Roman History
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with an exhaustive preparation as to the development of the history of ancient Rome from its foundation to the fall of the Empire, by focusing especially on political, institutional and socio-economical problems, and with a critical approach to the confronted issues.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge
Upon successful completion of the course students will have acquired a detailed knowledge of the most important and significant figures and facts of the history of ancient Rome in their related chronological and geographical contexts.
Skills
The students shall also be capable of conveying historical information in a clear and effective way, by employing appropriate linguistic instruments such as adequate language and specific vocabulary.
Upon successful completion of the course students will have acquired a detailed knowledge of the most important and significant figures and facts of the history of ancient Rome in their related chronological and geographical contexts.
Skills
The students shall also be capable of conveying historical information in a clear and effective way, by employing appropriate linguistic instruments such as adequate language and specific vocabulary.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Ancient Rome: Crisis, Transformation, and Resistance
The course is structured in three parts of 20 hours each: A, B, and C.
Part A: From the Origins of the City to the Age of Imperialism (753-146 BCE)
The first section of the course examines the archaic phase of Roman history, addressing the methodological challenges of reconstructing a period characterized by fragmented and often mythical sources. After an introduction to the types of available sources—literary, archaeological, and epigraphic—the main historiographical theories on the foundation and early development of the city will be analyzed. Special attention will be given to the conflict between patricians and plebeians, highlighting how this social tension led to significant institutional reforms and the consolidation of the res publica. Finally, Rome's expansion in Italy and the Mediterranean will be studied, emphasizing how crises resulting from contact with other civilizations spurred processes of adaptation and strengthening of Rome's political and military structures.
Lesson Breakdown:
1. The founding of Rome
2. The Etruscan monarchy
3. The fall of the monarchy and the rise of the res publica
4. The patrician-plebeian conflict
5. The political institutions of the Republican state
6. The conquest of hegemony in Italy
7. Rome versus Carthage
8. The Second Punic War
9. Hannibal's legacy
10. Tiberius Gracchus
Part B: From the Crisis of the Republic to the Full Establishment of the Principate (133 BCE-96 CE)
The second part of the course focuses on the period of deep transformation that led to the fall of the Republic and the full establishment of the Principate as a new form of government. The reforms of the Gracchi brothers and the ensuing social and political tensions that culminated in a series of civil wars will be analyzed. Through the study of figures such as Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Caesar, Octavian, and Antony, the power dynamics and institutional crises of the period will be examined. Attention will be paid to how Rome, through these crises, managed to restructure its political system, giving rise to a new form of government that ensured the Empire's stability and continuity.
Lesson Breakdown:
11. The legacy of the Gracchi
12. Sulla's restoration
13. A Republic on the edge
14. Pompey's hegemony
15. Caesar
16. Caesar's legacy
17. Augustus
18. Augustus' heirs
19. The Year of the Four Emperors
20. The Flavians
Part C: The Imperial Age: From the Antonines to the Crisis of the Third Century CE
The final section of the course analyzes the evolution of the Roman Empire up to the crisis of the third century CE. The political and administrative structures of the Principate will be examined, with particular focus on how the absence of a clear succession system generated instability and conflict. Special attention will be devoted to the political, military, and economic crises of the period, as well as the institutional responses and reforms implemented to address them. By analyzing ancient sources, the Empire's ability to adapt and transform will be highlighted, laying the foundations for the later Tetrarchic reorganization and the evolution toward Late Antiquity.
Lesson Breakdown:
21. The Antonines
22. The Severans
23. Maximinus Thrax and the beginning of military anarchy
24. The Senate's swan song
25. The Sasanids
26. Valerian
27. Gallienus
28. The Gallic Empire and the Kingdom of Palmyra
29. The soldier-emperors
30. From Aurelian to Diocletian: in the end, the beginning
The course is structured in three parts of 20 hours each: A, B, and C.
Part A: From the Origins of the City to the Age of Imperialism (753-146 BCE)
The first section of the course examines the archaic phase of Roman history, addressing the methodological challenges of reconstructing a period characterized by fragmented and often mythical sources. After an introduction to the types of available sources—literary, archaeological, and epigraphic—the main historiographical theories on the foundation and early development of the city will be analyzed. Special attention will be given to the conflict between patricians and plebeians, highlighting how this social tension led to significant institutional reforms and the consolidation of the res publica. Finally, Rome's expansion in Italy and the Mediterranean will be studied, emphasizing how crises resulting from contact with other civilizations spurred processes of adaptation and strengthening of Rome's political and military structures.
Lesson Breakdown:
1. The founding of Rome
2. The Etruscan monarchy
3. The fall of the monarchy and the rise of the res publica
4. The patrician-plebeian conflict
5. The political institutions of the Republican state
6. The conquest of hegemony in Italy
7. Rome versus Carthage
8. The Second Punic War
9. Hannibal's legacy
10. Tiberius Gracchus
Part B: From the Crisis of the Republic to the Full Establishment of the Principate (133 BCE-96 CE)
The second part of the course focuses on the period of deep transformation that led to the fall of the Republic and the full establishment of the Principate as a new form of government. The reforms of the Gracchi brothers and the ensuing social and political tensions that culminated in a series of civil wars will be analyzed. Through the study of figures such as Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Caesar, Octavian, and Antony, the power dynamics and institutional crises of the period will be examined. Attention will be paid to how Rome, through these crises, managed to restructure its political system, giving rise to a new form of government that ensured the Empire's stability and continuity.
Lesson Breakdown:
11. The legacy of the Gracchi
12. Sulla's restoration
13. A Republic on the edge
14. Pompey's hegemony
15. Caesar
16. Caesar's legacy
17. Augustus
18. Augustus' heirs
19. The Year of the Four Emperors
20. The Flavians
Part C: The Imperial Age: From the Antonines to the Crisis of the Third Century CE
The final section of the course analyzes the evolution of the Roman Empire up to the crisis of the third century CE. The political and administrative structures of the Principate will be examined, with particular focus on how the absence of a clear succession system generated instability and conflict. Special attention will be devoted to the political, military, and economic crises of the period, as well as the institutional responses and reforms implemented to address them. By analyzing ancient sources, the Empire's ability to adapt and transform will be highlighted, laying the foundations for the later Tetrarchic reorganization and the evolution toward Late Antiquity.
Lesson Breakdown:
21. The Antonines
22. The Severans
23. Maximinus Thrax and the beginning of military anarchy
24. The Senate's swan song
25. The Sasanids
26. Valerian
27. Gallienus
28. The Gallic Empire and the Kingdom of Palmyra
29. The soldier-emperors
30. From Aurelian to Diocletian: in the end, the beginning
Prerequisites for admission
No prerequisites for admission.
Teaching methods
The course will be delivered through in-person lectures. Each lecture will be accompanied by slides that illustrate the topic through diagrams, maps, reproductions of inscriptions, and images of archaeological materials. Slides containing excerpts from literary sources (in translation) will be uploaded to the Ariel platform and will be part of the exam material.
Special attention will be given to the specific vocabulary used to describe the themes discussed, so students learn to express historical issues using correct terminology (including technical terms related to Roman political institutions).
Students will be encouraged to ask the instructor questions during the lectures in case of doubts about the topics addressed, and active participation will be constantly promoted.
Regular attendance is recommended, especially since some topics discussed in class are not sufficiently covered in the reference texts.
Special attention will be given to the specific vocabulary used to describe the themes discussed, so students learn to express historical issues using correct terminology (including technical terms related to Roman political institutions).
Students will be encouraged to ask the instructor questions during the lectures in case of doubts about the topics addressed, and active participation will be constantly promoted.
Regular attendance is recommended, especially since some topics discussed in class are not sufficiently covered in the reference texts.
Teaching Resources
Reading List and Exam Program for ATTENDING Students:
6-credit program:
Part A + Part B:
- Knowledge of the topics covered in lectures (Part A + Part B)
- Textbook: F. Russo (ed.), Storia di Roma antica. Dalla fondazione al 476 d.C., Pearson, Milan 2025 [the textbook must be studied in its entirety]
9-credit program:
Part A + Part B:
- Knowledge of the topics covered in lectures (Part A + Part B)
- Textbook: F. Russo (ed.), Storia di Roma antica. Dalla fondazione al 476 d.C., Pearson, Milan 2025 [the textbook must be studied in its entirety]
Part C:
- Knowledge of the topics covered in lectures (Part C)
- Tommaso Gnoli, Dai Severi alla crisi del III secolo, in Storia d'Europa e del Mediterraneo, Vol. III L'ecumene romana (a cura di G. Traina), Roma 2009, pp. 165-222 (the article will be made available on the course's MyAriel page).
Reading List and Exam Program for NON-ATTENDING Students:
6-credit program:
Part A + Part B:
- Textbook: F. Russo (ed.), Storia di Roma antica. Dalla fondazione al 476 d.C., Pearson, Milan 2025 [the textbook must be studied in its entirety]
- F. Santangelo, Roma repubblicana. Una storia in quaranta vite, Carocci, 2019: Any five biographies of choice
9-credit program (ECTS):
Part A + Part B:
- Textbook: F. Russo (ed.), Storia di Roma antica. Dalla fondazione al 476 d.C., Pearson, Milan 2025 [the textbook must be studied in its entirety]
- F. Santangelo, Roma repubblicana. Una storia in quaranta vite, Carocci, 2019: Any five biographies of choice
Part C:
- Tommaso Gnoli, Dai Severi alla crisi del III secolo, in Storia d'Europa e del Mediterraneo, Vol. III L'ecumene romana (a cura di G. Traina), Roma 2009, pp. 165-222 (the article will be made available on the course's MyAriel page).
- Andrea Giardina, Esplosione di tardoantico, "Studi Storici" 40 (1999), pp. 157-180 (the article will be made available on the course's MyAriel page)
6-credit program:
Part A + Part B:
- Knowledge of the topics covered in lectures (Part A + Part B)
- Textbook: F. Russo (ed.), Storia di Roma antica. Dalla fondazione al 476 d.C., Pearson, Milan 2025 [the textbook must be studied in its entirety]
9-credit program:
Part A + Part B:
- Knowledge of the topics covered in lectures (Part A + Part B)
- Textbook: F. Russo (ed.), Storia di Roma antica. Dalla fondazione al 476 d.C., Pearson, Milan 2025 [the textbook must be studied in its entirety]
Part C:
- Knowledge of the topics covered in lectures (Part C)
- Tommaso Gnoli, Dai Severi alla crisi del III secolo, in Storia d'Europa e del Mediterraneo, Vol. III L'ecumene romana (a cura di G. Traina), Roma 2009, pp. 165-222 (the article will be made available on the course's MyAriel page).
Reading List and Exam Program for NON-ATTENDING Students:
6-credit program:
Part A + Part B:
- Textbook: F. Russo (ed.), Storia di Roma antica. Dalla fondazione al 476 d.C., Pearson, Milan 2025 [the textbook must be studied in its entirety]
- F. Santangelo, Roma repubblicana. Una storia in quaranta vite, Carocci, 2019: Any five biographies of choice
9-credit program (ECTS):
Part A + Part B:
- Textbook: F. Russo (ed.), Storia di Roma antica. Dalla fondazione al 476 d.C., Pearson, Milan 2025 [the textbook must be studied in its entirety]
- F. Santangelo, Roma repubblicana. Una storia in quaranta vite, Carocci, 2019: Any five biographies of choice
Part C:
- Tommaso Gnoli, Dai Severi alla crisi del III secolo, in Storia d'Europa e del Mediterraneo, Vol. III L'ecumene romana (a cura di G. Traina), Roma 2009, pp. 165-222 (the article will be made available on the course's MyAriel page).
- Andrea Giardina, Esplosione di tardoantico, "Studi Storici" 40 (1999), pp. 157-180 (the article will be made available on the course's MyAriel page)
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam will consist of a written test (optional) and an oral examination, during which the student's knowledge and skills acquired during the course and in the subsequent exam preparation phase will be assessed. This preparation includes the study of the texts indicated in the syllabus, class notes, and texts read and analyzed during lessons.
On the one hand, the student's ability to correctly contextualize events and figures within their historical framework will be assessed through questions covering various periods of Roman history. A detailed and precise knowledge of the major themes of Roman history, specific episodes, and issues of a political-institutional, military, and social nature is required.
On the other hand, it will be verified whether the student can construct a coherent and logical discourse to present themes and issues related to Roman history within their correct historical, chronological, and geographical contexts, using appropriate and, where necessary, technical language.
At the end of the course, students will have the opportunity to take a written test in a single session, with multiple-choice and open-ended questions based on topics covered in the course textbook. Students who pass the written test may choose to accept the partial grade and subsequently take only the oral part related to the content of the lectures they attended, and the supplementary readings from the third part. The final grade will be the average of the grades obtained in the written and oral components. Students who do not take the written test, do not pass it, or choose not to accept the grade obtained will take the full exam during the oral session, where they will be examined on the entire course syllabus.
On the one hand, the student's ability to correctly contextualize events and figures within their historical framework will be assessed through questions covering various periods of Roman history. A detailed and precise knowledge of the major themes of Roman history, specific episodes, and issues of a political-institutional, military, and social nature is required.
On the other hand, it will be verified whether the student can construct a coherent and logical discourse to present themes and issues related to Roman history within their correct historical, chronological, and geographical contexts, using appropriate and, where necessary, technical language.
At the end of the course, students will have the opportunity to take a written test in a single session, with multiple-choice and open-ended questions based on topics covered in the course textbook. Students who pass the written test may choose to accept the partial grade and subsequently take only the oral part related to the content of the lectures they attended, and the supplementary readings from the third part. The final grade will be the average of the grades obtained in the written and oral components. Students who do not take the written test, do not pass it, or choose not to accept the grade obtained will take the full exam during the oral session, where they will be examined on the entire course syllabus.
Professor(s)