Latin 404, Roman Historiography

Spring 1999

Dept. of Classical Studies

Walt Stevenson

University of Richmond
NC 211 Office Hours: Monday 1:30-2:30 (or by appt.)

Syllabus

Course Description

This course will attempt to introduce the student to the stylistic and formal developments of historical writing in Latin. Because our earliest extant histories are furthest from us in time and therefore most difficult to interpret, we will start with the more familiar form of the early Middle Ages, beginning with a reading from Bede the 7th century English monk, and working gradually backward through Rufinus, the slighted friend of St. Jerome, Ammianus Marcellinus, the chronicler of the emperor Julian, Tacitus, probably the greatest stylist in Latin historical writing, and end with some Livy and Sallust. Most of our attention will be given to the prose style of these authors, and most of this attention will be given to Tacitus Annals, a masterpiece of stylistic innovation combining the pointed wit of his imperial predecessors with the the lofty poetry of Vergil and Horace. We will end the couse with a discussion of the goals and methods of each of these historians, looking very carefully at each of their prefaces to their histories.

Course Requirements

Above all else, students will be required to study the assigned texts carefully and prepare thoughtful reactions to them, whether in the form of developed questions or tentative insights. Informal reports will be given every class period on subjects such as: specific words and their idiomatic and cultural importance; certain confined structures in the language ranging from meter to prose rhythms to syntactical grammar; historical context; historical theory; and literary insight. Each student will write a short report (2ñ3 pages) on one of Tacitus’s most interesting words, discussing how various other Latin authors use the word and how Tacitus himself uses the word throughout his works. Each student will attempt an artistic translation of a short passage (10 to 20) lines from the reading in the Annals including with the translation a short essay describing the difficulties confronted and solutions reached in the attempt. In addition each student will compose a short episode of modern history in the style of one of the historians studied in this course. Finally, in order to focus our various thoughts and discoveries from the whole semester’s reading and discussion upon Roman history’s beautiful and profound development, we will interrupt and conclude the course with a short essay midterm and final commenting on important Latin passages from our class reading.

Grading:

Texts:

Course Units

  1. Venerable Bede
  2. Rufinus of Aquileia's Church History
  3. Ammianus Marcellinus
  4. Tacitus' Annals
  5. Livy
  6. Sallust's Catilinarian Conspiracy
  7. Discussion of Prefaces

Attendance: Since class participation is a significant graded percentage of this course, each class a student misses will detract from this grade. Several absences will not do permanent damage, but more than 8 (out of 42 meetings -- i.e. almost 20%) will be serious.

Honor Policy: Like any academic work at UR all work done for this course falls under the honor code. If you have any doubt what constitutes "unauthorized assistance," please come and talk to the instructor before trying it.

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