History 223, The Roman and Early Byzantine Empire

Spring 2026

Course Description: Rome's imperial period traditionally begins with the princeps Augustus consolidating an empire stretching from Spain to Persia, Ethiopia to Russia, under attempted bureaucratic control. The period ends with Rome's Islamic successor driving two tiny survivors, Byzantium and Charlemagne's Holy Roman Empire, back under cover. This course will outline the evolving imperial strategies and their social effects. It will also attempt to explain the vast shift from Augustus' laissez-faire conglomeration of peoples and kingdoms to Diocletian's vision for a centralized state, from the great pax romana (Roman peace) to the endless battles with wave after wave of barbarians, from syncretic polytheism to the theocracy of Justinian and his Muslim followers, in short, from antiquity to the "middle age."

Requirements: The following will be required of all students taking the course:

• attend classes with a look of intense intellectual curiosity
• complete all the assigned reading carefully taking notes and thinking about the inherent issues
• read Wells/Mitchell and take a test on the basic background
• write out a developed problem with the reading for the day (for discussion days)
• contribute thoughtfully to class discussion
• prove competence on the midterm and final
• complete one of the following projects (original work is required here):
  • 10 page research paper.
  • 10 page narrative from an ancient perspective.
  • 5 page critical review of Gore Vidal's Julian (or another novel approved by the instructor).
  • 5 page critical review of a scholarly book (instructor's approval required).

Grading:

• Test: 10%
• Class Participation: 20%
• Midterm: 20%
• Project: 30%
• Final: 20%

Schedule of Assignments:

• 1. (January 12) Introduction to the Course.
• 2. (January 14) Review of Mediterranean Geography [read Wells chapters 3, 5, 7]
• 3. (January 16) Mediterranean Before Rome [read Wells chapters 9 and 11]
• 4. (January 21) Rome and the Hellenistic World [read Mitchell chapters 3]
• 5. (January 23) Overview of Roman History [read Mitchell chapters 4]
• 6. (January 26) Test on Background Information
• 7. (January 28) What is History?
• 8. (January 30) Augustus' Biography: Suetonius' Life of Augustus
• 9. (February 2) Res Gestae and the Augustan Revolution
• 10. (February 4) Lecture on the Principate
• 11. (February 6) Succession from Augustus to Tiberius: Tacitus
• 12. (February 9) The Annona and the Lower Classes (see also piece on estimating population)
• 13. (February 11) Caligula: Suetonius
• 14. (February 13) Nero
• 15. (February 16) The Roman Empire from the Outside: Josephus
• 16. (February 18) Roman Slavery
• 17. (February 20) Barbarians: Tacitus
• 18. (February 23) Domitian and the Dominate: Suetonius
  
• 19. (February 25) Christianity from Various Perspectives (Luke and Pliny)
  
• 20. (February 27) Lecture: Mystery Religions
• 21. (March 2) Septimius Severus: Historia Augusta
  
• 22. (March 4) Severan Women: Cassius Dio
• 23. (March 6) Midterm
  
• 24. (March 16) Lecture: Roman Games
  
• 25. (March 18) Diocletian: Barnes and Eusebius
• 26. (March 20) Constantine:Eusebius, and Lactantius
• 27. (March 23) Julian on Himself: Misopogon
• 28. (March 25) Who Killed Julian: various readings
• 29. (March 27) Lecture: Roman Architecture and Engineering
• 30. (March 30) Lecture: the Christian State [PROJECT DUE]
• 31. (April 1) Constantius' Mission? (Philostorgius 3.4, Athanasius Apology to Constantius 31, Codex Theodosianus 12.12.2)
• 32. (April 3) The Byzantine Court and John Chrysostom: Sozomen's Ecclesiastic History Book 8 Chapters 1-6, 8, 9, 16, 20, 27, 28.
• 33. (April 6) Late Roman Warfare: Vegetius
• 34. (April 8) The Fall of Rome: City of God
• 35. (April 10) Lecture: Theodoric and Gothic Kings
• 36. (April 13) Justinian's Warrior Belisarius: Procopius' Wars
• 37. (April 15) Justinian's Court: Procopius' Secret History (see also Ravenna Mosaics)
• 38. (April 17) Lecture: Justinian's Eastern Policy
• 39. (April 20) Lecture: Heraclius and the Big Fall
• 40. (April 22) Review for Final Exam
• 41. (April 24) Optional Study Session
• April 29, 9:00 AM: FINAL EXAM

Texts:

• Colin Wells, The Roman Empire.
• Mitchell, Stephen, A History of the Later Roman Empire, AD 284-641: The Transformation of the Ancient World.
• Chris Scarre, Penguin Historical Atlas of Rome.
• Gore Vidal, Julian (optional).
• All other readings are as linked here on this syllabus.

N.B. The instructor does not allow make up tests under any circumstances, nor does he accept late work.

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last changed January 3, 2026