CCIV 272: Reading Roman Decadence

objectives and format

schedule

assignments

on-line resources

further reading

Roman Decadence
homepage

MPP's homepage

e-mail MPP

Classics homepage

Wesleyan homepage

Learning objectives:

Students in this course will work to:

• develop an understanding of the notion of "decadence" and its relation to popular conceptions of Roman culture.
• understand how and why Roman authors used images of decadence.
• enter into disciplined scholarly discussions, both written and oral, concerning Roman decadence.
• consider the topic of decadence in the broader context of Roman cultural history.

Course format:

Although I will occasionally deliver lectures, this course's basic mode is discussion and it requires your active participation in order to be successful and profitable. I expect you to come to class having completed all assigned reading, and any other assignments I may make.

Required texts:

• Petronius, Satyrica, trans. R. Bracht Branham and D. Kinney (University of California Press, 1996).
• In addition to the book above, the course will draw heavily on materials distributed in class, reserve materials, and on-line resources, to be accessed through the course webpage.