HIST301 - Greece, The Roman Republic, and The Roman Empire Syllabus

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http://www.saylor.org/site/syllabus.php?cid=468[1/7/2014 5:18:49 PM]

Course Syllabus for "HIST301: Greece, the Roman Republic, and the
Roman Empire"
This course will focus on the history of Greek and Roman civilizations beginning with the origins of ancient Greek
culture in the Aegean Bronze Age (c. 30001100 BCE) through the period of the Roman Empire at the height of its
greatest extent and prosperity (c. 31 BCE235 CE). We will focus on the political, economic, and social factors that
shaped the development and maturation of these two influential Mediterranean civilizations. The course will be
structured chronologically. Each unit will include representative primary source documents that illustrate important
overarching themes, such as the emergence and development of Greek civilization from the Aegean Bronze Age
through the Greek Archaic period (c.700500 BCE), the contrast between democratic and oligarchic forms of
government in Greek city-states of the classical era (c. 500350 BCE), the decline of the Greek city-states, the rise of
Macedon and the spread of Greek culture to the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia in the Hellenistic period (c.
35031 BCE), the evolution of the Roman Republic (c. 508287 BCE), and the transformation of this Roman Republic
into a vast Roman Empire encompassing all the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea (c. 133 BCE235 CE). By the
end of the course, you will understand how these ancient Mediterranean civilizations developed and recognize their
lasting influences on European culture.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
think critically about the origins, maturation, and evolution of Greek and Roman cultures from the 3rd millennium
BCE to the early centuries of the 1
st
millennium CE;
identify the cultural origins of Greek civilization in the Mediterranean basin during the Aegean Bronze Age
(c.30001100 BCE);
evaluate the impact of the collapse of Bronze Age palatial culture on the Aegean region and the cultural legacy of
the subsequent Greek Dark Ages (c. 1100800 BCE) and the Greek Renaissance of the 8
th
century BCE;
compare and contrast the political and social organization of Greek city-states in the Archaic and classical
periods;
evaluate the impact of the Persian War (490479 BCE) and the Peloponnesian War (431404 BCE) on the city-
states of Greece during the classical period;
assess the political, social, and cultural legacies of Alexander the Greats military conquests in the Mediterranean
basin and Southwest Asia and the cultural achievements of the subsequent Hellenistic period;
identify the origin and development of the Roman Republic and evaluate the impact of political and economic
expansion on Roman government and society from the 6
th
century through the 2
nd
century BCE;
assess the political, social, and economic factors that led to the fall of the Roman Republic during the Roman
Revolution (c.13331 BCE);
identify the key elements of the political reforms of Augustus (31 BCE14 CE) and assess the role of the resulting
Principate in promoting peace and economic prosperity during the Pax Romana or Roman Peace in the early
centuries CE; and
analyze and interpret primary source documents from the period of classical antiquity using historical research
methods.
Course Requirements
In order to take this course, you must:
Saylor.org - HIST301: Greece, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire Syllabus
have access to a computer;
have continuous broadband Internet access;
have the ability/permission to install plug-ins or software (e.g. Adobe Reader or Flash);
have the ability to download and save files and documents to a computer;
have the ability to open Microsoft files and documents (.doc, .ppt, .xls, etc.);
have competency in the English language; and
have read the Saylor Student Handbook.
Course Information
Welcome to HIST301: Greece, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. General information on the course and its
requirements can be found below.

Course Designer: Professor Concepcion Saenz-Cambra
Primary Resources: This course is comprised of a range of different free, online materials. However, the course makes
primary use of the following materials:
Dartmouth College: J eremy B. Rutter and J oAnn Gonzalez-Majors Aegean Prehistoric Archaeology (HTML)
YouTube: Yale University: Professor Donald Kagans CLCV 205: Introduction to Ancient Greek History
Lectures (HTML)
J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Articles on Ancient History (HTML)
Requirements for Completion: In order to complete this course, you will need to work through each unit and all of its
assigned materials, including all assessments and discussion forums. Pay special attention to unit 1 to learn about the
background of Greek civilization; this unit lays the groundwork for understanding the exploratory material presented in
later units. You will also need to complete the final exam.

Note that you will only receive an official grade on your final exam. However, in order to adequately prepare for this
exam, you will need to work through all resources in the course.

In order to pass this course, you will need to earn a 70% or higher on the Final Exam. Your score on the exam will be
tabulated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam, you may take it again.

Time Commitment: This course should take you a total of 191.75 hours. Each unit includes a time advisory that lists
the amount of time you are expected to spend on each subunit. These advisories should help you plan your time
accordingly. It may be useful to take a look at the time advisories, determine how much time you have over the next
few weeks to complete each unit, and then set goals for yourself. For example, unit 1 should take you approximately
18.5 hours to complete. Perhaps you can sit down with your calendar and decide to complete the introduction to subunit
1.1 (a total of 5.25 hours) on Monday and Tuesday nights; subunit 1.2 (a total of 8.25 hours) on Wednesday and
Thursday nights, etc. Much of the reading for this course includes the works of ancient historians who wrote more in
the manner of a novel than a textbook. Thus, some of you might read these sources more quickly than the official time
advisory.

Tips/Suggestions: Make sure to review the learning outcomes for the course and those set out for each unit. Keep these
in mind as you work through the course materials. Be sure to take notes on each of the resources in the course. These
notes will be a useful review as you study for your final exam.
Course Overview
Unit 1: Bronze Age Civilization in Greece (c. 30001100 BCE)
Complex, agricultural societies emerged in mainland Greece and the coastlands and islands of the Aegean Sea
during the Early Bronze Age (beginning approximately 3000 BCE). The cultures of the region eventually
developed written languages, monumental architecture, and distinct styles of artistic expression. Extensive trade
networks linked the peoples of the region. On the island of Crete, the Minoan civilization built labyrinthine
palaces and exerted considerable political and economic influence over this area. Around 1600 BCE, Minoan
civilization collapsed due, probably, to an invasion by mainland Greek peoples collectively known as
Mycenaean, who incorporated Minoan culture and technology into their society and flourished until the collapse
of their civilization at the close of the Bronze Age. In this unit, you will examine the development of these Aegean
civilizations during the Bronze Age. You will also look at Bronze Age art and architecture and discuss how
archaeologists and historians have used this art and architecture to learn more about the peoples of Greece and
the Aegean region.

Unit 1 Time Advisory
Completing this unit should take you approximately: 18.5 hours
Subunit 1.1: 5.25 hours
Introduction: 0.5 hours
Subunit 1.2.1: 1.5 hours
Subunit 1.2.2: 1 hour
Subunit 1.3: 5 hours
Unit1 Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
identify the cultural origins of ancient Greek civilization in the Aegean Bronze Age;
describe the relationship between the geographical features (i.e., mountains, islands, etc.) of Greece and
developments of Greek culture in the Aegean Bronze Age; and
assess the political, social, and cultural achievements of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations.
1.1 Introduction to Bronze Age Greece (33001100 BCE)
Reading: The Saylor Foundations Introduction to Early Ancient Greek History
Link: The Saylor Foundations Introduction to Early Ancient Greek History (PDF)
1.1.1 Early Bronze Age Greece
1.1.1.1 Early Helladic Greece
1.1.1.2 The Cyclades and Western Anatolia in the Early Bronze Age

Instructions: Read this article, which discusses the mystery of the first Greek settlers, how their
descendants tried to fill in the gaps of their ancestry, and how 20
th
-century research has guided our
understanding of the first Greeks.

Reading this material and taking notes should take approximately 15 minutes.
Reading: The Saylor Foundations Early Greece: Prehistoric Greece and the Beginning of the
Bronze Age
Link: The Saylor Foundations Early Greece: Prehistoric Greece and the Beginning of the Bronze
Age (PDF)
Instructions: Read this article about early Greece. Pay special attention to the description of the sources
for the Greek Bronze Age (c. 30001100 BCE). There are several important issues to note during this
period, such as how the early kingdoms developed through trade and the extent to which trading altered
the kingdoms military, linguistic, and religious composition.
Reading: The Saylor Foundations The Emergence of Complex Societies in the Aegean Bronze
Age
Link: The Saylor Foundations The Emergence of Complex Societies in the Aegean Bronze Age
Instructions: Read this article about the development of complex cultures in the Aegean in the Early
Bronze Age (c. 30002000 BCE).
Reading: Dartmouth College: Aegean Prehistoric Archaeology: Jeremy B. Rutter and JoAnn
Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 3: The Eutresis and Korakou Cultures of Early Helladic I-II
Link: Dartmouth College: Aegean Prehistoric Archaeology: J eremy B. Rutter and J oAnn Gonzalez-
Majors Lesson 3: The Eutresis and Korakou Cultures of Early Helladic I-II (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article concerning the early Helladic cultures of mainland Greece. Also
explore the image galleries and the Chronology Overview on the sidebar.

Reading this material and taking notes should take approximately 1 hour.

Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. It is attributed to J eremy B. Rutter, J oAnn Gonzalez-Major, and
Dartmouth College, and the original version can be found here.
Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 4: The Early Cycladic Period and Lesson 7: Western Anatolia
and the Eastern Aegean in the early Bronze Age
1.1.1.3 Early to the Middle Bronze Age
1.1.2 Middle Bronze Age Greece
1.2 Minoan Civilization (c. 3000400 BCE)
Majors Lesson 4: The Early Cycladic Period (HTML) and Lesson 7: Western Anatolia and the
Eastern Aegean in the early Bronze Age (HTML)

Instructions: Read these two articles concerning the culture of the Cycladic Islands and the site of
Ancient Troy in the Early Bronze Age. Also take some time to explore the image galleries.

Reading this materials and taking notes should take approximately 2 hours.

Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 8: The Lefkandi I and Tiryns Cultures of the Early Hellaadic
IIB and Early Helladic III Periods
Majors Lesson 8: The Lefkandi I and Tiryns Cultures of the Early Helladic IIB and Early
Helladic III Periods (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article concerning the end of the Early Bronze Age (c. 24002000 BCE),
which witnessed, according to the archaeological record, tremendous cultural change. Some
historians maintain that this period witnessed the arrival of Indo-European people into Greece,
perhaps even speaking an early form of the Greek language.


Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 9: Middle Helladic Greece
Majors Lesson 9: Middle Helladic Greece (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article concerning the Helladic culture of the Greek mainland in the Middle
Bronze Age (c. 20001550 BCE).


Reading: The Saylor Foundations History of Minoan Crete
1.2.1 The Early Minoan Period
1.2.2 The Middle Minoan Period
1.2.3 Minoan Places
Link: The Saylor Foundations History of Minoan Crete (PDF)

Instructions: Read this article about the history of the Minoan world. The Minoan world was centered on
the Mediterranean island of Crete, which was one of the most important mercantile civilizations of the
Bronze Age.

Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 5: The Early Minoan Period: The Settlements and Lesson 6: The
Early Minoan Period: The Tombs
Majors Lesson 5: The Early Minoan Period: The Settlements (HTML) and Lesson 6: The Early
Minoan Period: The Tombs (HTML)
Instructions: Read these two articles, which discuss the culture of the Early Minoan Period (c. 3000
2000 BCE) on Crete.
Reading this material and taking notes should take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 10: Middle Minoan Crete
Majors Lesson 10: Middle Minoan Crete (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article concerning Crete in the Middle Minoan period (c. 20001700 BCE).


Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 11: The First Palaces in the Aegean and Lesson 12: Minoan
Architecture: The Palaces
Majors Lesson 11: The First Palaces in the Aegean (HTML) and Lesson 12: Minoan Architecture:
The Palaces (HTML)

Instructions: Read these two articles, which discuss the origin and function of Minoan palaces and
their architectural features.
1.2.4 Minoan Material Culture
1.2.5 Minoan Art


Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 13: Minoan Domestic and Funerary Architecture of the Neopalatial
and Post-Palatial Periods
Majors Lesson 13: Minoan Domestic and Funerary Architecture of the Neopalatial and Post-Palatial
Periods (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article which examines Minoan towns, temples, and tombs in the Neopalatial
(17001490 BCE) and Post-palatial (14901050 BCE) periods on Crete.


Reading: The Saylor Foundations Minoan Art
Link: The Saylor Foundations Minoan Art (PDF)

Instructions: Read this article about Minoan art. As you will find, the palaces and other architectural
accomplishments of Minoan civilization were also the site of great wall paintings, or frescoes, from
which archaeologists have learned much about Minoan society, culture, and religious practices a
subject that is treated more fully in the next subunit. Some aspects of Minoan art indicate the
influence of neighboring cultures, an outcome that may not come as a great surprise given the trading
relationships that the Minoans developed with the surrounding world.

Gonzalez-Majors Late Minoan Painting and Other Representational Art: Pottery, Frescoes,
Steatite Vases, Ivories, and Bronzes
Majors Late Minoan Painting and Other Representational Art: Pottery, Frescoes, Steatite Vases,
Ivories, and Bronzes (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article about the achievements of Minoan artists and craftsmen.


1.2.6 Minoan Region
1.2.7 The Collapse of Minoan Culture
Gonzalez-Majors Minoan Religion
Majors Lesson 15: Minoan Religion (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article, which describes how historians and archaeologists have attempted to
interpret the figures and rituals displayed in Minoan art and crafts. As you will find, researchers
remain divided over the exact beliefs possibly conveyed by these artifacts.


Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 17: Akrotiri on Thera, the Santorini Volcano and the Middle and
Late Cycladic Periods in the Central Aegean Islands
Majors Lesson 17: Akrotiri on Thera, the Santorini Volcano and the Middle and Late Cycladic
Periods in the Central Aegean Islands (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article, which provides an introduction to the theories that link the collapse of
Minoan civilization to the massive Santorini volcanic eruption and the destruction of the Minoan town
on the Aegean island of Thera.


Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 18: The Nature and Extent of Neopalatial Minoan Influence in the
Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Worlds
Majors Lesson 18: The Nature and Extent of Neopalatial Minoan Influence in the Aegean and
Eastern Mediterranean Worlds (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article, which discusses the influence of Minoan civilization on the Greek
mainland and the Aegean region as well as the Mycenaean occupation of Crete in the 15
th
century
BCE.

1.3 Mycenaean Civilization (17001100 BCE)
1.3.1 Mycenaean Settlement Patterns and Centers of Power
Note: This subunit is also covered by the reading assigned in Subunit 1.3.
1.3.2 Mycenaean Social and Political Organization

Reading: The Saylor Foundations Mycenaean Civilization: The Culture of Bronze Age Greece
Link: The Saylor Foundations Mycenaean Civilization: The Culture of Bronze Age Greece (PDF)
Instructions: Read this article about Mycenaean civilization. As you will find, our geographical focus
will shift from Crete back to the Greek mainland. The subunits that follow will provide more detailed
descriptions of what historians and archaeologists have learned about Mycenaean social and cultural life
as well as their contacts with neighboring peoples. Note that this reading also covers subunits 1.3.1
1.3.3.

Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 20: Mycenaean Residential Architecture: Palaces and Ordinary
Housing
Majors Lesson 20: Mycenaean Residential Architecture: Palaces and Ordinary Housing (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article concerning the Mycenaean palaces that were constructed in the late
Helladic period (c. 17001100 BCE) in mainland Greece.


Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 25: The Linear B Tablets and Mycenaean Social, Political, and
Economic Organization
Majors Lesson 25: The Linear B Tablets and Mycenaean Social, Political, and Economic
Organization (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article, which discusses the discovery and decipherment of the Linear B tablets
and what these tablets tell us about the political, social, and economic organization of Mycenaean
1.3.3 The Mycenaean Economy
1.3.4 Mycenaean Arts and Material Culture
1.3.5 Mycenaean Achievements and Legacies
society.


Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 22: Aspects of Mycenaean Trade
Majors Lesson 22: Aspects of Mycenaean Trade (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article concerning the trade between Greece and the rest of the ancient world in
the late Helladic period.


Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 21: Mycenaean Public and Funerary Architecture: Fortifications,
Drainage Projects, Roads, and Chamber Tombs and Lesson 24: Mycenaean Pictorial Art and
Pottery
Majors Lesson 21: Mycenaean Public and Funerary Architecture: Fortifications, Drainage Projects,
Roads, and Chamber Tombs (HTML) and Lesson 24: Mycenaean Pictorial Art and
Pottery (HTML)

Instructions: Read these two articles concerning the achievements of Mycenaean engineers and artists.


Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 26: Mycenaean and Late Cycladic Religion and Religious
Architecture and Lesson 27: Troy VII and the Historicity of the Trojan War
Majors Lesson 26: Mycenaean and Late Cycladic Religion and Religious Architecture (HTML) and
Unit 2: The Greek Dark Ages and the 8th-Century Renaissance (c. 1100700 BCE)
The end of the Bronze Age witnessed the destruction of the great Mycenaean palaces and archaeological
evidence, and the testimony of ancient Greek historians indicates that this period was marked by wars and
migrations. In the era that followed, the Greek Dark Ages (c.1100800 BCE), literacy disappeared along with
the immense palaces, in which scribes had used the Mycenaean Linear B script for record keeping. In this period
the Greek mainland and the Aegean region were much less populated than in the preceding Bronze Age, and
long distance trade with the Near East declined considerably. Beginning c. 800 BCE, Greece experienced a
renaissance, or rebirth, of complex culture with archaeological evidence indicating a large population increase
as well as the revival of monumental architecture and trade with the Near East. This era most notably
experienced the emergence of the Polisor Greek city-state, which would serve as the center for Greek political
and economic life through the classical period. During this renaissance, literacy also revived with the Greek
adoption and adaptation of the Phoenician alphabet. This new Greek alphabet was employed at this time to
record the epic poetry of Homer and Hesiod, which would shape Greek culture for centuries. In this unit you will
examine the Greek Dark Ages, this Greek Renaissance, and the epic poetry of Homer and Hesiod.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 15.5 hours.

Lesson 27: Troy VII and the Historicity of the Trojan War (HTML)

Instructions: Read these two articles concerning Mycenaean religion and the site of Troy in the late
Bronze Age. Historians today debate how much the oral traditions represented in the epic. Homeric
poems the Iliad and the Odyssey (see subunit 2.3) preserve a record of the events and culture of
Mycenaean Greece.


Activity: The Saylor Foundations HIST301 Discussion Forum
Link: The Saylor Foundations HIST301 Discussion Forum (HTML)

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these two questions about the articles you just read:

Did the Iliad record an actual Bronze Age war between Mycenaean states and the Anatolian city-state
of Troy? How similar were the religious beliefs of the Mycenaean and later classical Greeks?

Now, share your thoughts on the discussion forum by clicking the link above and creating a (free)
account, if you have not already done so. Also, take some time to read the responses other students
have shared and leave any comments you have on their feedback.

Sharing your thoughts on the discussion forum should take approximately 30 minutes.

analyze the archaeological and literary evidence for the causes of the collapse of the Bronze Age Aegean
civilization and the implications of this collapse;
identify the political, social, and economic aspects of Dark Age Greece;
analyze the historical factors behind the Greek Renaissance of the 8
th
century BCE;
evaluate the influence of the epic poetry of Homer and Hesiod on Greek culture; and
analyze and interpret primary source documents from the period of classical antiquity using historical
research methods.
2.1 The Collapse of Mycenaean Greece
2.2 The Dark Ages
Gonzalez-Majors Lesson 28: The Collapse of Mycenaean Palatial Civilization and the Coming of
the Dorians and Lesson 29: Post-Palatial Twilight: The Aegean in the Twelfth Century B.C.
Majors Lesson 28: The Collapse of Mycenaean Palatial Civilization and the Coming of the
Dorians (HTML) and Lesson 29: Post-Palatial Twilight: The Aegean in the Twelfth Century
B.C. (HTML)

Instructions: Read these two articles, which discuss the archaeological evidence for the demise of
Mycenaean civilization in the 12
th
century BCE.

Reading this material and taking notes should take approximately 1hours and 30 minutes

Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Donald Kagans CLCV 205: Introduction to Ancient
Greek History: Lecture 2: The Dark Ages
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Donald Kagans CLCV 205: Introduction to Ancient Greek
History: Lecture 2: The Dark Ages (YouTube)

Also available in:
Quicktime/mp3
iTunes U

Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan explores the earliest history of Greek
civilization. Pay special attention to Professor Kagans analysis of the Bronze Age society, his
descriptions of Minoan Crete and Mycenaean Greece, and the collapse of Mycenaean civilization.

Watching this lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. It is attributed to Donald Kagan and Yale University, and the original
version can be found here.
Reading: The Saylor Foundations The Greek Dark Ages
2.3 The Greek Renaissance (c. 800700 BCE)
Link: The Saylor Foundations The Greek Dark Ages (PDF)

Instructions: Read this article about the Greek Dark Ages, during which the Greek world
entered a time of decline when important trade links were broken and towns and villages were
left abandoned. Community life appears to have declined to the level of small-scale or kinship-
based societies. The archaeological evidence for the period is sparse and shows no significant
works of construction. This long period of stagnation finally gave way to an 8
th
-century
Renaissance, or time of recovery, during which settlements (which would eventually become
thriving cities) were established across the Aegean Sea.
Greek History: Lecture 3: The Dark Ages (cont.)
History: Lecture 3: The Dark Ages (cont.) (YouTube)

Also Available in:
Quicktime/mp3
iTunes U

Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan addresses The Homeric Question. Which
society (Dark Age or Mycenaean) does Homers poetry describe (See subunit 1.3.6)?

Greek History: Lecture 4: The Rise of the Polis
History: Lecture 4: The Rise of the Polis (YouTube)

Also available in:
Quicktime/mp3
iTunes U

Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan describes the Greek heroic code of ethics,
which emerged out of the Greek Dark Ages and are exemplified in the heroes portrayed in the Homeric
epics of the 8
th
century BCE. Professor Kagan demonstrates that, in the Greek community, honor was
extremely important and even worth dying for, as exemplified by Achilles.


2.3.1 Economic, Social, and Political Change in the Greek Renaissance
2.3.2 The Greek Hoplite and the Concept of Citizenship
2.3.3 Trade and Colonization in the Greek Renaissance
Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Donald Kagans CLCV 205: Introduction to
Ancient Greek History: Lecture 5: The Rise of the Polis (cont.)
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Donald Kagans CLCV 205: Introduction to Ancient
Greek History: Lecture 5: The Rise of the Polis (cont.) (YouTube)

Also available in:
Quicktime/mp3
iTunes U

Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan tells the story of the emergence of
the polis from the Dark Ages. Kagan claims that the polis became a center of justice, law,
community, and cultural values that united the Greeks. How does Professor Kagan explain
the development of the polis?
Watching this lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 1 hour and 15
minutes.
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. It is attributed to Donald Kagan and Yale
University, and the original version can be found here.
Ancient Greek History: Lecture 6: The Greek RenaissanceColonization and Tyranny
Greek History: Lecture 6: The Greek RenaissanceColonization and Tyranny (YouTube)

Also available in:
Quicktime/mp3
iTunes U

Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan discusses the emerging role of
hoplite warfare in the Greek world in the 8
th
century BCE.
minutes.

Ancient Greek History: Lecture 7: The Greek RenaissanceColonization and Tyranny (cont.)
2.3.4 The Greek Alphabet
2.4 Homer and Hesiod
History: Lecture 7: The Greek RenaissanceColonization and Tyranny (cont.) (YouTube)

Also available in:
Quicktime/mp3
iTunes U

Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan discusses the establishment of Greek
colonies, beginning in the 8
th
century BCE. Professor Kagan also offers insights for understanding the
rise of merchant and colonial networks.


ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. It is attributed to Donald Kagan and Yale University, and the
original version can be found here.
Web Media: University of Oregons Mapping History: Colonies and Emporia
Link: University of Oregons Mapping History: Colonies and Emporia (Flash)

Instructions: Click on the link above, and then press the arrow buttons next to the timeline to
view the interactive map. Be sure to read the text that accompanies the timeline. This
resource provides an excellent overview of the development of Greek and Phoenician trade
and colonization throughout the Mediterranean, beginning in the 8
th
century BCE. The
information presented here also indicates the interactions between the various peoples of
the region, one important outcome of which was the circulation of the alphabets described in
subunit 2.3.4.
Studying the resource and taking notes should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage
above.
Reading: University of North Carolina, Greensboro: Greek Alphabet
Link: University of North Carolina, Greensboro: Greek Alphabet (HTML)

Instructions: Read this webpage, which provides an overview of the development of the Greek
alphabet. Originally adopted from the Phoenicians an ancient people from the region known today
as Lebanon the Greek alphabet later became the basis for the Latin alphabet. The reappearance of
literacy was one of the significant developments of the Greek Renaissance of the 8
th
century BCE.

Reading this webpage and taking notes should take approximately 15 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: A. T. Murrays translation of Homers Odyssey
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: A. T. Murrays translation of Homers Odyssey (HTML)
Instructions: Read all of Book 8 in Homers Odyssey using the navigation arrows or sidebar to advance
through the pages. The epic Homeric poems tell the tale of the Trojan War (The Iliad) and the difficulties
suffered by a hero from that struggle when attempting to return home (The Odyssey). In the course of
narrating these events, Homer also provides a view of mythology, social and political customs, moral
codes, and gender roles of inestimable value. In The Odyssey, the hero Odysseus, after being
shipwrecked on the island of the Phaeacians on his return home from the Trojan War, is entertained by
the king of this island, Alcinous. The feast and athletic contests described in this book offer an idealized
portrait of the life of Dark Age Greek aristocrats. Homeric epic poetry was performed as entertainment at
such feasts as the one in this book.

Reading this book and taking notes should take approximately 1 hour.

Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
License.
Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these two questions about Book 8 of Homers
Odyssey:
What do the actions and words of the characters in this account tell us about the values of
Greek aristocrats in the Dark Ages? What does the bards story of the adulterous affair of the
gods Ares and Aphrodite tell us about how Greeks in this era viewed their deities?
Now, share your thoughts on the discussion forum by clicking the link above and creating a
(free) account, if you have not already done so. Also, take some time to read responses other
students have shared and leave any comments you have on their feedback.
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: A. T. Murrays translation of Homers Iliad
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: A. T. Murrays translation of Homers Iliad (HTML)
Instructions: Read all of Book 22 in Homers Iliad using the navigation arrows or sidebar to advance
through the pages. In this book of The Iliad, the Greek hero Achilles kills the Trojan prince Hector in
battle and avenges the death of his best friend Patroclus, whom Hector had killed earlier. Note that in the
poem the gods support one side or the other, with Apollo on the side of the Trojans and Athena on the
side of the Achaeans (Greeks). Greeks viewed Achilles as the ideal hero.

Reading this resource and taking notes should take approximately 1 hour.

License.
Unit 3: The Archaic Period: The Rise of the Polis (c.700500 BCE)
During the Archaic period, Greece experienced rapid population growth, and the economy expanded as trade
with the Near East and the Western Mediterranean blossomed. Land-hungry Greeks migrated from the Greek
mainland and islands and coastlands of the Aegean and established colonies along the Black Sea as well as in
North Africa, Southern France, and especially Italy. Wars for land in Greece between rival city-states provided
an opportunity for successful military leaders to achieve monarchal power in their cities as tyrants, often with the

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these two questions about Book 22 of Homers Iliad:

Based on the portrayal of Achilles in this book, what character traits did ancient Greeks value? Is warfare
in this book portrayed in a positive or negative light?

account, if you have not already done so. Also, take some time to read responses other students have
shared and leave any comments you have on their feedback.

Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Hugh G. Evelyn-Whites translation of Hesiods
Theogony
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Hugh G. Evelyn-Whites translation of Hesiods
Theogony (HTML)
Instructions: Read this poem using the navigation arrows or sidebar to advance through the
pages. Hesiod (c. 700 BCE), along with Homer, was regarded by ancient Greeks as one of the
most authoritative sources of information about the gods. The Theogony or Birth of the Gods,
like the Biblical book of Genesis, tells the story of the birth of the cosmos. The main theme of
the poem is the triumph of order over chaos through the victory of Zeus, the king of gods and
men, over his foes.
Reading this material and taking notes should take approximately 2 hours.
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0
Unported License.
Reading: The Saylor Foundations HIST301 Discussion Forum

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on this question about HesiodTheogony: What does this
poem relate to us concerning how the ancient Greeks envisioned their gods?



political support of the common citizens who comprised the heavy infantry in these wars and were dissatisfied
with the traditional leadership of the aristocratic elites. Two city-states, Athens and Sparta, in this period
developed two very different and unique political systems to govern their cities. By 500 BCE, Athens had
emerged as a democracy in which all Athenian-born adult males actively participated as citizens in the task of
running the city, whereas in Sparta, citizenship was restricted to the members of its elite, highly trained military
force, which had conquered and enslaved Spartas neighbors. In the Archaic period, poetry took a new direction
with the lyric poets whose verses often treated subjects and expressed views that were unknown in epic poetry,
while philosophers by the end of this period were challenging the world view of the epics of Homer and Hesiod.
In this unit you will be examining the rise of tyrannies, the political development of Athens and Sparta, and the
lyric poets and Pre-Socratic philosophers.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 23 hours.

analyze the historical factors that enabled the establishment of tyrannies in many Greek city-states;
compare and contrast the political development of Athens and Sparta;
evaluate the innovative ways in which poets and philosophers in this era challenged traditional values as
expressed in epic poetry; and
research methods.
3.1 Social and Economic Change during the Archaic Period and the Rise of Tyrannies
Reading: The Saylor Foundations Archaic Greece (ca. 700480 BCE)
Link: The Saylor Foundations Archaic Greece (ca. 700480 BCE) (PDF)
Instructions: Read this article, which offers a brief overview of Archaic Greece and the development of
the polis.

Reading: The International World History Project: Robert A. Guisepis Economy and Society in
Classical Greece
Link: The International World History Project: Robert A. Guisepis Economy and Society in Classical
Greece (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article, which focuses on classical Greek economy and society as it developed in
the Archaic period.

3.2 Archaic Sparta

Greek History: Lecture 8: Sparta
Greek History: Lecture 8: Sparta (YouTube)
Also available in:
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Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan explores the rise, fall, and
significance of tyrannies in the Greek polis. Pay special attention to the effects (both positive
and negative) of the various tyrannies in the Greek world.
minutes.
Reading: Nipissing University: Professor Steve Muhlbergers The Invention of Politics in Archaic
Greece
Link: Nipissing University: Professor Steve Muhlbergers The Invention of Politics in Archaic
Greece (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article. Pay special attention to the reasons Muhlberger gives for the
political and social superiority of the Archaic aristocrats and his explanation of why tyranny
came to be a common form of government in Archaic and classical Greece.
Reading: Oxford University Press: Sarah B. Pomeroy, Stanley M. Burstein, Walter Donlan, and
Jennifer Tolbert Robertss A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society and Culture:
Chapter 4: Sparta
Link: Oxford University Press: Sarah B. Pomeroy, Stanley M. Burstein, Walter Donlan, and J ennifer
Tolbert Robertss A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society and Culture: Chapter 4:
Sparta (HTML)
Instructions: Read Chapter 4, which describes the development of culture, society, and the political
assembly of Sparta, the most powerful city in the Greek world for the majority of the Archaic and
classical periods.

3.2.1 The Rise of Sparta
3.2.2 The Spartan Constitution

Ancient Greek History: Lecture 9: Sparta (cont.)
History: Lecture 9: Sparta (cont.) (YouTube)

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Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan explores the development and defining
characteristics of Sparta. How were the Spartans able to create a distinct military culture?

Watching the lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.


Ancient Greek History: Lecture 10: The Rise of Athens
History: Lecture 10: The Rise of Athens (YouTube)

Also available in:
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Instructions: Watch the first 35 minutes of this lecture in which Professor Kagan provides a
description of the Spartan constitution. How does it compare to the Athenian constitution (see Subunit
3.3)?

Watching this lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 45 minutes.
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: A. D. Godleys translation of Herodotuss The
Histories
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: A. D. Godleys translation of Herodotuss The
Histories (HTML)
3.3 Archaic Athens
3.3.1 Solon
Instructions: Read all of Book 1 using the navigation arrows or sidebar to advance through
the pages. Herodotus (c. 480420 BCE), in his Histories, recounts the struggle between the
Persian Empire and the Greek city-states. In this first book, Herodotus examines the rise of
Persia under Cyrus the Great and the early history of Sparta and Athens in the Archaic
period (see also subunit 3.3). The work of Herodotus is one of the main sources of
information for the history of Archaic Greece.
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
3.0 Unported License.
Greek History: Lecture 10: The Rise of Athens
Greek History: Lecture 10: The Rise of Athens (YouTube)

Also available in:
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iTunes U

Instructions: Watch the last 35 minutes of this lecture in which Professor Kagan examines the
early history of Athens. How does it compare to the early history of Sparta (see subunit 3.2.1)?
Watching the lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 45 minutes.
Reading: The Saylor Foundations Solon and the Early Athenian Government
Link: The Saylor Foundations Solon and the Early Athenian Government (PDF)

Instructions: Read this article, which describes the life and times of Solon (638560 BCE),
an Athenian statesman known as one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece. He abolished
aristocratic control of the government and introduced a more humane code of law.
Ancient Greek History: Lecture 11: The Rise of Athens (cont.)
Greek History: Lecture 11: The Rise of Athens (cont.) (YouTube)

Also available in:
3.3.2 Reforms of Cleisthenes and the Rise of Athenian Democracy
Quicktime/mp3
iTunes U

Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan traces the development of Athens.
Pay special attention to Professor Kagans analysis of the causes of the political and social
turmoil in Athens, which preceded Solons reforms.
Watching the lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 1 hour and 15
minutes.


Ancient Greek History: Lecture 12: The Persian Wars
History: Lecture 12: The Persian Wars (YouTube)

Also available in:
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Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan examines the development and emergence
of Athenian democracy. According to Professor Kagan, how was Cleisthenes able to push Athens in a
more democratic direction?



Reading: The Stoa Consortium: Dmos: Classical Athenian Democracy: Christopher W.
Blackwells The Development of Athenian Democracy: Cleisthenes, Democracy, and Persia
Link: The Stoa Consortium: Dmos: Classical Athenian Democracy: Christopher W.
Blackwells The Development of Athenian Democracy: Cleisthenes, Democracy, and
Persia (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article, which analyzes the life and times of Cleisthenes (570508
BCE), the statesman considered the founder of Athenian democracy.

NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. It is attributed to Christopher W.
3.4 Archaic Era Art, Poetry, and Culture
Blackwell, and the original version can be found here.

Histories
Histories (HTML)
the pages. In Book 5, Herodotus recounts the revolt of the Ionian Greeks of Western
Anatolia against Persia in 499 BCE and the aid which the Ionians received from Athens.
Herodotus provides an account of the reforms of Cleisthenes near the end of the 6
th
century
BCE.
Reading this material and taking notes should take approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Reading: The Saylor Foundations Archaic Greek Art (700480 BCE)
Link: The Saylor Foundations Archaic Greek Art (700480 BCE) (PDF)

Instructions: Read this article about Archaic Greek art. Pay special attention to the transition
from the abstract geometric patterning that was dominant before the 7
th
century to the more
naturalistic style influenced by the Near East and Egypt.
Reading: The Stoa Consortiums Diotima: Mary R. Lefkowitz and Maureen B. Fants Womens
Life in Greece and Rome: A Sourcebook in Translation: Translations of Sapphos Poems
Link: The Stoa Consortiums Diotima: Mary R. Lefkowitz and Maureen B. Fants Womens Life in
Greece and Rome: A Sourcebook in Translation: Translations of Sapphos Poems (HTML)
Instructions: Read this collection of poems from the 6
th
-century lyric poet Sappho. These
verses recall many of the characters familiar to readers of Greek mythology and the Homeric
epics, but re-imagine them in new and novel ways. Viewed in this light, the fragments of
Sapphos work found here offer a hint of both her prodigious talents and the impressive range
of ways in which Greek literary artists of the Archaic age made use of their common cultural
inheritance.
Lecture: Kings College London: History of Philosophy without Any Gaps: Professor Peter
Unit 4: The Classical Age (c. 500350 BCE)
The classical period saw the production of some of the greatest artistic and literary masterpieces of Western
Civilization, featuring iconic works by sculptors, architects, dramatists, historians, and philosophers. Athens
emerged as the home of many of these intellectual and artistic achievements. But this same era witnessed
frequent wars and revolutions as the rival city-states, including Athens, struggled with one another for hegemony
while factions did battle within these cities to establish democratic or oligarchic regimes. The period began with
many Greek city-states joining together under the leadership of Athens and Sparta to defend themselves from
invasion by the Persian Empire during the Persian Wars (480479 BCE), a story recounted by the historian
Herodotus. Athens emerged from this war with a powerful navy which came to dominate the Aegean Sea by the
Adamsons Everything Is Full of Gods: Thales
Link: Kings College London: History of Philosophy without Any Gaps: Professor Peter Adamsons
Everything Is Full of Gods: Thales (HTML)

Instructions: Listen to this lecture in which Professor Peter Adamson introduces the Greek pre-Socratic
philosophers, beginning with Thales (c. 580 BCE) the first such thinker.

Listening to this lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 30 minutes.

Adamsons Created in Our Image: Xenophanes Against Greek Religion
Link: Kings College London: History of Philosophy without Any Gaps: Professor Peter
Adamsons Created in Our Image: Xenophanes Against Greek Religion (HTML)
Instructions: Listen to this lecture in which Professor Peter Adamson provides us with some
valuable insights on the interests of pre-Socratic philosophers and their attitudes toward the
works of Homer. The main subject of Professor Adamsons lecture is the philosopher
Xenophanes. Although the importance of Homer to Greek culture was immense (Professor
Adamson calls the poet an essential part of the shared culture which binds together Greek
civilization), critics could be found, such as Xenophanes, who rejected the all too human
depiction of the gods displayed in Homers works. As Professor Adamson suggests, the
questions raised by philosophers such as Xenophanes also provide an important preview of the
ideas that interested later generations of Greek thinkers.
Listening to this lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 30 minutes.
Assessment: The Saylor Foundations Units 13 Assessment
Link: The Saylor Foundations Units 13 Assessment (PDF)
Instructions: Follow the instructions on the document linked above to complete this written assessment.
When you are finished, check your work against the Saylor Foundations Guide to Responding (PDF).

Completing this assessment should take approximately 1 hour.
mid-5
th
century BCE. This new Athenian Empire challenged the traditional hegemony of Sparta, which soon went
to war against Athens. The rivalry between the two cities culminated in the Peloponnesian War (431404 BCE),
which was chronicled by the Athenian historian Thucydides. This war ended with the defeat of Athens and the
dissolution of its empire, but the high-handed actions of Sparta after this victory resulted in decades of war as the
other Greek city-states joined forces to liberate themselves from Spartan domination. For a brief period (371
362 BCE) another city-state, Thebes, eclipsed both Athens and Sparta as the hegemonic power in Greece. By the
mid-4
th
century BCE, the Greek city-states were exhausted from years of constant war, leaving them vulnerable
to aggression from a rising foreign power to the north, Macedon. In this unit you will study the Persian Wars, the
rise of the Athenian Empire, the Peloponnesian War, the struggle for hegemony in the 4
th
century BCE, and the
artistic and literary achievements of this era.


Subunit 4.1.2: 9 hours
Introduction 1.25 hours
identify the causes and the impact of the Persian Wars on the Greek city-states in the classical era;
analyze the historical factors behind the establishment of an Athenian Empire by the mid-5
th
century BCE;
identify the causes and the impact of the Peloponnesian War on the history of classical Greece in the
subsequent 4
th
century BCE;
analyze the causes for the continued wars for hegemony in the 4
th
century BCE and the effects of these
conflicts on the Greek city-states; and
evaluate the achievements of artists, philosophers, and poets in this period.
4.1 The Persian Wars (490, 480479 BCE)
Reading: Oxford University Press: Dr. Sarah B. Pomeroy, et al.s A Brief History of Ancient Greece:
Politics, Society, and Culture: Chapter 5: The Growth of Athens and the Persian Wars
Link: Oxford University Press: Dr. Sarah B. Pomeroy, et al.s A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics,
Society, and Culture: Chapter 5: The Growth of Athens and the Persian Wars (HTML)
Instructions: Read all of Chapter 5. The authors provide an overview of the rise of Athens and the leading
position of this city-state in the Persian Wars.


4.1.1 Marathon (490 BCE)
4.1.2 Thermopylae, Salamis, Plataea, and the Formation of the Delian League
Reading: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Donald Kagans CLCV 205: Introduction to
Ancient Greek History: Lecture 13: The Athenian Empire
History: Lecture 13: The Athenian Empire (YouTube)

Also available in:
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Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan traces the development of the Persian
Empire. Why and how did the Persian Empire and the Greek world come into conflict? Pay special
attention to Professor Kagans account of the events of the battle of Marathon in which the Athenians
defeated the Persians.


Ancient Greek History: Lecture 14: The Athenian Empire and The Athenian Empire (cont.)
History: Lecture 14: The Athenian Empire (cont.) (YouTube)

Also available in:
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Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan examines the developments that took place
after the Greek victory over the Persians in 479 BCE. Why was the Delian League formed? Pay
special attention to Professor Kagans analysis of the role of the Delian League in the creation of the
Athenian empire.


Reading: Fordham University: Paul Halsalls Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: 11th
Brittanica: Delian League
Link: Fordham University: Paul Halsalls Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: 11
th
Brittanica:
Delian League (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article for a description of the formation of the Delian League in 478 BCE.
4.2 Classical Athens: Empire and Democracy
Note that the Delian League was an association of 173 Greek city-states under the leadership of
Athens.

Histories
Histories (HTML)
Instructions: Read all of Books 79 using the navigation arrows or sidebar to advance
through the pages. In these books Herodotus recounts the massive Persian invasion of 480
479 BCE. These books cover the heroic defense of Thermopylae by the 300 Spartans, the
naval battle at Salamis near Athens, and the land battle of Plataea in Boeotia.
Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these questions about Books 79 of
Herodotuss The Histories:
According to Herodotus what enabled the allied Greek city-states to defeat Persia? How do
Herodotuss ideas regarding causation in his historical analysis differ from those of a modern
historian? As a Greek, does Herodotus show prejudicial bias in favor of the Greek side in his
account of this conflict? How do the historical figures portrayed by Herodotus resemble the
heroes in the Homeric epics in respect to their actions and words?
(free) account, if you have not already done so. Also, take some time to read responses
other students have shared and leave any comments you have on their feedback.

Reading: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Donald Kagans CLCV 205: Introduction to Ancient
Greek History: Lecture 15: Athenian Democracy and Lecture 16: Athenian Democracy (cont.)
Greek History: Lecture 15: Athenian Democracy (YouTube) and Lecture 16: Athenian
Democracy (cont.) (YouTube)
4.3 The Peloponnesian War

Lecture 15: Athenian Democracy also available in:
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Lecture 16: Athenian Democracy (cont.) also available in:
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Instructions: Watch these two lectures. In the first lecture, Professor Kagan describes the
mechanics of the Delian League and its transformation into the Athenian empire. Note how this
transformation enabled Athens to rival Sparta as an equal in power and prestige. According to
Professor Kagan, how do the workings of Athenian democracy compare to modern American
democracy? In the second lecture, Professor Kagan continues his discussion of the constitution
of Athens by focusing on the judicial system. Pay special attention to Kagans analysis of the
role of women in Athens.
Watching the lectures and pausing to take notes should take approximately 2 hours and 30
minutes.

Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Peloponnesian League
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Peloponnesian League (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links for an overview of Spartas role in the
creation of the Peloponnesian League and the rivalry between this league and the rising
Athenian Empire in the 5
th
century BCE.
Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Peloponnesian War
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Peloponnesian War (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text, which provides an overview of the Peloponnesian War fought between the
Athenian Empire and the Sparta-led Peloponnesian League between the years 431404 BCE. How did
this war break out?


4.3.1 The Pentecontaetia
4.3.2 Pericles and Athens
Ancient Greek History: Lecture 17: The Peloponnesian War, Part I and Lecture 18: The
Peloponnesian War, Part I (cont.)
Greek History: Lecture 17: The Peloponnesian War, Part I (YouTube) and Lecture 18: The
Peloponnesian War, Part I (cont.) (YouTube)

Lecture 17: The Peloponnesian War, Part I also available in:
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Lecture 18: The Peloponnesian War, Part I (cont.) also available in:
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causes of the Peloponnesian War (431404 BCE) in the era historians refer to as the
Pentecontaetia (50 years), the period between the end of the Persian Wars in 479 BCE
and the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War in 431 BCE. Was this a preventable war?
Compare your thoughts on this question with those Kagan presents in his second lecture, in
which he also describes the aftermath of the Thirty Years Peace in 445 BCE.
minutes.

Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Pericles
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Pericles (HTML)

Instructions: Read these texts and all embedded links for an account of the life and times of
Pericles, the most influential statesman and general of Athens and a key figure in the
preceding lectures on the Pentecontaetia.
above.
Reading: Fordham University: Paul Halsalls Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: 11th
Brittanica: Pericles
Link: Fordham University: Paul Halsalls Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: 11th
4.3.3 The War Begins
Brittanica: Pericles (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article, paying special attention to the profound influence that Pericles
had on Athenian society.
above.
Ancient Greek History: Lecture 19: The Peloponnesian War, Part II and Lecture 20: The
Peloponnesian War, Part II (cont.)
Greek History: Lecture 19: The Peloponnesian War, Part II (YouTube) and Lecture 20:
The Peloponnesian War, Part II (cont.) (YouTube)

Lecture 19: The Peloponnesian War, Part II also available in:
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Lecture 20: The Peloponnesian War, Part II (cont.) also available in:
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Instructions: Watch these two lectures. In the first lecture, Professor Kagan focuses on the
causes of the Peloponnesian War and the possible motivations for Thucydidess book, The
History of the Peloponnesian War. Professor Kagan parts ways with Thucydides and argues
that the war was not inevitable and that the Athenians under Pericles followed a policy of
deterrence that was aimed at peace. Was Thucydides being objective or subjective? In the
second lecture, Professor Kagan examines Pericles as a general. Pay special attention to
Professor Kagans analysis of the Athenian war strategy.
minutes.
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Benjamin Jowetts translation of Thucydides
History of the Peloponnesian War: Book 1
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Benjamin J owetts translation of Thucydides History
of the Peloponnesian War: Book 1 (HTML)
the pages. In this book, the Athenian historian Thucydides (c. 472400 BCE) examines the
events that directly resulted in the outbreak of war in 431 BCE. Thucydides was a firsthand
4.3.4 The Fall of the Athenian Empire
witness to these events. Historians today debate as to whether the speeches in Thucydides
are an accurate record of what these historical figures said in public or a vehicle for
Thucydides to express his own views and commentary on these events.
Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on this question about Book 1 of Thucydidess
History of the Peloponnesian War: After reading Thucydidess account, to whom do you
think Thucydides assigned blame for starting this war?
History of the Peloponnesian War: Book 2
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Benjamin J owetts translation of Thucydides History
of the Peloponnesian War: Book 2 (HTML)
the pages. In this book, Pericless Funeral Oration at the end of the first year of this war
encapsulates the common values of democratic Athens. Also, pay close attention to
Thucydides description of the plague that struck Athens and his assessment of the Athenian
leader Pericles, who was a victim of this plague.
History of the Peloponnesian War: Book 6 and Book 7
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Benjamin J owetts translation of Thucydides History of the
Peloponnesian War: Book 6 (HTML) and Book 7 (HTML)

Instructions: Read Books 6 and 7 using the navigation arrows or sidebar to advance through the pages.
In these books, Thucydides recounted the disastrous Syracuse Expedition (415413 BCE), which was
a major factor in the defeat of Athens and the loss of her empire in the Peloponnesian War.
4.4 Spartan Hegemony

Unported License.
Instructions: Please spend a few minutes reflecting on this question about Books 6 and 7 of
Thucydidess History of the Peloponnesian War: What does Thucydidess account of this
expedition tell us about his opinion regarding democracy as a form of government?

Reading: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Donald Kagans CLCV 205: Introduction to Ancient
Greek History: Lecture 21: The Struggle for Hegemony in Fourth and Lecture 22: The Struggle
for Hegemony in Fourth (cont.)
Greek History: Lecture 21: The Struggle for Hegemony in Fourth-Century Greece (YouTube)
and Lecture 22: The Struggle for Hegemony in Fourth-Century Greece (cont.) (YouTube)

Lecture 21: The Struggle for Hegemony in Fourth-Century Greece also available in:
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Lecture 22: The Struggle for Hegemony in Fourth-Century Greece (cont.) also available in:
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aftermath of the Peloponnesian War and explains how the Spartans came to dominate rather
than liberate other Greek poleis. Why did some of the poleis oppose Spartan rule? In the
second lecture, Professor Kagan examines the continuation of Spartan tyranny over the Greek
poleis and the Greeks response to this subordination. Pay special attention to the causes,
developments, and effects of the Corinthian War.
minutes.
4.5 Theban Hegemony
4.6 Intellectual Life in Greece
Greek History: Lecture 23: Twilight of the Polis
Greek History: Lecture 23: Twilight of the Polis (YouTube)
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Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan describes the growth of Thebes. How
did Thebes come to be a major power?
minutes.
Politics, Society, and Culture: Chapter 9: The Fourth Century: Changing Ideas, Continuing
Warfare
Link: Oxford University Press: Dr. Sarah B. Pomeroy, et al.s A Brief History of Ancient Greece:
Politics, Society, and Culture: Chapter 9: The Fourth Century: Changing Ideas, Continuing
Warfare (HTML)

Instructions: Read Chapter 9, which provides an introduction to the life and works of some of
the greatest philosophers associated with the classical period of ancient Greek history
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Please pay attention to the information presented on the first two
of these figures as they will be the subject of greater study in the resources which follow.
Lecture: King's College London: History of Philosophy without Any Gaps: Professor Peter
Adamsons In Dialogue: the Life and Works of Plato
Link: King's College London: History of Philosophy without Any Gaps: Professor Peter Adamsons In
Dialogue: the Life and Works of Plato (HTML)

Instructions: Click on the link above, and listen to this entire lecture, which provides valuable insights
into the life and thought of Plato (431351 BCE). In addition to offering important biographical details
about this famous philosopher, Professor Adamson introduces us to the questions that preoccupied him
and the factors that may have led him to present his ideas in the form of dialogues. As you will find, the
main character of Platos dialogues was his teacher Socrates. In the final resource of this section, we will
read Platos account of Socratess trial (described briefly by Dr. Pomeroy above) in the Apology.
Unit 5: The Rise of Macedon and the Hellenistic Period (c. 35031 BCE)
In the mid-4
th
century BCE, the kingdom of Macedonia emerged as the most powerful state in the Eastern
Mediterranean. Under the leadership of Philip II, Macedonian forces conquered numerous city-states in
northern mainland Greece and established Macedon as the hegemonic power in Greece. Following Philips
assassination in 336 BCE, his young son Alexander assumed the Macedonian throne and reasserted Macedonian
control over mainland Greece. Once Alexander had secured control of the Greek city-states through political and
military coercion, he turned his attention to the Persian Empire. In a series of decisive battles, Alexanders
forces defeated the Persians and extended Macedonian rule to central Asia and modern day Pakistan. By the
time of his death in 323 BCE, Alexander the Great had created the largest empire in human history. Following
Alexanders death, his military commanders waged war against one another over control of his empire.
Alexanders successors eventually broke up this empire into smaller kingdoms, which were each ruled by
dynasties descended from some of Alexanders commanders Antigonus (Macedon and Greece), Ptolemy
(Egypt), and Seleucus (Western and Central Asia). These successor states continued to exert Greek influence
over Western Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean through the end of the 1
st
century BCE. Egypt was the last of
these kingdoms to fall under Roman rule in 31 BCE. In this unit, you will learn how Philip and Alexander
expanded Macedonian rule and seized control over a vast empire, examine the successor kingdoms that emerged
following Alexanders death, and evaluate the interaction and cross fertilization of Greek culture and the ancient
civilizations of Egypt and Western Asia in the Hellenistic period.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 22.75hours.

Introduction: 1 hour


Reading: University of Missouri-Kansas: Douglas Linders Famous Trials: Benjamin Jowetts
translation of Platos Apology
Link: University of Missouri-Kansas: Douglas Linders Famous Trials: Benjamin J owetts
translation of Platos Apology (HTML)

Instructions: Read this entire text, which provides Platos account of Socratess response to his
accusers in the days preceding his execution. As indicated in the first resource from this
subunit, Socrates was put on trial in 399 for a number of alleged crimes against the Athenian
state including corrupting the young. After hearing the final judgment against him, Socrates is
later said by Plato to have made a few additional remarks, uttering at one point the famous
words: the unexamined life is not worth living. Considering the points made by Socrates in the
passages read here, how would you interpret the meaning of this statement?

identify the events that led to Macedonias emergence as an empire that came to dominate the entire
Hellenic world;
explain the conquest of Greece by Macedonia and the spread of Hellenistic culture by Alexander the Great;
assess the political, social, and cultural legacies of Alexander the Greats military conquests in the
Mediterranean basin and Western Asia;
compare and contrast the political and social structure of the Hellenistic successor states; and
research methods.
5.1 Philip II and the Rise of Macedonia
Politics, Society, and Culture: Chapter 10: Philip II and the Rise of Macedon
Link: Oxford University Press: Dr. Sarah B. Pomeroy, et al. s A Brief History of Ancient Greece:
Politics, Society, and Culture: Chapter 10: Philip II and the Rise of Macedon (HTML)

Instructions: Read the text for an account of how Philip II of Macedonia restored internal peace to his
country, came to dominate Greece through military and diplomatic means, and laid the foundations for
further expansion.


Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Philip II of Macedonia
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Philip II of Macedonia (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text, proceeding through the links at the bottom of the page to parts 2, 3,
and 4. Pay special attention to Philips military skills and his expansionist vision of Macedonian
greatness. This reading depicts the diplomatic and military challenges faced by Philip. Focus
especially on parts 3 and 4 of the reading, which provide important details of the strategy
followed by Philip to create an army capable of achieving domination over Greece.
Greek History: Lecture 24: Twilight of the Polis (cont.)
Greek History: Lecture 24: Twilight of the Polis (cont.) (YouTube)
5.2 Alexander the Great
5.2.1 Consolidating Power

Also available in:
Quicktime/mp3
iTunes U

Instructions: Watch this lecture in which Professor Kagan tells the story of the rise of Philip and
identifies his early accomplishments: unifying Macedon; defeating barbarian armies; and
creating a professional, national army. Pay special attention to Professor Kagans evaluation of
Demostheness actions, especially with regards to his defense of Athens.
minutes.

Politics, Society, and Culture: Chapter 11: Alexander the Great
Society, and Culture: Chapter 11: Alexander the Great (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text for a description of the life of Alexander the Great, who overthrew the
Persian Empire and carried Macedonian armies to India, laying the foundations for the Hellenistic world
of territorial kingdoms. This reading also covers subunits 5.2.15.2.3.


Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 1: Youth
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 1: Youth (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links for an account of the early years of the man who
would become a legendary hero.


Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 2: Restoring Order in
Greece
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 2: Restoring Order in Greece (HTML)

5.2.2 The Conquest of the Eastern Mediterranean
5.2.3 The Conquest of the Persian Empire
5.2.4 The Conquest of Central Asia
Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links. This reading focuses on Alexander the Greats
most challenging tasks: to be recognized as his fathers true successor and to put down the rebellion of
Greece after Athenian orator Demosthenes wrongly proclaimed Alexanders death following the
Illyrian campaign. Pay special attention to how these two challenges shaped Alexanders political and
military career.


Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 3: Beginning of the Persian
Campaign, Alexander the Great, Part 4: From Caria to Pamphylia, Alexander the Great,
Part 5: The Anatolian Highland, Alexander the Great, Part 6: Issus, Alexander the Great,
Part 7: The Conquest of the Levant, and Alexander the Great, Part 8: Son of Ammon
(HTML)
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org:

Alexander the Great, Part 3: Beginning of the Persian Campaign (HTML)
Alexander the Great, Part 4: From Caria to Pamphylia (HTML)
Alexander the Great, Part 5: The Anatolian Highland (HTML)
Alexander the Great, Part 6: Issus (HTML)
Alexander the Great, Part 7: The Conquest of the Levant (HTML)
Alexander the Great, Part 8: Son of Ammon (HTML)

Instructions: Read these texts and all embedded links. Trade in the old Greek world centered upon the
Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Seas. Alexanders conquest of the Eastern Mediterranean was the
first step towards a virtual world economy, which he would achieve a few years later with the
conquest of the Persian Empire, thereby establishing trade links as far east as India and China.


Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.
Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 9: Assyria and Babylonia
and Alexander the Great, Part 10: The End of Persia
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 9: Assyria and Babylonia (HTML) and
Alexander the Great, Part 10: The End of Persia (HTML)

Instructions: Read these texts and all embedded links. Alexander had his first encounter with Persia
while he was still a child, when he received the ambassadors of Persia in his fathers absence. Less
than two decades later, Alexander would become the absolute monarch of the Persian Empire.


Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 11: King of Asia
5.2.5 The Indian Expedition
5.2.6 The Return to the West
5.2.7 The Death of Alexander
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 11: King of Asia (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links. Remember that Alexanders campaign into
Central Asia was the first major step in opening the Silk Road between the East and the West.


Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 12: The Way to Dusty
Death and Alexander the Great, Part 13: The Punjab
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 12: The Way to Dusty Death (HTML)
and Alexander the Great, Part 13: The Punjab (HTML)

Instructions: Read these texts and all embedded links. Remember that in Alexanders time, India
meant the land of the Indus, not exactly the area where the modern country of India stands. At this
time, India referred to an area in western Pakistan more specifically, the Punjab and Sind territories.



Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 14: The Return and
Alexander the Great, Part 15: Lord of All
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 14: The Return (HTML) and
Alexander the Great, Part 15: Lord of All (HTML)

Instructions: Read these texts and all embedded links. In the Persian Empire, Alexander was an
absolute monarch; in Egypt he was worshiped as a god; and to the Greeks, he was a commander-in-
chief. Pay special attention to Alexanders attempts to unite his empire and to the description of how
he modeled his entire government after Persian absolutism.


Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 16: Death in Babylon
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 16: Death in Babylon (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links. Although the political entity created by Alexander
the Great failed to survive him, Alexander succeeded in creating a uniform Graeco-Oriental economic
and cultural world that stretched from Gibraltar in the south of the Iberian Peninsula to the Indus
River.

5.3 Succession Struggles and Civil War in the Hellenistic World (325150 BCE)

Reading: Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Daniel C. Stevensons Internet Classics
Archive: John Drydens translation of Plutarchs Alexander
Link: Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Daniel C. Stevensons Internet Classics Archive: J ohn
Drydens translation of Plutarchs Alexander (HTML)

Also available in:
PDF

Instructions: Read this text. In this short biography, the Greek philosopher Plutarch (c. 100 CE)
focuses on the life of Alexander the Great of Macedon. Plutarch discusses Alexanders ancestry, his
youth, and his preparations for his military conquests in Asia. He concludes with Alexanders
stunning victory over the Persians, in which he overthrew the vast Persian Empire. As a moralist,
Plutarch was more interested in examining Alexanders character than in providing a comprehensive
historical account of Alexanders reign. What, according to Plutarch, were Alexanders virtues and
vices?


Politics, Society, and Culture: Chapter 12: The New World of the Hellenistic Period
Society, and Culture: Chapter 12: The New World of the Hellenistic Period (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links for an overview of the Hellenistic world after the
death of Alexander the Great, from a devastating series of succession wars to the emergence of new
experimental Hellenistic art.


Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 17: Civil War
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexander the Great, Part 17: Civil War (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links. In 322 BCE, less than a year after
Alexander the Greats death, a civil war broke out between the Macedonians. This reading
discusses the causes, main events, and consequences of this Civil War. Note that the title on
the webpage reads The Purple Testament of Bleeding War.
5.3.1 The Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt
5.3.2 The Seleucid Dynasty in Western Asia
5.3.3 The Antigonid Dynasty in Macedonia
Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Ptolemy I Soter, Part 1: Early Career, Ptolemy I
Soter, Part 2: Rise to Power, Ptolemy I Soter, Part 3: King of Egypt and Ptolemy I Soter,
Part 4: Historian
Ptolemy I Soter, Part 1: Early Career (HTML)
Ptolemy I Soter, Part 2: Rise to Power (HTML)
Ptolemy I Soter, Part 3: King of Egypt (HTML)
Ptolemy I Soter, Part 4: Historian (HTML)
Instructions: Read these texts and all embedded links. The succession struggles and civil
wars described earlier precipitated the break-up of Alexanders empire. Beginning with
Egypt, the present reading and those which follow describe the political consequences of
these upheavals in various parts of the world. After the death of Alexander III in 323 BCE,
Palestine and vast areas of Syria and Phoenicia fell to Ptolemy I (Soter), who established
himself as satrap in Egypt. The Ptolemaic Dynasty ruled Egypt for 300 years.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages
above.
Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Alexanders Successors: Lysimachus and Seleucus,
Alexanders Successors: Stabilization and The Seleucid Empire (Syria)
Alexanders Successors: Lysimachus and Seleucus, Part 1 (HTML)
Alexanders Successors: Stabilization (HTML)
The Seleucid Empire (Syria) (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links. At its greatest, the Seleucid Empire
stretched from Thrace in Europe to the border of India.
above.
Reading: The Saylor Foundation: Antigonid Macedonia, Antigonas II Gonatas, Demetrius
II and Antigonas III Doson and Philip V and Perseus: The Twilight of Antigonid Macedonia
Link: The Saylor Foundation:
5.3.4 The Achaean League versus the Aetolian League in Greece
5.3.5 Early Conflicts between Greeks and Romans
5.4 Hellenistic Culture
Antigonid Macedonia (PDF)
Antigonas II Gonatas (PDF)
Demetrius II and Antigonas III Doson (PDF)
Philip V and Perseus: The Twilight of Antigonid Macedonia (PDF)

Instructions: Read these articles. The descendants of Antigonus I (one of Alexander the Greats
generals) formed the Antigonid Dynasty. These articles describe later Macedonian conflicts with
neighboring states and its disastrous wars with Rome.

Reading this materials and taking notes should take approximately 30 minutes.
Reading: University of Chicago: Bill Thayers version of the Encyclopaedia Britannicas
Achaean League
Link: University of Chicago: Bill Thayers version of the Encyclopaedia Britannicas Achaean
League (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links. This reading compares the Achaean League, a 3
rd
-
century BCE confederation of the towns of Achaea in ancient Greece, to the Aetolian League, a
federal state in ancient Greece that became one of the leading military powers in Greece by c. 340
BCE. As in the case of the preceding resource, this text ends with a description of conflicts between
the member states of the Achaean League and the growing power of Rome.


Reading: University of Arizona: N. Lewis and M. Reinholds Roman Civilization Sourcebook I:
The Republic: The War with Pyrrhus, 280279 B.C.
Link: University of Arizona: N. Lewis and M. Reinholds Roman Civilization Sourcebook I: The
Republic: The War with Pyrrhus , 280279 B.C. (HTML)
Instructions: The preceding resources have touched upon the growing role Rome began to
play by the 3
rd
century BCE in mainland Greece affairs. However, the power of Rome was
first felt by the Greek cities of southern Italy, a region otherwise known as Magna Graecia.
Read this text, which describes one of the more famous episodes from this conflict the
expedition of the Greek king Pyrrhus of Epirus to Italy in 280-79 BCE from the point of view
of two Roman historians. You will return to the subject of Magna Graecia and the expansion
of Rome in the next unit.
above.
5.4.1 Hellenistic Art and Architecture
5.4.2 Hellenistic Philosophical Schools: The Epicureans and Stoics
Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Arts Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Collette
Hemingway and Sen Hemingways Art of the Hellenistic Age and the Hellenistic Tradition
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Arts Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Collette
Hemingway and Sen Hemingways Art of the Hellenistic Age and the Hellenistic Tradition
(HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and the embedded links for an introduction to Hellenistic art. After
reading the text, click on View Slideshow to see images of Hellenistic art. As noted by the
author, artists and architects of the Hellenistic era copied and adapted earlier styles, but
also made great innovations. What are in fact some of the innovations the authors refer to
in this passage? Please review and compare also the images of the artworks found here
with the examples of classical era Greek art in subunit 2.1.4. Are there any particular
differences in theme or style between these two traditions that stand out in your mind?
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use on the webpage displayed
above.
Adamsons Am I Bothered?: Epicurean Ethics
Link: King's College London: History of Philosophy without Any Gaps: Professor Peter
Adamsons Am I Bothered?: Epicurean Ethics (HTML)

Instructions: Listen to this lecture, which provides an introduction to the thought of the Hellenistic
age. As indicated above, this term is used by scholars to distinguish the political and cultural
developments of this period from the classical world which came before. In this lecture, Professor
Adamson provides a valuable overview of the ideas and principles espoused by the Epicurean
philosophers, a school of Hellenistic thought that exerted a great influence on contemporary and
succeeding generations of Greeks and Romans. As you listen to this podcast, give particular thought
to what Epicurus had in common with his philosophical predecessors as well as the ways in which he
departed from them. What, for example, does Professor Adamson consider to be some of the most
novel features of Epicurean philosophy?


Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use on the webpage displayed above.
Reading: Ben R. Schneider, Jr.s The Stoic Legacy to the Renaissance: John W. Basores
translation of Lucius Annasus Senecas Moral Essays: On Anger
Link: Ben R. Schneider, J r.sThe Stoic Legacy to the Renaissance: J ohn W. Basores translation of
Lucius Annasus Senecas Moral Essays: On Anger (HTML)
Instructions: Read To Novatus On Anger Books I, II, and III (i.e., read all of Senecas discourse on
anger). Moral Essays was composed by the Roman philosopher Seneca (1-65 CE). As indicated
above, the philosophy of the Hellenistic age had a heavy influence on Roman culture. This was
particularly true in the case of Stoic thought, a school of philosophy that developed alongside the
Unit 6: Italy and the Roman Republic (509287 BCE)
Like the Greeks, the people of the Italian peninsula were influenced by sustained social, political, and economic
interactions between various regional cultures. Greek settlers had colonized parts of coastal Italy in the 8
th
and
7
th
centuries BCE. By the mid-7
th
century BCE, the Etruscan people had established control over the central-
western portion of the Italian peninsula, and the Latin and Sabine tribes had also established city-states in the
same area. Archaeological evidence indicates that the community of Rome was established by the Latins around
the 8
th
century BCE and was later conquered by the Etruscans when the Etruscans established their control over
the region in the 7
th
century BCE. Near the end of the 6
th
century BCE, the Latin people successfully challenged
Etruscan rule and reorganized the Roman city-state as a republic. In the centuries that followed its foundation,
this republics political system evolved under pressure from constant tension between an entrenched aristocratic
elite (the Patricians) and the common people (the Plebeians), an historical development known to historians as
the Struggle of the Orders. This struggle only ended in 287 BCE when the Plebeians won the right to make laws
binding upon the entire Roman state. By this time, Rome was dominated by nobility, comprised of Patricians and
a select number of Plebeian families whose members had held the highest executive office (Consul) and entered
into the Roman Senate. In this unit, you will examine the various cultures that inhabited the Italian peninsula
before the formation of the Roman Republic, the foundation of the Roman Republic, and the development of the
Roman political system during the Struggle of the Orders (509287 BCE).

Epicurean. Stoic philosophy enjoyed a great following among Roman elites and found a particularly
famous acolyte in the figure of the emperor Marcus Aurelius. In this text from Seneca, you will
encounter some famous attitudes of the Stoics toward emotion and especially anger (described by the
author as perhaps the greatest of all human vices). Do you detect any similarities between the ideas
represented here and those found in the survey of Epicurean thought above?


Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use on the webpage displayed above.

Instructions: Follow the instructions in the document linked above to complete this written
assessment. When you are finished, check your work against the Saylor Foundations Guide to
Responding (PDF).


define the organization, economic basis, and cultural practices of pre-Roman societies;
identify the political, social, and historical importance of the Etruscan civilization to Roman culture;
analyze the historical developments that resulted in the foundation of the Roman Republic;
identify the causes of the Struggle of the Orders and its impact on the development of the Roman political
system; and
research methods.
6.1 Greek Colonization
6.2 Etruscan Civilization
6.2.1 Etruscan Political and Economic Power
Reading: The 1911 Classic Encyclopedias Magna Graecia
Link: The 1911 Classic Encyclopedias Magna Graecia (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links for a brief description of Magna Graecia, a group of
ancient Greek cities along the coast of southern Italy. The foundation of these colonies is discussed in
subunit 2.3.3. From the very beginning of Roman civilization, Greek culture exercised a tremendous
influence. Remember that the people of this region were known to the Romans as Graeci.


Reading: University of Colorado: Department of Historys Etruscan Civilization
Link: University of Colorado: Department of Historys Etruscan Civilization (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article, which provides a brief overview of the Etruscans, the most powerful
nation in pre-Roman Italy.


Reading: Fordham Universitys Ancient History Sourcebook: Paul Halsalls version of Reports of
the Etruscans, c. 430 BCE10 CE
Link: Fordham Universitys Ancient History Sourcebook: Paul Halsalls version of Reports of the
Etruscans, c. 430 BCE10 CE (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text. The first excerpt from Herodotuss The Histories (see units 3 and 4 above)
states that the Etruscans emigrated from Lydia, a region on the eastern coast of ancient Turkey; however,
despite the specificity of Herodotuss account, archaeologists remain skeptical of it. The second and third
excerpts by Roman historian Livy (59 BCE17 CE) describe Etruscan culture.


Reading: The International World History Project: R. A. Guisepis Etruscan Organization
6.2.2 Etruscan Gender Roles and Social Mores
6.2.3 Regional Conflicts
6.2.4 Declining Fortunes in the 6th Century BCE
Link: The International World History Project: R. A. Guisepis Etruscan Organization (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text for a description of the social, political, and economic structure of the
Etruscan civilization.


Reading: The Stoa Consortium: Mary R. Lefkowitz and Maureen B. Fants Womens Life in
Greece & Rome: Theopompuss A Greek Historians Account of the Behavior of Etruscan
Women
Link: The Stoa Consortium: Mary R. Lefkowitz and Maureen B. Fants Womens Life in Greece &
Rome: Theopompuss A Greek Historians Account of the Behavior of Etruscan Women (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links. In this excerpt, Greek historian Theopompus (c.
350 BCE) discusses the personal habits of Etruscan men and women. He describes Etruscan women
as expert drinkers and very attractive and says that both men and women were sexually
promiscuous. Theopompus concludes that the barbarian Etruscans had a very different sense of
personal propriety and morality than did the civilized Greeks.


Reading: The International World History Project: R. A. Guisepis Etruscans: Expansion and
Dominion
Link: The International World History Project: R. A. Guisepis Etruscans: Expansion and Dominion
(HTML)

Instructions: Read this text, which uses archaeological evidence and original sources, such as the
works of Roman orator Cato (c. 160 BCE), to describe Etruscan expansion in the Mediterranean.


Reading: The International World History Project: R. A. Guisepis Etruscans: Crisis and
Decline
Link: The International World History Project: R. A. Guisepis Etruscans: Crisis and Decline
(HTML)

Instructions: Read this text for a discussion of the events that led to the downfall of the Etruscan
civilization. Pay special attention to how the breakdown of trade networks accelerated their decline.

6.3 Early Rome
6.3.1 The Founding of Rome
6.3.2 Romes Neighbors in Italy

Reading: Taylor & Francis Books: Antony Kamms The Origin of Rome
Link: Taylor & Francis Books: Antony Kamms The Origin of Rome (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links for a description of the legends of the foundation
of Rome and the three key figures in these accounts: Aeneas, Romulus, and Remus.


Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Bernadotte Perrins translation of Plutarchs
Romulus
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Bernadotte Perrins translation of Plutarchs
Romulus (HTML)

Instructions: Read this biography using the navigation arrows or sidebar to advance through the pages.
The Greek philosopher Plutarch (c. 100 CE) examined the life of the legendary Roman king and
Romes founder, Romulus. This biography is a legendary rather than a historical account of Romes
foundation, but through such legends and traditions we can detect the shared values and morals of the
Romans.


Unported License.
Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on this question about Plutarchs biography of
Romulus: What does this biography tell us about Roman religion and morality?
Reading: The Saylor Foundations The Ancient People of Italy
Link: The Saylor Foundations The Ancient People of Italy (PDF)

6.4 The Roman Republic
6.4.1 The Birth of the Roman Republic
6.4.2 The Struggle of the Orders
Instructions: Read this article, which describes the ancient tribes of Italy, including the Etruscans,
Latins, Samnites, Lucanians, and others.

Reading: The Saylor Foundations The Roman Republic
Link: The Saylor Foundations The Roman Republic (PDF)

Instructions: Read this article for an overview of the history of the Roman Republic.

Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Benjamin Oliver Fosters translation of Titus
Livius (Livy) The History of Rome: Book 1: Chapters 4960
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Benjamin Oliver Fosters translation of Titus Livius (Livy)
The History of Rome: Book 1: Chapters 4960 (HTML)
Instructions: Read Chapters 4960 in The History of Rome, Book 1 in which the Roman historian Livy
(c. 20 BCE) recounts the overthrow of the last Etruscan king of Rome and the foundation of the
Republic under the leadership of Brutus.


Unported License.

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these questions about this excerpt from Livys The
History of Rome:

What actions by this last king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, resulted in his overthrow? What do these
traditions concerning the founding of the Roman Republic, as related by Livy, tell us about Roman
concepts of government?


Reading: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The
Early Roman Republic: The Struggle of the Orders
Link: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The Early
6.5 The Roman Constitution
Roman Republic: The Struggle of the Orders (HTML)

Instructions: Read this overview of the Struggle of the Orders and the Roman Constitution.

ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. It is attributed to Elizabeth Mazurek, and the original version can be
found here.
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: D. Spillans translation of Titus Livius (Livy) The
History of Rome, Book 2
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: D. Spillans translation of Titus Livius (Livy) The History
of Rome, Book 2 (HTML)

Instructions: Read all of The History of Rome, Book 2 in which the Roman historian Livy (c. 20 BCE)
chronicles the successful defense of Rome by the Romans from attacks by their former Etruscan
overlords and the first secession of the Plebeians, or common people, in 494 BCE when Rome was
under threat from surrounding warlike tribes. According to Livy, what were the grievances of the
common people against the Patrician nobility? How was this secession crisis resolved? Through these
secessions over time during this Struggle of the Orders the Plebeians were able to achieve political
equality with the Patricians.


Unported License.
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Evelyn S. Shuckburghs translation of Polybiuss
Histories: Book 6
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Evelyn S. Shuckburghs translation of Polybiuss Histories:
Book 6 (HTML)

Instructions: Read all of Book 6 in Polybiuss Histories. The Greek historian Polybius (c. 150 BCE)
belonged to a prominent family that was active in the Achaean League (see subunit 5.3.4). He came to
Rome as a young hostage and became the friend and associate of a number of prominent Romans. In this
book, Polybius provides his Greek readers with an analysis of the Roman political system, which he
credits for Romes success as a world power. Polybiuss description of the Roman political system
strongly influenced the framers of the United States Constitution.

Historians have pointed out that Polybius here made no mention of the patron-client system, which was
an important aspect of the Roman political process. Wealthy Romans as patrons provided legal and
financial aid to their less affluent neighbors, who, as clients, in return supported their patron with their
votes in the Roman assemblies in the election of magistrates or the passage of legislation.


License.
Unit 7: The Expansion of the Roman Republic (c. 509133 BCE)
After the Latin people established Rome as a republic in 509 BCE, they began expanding their control over
central and southern Italy in the 5
th
and 4
th
centuries BCE. They subdued the Etruscans and Samnites and
eventually seized control over the remaining independent Greek city-states in southern Italy at the beginning of
the 3
rd
century BCE. One of the unresolved questions for historians concerns the motives behind Roman
expansion. Were the Romans aggressively seeking to dominate their neighbors, or were their conquests
preemptive strikes to prevent their neighbors from attacking them? When Rome extended her influence to Sicily
in 264 BCE, the republic started a long, prolonged series of conflicts with Carthage, a Phoenician colony in
North Africa (modern Tunisia), which had its own interests in Sicily. In three Punic (Phoenician) Wars, the
Romans ultimately defeated the Carthaginians and established Roman dominance over the Western
Mediterranean by 146 BCE. During the second of these Punic Wars (218202 BCE) the Antigonid king of
Macedon, Philip V, allied his kingdom with Carthage to counter Roman advances into the Adriatic Sea, thus
instigating a series of four wars between Rome and Macedon, which resulted in the annexation of Macedon into
the Roman Empire by 146 BCE. In 190 BCE a Roman army crushed the forces of the Seleucid king Antiochus III
in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) at the battle of Magnesia in 190 BCE after this king had advanced his forces into
Greece. Thus, in the 2
nd
century BCE, Rome had defeated the Antigonid and Seleucid kingdoms and established
itself as the hegemonic power in the entire Mediterranean basin. In this unit, you will examine the history of
Romes wars of conquest and analyze how Rome was able to achieve these victories.

analyze the causes and impacts of Romes wars of expansion in Italy, against Carthage, and against the
Hellenistic successor states;
identify the factors that enabled Rome to achieve military success in these wars; and
research methods.

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on this question about Book 6 of Polybiuss Histories: Can
you see any similarities between the political system depicted by Polybius and the United States
Constitution?



7.1 Unifying the Italian Peninsula in the 5th and 4th Centuries BCE
7.2 Regional Expansion in the 3rd and 2nd Centuries BCE
7.2.1 The Punic Wars against Carthage
Reading: The Saylor Foundations The Roman Conquest of Italy
Link: The Saylor Foundations The Roman Conquest of Italy (PDF)

Instructions: Read this article, which describes the expansion of the Roman Republic in Italy to
the early 3
rd
century BCE (see subunit 5.3.5). What were the main factors that contributed to
Roman military success? To what extent did Roman culture and institutions as described by
Polybius (see subunit 6.5) contribute to Roman military victories?
Reading: Boise State University: Professor E.L. Skip Knoxs The Punic Wars
Link: Boise State University: Professor E.L. Skip Knoxs The Punic Wars (HTML)

Instructions: Click on the links on the left side of the page and read the texts and all
embedded links for an overview of the wars fought between Rome and Carthage between
264 and 146 BCE. These wars are collectively known as the Punic Wars.
above.
Histories: Book 1
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Evelyn S. Shuckburghs translation of Polybiuss
Histories: Book 1 (HTML)
Instructions: Read all of Book 1 in Polybiuss Histories. In this book, Polybius recounts the
First Punic War.
Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Hannibal
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Hannibal (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links, paying special attention to the role of Hannibal
one of the greatest military leaders of antiquity in developing a distinctive Carthaginian warfare.


Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on this question about Polybiuss discourse on
the First Punic War: What does Polybius identify as the key to Roman victory in this conflict?
Histories: Book 3
Instructions: Read all of Book 3 in Polybiuss Hisories. In this book, Polybius chronicles the
Second Punic War and describes the great Carthaginian general Hannibal, whom he
characterizes as a great force in Roman history. Polybius also argues that Hannibals
reputation for cruelty was due to the actions of his close associates rather than his own
desire to punish the Romans. Polybius concludes that it is impossible to know Hannibals
true character, since his legacy has been shaped by the conflicting opinions of the Romans
and the Carthaginians. What factors enabled Hannibal to defeat Roman armies repeatedly?
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Cyrus Edmondss translation of Titus Livius
(Livy) The History of Rome, Book 30: Chapters 2945
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Cyrus Edmondss translation of Titus Livius (Livy) The
History of Rome, Book 30: Chapters 2945 (HTML)

Instructions: Read Book 30 Chapters 2945 of Livys The History of Rome. Here the Roman historian
Livy recounts the Battle of Zama in 202 BCE. The Carthaginian government had recalled Hannibal
from Italy to defend Carthage when Roman forces under the command of Scipio threatened this city.
In the ensuing battle, Hannibal lost for the first time in his distinguished military career. Note that at
the conclusion of this battle the Roman Senate was already engaged in a diplomatic crisis with the
kingdom of Macedon that would eventually lead to war (see subunit 7.3.2). What were the terms that
Rome imposed on Carthage as a result of the peace settlement?


7.2.2 Wars in the Eastern Mediterranean
Unported License.
Reading: Wikibooks: World History/The Roman Empire
Link: Wikibooks: World History/The Roman Empire (HTML)

Instructions: Read the sections Expansion and Conquest and The Shift from Greek to Roman
Dominance on this webpage. This reading provides an overview of the expansion of the Roman
Empire into the Greek-speaking Eastern Mediterranean in the 2
nd
century BCE.


Unported License. It is attributed to Wikibooks, and the original version can be found here.
Histories: Book 7, Chapter 9: Treaty Between Hannibal and King Philip V. of Macedon
Histories: Book 7, Chapter 9: Treaty Between Hannibal and King Philip V. of Macedon
(HTML)
Instructions: Read this one page which is a treaty between Hannibal and Philip V of Macedon
made in 215 BCE. This treaty between Philip and Romes greatest enemy would lead to a
series of wars between Rome and Macedon, which would end in the dissolution of the latter
and its annexation into the Roman Empire in the 2
nd
century BCE.
Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on this question about the treaty between
Hannibal and Philip V: What did Hannibal and Philip V hope to gain by their agreement?
Histories: Book 18
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Evelyn S. Shuckburghs translation of Polybiuss Histories:
Book 18 (HTML)

Instructions: Read all of Book 18 in which Polybius chronicles the war between Rome and the
Antigonid King Philip V (see subunit 5.3.3), which culminated with the victory of the Roman general
Titus Quinctius Flamininus over Philips forces at the Battle of Cynoscephalae in 197 BCE. What
strategies did the Romans utilize to isolate Philip V and build an alliance against him? What factors
enabled the Romans to achieve victory in this struggle?


Unported License.
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Horace Whites translation of Appians Syrian
Wars: Chapters 17
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Horace Whites translation of Appians Syrian Wars:
Chapters 17 (HTML)
Instructions: Read Chapters 17 in Syrian Wars in which the Greek historian, Appian (c. 130
CE), chronicles the war between Rome and the Seleucid King Antiochus III. This war ended
with the Roman victory at the Battle of Magnesia in 190 BCE.

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these questions about Appians Syrian Wars:

Why was this war fought? What was Romes interest in waging war against the Seleucid Empire,
which was largely based in distant Asia?


Aemilius Paulus
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Bernadotte Perrins translation of Plutarchs Aemilius
Paulus (HTML)

Instructions: Read this biography in which Plutarch provides a portrait of the Roman general and
politician Aemilius Paulus who led Rome to victory over the Macedonian King Perseus, the son of
Philip V, at the Battle of Pydna in 168 BCE. This victory established Rome, without question, as the
dominant power in the Mediterranean.
Unit 8: The Fall of the Roman Republic (c. 13331 BCE)
Roman military expansion in the 2
nd
century BCE upset the Roman political system and the status and control of
the Roman senatorial nobility, resulting in the collapse of the Republic and its replacement by a military
dictatorship, a historical development known to ancient historians as the Roman Revolution. During the 2
nd
century BCE, long periods of military service overseas impoverished small Roman landowners. The population
of the city of Rome consequently swelled with landless workers, the proletariat, drawn to the city from the
countryside by the inflow of wealth into the city from Romes conquests. Overseas conquests and annexations
also provided opportunities for Romans to acquire fortunes as merchants, bankers, and tax farmers. These
wealthy Romans, or Equestrians, soon became dissatisfied with the monopoly of political power exercised by the
traditional Senatorial nobility. Beginning in 133 BCE two politicians, the brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus,
reached out to these alienated constituencies impoverished farmers, the landless proletariat, and wealthy
Equestrians. The assassination of these two brothers by the Senatorial nobility initiated a century of political
violence and civil war.

The murder of the two brothers divided Rome politically into two camps, the Optimates conservatives who


Unported License.
Histories: Book 29
Instructions: Read all of Book 29 in which Polybius chronicles the war between Rome and
Perseus of Macedon.
Reading: The Saylor Foundations HIST301 Discussion Forum
Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on this question about the war between Rome
and Perseus of Macedon: What does the conduct of the Roman envoy Popilius and the
Seleucid King Antiochus IV recounted in the last chapter tell us about the nature of Romes
hegemony in the Mediterranean by 168 BCE?
supported the traditional Senatorial nobility and Populares revolutionaries who claimed to champion the
common people. In 107 BCE, one of the prominent leaders of the Populares, Gaius Marius, as Consul, for the
first time recruited landless proletariat into his armies because Rome lacked sufficient numbers of landowners to
wage war against King Jugurtha of Numida in North Africa and later against invading Germanic barbarians, the
Cimbri and Teutones. The effect of this policy was to make Roman soldiers dependent on their generals to
provide them with pay and land in exchange for military service. Consequently, loyalty to the commanding
general came to replace loyalty to the Roman state in the Roman army. In 88 BCE and again in 83 BCE, the
leader of the Optimates, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, marched on Rome at the command of a loyal army to impose his
political will on Rome. Sulla restored the Republic, but a dangerous precedent had been set. In 49 BCE, the
leader of the Populares, Julius Caesar, marched on Rome, defeated rival generals, and assumed the dictatorship.
His assassination in 44 BCE by Optimatesplunged Rome into another civil war, which ended in 31 BCE with the
final victory of Octavian Caesar, Julius Caesars adopted son, over his rivals for military dictatorship. In this
unit we will examine the social and economic crisis of the 2
nd
century BCE, the rise of the Optimatesand
Populares, and the civil wars that destroyed the republic and spawned a military dictatorship.

identify the social and political problems created by Romes military expansion;
compare and contrast the political views of the Optimates and Populares;
identify the key elements which explain the political success of the Roman politicians and generals, Marius,
Sulla, Pompey, Crassus, J ulius Caesar, Marc Antony, and Octavian Caesar;
analyze the historical factors that resulted in the rise of military dictatorship in Rome; and
research methods.
8.1 The Gracchi
Reading: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The Fall
of the Republic, Part 1: The Reforms of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus
Link: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The Fall of the
Republic, Part 1: The Reforms of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus (HTML)

Instructions: Read this overview of the careers of the Gracchi which initiated a century of political unrest
and would result in the collapse of the Roman Republic.


found here.

Tiberius Gracchus and Caius Gracchus
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Bernadotte Perrins translation of Plutarchs Tiberius
8.2 Marius and the Populares
Gracchus (HTML) and Caius Gracchus (HTML)
Instructions: Read both of these biographies in which the Greek philosopher Plutarch (c. 100
CE) examines the lives of these two brothers and political reformers. Their political activities
established the model for future Populares.
Unported License.

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on this question about Tiberius and Caius Gracchus: How
did the actions of these two politicians upset the status quo in Rome and lead to political violence on the
part of leading senators?


Reading: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks Marius
vs. Sulla: Romes Social Wars
Link: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks Marius vs. Sulla:
Romes Social Wars (HTML)

Instructions: Read this overview of the political struggle and civil war between the supporters of Marius
(Populares) and Sulla (Optimates) as well as the Social War (9088 BCE) in which Rome fought against
its former Italian allies.


found here.
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Bernadotte Perrins translation of Plutarchs Caius
Marius and Sulla
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Bernadotte Perrins translation of Plutarchs Caius
Marius (HTML) and Sulla (HTML)
Instructions: Read both of these biographies in which the Greek philosopher Plutarch (c. 100
CE) examines the lives of these two political rivals.
8.3 The First Triumvirate
Unported License.

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these questions about Caius Marius and Sulla:

Compare and contrast how the two men achieved political power. How did these two generals secure the
loyalty of their troops? How did each man employ violence to obtain their political goals?



Reading: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The Rise
of Pompey: Ciceros Consulship
Link: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The Rise of
Pompey: Ciceros Consulship (HTML)

Instructions: Read this overview of the career of Pompey who, along with J ulius Caesar and Crassus,
would form the First Triumvirate in 60 BCE.


found here.
Pompey
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Bernadotte Perrins translation of Plutarchs Pompey
(HTML)
Instructions: Read this biography in which Plutarch recounts the political rise of Pompey, his
alliance with J ulius Caesar, and his tragic death following his defeat at the hands of Caesar in
the civil war.
Unported License.
8.4 The Second Triumvirate

Instructions: Please spend a few minutes reflecting on these questions about Pompey:

Why did Pompey ally himself with Crassus and J ulius Caesar? Why did Pompey later turn on Caesar and
ally himself with the Optimates in the Senate?


Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Triumvir
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Triumvir (HTML)

Instructions: Read the sections Triumvir and First Triumvirate on this webpage, which
provide an overview of the formation of the First Triumvirate in 60 BCE.
Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Gaius Julius Caesar
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Gaius J ulius Caesar (HTML)

Instructions: Follow the links on this webpage for an in-depth look at the life of Gaius J ulius
Caesar.
Reading: Jona Lenderings Livius.org: Triumvir
Link: J ona Lenderings Livius.org: Triumvir (HTML)

Instructions: Read the section Second Triumvirate on this webpage. The Second Triumvirate,
formed by Mark Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian (later known as Augustus), would become
Octavians stepping stone to absolute power.

Reading: San Jose State University: Professor Thayer Watkinss The Timeline of the Life of
Octavian, Caesar Augustus
Link: San J ose State University: Professor Thayer Watkinss The Timeline of the Life of Octavian,
Caesar Augustus (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links. Octavian had formed the Second Triumvirate with
his chief rivals, Lepidus and Mark Antony. However, he disposed of Lepidus in 36 BCE and Antony at
the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE in order to become sole ruler of the Roman Empire.


Reading: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The Last
Days of the Republic: Octavian, Antony, and Cleopatra
Link: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The Last Days of
the Republic: Octavian, Antony, and Cleopatra (HTML)

Instructions: Read this overview of the Second Triumvirate and the subsequent civil war between
Octavian and Antony.


found here.
Antony
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Bernadottte Perrins translation of Plutarchs Antony
(HTML)
Instructions: Read this biography in which Plutarch examines the life of Marc Antony and his
affair with Cleopatra, the last of the Ptolemies of Egypt.
Unported License.

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these questions about Marc Antony, Octavian, and
Cleopatra:

Why did the alliance of Antony and Octavian collapse? Why did the two men go to war? What did
Antony gain from his alliance with Cleopatra?

Unit 9: Augustus (31 BCE14 CE) and the Roman Empire (c. 31 BCE235 CE)
In the years that followed his victory over his rival Marc Antony in 31 BCE, Octavian Caesar instituted a series of
political reforms that allowed him to hold a number of key republican offices and powers simultaneously.
Octavian, thus, ostensibly restored the Roman Republic while retaining enough political power through his
control of the army to possess monarchal authority. Through this ruse, Octavian appeased the traditional
Senatorial nobility who bestowed upon Octavian the title of Augustus. Historians refer to the political system that
Octavian (Augustus) created as the Principate from the title Princeps Senatusor leader of the Senate, which
was one of the traditional republican positions that Augustus possessed. Another traditional republican position,
Imperator, or victorious general, was also reserved for Augustus as the commander of Romes armies and is
the origin of the word emperor. Augustus also stabilized the Roman Empires frontiers; distributed land to the
proletariat and war veterans through the establishment of new colonies in Italy, Spain, and Gaul (France); and
created thousands of jobs for the proletariat through an ambitious building program in Rome. The Principate as
a political system and the policy precedents that Augustus set for future emperors helped promote a period of
internal peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire for two hundred years, the Pax Romana or Roman Peace.

The Principate was not without its flaws, however. Augustus set the precedent of designating a family member to
be his successor by insuring that the Senate granted his heir the same powers as himself. In this way, there would
be a smooth transition upon Augustuss death. However, hereditary succession did not always provide a suitable
ruler. During the Principate, there were a number of mentally unfit emperors Caligula, Nero, Commodus,
Elagabulus whose actions created political instability. Also, under the Principate the unexpected death of an
emperor without designating a successor resulted in civil wars as rival military commanders did battle with one
another to win the empire for themselves, as was the case following the death of Nero in 68 CE and Pertinax in
192 CE. The assassination of Alexander Severus in 235 CE resulted in a 50-year period of civil war between
rival armies that ended the Principate and the Pax Romana. In this unit, you will examine the political reforms
and policies of Augustus, the social and economic conditions of the Roman Empire in this era, and the
weaknesses of the Principate as a political system, which would be its undoing.

identify the key features of the Principate as a political system;
analyze the problems of the Principate that resulted in political instability and civil war;
identify the social, cultural, and economic developments of the Pax Romana; and
research methods.
9.1 Augustus Caesar and the Julio-Claudian Dynasty

Reading: The Saylor Foundations The Julio-Claudians: Romes First Imperial Dynasty
Link: The Saylor Foundations The J ulio-Claudians: Romes First Imperial Dynasty (PDF)

Instructions: Read this article for a brief narrative of the J ulio-Claudian Dynasty, which was one
of the peaks of Roman power and culture.
Reading: avid W. Koellers Web Chronology Project: Meredith L. Oliver, Darren J. Hekhuis, and
David A. Nelsons The Emperor Augustus (27 BCE14 CE)
Link: David W. Koellers Web Chronology Project: Meredith L. Oliver, Darren J . Hekhuis, and David A.
Nelsons The Emperor Augustus (27 BCE14 CE) (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text, which explains how Octavian moved from being a member of the Second
Triumvirate to princeps to consul maintaining republican administration to Augustus in 23 BCE.


Reading: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The Age
of Augustus I and Age of Augustus II
Link: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The Age of
Augustus I (HTML) and Age of Augustus II (HTML)

Instructions: Read this overview of the reign of the Emperor Caesar Augustus.


found here.
Reading: Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Daniel C. Stevensons Internet Classics Archive:
Thomas Bushnells Translation of Augustuss The Deeds of the Divine Augustus
Link: Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Daniel C. Stevensons Internet Classics Archive: Thomas
Bushnells Translation of Augustuss The Deeds of the Divine Augustus (HTML)

Instructions: Read The Deeds of the Divine Augustus, which is the funerary inscription of Emperor
Augustus. (Note that it was written by Augustus himself!) This inscription was set up in a public space
for the Roman people to read. What kind of legacy was Augustus attempting to create among the Roman
people with this inscription? How do Augustuss conduct and deeds compare to the heroes on Livys
account of the early Roman Republic (see subunit 6.4.1)?


Reading: Boise State University: Professor E.L. Skip Knoxs The Roman Empire: The First
Caesars
9.2 The Flavian Dynasty
Link: Boise State University: Professor E.L. Skip Knoxs The Roman Empire: The First
Caesars (HTML)

Instructions: Read through all of the links in Professor Knoxs survey on Roman history. The
suicide of Emperor Nero in 68 CE was followed by a brief period of civil war, also known as the
Year of the Four Emperors, during which Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian ruled in a
remarkable succession. Pay special attention to the consequences of the military and political
anarchy that this civil war generated.
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Alfred John Church, William Jackson Brodribb, and
Sara Bryants version of Cornelius Tacituss The Annals: Books 1316
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: Alfred J ohn Church, William J ackson Brodribb, and Sara
Bryants version of Cornelius Tacituss The Annals: Books 1316 (HTML)

Instructions: Read all of Books 1316 in Tacituss The Annals. Tacitus (c. 100 CE) was a Roman Senator
and historian. This account of Neros reign (5468 CE) is a classic account of the dangers of autocracy
and despotism and influenced the framers of the United States Constitution. Also, in Book 15, chapter
44, Tacitus mentions the crucifixion of J esus Christ in the account of Neros persecution of Christians in
Rome in 64 CE.


License.
Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on this question about Nero: How was Nero able to
exercise power and terrify the Senate into submission?
Reading: The Saylor Foundation: The Flavian Dynasty, Vespasian (7079 CE): The Founder of
a New Dynasty, Titus (7981 CE): Great Promise Cut Short and Domitian (8196 CE): The
Last of the Flavians
Link: The Saylor Foundation: The Flavian Dynasty, Vespasian (7079 CE): The Founder of a New
Dynasty, Titus (79-81 CE): Great Promise Cut Short and Domitian (81-96 CE): The Last of the
Flavians (PDF)
Instructions: Read these articles. Although the Flavians ruled for a relatively short time period, they were
extremely popular emperors. Pay special attention to the characteristics that made them such crowd-
pleasing rulers.


Reading: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The
Flavian Dynasty
Link: University of Notre Dames OpenCourseWare: Professor Elizabeth Mazureks The Flavian
Dynasty (HTML)

Instructions: Read this overview of the Flavian emperors Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian.


found here.
Lecture: YouTube: Khan Academys Smarthistory: Colosseum
Link: YouTube: Khan Academys Smarthistory: Colosseum (YouTube)

Instructions: Watch this brief video concerning one of Romes iconic structures, the Colosseum, which
was built by the Flavian emperors.

Watching this video and pausing to take notes should take approximately 15 minutes.

ShareAlike 3.0 United States License. It is attributed to the Khan Academy.
Reading: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: J. Eugene Reed and Alexander Thomsons version of
C. Suetonius Tranquillus Divus Vespasianus
Link: Tufts Universitys Perseus Project: J . Eugene Reed and Alexander Thomsons version of
C. Suetonius Tranquillus Divus Vespasianus (HTML)
Instructions: Read this biography. The Roman historian Suetonius (c.100 CE) described himself
as a young man during the civil war of 6869 CE, which brought Vespasian to power.
Unported License.
9.3 The Nerva-Antonine Dynasty: The Five Good Emperors

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these questions about Vespasian:

According to Suetoniuss account, how was Vespasian able to secure power? How did Vespasian manage
to bring political stability after Neros reign and civil war?



Reading: The Saylor Foundations Trajan (98117 CE): The Height of Empire
Link: The Saylor Foundations Trajan (98117 CE): The Height of Empire (PDF)

Instructions: Read this article, which narrates the history of the first two of The Five Good Emperors,
Nerva and Trajan, who presided over the most majestic days of the Roman Empire.

Reading: Fordham University: Paul Halsalls Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: From Readings
in Ancient History: Illustrative Extracts from the Sources, William Stearns Davis, ed.: Pliny the
Elder (23/4-79 CE): The Grandeur of Rome, c. 75 CE from Natural History
Link: Fordham University: Paul Halsalls Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: From Readings in Ancient
History: Illustrative Extracts from the Sources, William Stearns Davis, ed.: Pliny the Elder (23/479
CE): The Grandeur of Rome, c. 75 CE from Natural History (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text, which offers selections from Roman writer Pliny the Elders Natural History
describing the magnificence of Rome around the end of the 1
st
century CE. Pliny discusses both the
monumental public architecture of the city and the technological accomplishments of the Romans,
including the citys sewer and aqueduct system.


Reading: David W. Koellers Web Chronology Project: Meridith L. Berg, Jelani N. G. Greenidge,
and Donita R. McWilliamss The Five Good Emperors (96180)
Link: David W. Koellers Web Chronology Project: Meridith L. Berg, J elani N. G. Greenidge, and Donita
R. McWilliamss The Five Good Emperors (96180) (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links, which discuss the causes and consequences of the
harmonious relationship between the Senate and the different members of the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty.


9.4 The Severan Dynasty
Reading: University of Chicago: LacusCurtius: Bill Thayers version of Cassius Dios Roman
History
Link: University of Chicago: LacusCurtius: Bill Thayers version of Cassius Dios Roman
History (HTML)
Instructions: Read Chapters 68, 69, and 72 in Dios Roma History, which concern the reigns of
the emperors Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius. Cassius Dio (c. 220 CE) was a
Roman Senator who wrote his history of Rome in Greek.

Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these questions about Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and
Marcus Aurelius:

Based on Dios account, why would these emperors be considered good by future generations? What
were the policies of these emperors? What were their accomplishments?


Reading: The Saylor Foundation: Septimius Severus (193211 CE): Founder of the Severan
Dynasty, Caracalla (211217 CE): A Reign of Violence, Elagabalus (218222 CE): East Meets
West and Severus Alexander (222235 CE): The Calm before the Storm
Link: The Saylor Foundation:
Septimius Severus (193211 CE): Founder of the Severan Dynasty, Caracalla (211217 CE):
A Reign of Violence, Elagabalus (218222 CE): East Meets West and Severus Alexander
(222235 CE): The Calm before the Storm (PDF)
Instructions: Read these articles about the Severan Dynasty, which ruled the Roman Empire
between 193235 CE. Even though their rise to power in 193 CE brought peace to the Empire,
their rule was characterized by constant political turmoil.
Reading: Boise State University: Professor E. L. Skip Knoxs The Severi
Link: Boise State University: Professor E. L. Skip Knoxs The Severi (HTML)

Instructions: Read this text and all embedded links from The Severi: Septimius Severus
through The Severi: Severus Alexander (222233). These readings depict the causes and
extent of the social and political upheaval felt throughout the empire following the death of
Commodus and the efforts of succeeding rulers to restore peace and order. Pay special
attention to the power and influence that various women had over these emperors.
Reading: University of Chicago: LacusCurtius: Bill Thayers version of Cassius Dios Roman
History
Link: University of Chicago: LacusCurtius: Bill Thayers version of Cassius Dios Roman
History (HTML)
Instructions: Read Chapters 7380, which discuss the reigns of the emperors Commodus,
Pertinax, Septimius Severus, Caracalla, and Elagabalus. Cassius Dio (c. 220 CE) as a Roman
Senator witnessed firsthand the reigns of these emperors.
Instructions: Spend a few minutes reflecting on these questions about Commodus, Pertinax,
Septimus Severus, Caracalla, and Elagabalus:
Based on Dios account, how do these emperors compare to the good emperors? How did
these emperors come to power? What was their relationship with the Roman army and the
Senate?

Instructions: Follow the instructions on the document linked above to complete this written assessment.
When you are finished, check your work against the Saylor Foundations Guide to Responding (PDF)

Unit 10: Final Exam
Final Exam: The Saylor Foundations HIST301 Final Exam
Link: The Saylor Foundations HIST301 Final Exam (HTML)
Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam.
If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.

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