Undergraduate Course: The Severans (ANHI10007)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course will look at the reigns of the Severans (AD 193-235) including Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla and their successors, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus. |
| Course description |
This course will look at the reigns of the Severans: Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla and their successors, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus. Septimius hoped to bring renewed stability to an Empire that had suffered since the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180, and we shall consider the success in the light of his own reign and that of his son. The situation deteriorated, however, under Elagabalus, and was stabilised briefly under the reign of Alexander, despite his youth. The course will consider the changes that occurred in this period, militarily, socially and politically. It will involve the inter-relation of a wide variety of different types of evidence, notably literary, epigraphic and archaeological, and the development of the skills required to interpret these in the construction of a history of the Severan age.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | A Pass in a 1st or 2nd Level Ancient History course, or equivalent experience at the course organiser's discretion. |
| Additional Costs | Approximately £20 for books. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should usually have at least 3 courses in Classics related subject matter (at least 2 of which should be in Ancient History) at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses.
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| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- an understanding of the political and social context of the Severan emperors;
- an understanding of the changes to the Roman Empire brought about by challenges to imperial power both within and outside of Rome;
- an understanding of the interaction of various sources of evidence (literary, epigraphic and archaeological) in the construction of an historical understanding.
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Reading List
Ando, C. (2012) Imperial Rome, AD 193-284: the Critical Century. Edinburgh.
Barnes, T.D. (1967) 'The family and career of Septimius Severus', Historia 16: 87-107.
Birley, A, (1988) Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. London.
Gorrie, C. (2004) 'Julia Domna's building patronage, imperial family roles and the Severan revival of moral legislation', Historia 53: 61-72.
Hekster, O. (2008) Rome and Its Empire: AD 193-284. Edinburgh.
Hose, M. (2007) 'Cassius Dio: a senator and historian in the age of anxiety', in J. Marincola (ed.), A Companion to Greek and Roman Historiography. London, 461-467.
Icks, M. (2011) The Crimes of Elagabalus: the Life and Legacy of Rome's Decadent Boy Emperor. London.
Kemezis, Adam M. (2014) Greek Narratives of the Roman Empire under the Severans. Cambridge.
Millar, F. (1964) A Study of Cassius Dio. Oxford.
Moscovich, M.J. (2004) 'Cassius Dio's palace sources for the reign of Septimius Severus', Historia 53: 356-68.
Rowan, C. (2012) Under Divine Auspices: Divine Ideology and the Visualisation of Imperial Power in the Severan Period. Cambridge.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Special Arrangements |
In order for a student from outwith Classics to be enrolled, contact must be made with a Course Secretary on 50 3580 in order for approval to be obtained. |
| Keywords | Severans / Roman History |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Sandra Bingham
Tel: (0131 6)50 6689
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Elaine Hutchison
Tel: (0131 6)50 3582
Email: |
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