BA Ancient History / Course details

Movement—whether physical, emotional, or metaphorical—is a central theme in Latin literature, deployed by authors to examine and describe matters of identity, cultural encounters, exile, and even their own literary endeavours. This course unit will lead students to study how Roman authors used the concept and language of ‘journeys’ to conceptualise their realities. Students will be introduced to the language and rhetoric of travelling, and the many aspects of the Roman experience that relate to it. Through close reading of a selection of prose and verse passages, we will explore the importance of mythical voyages, such as the Argo, for the Roman cultural imagination, as well as the network of relations arising from journeys, the journey of new gods into Rome (e.g., Cybele), the contrast between quick-paced urbanity and the slowness of rural retreats, escape and exile from Rome, and writing as a form of travel. Special attention will also be given to themes of place and movement within the city of Rome itself (e.g., triumphal processions, non-elite movements, the role of the Tiber). At the end of this module, students will have developed their ability to read the Latin language, and gain a deeper appreciation of an important cultural leitmotif in ancient Rome. 

Co-requisite - CAHE30111 Advanced Latin 1 (higher is fine) 

The unit aims to:

1. Explore the theme of journeys (both metaphorical and literal) through close readings of a selection of Latin texts in the original, both verse and prose, from the 1st c. BCE to 2nd c. AD

2. Improve reading of the Latin language.

3. Enhance students’ understanding of the ways in which Roman authors conceptualised the theme of travelling, both within Rome and outside of the city’s boundaries 

The weekly lectures will explore the particular conceptualisation of ‘travel’/‘journey’ of the week, and introduce the theme to the students by contextualising the week’s readings, giving guidance on approaches to the particular texts, and the lexicon employed.

The first seminar each week will be devoted to close reading of the passages of Latin texts, including issues of vocabulary, register and rhetorical devices, syntax, and scansion.

The second seminar will concentrate on wider discussion of the passages for the week, especially their place within the broader theme throughout Latin literature, including discussion of genre and the gradual building of thematic connections. The second seminar will include reading some Greek texts in translation for comparison.
Students will be given specific tasks to prepare for each seminar, including passages to be translated and analysed, as well as wider questions to be addressed.

There will be some secondary literature, but the goal will be to keep this to a minimum and should be closely directed to the theme.

• Have increased knowledge of the Latin language
• Have read a variety of Roman texts through a particular lens, and understood its cultural significance in the Roman cultural imagination
• Link together but also differentiate instantiations of a theme through different genres and texts of Latin literature

• Have increased ability to read and translate Latin
• Develop critical reflection on, and evaluation of, Latin literature
• Be able to make a reasoned argument for a particular point of view regarding literary interpretation
• Developed a basic understanding of how scansion and other technical aspects learned in Advanced Language courses can enhance literary interpretation

• Have increased ability to use library, electronic and online resources to enhance the study of Latin texts
• Being able to make contextual communication and translation choices

• Attention to detail
• Self-organisation and time-management
• Ability to construct a critically-sound argument in written form

Commentary 1 - 25%

Commentary 2 - 25%

Online exam - 50%

Commentary 1 & 2 - written feedback within three weeks

Online exam - written feedback as for other exams

Biggs, T., & Blum, J. (Eds.). (2019). The epic journey in Greek and Roman literature. Cambridge University Press.

Cioffi, R. L. (2014) ‘Travel in the Roman World’, Oxford Handbook Topics in Classical Studies (online edition)

Fitzgerald, W., & Spentzou, E. (Eds.). (2018). The production of space in Latin literature (First edition.). Oxford University Press.  

Hudson, J. (2021). The rhetoric of Roman transportation: vehicles in Latin literature. Cambridge University Press.