LATN 4003 / Fall 2011
Aureus with portrait bust of the Emperor Tiberius and a depiction of his mother Livia as Pax
Instructor: Dr. Charles E. Muntz
Time: MWF 8:30-9:20 am
Place: 423 Old Main
Dr. Muntz's Office: 407 Old Main
Office Hours: Tu 10:30-11:30, W 1:30-2:30
Phone: (479) 575-5891
Email: cmuntz@uark.edu
Overview
This class will be an intensive introduction to Imperial Roman historical writing through the first book of the Annales of Tacitus. We will examine themes such as the nature of Roman power, how the emperors maintained control over their subjects, and how Rome approached the conquest of "barbarian" peoples by examining the figures and actions of Tiberius, Livia, Germanicus, and others in the first part of Tiberius' reign.
Workload
Exams: There will be two in-class exams and take home final exam. They will consist of vocabulary, grammatical questions, and translation.
Paper: There will be one short (5 pages) paper comparing Tacitus' presentation of the Lyon speech of Claudius with the original text, and analyzing what Tacitus has changed and why.
Formatting Guidelines
Grading Policies
Attendance: Regular attendance is important. I will allow each student to miss up to four classes without penalty to cover things like illness and religious observances. However, absences on discussion days or days when graded material is due, are not permitted except by prior arrangement or in case of emergencies. Please email me in advance if you are going to miss class.
Grade Breakdown:
Exam 1: 15%
Exam 2: 15%
Final: 45%
Paper: 25%
Reading Materials
Required texts (available at bookstore or buy online):
Miller, Norma. Tacitus: Annals Book 1. ISBN 1853993581
Woodman, A. J., trans. Tacitus: The Annals. ISBN 0872205584
Super resource if you need to look up a person or topic (much better than Wikipedia or other web sources):
The Oxford Classical Dictionary (Off campus link)
Policies
Academic Integrity: As a core part of its mission, the University of Arkansas provides students with the opportunity to further their educational goals through programs of study and research in an environment that promotes freedom of inquiry and academic responsibility. Accomplishing this mission is only possible when intellectual honesty and individual integrity prevail.
Each University of Arkansas student is required to be familiar with and abide by the University’s ‘Academic Integrity Policy’ which may be found at http://provost.uark.edu/245.php. Students with questions about how these policies apply to a particular course or assignment should immediately contact their instructor.
Equal Access: University of Arkansas Academic Policy Series 1520.10 requires that students with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact me privately at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these through the Center for Educational Access (contact 479-575-3104 or visit http://cea.uark.edu for more information on registration procedures).
Inclement Weather: Classes will be held unless the University cancels them.
Miscellaneous: Please turn off and put away all cell phones and any other non-course related items and finish any food you might be eating before coming into class. Drinks are acceptable. Please remain seated during class - if you need to use the lavatory, do so before or after class.