Admission requirements
This course is part of the (Res)MA History Programme. Students from within the specialization the course belongs to have right of way. It is not accessible for BA students.
Description
Shock and awe – this is what the first encounters with northern barbarians caused to Roman hearts, minds and pens. Some of the greatest battles were fought by Rome against Gauls and Germanics – at Alesia, in the Teutoburg Forest and on the Catalaunian Fields – and by no means all ended with Rome’s victory. Sure, the Celts were the first “barbarians” to “Romanize”, but what about the Germanics? Did they conquer Rome, or did Rome eventually conquer them by deeply transforming Germanic heritage so that these “barbarians” were finally able and willing to continue the idea and reality of “Rome” to carry it on into the Middle Ages? In this Literature Seminar we will study and discuss some recent publications offering new insights and concepts on Rome’s complex encounters with their Northern neighbors.
Course objectives
General learning objectives
The student has acquired:
- the ability to analyse and evaluate literature with a view to addressing a particular historical problem;
- the ability to give a clear and well-founded oral and written report on research results in correct English or, when required, Dutch, meeting the criteria of the discipline;
- the ability to provide constructive feedback to and formulate criticism of the work of others and the ability to evaluate the value of such criticism and feedback on one’s own work and incorporate it;
- the ability to participate in current debates in the specialisation;
- (ResMA only:) the ability to participate in a discussion of the theoretical foundations of the discipline.
Learning objectives, pertaining to the specialisation
The student has acquired:
- thorough knowledge and comprehension of one of the specialisations or subtracks as well as of the historiography of the specialisation, focusing particularly on the following; in the specialisation Ancient History: unification processes in the Graeco-Roman World, 400 BC – AD 400; insight into the recent large-scale debates in the field with respect to both the history of mentality and socio-economic history.
- (ResMA only): thorough knowledge and comprehension of the theoretical foundation of the discipline and of its position vis-à-vis other disciplines.
Learning objectives, pertaining to this Literature Seminar
The student:
- acquires knowledge of and insight into some recent data and positions on the culture of Celts and Germanics during the Late European Iron Age and on the consequences of their encounters with Rome during the period between 400 BC and AD 400;
- is able to place these new data and positions within the wider thematic and methodological framework of the specialisation Ancient History: unification processes in the Graeco-Roman World, 400 BC – 400 AD;
- is able to develop and present his or her own informed position on particular issues within the current academic debates on Rome’s encounters with Germanic and Celts;
- is able to assess how elements of ancient or modern depictions and discussions on “Northern Barbarians” have influenced or are influencing modern western culture.
Timetable
The timetables are available through MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
- Seminar (compulsory attendance)
This means that students must attend every session of the course. If a student is not able to attend, he is required to notify the lecturer beforehand. The teacher will determine if and how the missed session can be compensated by an additional assignment. If specific restrictions apply to a particular course, the lecturer will notify the students at the beginning of the semester. If a student does not comply with the aforementioned requirements, the student will be excluded from the seminar.
Assessment method
Assessment
Assignment 1: 6 weekly graded essays (1500 words, one on each book on the reading list)
measured learning objectives: 2, 8Assignment 2: long essay of 3000 words
measured learning objectives: 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11Class participation
measured learning objectives: 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11
Weighing
Assignment 1: 6 x 10%
Assignment 2: 30%
Assignment 3: 10%
The final grade for the course is established by determining total of assignments with the additional requirement that the final written paper (long essay) must always be sufficient.
Deadlines
Assignments and written papers should be handed in within the deadline as provided in the relevant course outline on Brightspace.
Resit
Should the overall mark be unsatisfactory, the paper is to be revised after consultation with the instructor.
Inspection and feedback
How and when a review of the written paper will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the results, a review of the written paper will have to be organised.
Reading list
We will read one of these books per session. Prior acquaintance of the books is not necessary.
M.J. Aldhouse-Green / V. McDermid, Bog Bodies Uncovered. Solving Europe's Ancient Mystery, London 2015.
P.J. Heather, The Fall of the Roman Empire. A New History of Rome and the Barbarians, New York / Oxford 2007.
C.B. Krebs, A Most Dangerous Book: Tacitus's Germania from the Roman Empire to the Third Reich, New York 2011.
A. Nieuwhof, Eight Human Skulls in a Dung Heap and More. Ritual Practice in the Terp Region of the Northern Netherlands 600 BC - AD 300, Eelde 2015.
P.S. Wells, The Barbarians Speak. How the Conquered Peoples Shaped Roman Europe, Princeton / Oxford 2021.
G. Woolf, Becoming Roman, Cambridge 2011.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For course related questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: [Huizinga] (https://www.organisatiegids.universiteitleiden.nl/en/faculties-and-institutes/humanities/faculty-office/student-affairs/education-administration-offices/huizinga-education-administration-office).
Remarks
Not applicable.