CLST 340A / ARTHIST 209A / HISTORY 238A 
Rome: History of the City
(ALP,CCI,CZ) 1.0 Duke Credit

Instructor: Prof. Cassandra Casias, Assistant Professor, Classical Studies

This course studies the history and culture of ancient Rome and its capital through an archaeological lens, from the earliest times to the late empire. The city of Rome is one of the most important centers of urban culture in the western world. Here, as nowhere else, one can read a continuous record of the successive rises, declines, and re-emergences of the city in its Italian context. Rome is also a chief contributor to our modern civilization.

In this course students will have direct personal experience of the ancient city through walking lectures, presentations, and guided tours of major sites, monuments, and museums. Visits to other ancient sites in Italy will help them visualize Roman urban realities and ideals in a broader context. These sites and their material record function as the main "course text"; we learn to read this "text" firsthand, through high-impact immersive encounters that cannot be duplicated in the classroom. This hands-on approach allows us to think about the lives of non-elite Romans, as we not only view the monuments built by and for the wealthy but also walk among the markets, temples, taverns, shops, and public toilets that were part of the everyday lives and routines of the less privileged.

Site Visits

We begin our trip in southern Italy in order to survey the contributionof Greek culture to Roman civilization. In Campania we visit the Greek sites of Cumae and Paestum. We also walk the streets of Herculaneum, Pompeii, and other cities whose catastrophic burial by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 preserved striking material evidence of Roman daily life.

Proceeding to Rome, we explore the city itself and its environs, including the Etruscan sites of Tarquinia and Cerveteri, the Latin hills, and Roman dependencies like Ostia and Tivoli. These locations further illustrate the central theme of the course: the emergence and development of Roman civilization, the impact of other cultures upon it, and the endless fascination this “head of the world” (caput mundi) has evoked in visitors through the centuries. Attention will be given to the "idea of Rome" as it emerges in the literature, art, and architecture of various periods. We will also study the voluntary associations, economic life, and religious practices of the Roman city, including the emergence of Christianity.

Attendance is required at all classes, excursions, and group events. Given the intense nature of this program, late arrival and/or early departure is not permitted.

• Arrival (in Naples): TBD
• Departure (from Rome): TBD

Flights

You will make your own travel arrangements to and from the program site. The program starts in Naples, Italy and ends in Rome, Italy. You are expected to arrive in Naples on the arrival date cited above, which usually means departing the U.S. one day prior. Once you have a flight itinerary, log in to MyExperientialEd to update your travel registry.

Housing Before/After

You will need to make your own housing arrangements if you will be arriving before the program start date or leaving later than the program end date.