Classics 304: The Art and Archaeology of Ancient Rome

In the Art and Archaeology of Ancient Rome we explore the material culture of the ancient Roman Empire from the early Iron Age through the age of Constantine the Great. This course uses archaeology to shed light on how the ancient Romans understood and explained their universe, deities, religion, gender, warfare, codes of behavior and justice, and attitudes about life and death. The course focuses on the city of Rome and its monuments and archaeological discoveries, but also on findings from urban centers and sanctuaries beyond Rome, like Ostia, Pompeii, Athens, Ephesus, Leptis Magna, Palmyra, Zeugma, and Ilion (Troy). Students learn how to recognize, describe, discuss and interpret the art of the ancient Romans, and they also learn about archaeological methods, current excavations, ethics and archaeology, modern challenges of museums and collections of antiquities; and the legacy of ancient Roman material culture and technologies in the modern era.