The objective of this course is to provide an overview of the culture of ancient Rome beginning about 1000 BCE and ending with the so-called "Fall of Rome". We will look at some of the key people who played a role in Rome, from the time of the kings through the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. We will also focus on the city of Rome itself, as well as Rome's expansion through Italy, the Mediterranean, and beyond.
2. The Francois Vase
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Reviews
EM
Aug 16, 2016
A really interesting course, very informative and a very engaging tutor. I say this as a Classics teacher who has learned lots from these lectures. Thank you, Dr. Soren!
OG
Jan 12, 2017
Fantastic course, both interesting and informative. Writing weekly essays was interesting, and peer grading was challenging. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this course!
From the lesson
The Early Romans and Their Ancestors (ca. 1000 - 500 BCE)
In the Early Iron Age (ca. 1000 BCE), civilization in Italy was rather simple. The most sophisticated cultures in the peninsula were not the Romans at all, but rather groups to the north of Rome who have come to be called The Villanovans, who exploited the metal resources of northern Italy even before the officially noted founding of Rome. Later the Etruscans would appear (ca. 800 BCE), Rome's first great rivals. The Etruscans were a loose confederation of city-states north of Rome who even expanded into Rome and further south, as far as Pompeii. The Etruscans are particularly noted for their magnificent art, in particular the glorious painted tombs of Tarquinia.
Taught By
David Soren
Regents Professor of Classics and Anthropology