DSBcA09 History of Ancient Rome I

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/2/0. 3 credit(s) (plus 3 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Jarmila Bednaříková, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Bc. Jana Malaníková, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. et Mgr. Markéta Melounová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. et Mgr. Markéta Melounová, Ph.D.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
The completion of Greek History II in the case of Ancient History students (with the exception of AH - minor).
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is:
- to elucidate the problem of the origins of Rome, its evolution from the tribal society to a city state;
- to characterize the functioning of the Roman state institutions and society at the age of the Roman kingdom and the republic;
- to expose the causes and consequences of the creation of Roman Mediterranean hegemony, the Roman policy towards the provinces and foreign nations;
- to find the elements of the Roman historical development functioning in the positive and negative way.
Learning outcomes
On the basis of his/her theoretical knowledge, the student will be able to interpret texts of relevant historical sources, compare the way of life of the Greeks, the Romans and the ancient Oriental societies, evaluate the importance of the ancient Orient, the Etruscans and the Greeks for the development of Roman culture. He/She will be capable of assessing the importance of romanization of a part of Europe and Africa.
Syllabus
  • 1) Geographic and ethnic situation in Italy, the Indo-Europeans and the Iron Age in Italy
  • 2) The origins of Rome according to Roman historiography and modern research
  • 3) Historical and institutional development of the Roman kingdom, society of this age
  • 4) The Servian constitution and the origins of the Roman civitas
  • 5) The problem of cohabitation of the patricians and the plebeians, the equalization of rights of these two groups of Roman citizens
  • 6) Political institutions and the economic situation of the Roman republic
  • 7) The conquest and administration of Italy by the Romans
  • 8) The age of Punic wars from the perspective of military and social development of the Roman state
  • 9) The administration of provinces in the Republic, the issue of romanization of the provinces, hellenization of the Romans
  • 10) The causes of the political and economic crisis of the Roman republic, the attempts to solve the problems of Roman agriculture and army. Roman social politics.
  • 11) Roman conquests at the end of the Republic. Political factions of the Late Republic. Liberty and other life values of the Romans.
  • 12) The issue of Roman citizenship. The Optimates and the Populares. The Roman state in time of civil wars and the significance of Caesar's activities.
  • 13) Romano-barbarian issues. The main cultural benefit of the Republican period. The assessment of the Roman political system under the Republic. Political theories and practice.
Literature
    required literature
  • ZIMMERMANN, Klaus. Rom und Karthago. 3. Aufl., durchgesehene, bib. Darmstadt: WBG (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft), 2013, vii, 152. ISBN 9783534737529. info
  • LINKE, Bernhard. Die römische Republik von den Gracchen bis Sulla. 2. Aufl., durchgesehene und. Darmstadt: WBG (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft), 2012, x, 150. ISBN 9783534716180. info
  • CARANDINI, Andrea. Rome : day one. Translated by Stephen Sartarelli. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011, 172 stran. ISBN 9780691180793. info
  • DREYER, Boris. Die Innenpolitik der Römischen Republik : 264-133 v. Chr. Darmstadt: WBG (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft), 2006, vii, 144. ISBN 3534155939. info
  • Rubiconthe last years of the Roman Republic. Edited by Tom Holland. 1st Anchor Books ed. New York: Anchor Books, 2005, 408 p. ISBN 1400078970. info
  • The Cambridge ancient history. Edited by J. A. Crook - A. W. Lintott - Elizabeth Rawson. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994, xviii, 929. ISBN 0521256038. info
  • BURIAN, Jan. Hannibal. 1. vyd. Praha: Svoboda, 1967, 213 s. URL info
  • Antika v dokumentech. Edited by Julie Nováková - Jan Pečírka. Vyd. 1. Praha: Státní nakladatelství politické literatury, 1961, 652 s. info
  • GROH, V. Starý Řím. Praha, 1931. info
  • KRÁL, Josef. Státní zřízení římské. Edited by Vladimír Groh. V Praze: Nákladem Jednoty českých filologů, 1921, ix, 303. URL info
    recommended literature
  • FARNEY, Gary D. a Guy BRADLEY, eds. The Peoples of Ancient Italy. Berlin: W. de Gruyter, 2018. ISBN 978-1-61451-520-3.
  • LE BOHEC, Yann. La première marine de guerre romaine: des origines à 241 av. J.-C. Chamalières: Lemme Edit, 2020. ISBN 978-2-917575-91-8.
  • Ownership and exploitation of land and natural resources in the Roman world. Edited by Paul Erdkamp - Koenraad Verboven - Arjan Zuiderhoek. First edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015, xii, 407. ISBN 9780198728924. info
  • La leggenda di Roma. Edited by Paolo Carafa - Ugo Fusco - Alessandro Catastini - Maria Teresa D'Aless. [Milano]: Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2014, xcvi, 526. ISBN 9788804634973. info
  • Creating ethnicities & identities in the Roman world. Edited by Andrew Gardner - Edward Herring - Kathryn Lomas. [London]: Institute of Classical Studies, School of Advanced study, University of London, 2013, xiii, 278. ISBN 9781905670468. info
  • Law and religion in the Roman republic. Edited by O. E. Tellegen-Couperus. Boston: Brill, 2012, vi, 229 p. ISBN 9789004219205. info
  • BOATWRIGHT, Mary Taliaferro. Peoples of the Roman world. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012, xviii, 241. ISBN 9780521549943. info
  • Processes of integration and identity formation in the Roman Republic. Edited by Saskia T. Roselaar. Leiden: Brill, 2012, vii, 406. ISBN 9789004229600. info
  • Consuls and res publica : holding high office in the Roman Republic. Edited by Hans Beck. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011, x, 376. ISBN 9781107001541. info
  • La leggenda di Roma. Edited by Paolo Carafa - Mario Fiorentini - Ugo Fusco - Andrea Carandini, Transl. [Milano]: Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2011, lxxxiv, 38. ISBN 9788804604235. info
  • HARPER, Kyle. Slavery in the late Roman world : AD 275-425. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011, xiv, 611. ISBN 9780521198615. info
  • A companion to the Roman republic. Edited by Nathan Stewart Rosenstein - Robert Morstein-Marx. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010, xviii, 737. ISBN 9781444334135. info
  • La legenda di Roma. Edited by Paolo Carafa - Nikolaos Arvanitis - Daniela Bruno - Maria Cristina Cap. I edizioni. [Milano]: Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2010, liv, 357. ISBN 9788804594291. info
  • La legenda di Roma. Edited by Paolo Carafa - Maria Teresa D'Alessio - Carlo De Simone - Andrea Caran. III edizione. [Milano]: Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2010, cxxxii, 49. ISBN 9788804538219. info
  • MURRELL, John. Cicero and the Roman Republic. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008, vi, 184. ISBN 9780521691161. info
  • The Cambridge economic history of the Greco-Roman world. Edited by Walter Scheidel - Ian Morris - Richard P. Saller. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007, xiv, 942. ISBN 9780521780537. info
  • FORSYTHE, Gary. A critical history of early Rome : from prehistory to the first Punic War. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005, xvi, 400. ISBN 9780520249912. info
  • LANCIANI, Rodolfo. Roma pagana e cristiana : la trasformazione della città attraverso i secoli, dai templi alle chiese, dai mausolei alle tombe dei primi papi. 1a ed. Roma: Newton & Compton, 2004, 333 s. ISBN 8854100749. info
  • The Cambridge companion to the Roman republic. Edited by Harriet I. Flower. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004, xv, 405. ISBN 9780521807944. info
  • The Roman world of Cicero's De oratore. Edited by Elaine Fantham. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004, vii, 354 p. ISBN 0199263159. info
  • Plebs and politics in the late Roman Republic. Edited by Henrik Mouritsen. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001, vi, 164 p. ISBN 0521791006. info
  • ROBERT, Jean-Noël. Řím : 753 př.n.l. až 476 n.l. Translated by Jitka Matějů. Praha: Lidové noviny, 2001, 270 s. ISBN 8071063983. info
  • Gentes, Reges und Rom : Auseinandersetzung - Anerkennung - Anpassung : Festschrift für Jaroslav Tejral zum Geburtstag. Edited by Jan Bouzek. Brno: Archäologisches Institut der Akademie der Wissenschaften der Tschechischen Republik, 2000, 250 s. ISBN 8086023249. info
  • Roma : Romolo, Remo e la fondazione della città. Edited by Andrea Carandini - Rosanna Cappelli. Milano: Electa, 2000, 32 s. ISBN 8843576623. info
  • FORSYTHE, Gary. Livy and early Rome : a study in historical method and judgment. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner, 1999, 147 stran. ISBN 3515074953. info
  • CORNELL, Tim and John MATTHEWS. Svět starého Říma : kulturní atlas. Vyd. 1. Praha: Knižní klub, 1995, 240 s. ISBN 8071762105. info
  • Storia di Roma. Edited by Andrea Carandini - Lellia Cracco Ruggini - Andrea Giardina. Torino: Giulio Einaudi, 1993, xlv, 1128. ISBN 9788806117443. info
  • War and society in the Roman world. Edited by John Rich - Graham Shipley. New York: Routledge, 1993, xi, 315 p. ISBN 0415066441. info
  • APPIANOS. Krize římské republiky : (Římské dějiny II - Občanské války). Translated by Jan Burian - Bohumila Mouchová. Vydání první. Praha: Svoboda, 1989, 495 stran. ISBN 802050060X. URL info
  • The Cambridge ancient history. Edited by A. E. Astin. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989, xiii, 625. ISBN 0521234484. info
  • The Cambridge ancient history. Edited by F. W. Walbank. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989, xvii, 811. ISBN 0521234468. info
  • Hannibal. Edited by Karl Christ. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1974, ix, 429. ISBN 3534060776. info
  • BRUNT, Peter Astbury. Social conflicts in the Roman Republic. London: Chatto and Windus, 1971, ix, 164. ISBN 0701116315. info
  • CICERO, Marcus Tullius. O povinnostech : rozprava o třech knihách věnovaná synu Markovi. Translated by Jaroslav Ludvíkovský. Vyd. 1. Praha: Svoboda, 1970, 193 s. URL info
  • SALMON, E. T. Samnium and the Samnites. First published. Cambridge: at the University Press, 1967, x, 446. ISBN 9780521061858. info
Teaching methods
Lectures and seminars in multimedia classrooms, free questions of students, reading and interpretation of historical sources.
Assessment methods
Exam based on the knowledge gained during the lectures and by individual preparation.
The seminar: compulsory attendance (70 %), active class participation, presentations during the semester.
For students, who have chosen exam as evaluation: It is only possible to register for the exam after completing the seminar!
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Information on completion of the course: Studenti Dějin starověku ukončují zkouškou. Studenti jiných oborů ukončují kolokviem.
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Note related to how often the course is taught: dvakrát týdně (přednáška, seminář); seminář je povinný pouze pro studenty Dějin starověku.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/DSBcA09