Undergraduate Modules

Infamous and Damned? The Emperor Nero and the Julio Claudian Dynasty             

MODULE CODE:  TBC                   

OPTION:  AH

TAUGHT:  Lent term                

MODULE AUTHOR:  Dr Marta Garcia Morcillo      

LEVEL: 5 & 6

CREDITS:  20                                                                     

TEACHING METHODS:

Lectures: 20 hours (10%)

Seminars: 4 hours (2%)

Field visits: n/a

Directed Learning: 60 hours (30%)

JACS CODE:     V110

AIM(S)

To enable students to:

• To understand the main political, military cultural, social and economic events of the period
• To place Nero’s reign within the broader context of the Julio-Claudian period.
• To comprehend the main consequences of Nero’s fall and the end of the dynasty.
• To study the different problems and ways faced by the historian for interpreting the available sources.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

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

A. Subject specific skills and knowledge:

All students:

• demonstrate a knowledge of the main political, military, cultural, social and economic events of the period
• demonstrate  a  critical  awareness  of  the  relevant  ancient  evidence  and  modern  literature.
• analyse the topic  using  a  variety  of evidence  (literary,  epigraphic,  archaeological).
• take into account diverse historiographic tendencies and controversies

In addition level 5 students should be able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of Nero’s reign within the broader context of the Julio-Claudian period
• discuss effectively the main consequences of Nero’s fall and the end of the dynasty
• discuss effectively the main political, military cultural, social and economic events of the period

In addition level 6 students should be able to:

• appreciate critically Nero’s reign within the broader context of the Julio-Claudian period
• analyse the main political, military cultural, social and economic events of the period
• analyse and access systematically the main consequences of Nero’s fall and the end of the dynasty

B. Transferable skills and knowledge:

• demonstrate appropriate written skills
• present written work in a manner appropriate for a relevant/professional audience
• access and employ the relevant e-resources for the course
• demonstrate their critical, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• demonstrate independent learning skills through the use of the library and electronic resources

CONTENT

This module examines Nero’s principate and the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Along with well known military conflicts attested during his reign, such as the revolts in Britannia and Judaea, and the war against the Parthians, the course will pay attention to internal politic affairs and to social and economic developments of the period. Which circumstances and factors did precipitate the collapse of the dynasty and the struggles of AD 69? Throughout the course, Nero and his reign will be analysed in connexion with his predecessors and with the major events characterising the Julio-Claudian period. Students will be asked to think about the negative portrait of the emperor – generally depicted as an oriental tyrant – conveyed by literary authors such as Tacitus, Suetonius, Pliny or Cassius Dio. These descriptions will further be compared with other classical and post-classical sources and contrasted with the heterogeneous information transmitted by epigraphic, iconographic and archaeological evidence. Modern images of Nero are today mostly associated with the famous fire of Rome, with obsessive persecutions of Christians and with his megalomaniac artistic and lyric obsessions. Yet, to what extent are these commonplaces close to historical truth?

ASSESSMENT

Level 5:

Examination: One two-hour exam (50%)

Coursework:  one 1,000 word exercise (20%)

                          one 2,000 word essay (30%)

Level 6

Examination: One two-hour exam (50%)

Coursework: One 3,000 word essay (50%)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Essential

• Griffin, M.T. Nero: the End of a Dynasty, London 1987.

Recommended

• Bradley, K.R. Suetonius’ Life of Nero: an Historical Commentary. Brussels 1978.
• Champlin, E. Nero.  Cambridge, MA 2003.
• Edwards, C. The Politics of Immorality in Ancient Rome, Cambridge 2002.
• Mellor, R. (ed.) From Augustus to Nero: The First Dynasty of Imperial Rome. Michigan State University Press 1990.
• Rudich, V. Political Dissidence under Nero, London 1997.
• Sullivan, J.P. Literature and Politics in the Age of Nero, London 1985.
• Wiedemann, T.E. The Julio-Claudian Emperors.  Bristol 1989.

Updated: 10/09/2009

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