.39–42] here; Pliny, Letters 10.39–76 here

PRESENTER (MONGELLI): Fear Clauses

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Tacitus, Historiae 2.39, 41, 42 (for potential "sight" passage for 426 students); Pliny, Epistulae 10.4.3–6, 10.8.1–5

11/6 (21) Trajan

READ: Pliny, Letters 10.77–93 here; Pliny, Epistulae 10.94–101 [10.94–96] here; Pliny, Letters 10.94–121 here

PRESENTER (HEFFERNAN): J.E.A. Crake, "Early Christians and Roman Law." Phoenix 19 (1965): 61–70; G.J. Johnson, "De conspiratione delatorum: Pliny and the Christians Revisited." Latomus 47 (1988): 417–422 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Pliny, Epistulae 10.10.8.6, 10.9, 10.39–42, 10.94–97

12

11/11 Veteran's Day: no class

11/13 (22) Hadrian

READ: Vita Hadriani 1–6 [1–3] here; Life of Hadrian 1–9 here; Life of Antoninus Pius here

PRESENTER (PICKEL): A. Momigliano, "An Unsolved Problem of Historical Forgery: The Scriptores Historiae Augustae." JWI 17 (1954): 22-46 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Vita Hadriani 1–2.8

13

11/18 (23) Hadrian

READ: Vita Hadriani 10–14 [10–12] here and here; Life of Hadrian 10–18 here and here; Life of Marcus Aurelius 1–14 here

PRESENTERS (MASON, TATE): Result Clauses

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Tacitus, Historiae 2.47, 2.49 (for potential "sight" passage for 426 students); Vita Hadriani 2.9–10, 10, 11.1–3

11/20 (24) Hadrian

READ: Life of Hadrian 19–22 here; Vita Hadriani 23–27 [23–25] here; Life of Hadrian 23–27 here; Life of Marcus Aurelius 15–29 here

PRESENTER (ELLIOTT): J. Bollansée, "P.Fay. 19, Hadrian's Memoirs, and Imperial Epistolary Autobiography." AncSoc 25 (1994): 279–302 (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Tacitus, Historiae 2.70, 3.32, 3.33 (for potential "sight" passage for 426 students); Vita Hadriani 11.4–7, 23.1–9, 24.1–10

14

11/25 (25) Marcus Aurelius

READ: Fronto/Marcus Aurelius, Epistulae 1, 5, 6, 11, 24, 25, 26, 27 [1, 5, 6, 11] (on D2L); Marcus Aurelius in Love, Letters 1–27 (notes optional; on D2L)

PRESENTER (MAINI): A. Richlin, Marcus Aurelius in Love, Introduction (on D2L).

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Tacitus, Historiae 3.34, 3.83, 3.84 (for potential "sight" passage for 426 students); Epistulae 1

11/27 Thanksgiving recess - no class

15

12/2 (26) Marcus Aurelius/Wrap-Up

READ: Fronto/Marcus Aurelius, Epistulae 30, 31, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 46 [37, 38, 39] (on D2L); Marcus Aurelius in Love, Letters 28–46 (notes optional; on D2L)

PRESENTERS (MERRILL, MONGELLI): Relative Clauses of Characteristic

LATIN COVERED IN CLASS: Tacitus, Historiae 3.85, 86 (for potential "sight" passage for 426 students); Epistulae 5, 35

12/4 (27) Hour Exam #3

16

12/9 (28) Paper Presentations

PRESENTERS: Baker, Elliott, Green, Hutchings, Koletsos, Ramsey

12/11 (29) Paper Presentations

PRESENTERS: Heffernan, Maini, Pickel, Republicano, Spanne, Winnick

17

12/16 Final Exams: no class

12/18 Final Exams: no class

**Final paper due at 5 p.m. on Friday, December 20**

U of A | Classics | Bauschatz