CLASS 282: Syllabus
CLASS 282 (Early Roman History)
Instructor: Christopher S. Mackay
E-Mail: (csmackay@ualberta.ca)
Office/phone: Tory 2-54/492-3344
Office hours: MWF 10-11 (tentatively) or by appointment
Course Description
A survey of early Roman history from the origins of the city of Rome in the Iron Age to the end of the Republic (31 BC). A major focus of the course will be the historiographical issue of how we evaluate the source material for the early period, the development of the political institutions by which the Romans conquered Mediterranean under the Republic, how the conquest led to the political breakdown of the Republican form of government.
Objectives of Course
- Acquire familiarity with the events and concepts important for understanding Roman history.
- Demonstrate on exams the ability to absorb, assess and analyze the information presented in lectures and in the readings.
- Develop the skill of close reading of texts through the paper assignments.
Course Book
Christopher S. Mackay, Ancient Rome: A Military and Political History, 2nd ed. (available in book store)
Class Procedure
For each day of lecture, the separate schedule gives a reading from the course book. Students are expected to read this material in advance. Exams will cover all assigned readings and the discussions in class.
Grading
- Two short papers worth 15% each
-
One midterm exam (30%)
-
Cumulative final (40%).
Formats of exams and papers will be provided ahead of time.
Work is assessed according to the following equivalents.
Letter Mark
Grade |
Percentage |
| A+ |
100-97 |
| A |
96-93 |
| A- |
92-89 |
| B+ |
88-85 |
| B |
84-81 |
| B- |
80-77 |
| C+ |
76-73 |
| C |
72-69 |
| C- |
68-65 |
| 64-61 |
D+ |
| 60-56 |
D |
| 55 or lower |
F |
NB The sole date for taking a deferred final examination is May 8, 2008.
Papers
Two papers of 3-4 pages (each worth 15%). Due dates: January 28 and March 10. Papers are to be no more than four pages of double-spaced text (with normal font and margins) and are to contain no more than 1400 words. Topics will be made available via the webpage. The papers are meant to be an opportunity for you to engage directly with the thoughts of the ancient authors upon whom our knowledge of the ancient world rests. Accordingly, you should NOT do any outside readings to prepare for the papers (i.e., don't read anything apart from the assigned ancient text). Papers will be discussed in class the day they are due. Without prior arrangement NO paper may be turned in OUTSIDE of class, and NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Do not leave them until the last minute!
Deferred Final Exam:
The sole date for taking a deferred final examination is May 15, 2000.
NB Students who require accommodation due to a disability involving
mobility, vision, hearing, learning or mental or physical health should
discuss their needs with Specialized Support and Disability Services (SUB 2-800; 492-3381 [phone]/492-7269 [TTY]).
NB Students whose writing skills are not adequate for university-level
work should seek help from the Effective Writing Resources program in the Academic Support Centre (492-2682).
The two forms of academic dishonesty relevant to this course are plagiarism and cheating. Plagiarism is defined as "submit[ting] the words, ideas, images or data of another person as the student's own" (Code of Student Behaviour 30.3.2(1)). Cheating consists of a number of offenses, which can be summarized (for present purposes)
- getting information during and exam from an impermissible source
- taking an exam for someone else or having someone else take an exam for you,
- submittting as one's own work that has received "substantial editorial or compositional assistance" from someone else
- submitting in one course written work (or a substantial portion thereof) submitted for credit in a previous course.
For details, see Code of Student Behavior 30.3.2(2)a-d.
The University has the following statement on how it handles instances of academic dishonesty:
The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behavior and avoid any behavior which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University. (U of A Calendar 23.4.2c)
Like the University, I have a zero-tolerance policy for both plagiarism and cheating. I will make every effort to seek the highest possible penalty against anyone caught committing these offenses or helping others to commit them. Ignorance of what constitutes academic offenses is not an acceptable defense. Refer to the Code of Student Behaviour in the Calendar (pages 652-675) for a full description of academic offenses and their possible penalties (excerpts are available online). If you have any questions, see me or refer to the University Secretariat.
Items of Interest
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