OVERVIEW

The course introduces students to the study of Roman history in its broad chronological and thematic scope. It provides a general treatment of the subject, with a focus on political-military, institutional, social, religious, and economic developments. The course will also address issues related to social inequality, imperialism, the relationships between citizenship, political participation, and violence, and gender disparities — pursuing a wide-ranging historical reflection on a civilisation that had a fundamental impact on the political practice and thought of the modern age.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Aim of the course is to provide an overview of the history of the major Roman institutions, particularly in relation to the political events that shaped their development, as well as the bibliographic tools needed for an introduction to study and research in this field.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course (6-9 CFU), students will:

• have a basic knowledge of the historical development of the Roman world and of the relationships between Romans and other peoples, within a broad geographical and chronological framework (6-9 CFU)
• possess the methodological skills required to work with the documentary sources of Roman history (6-9 CFU)
• be able to critically evaluate information drawn from various types of sources (literary, documentary, archaeological) and use it for the purposes of historical reconstruction (6-9 CFU)
• be able to reflect critically on central aspects of Roman civilisation, both in its ancient historical reality and in terms of its reception in modern political thought and practice (6-9 CFU)
• be able to navigate basic bibliographic research (6-9 CFU)
• recognise the distinctive features of Roman political institutions in their historical development (6-9 CFU)
• be familiar with the main lines of development of Roman historiography and the works of its principal historians (9 CFU)
• be able to develop a personal learning and self-assessment strategy through guided independent study of the course textbook (6-9 CFU)
• be able to communicate their ideas in written form, integrating and elaborating information drawn from sources of different types (ancient literary sources; modern scholarly literature, including in foreign languages; online databases), adopting terminology and a style appropriate to the context, and developing critical thinking and argumentative skills (6-9 CFU)

PREREQUISITES

A basic knowledge of the historical context into which the history of Rome unfolded, from its foundation onwards, is helpful but not required. The ability to work through the course textbook independently is, however, assumed. A knowledge of Latin or Greek, while not essential, is desirable.

TEACHING METHODS

30 lectures of 2 hours each.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Syllabus for students taking the course for 6 CFU

General section: method, sources, geography; periodisation of Roman history; main historical events of the Roman world from its origins to Late Antiquity; Roman political institutions. The course offers both a general introduction to the discipline (methodological issues, use of sources, orientation among research tools) and an overview of the most significant political and social processes and phenomena in the development of Roman civilisation.

Syllabus for students taking the course for 9 CFU

General section: method, sources, geography; periodisation of Roman history; main historical events of the Roman world from its origins to Late Antiquity; Roman political institutions. The course offers both a general introduction to the discipline — methodological issues, use of sources, orientation among research tools — and an overview of the most significant political and social processes and phenomena in the development of Roman history. Students will also be expected to have a basic knowledge of the principal literary, documentary, and archaeological sources on the history of ancient Rome.

Syllabus for students taking the course for 3 CFU

Students who have already passed the 6 or 9 CFU examination and require these additional credits with a view to teaching at secondary school level are invited to contact the instructor in order to agree on a supplementary reading programme.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography for students taking the course for 6 CFU

One text of your choice from the following:

G. GERACI – A. MARCONE – C. SALVATERRA – A. CRISTOFORI, Storia romana, Le Monnier Università, Florence 2016⁴ (or previous editions).

F. SANTANGELO – G. TRAINA, Il mondo dei Romani, Einaudi, Turin 2024.

Bibliography for students taking the course for 9 CFU

Students who are unable to attend the course are invited to contact the instructor in order to agree on a specific programme.

1. One text of your choice from the following:

G. GERACI – A. MARCONE – C. SALVATERRA – A. CRISTOFORI, Storia romana, Le Monnier Università, Florence 2016⁴.

F. SANTANGELO – G. TRAINA, Il mondo dei Romani, Einaudi, Turin 2024.

2. One text of your choice from the following:

G. TRAINA (ed.), Le fonti della storia antica, Il Mulino, Bologna 2023 (Part III: Le fonti della storia romana, chapters by F. Santangelo, U. Roberto and F. Oppedisano).

G. ZECCHINI, Storia della storiografia romana, Laterza, Rome–Bari 2016.

3. One further reading of your choice from the following:

F. CARLÀ – A. MARCONE, Economia e finanza a Roma, Il Mulino, Bologna 2011.

W. ECK, Augusto e il suo tempo, Il Mulino, Bologna 2010.

D. FAORO (ed.), L'amministrazione dell'Italia romana dal I secolo a.C. al III secolo d.C. Fondamenti, Edumond Le Monnier, Florence 2018.

L. FEZZI, Roma in bilico. Svolte e scenari alternativi di una storia millenaria, Mondadori, Milan 2022.

S. GIORCELLI BERSANI, Storia ed epigrafia di Roma, Carocci, Rome 2015.

K. HARPER, Il destino di Roma. Clima, epidemie e la fine di un impero, Einaudi, Turin 2019.

W. HARRIS, Il potere di Roma. Dieci secoli di impero, Carocci, Rome 2021.

F. MARCATTILI, Roma imperiale, Carocci, Rome 2025.

A. MARCONE, Tarda Antichità. Profilo storico e prospettive storiografiche, Carocci, Rome 2020.

F. SANTANGELO, Roma repubblicana. Una storia in quaranta vite, Carocci, Rome–Bari 2019.

F. SANTANGELO, La religione dei Romani, Laterza, Rome–Bari 2022.

S. SEGENNI – C. LETTA, L'amministrazione romana. Stato e città in età repubblicana e imperiale, Carocci, Rome 2023.

R. SYME, La rivoluzione romana, Einaudi, Turin 2014.

N. TERRENATO, La grande trattativa. L'espansione di Roma in Italia tra storia e archeologia, Carocci, Rome 2022.

G. TRAINA, La prima guerra mondiale della storia. Dall'assassinio di Cesare al suicidio di Antonio e Cleopatra (44–30 a.C.), Laterza, Bari–Rome 2023.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Monday 22 February 2027.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examination. Students’ basic competencies, specific knowledge of the syllabus, as well as their ability to critically analyze the evidence and present historical arguments will be assessed.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Oral examination. As a basic requirement, students are expected to have a solid knowledge of Roman history in its full historical development, together with critical skills and clear presentation abilities, and the capacity to contextualize the topics covered in the course.

For students taking the 9 CFU version of the course, there will be an additional oral assessment of the competence acquired in relation to the recommended supplementary texts.

The oral exam assesses: (a) knowledge of the events of Roman history; (b) the level of understanding of the problems and texts discussed in class; and (c) comprehension of the selected readings. For those taking the 9 ECTS version, it also assesses (d) knowledge of the main lines and major figures of Roman historiography.

Excellent grades (30 cum laude–30) are awarded to students who demonstrate strong critical and analytical skills, a high level of depth in their understanding, a remarkable ability to connect the main themes of the course, and a fully appropriate use of the discipline’s technical language.

Very good grades (29–27) are awarded to students with solid critical skills and good depth of knowledge, capable of making effective connections between topics and expressing themselves in appropriate disciplinary language.

Good grades (26–24) are awarded to students who show fair analytical and linking abilities, along with correct use of disciplinary terminology.

Satisfactory grades (23–21) correspond to a mainly mnemonic preparation, with only partially developed critical and synthetic skills, although with generally adequate language use.

Pass grades (20–18) are awarded to students with essential knowledge, albeit with some gaps, and who use language that is not always appropriate to the disciplinary context.

Fail grades (17 and below) reflect difficulty in understanding and organizing the exam content, significant gaps in preparation, and inappropriate use of disciplinary language.

FURTHER INFORMATION

All students enrolled on the course, both attending and non-attending, are invited to register on AulaWeb, which will serve as an essential support platform for teaching activities.

Students with disabilities or with specific learning difficulties (DSA) may consult the guidelines for requesting services, compensatory tools and/or dispensatory measures, as well as specific aids, at the following link: University of Genoa accessibility guidelines