CLASS 2711

Archaeology of the Roman world: Italy and the West

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2016-2017.

The Roman period has given us a density of archaeological remains that remains unsurpassed in world history, and these have been studied since the very birth of archaeology. As a result, Roman archaeology allows us to explore questions that historians and archaeologists of other periods often cannot. Within this rich body of archaeological evidence, this course will focus on key themes and material for the Roman period in Italy and the Western provinces (especially Gaul and Britain). Central topics include imperialism, urbanism, economy, and social life. What was the archaeological imprint of conquest? How did goods travel around such a wide geographical expanse? What images did people in Britain have of the emperor? We will investigate particular types of evidence, from public monuments over ceramic amphorae to the road system. And we will explore methodological issues, such as what archaeological evidence can tell us, or how to introduce protagonists other than emperors and armies in our reconstructions of the Roman world. Throughout the course, we will question whether the modern world is a productive and valid parallel for archaeological study of the Roman world.

When Offered Fall.

Breadth Requirement (HB)
Distribution Category (HA-AS)

View Enrollment Information