Introductory description

The City of Rome postgraduate course is run by the British School at Rome. It takes place in April and May of the academic year; you must formally apply for a place in the November preceeding it (applications are made via Warwick). Places are allocated according to academic merit (announced in December) and cannot be guaranteed. Once students have accepted a place you are committed to attend the course in Rome. You also need to ensure you choose the BSR module as part of your module choices (see the module code above) from the start. Should you be unsuccessful in gaining a place you will take a second optional module at Warwick and graduate with the Taught MA in Ancient Visual and Material Culture: therefore, in the autumn term, you will audit another optional module, which you can then drop in the spring term if you choose.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Decided by the British School at Rome. Includes:

• the topography and infrastructures of the city,
• detailed study of the most important monuments of the Roman period, emphasising recent discoveries and controversies.
• Discussion of the relation of the city to its suburbium, including Ostia and the Port of Rome.
• Additional site visits are organised to meet the research needs of individual students, or to complement lectures by guest speakers

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• In-depth knowledge of the topography and monuments of ancient Rome
• Ability to analyse archaeological sites and reports
• Ability to present the history, development and interpretation of an archaeological site orally and in writing.

Indicative reading list

Claridge, A. (1998), Rome: an Archaeological Guide. Oxford University Press: Oxford.
Coulston, J. and Dodge, H. (2000), Ancient Rome: The Archaeology of the Eternal City. Oxford University
Committee for Archaeology: Oxford.
Stambaugh, J. E. (1988), The Ancient Roman City. John Hopkins: Baltimore.
Steinby, E. M. (1992-2000), Lexicon Topographicum Urbis Romae vols. I-V. Quasar: Rome.
Gowers, E. (1995), ‘The Anatomy of Rome from Capitol to Cloaca’, Journal of Roman Studies 85, 23-32.
Nash, E. (1968), A Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Rome. Thames and Hudson: London.
Platner, S. and Ashby, T. (1929) A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. OUP: London
Purcell, N. (1992) ‘The city of Rome’, in R. Jenkyns (ed.), The Legacy of Rome, 421-453
Dudley, D. (1967), Urbs Roma. A Sourcebook of Classical Texts on the City and its Monuments (London)
Sear, F. (1998) Roman Architecture, Batsford: London.
Richardson, L. Jnr (1992) A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. Johns Hopkins University Press:
Baltimore London.
Edwards, C. & Woolf, G. ed. (2003), Rome the Cosmopolis (Cambridge: CUP)
Plus specialist works on individual monuments.

International

Module based in Rome for 8 weeks.

Subject specific skills

Cognitive Skills

• Ability to present structured chain of argument drawing together evidence into cohesive whole
• Ability to select & apply appropriate problem-solving methodologies
• Ability to conduct independent research & analysis

Subject knowledge and understanding

• Appreciation of methodological issues in studying the topography, architecture and archaeology of ancient Rome
• Awareness of chronological change in the city of Rome

Subject-Specific Skills

• Skills of visual analysis including ability to recognise and interpret different iconographies and to analyse different artistic styles.
• Awareness of the constraints and possibilities of different artistic methods and media

Transferable skills

Key skills

• Written communication skills
• Oral communication skills
• Organisational skills
• Ability to evaluate intellectual progress
• IT skills - word processing/ use of internet