Courses

Cultus deorum: Roman religious history

Thu 10  -  12 p.m. H 11

Description:

According to a classical definition by Cicero (nat. deor. 2,28,72), the Romans defined religion as cultus deorum. According to the traditional view, this was based on an orthopractical understanding of religion, which, in contrast to the orthodoxy of book religions oriented towards correct doctrine and right belief, was primarily oriented towards correctly performed cultic acts. In recent years, dichotomous attributions like this one or the contrast between Roman state religion on the one hand and orientalising cults or mystery religions on the other have become questionable. Religious identity is rather seen as the result of ongoing processes of negotiation and interaction, especially in a society that was as socially heterogeneous as the Roman one. But can one speak of the religious offer as a ‘market place’ that, in the sense of lived religion, not only favours individual decisions about cult participation, but challenges them? How then can the binding power of religious groups be explained? Intolerance also existed in this polytheistic system, which was in principle very open to new cults. The lecture aims to describe the basic features of Roman religion and to discuss inclusive and exclusive processes along ethnic, class- or gender-specific, but also state-political lines of demarcation, which were drawn rationally and emotionally.

Literature:

Beard/North/Price 1998 = M. Beard, J. North, S. Price, Religions of Rome. Volume 1: A History. Volume 2: A Sourcebook, Cambridge 1998.

Latte 1960 = K. Latte, Römische Religionsgeschichte (HdAW 5,4), München 1960.

Linke 2014 = B. Linke, Antike Religion (Enzyklopädie der griechisch-römischen Antike 13), München 2014.

Rosenberger 2012 = V. Rosenberger, Religion in der Antike, Darmstadt 2012.

Rüpke 22006 = J. Rüpke, Die Religion der Römer. Eine Einführung, München 22006 (zuerst 2001).

Rüpke (Hg.) 2007 = J. Rüpke (Hg.), A Companion to the Roman Religion (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World), Oxford 2007.

Scheid 1997 = J. Scheid, Römische Religion. Republikanische Zeit, in: F. Graf (Hg.), Einleitung in die lateinische Philologie, Stuttgart/Leipzig 1997, 469-491.

Scheid 1998/2013 = J. Scheid, La religion des Romains, Paris 2013 (zuerst 1998).

Wissowa 21912/1971 = G. Wissowa, Religion und Kultus der Römer (HdAW 4,5), München 21912, ND 1971.

Requirements

a) E-Exam

b) Presence for Latinists and Graecists

c) Essay (Masterstudents)

New Insights in Ancient History

Thu 2 - 5 p.m. VG 0.15

The post-graduate seminar is meant for advanced students and doctoral candidates. It offers a forum to present recent research on ancient history and to discuss it in a small circle by focusing on the preparation, presentation, and discussion of qualifying theses. Those planning to write a thesis or dissertation in ancient history are cordially invited and encouraged to participate.

Requirements:

Presentation

Ancient History Colloquium

Tue 6 - 8 p.m. VG 0.15

In the research colloquium, guests of different ages and levels of qualification from Germany and abroad present current research projects. The event is intended to familiarise students with the culture of academic lectures and to give them the opportunity to meet ancient historians from different universities in person. In order to facilitate a more in-depth discussion after the lectures, we meet in the week before each lecture for a preparatory session in which a lecturer introduces thematically the context of the upcoming lecture. Students can earn a practice certificate in this seminar by discussing one of the lectures in writing.

Requirements:

Essay

The History of Emotions: Theory and Application

Wed 10 - 12 a.m. W 113

Description:

In recent years, the history of emotions has become so fashionable that some even speak of an emotional turn. How can emotions of past times become the subject of historical research? In the seminar, different theoretical approaches will be presented and discussed before they are applied to the students' respective focus eras. Based on a relevant research contribution in the respective field, each student should try out the application of corresponding theories to a specific historical topic.

Literature:

Dixon, T., “Emotion”: The history of a keyword in crisis, Emotion Review 4 (2012) 338–344.

Frevert, U., Was haben Gefühle in der Geschichte zu suchen?, Geschichte und Gesellschaft 35 (2009) 183–209.

Hitzer, B., Emotionsgeschichte – ein Anfang mit Folgen, in: HSoz-u-Kult 23.11.2011, http://hsozkult.geschichte.hu-berlin.de/forum/2011-11-001.

Lehnert, G. (Hg.), Raum und Gefühl. Der Spatial Turn und die neue Emotionsforschung, Bielefeld 2011.

Matt, S. J., Current emotion research in history: Or, doing history from inside out, Emotion Review 3 (2011) 117–124.

Plamper, J., The history of emotions: An interview with William Reddy, Barbara Rosenwein, and Peter Stearns, History and Theory 49 (2010) 237–265.

Plamper, J., Geschichte und Gefühl. Grundlagen der Emotionsgeschichte, München 2012.

Reddy, W. M., The Navigation of Feeling: A Framework for the History of Emotions, Cambridge 2001.

Rosenwein, B., Emotional communities in the early Middle Ages, Ithaca/London 2006.

Schiewer, G.L., Studienbuch Emotionsforschung. Theorien – Anwendungsfelder – Perspektiven, Darmstadt 2014.

Schnell, R., Haben Gefühle eine Geschichte? Aporien einer History of Emotions, Göttingen 2015.

Stearns, P. N. und C. Z. Stearns, Emotionology: Clarifying the history of emotions and emotional standards, American Historical Review 90 (1985) 813–836.

Requirements:

Presentation and term paper

The "new" Roman Empire in the Age of Diocletian and Constantine - Aspects of a turn of time

Mo 2 - 4 p.m. ZH 1

Description:

After a period of existential danger (the so-called soldier imperial period between 235-284 AD), the Roman Empire under the energetic emperors Diocletian and Constantine experienced a phase of regeneration and stabilisation, which was associated with far-reaching changes in state and society. At the same time, after harsh persecutions, Christianity rose to become the dominant religion and finally, towards the end of the 4th century, the state religion. The aim of the seminar is not only to outline the reign of the two emperors mentioned and the system of tetrarchy ("four-emperor rule") developed under Diocletian and the associated research problems, but also to offer an outlook on the further fate of the empire in Late Antiquity.

Requirements:

Presentation and term paper

Conflict and Polis - The Greek Origin of Politics in Discord

Wed 10 - 12 a.m. PT 2.0.9

Description:

The historical phenomenon of the Greek polis encompasses much more than the common translation 'city state' suggests. In the course of a unique process, Greek communities from the 8th century BC onwards evolved the polis and its sphere of public action that we now call 'the political sphere'. Here, free citizens (politai) acted collectively and made decisions. However, the origins of the polis are still the subject of research. Since social scientist like Georg Simmel, Lewis Coser and Niklas Luhmann emphasise the productive effect of conflict on the evolution of socio-political structures, the influence of both internal and external conflict on the emergence and the development of the polis will be examined in this seminar.

Literature:

• Th. Bonacker (Hg.), Sozialwissenschaftliche Konflikttheorien, 2005
• H.-J. Gehrke, States, in: K. Raaflaub/ H. v. Wees (Hgg.), A Companion to Archaic Greece, 2009, 395ff.
• M.H. Hansen (Hrsg.), The Ancient Greek City State, 1993
• Chr. Meier: Die Entstehung des Politischen bei den Griechen, 1980.
• L. G. Mitchell/P. J. Rhodes (Hgg.), The Development of the Polis in Archaic Greece, 1997
• K. Raaflaub: Homer to Solon: The Rise of the Polis, in: Hansen 1993, 41–105

Requirements:

presentation and term paper

The Age of the Persian Wars (B.C. 499 - 477)

Mo 8 - 10 a.m. ZH 1

Description:

The epochal significance of the victorious Greek defence against Persian attacks in the years 490 and 480/79 BC is considered undisputed by scholars. However, the consensus dwindles as soon as one turns to fundamental questions. Such questions would be: Is the Persian attack on Greece part of a consistently pursued quest for conquest? Was this a panhellenic struggle for freedom to avoid Oriental domination? Was the development of democracy in the Greek states indispensably linked to the victory of 480/79 BC? The clarification of these problems within the framework of a basic course in ancient history naturally presupposes an in-depth study of Herodotus, the "father of history", whose work of history is closest to the events and also represents the main source. On the other hand, the parallel literary sources and - by way of example - all other source genres of ancient history (epigraphy, numismatics, archaeology) should be brought into the discussions about the conflict between Greeks and Persians.

Requirements:

Presentation and term paper

The Age of the Julian-Claudian Emperors

Mo 10 - 12 a.m. ZH 1

Description:

Compared to the reign of Augustus, the following phase of the Julian-Claudian emperors (between 14-68 AD) receives little attention in research and teaching, although this period in particular is relatively well illuminated by sources. After a long phase of civil wars, the first princeps had established the principate form of government and had left a strong mark on it through his personality. He was able to bequeath his position of power, but not his ability to steer the Imperium Romanum. Nevertheless, there are striking figures among his successors who set their accents on imperial politics in quite different ways. The topic of the proseminar will be to clarify the question of the means by which and the success with which these successors endeavoured to live up to the model of the first Augustus.

Requirements:

Presentation and term paper

Rome and Carthage in the Age of the Punic Wars

Wed 10 - 12 a.m. PT 1.0.6

Description:

After a series of three wars between 264 and 146 B.C., after disastrous conflicts and phases of existential political and economic threat, Rome succeeded within two generations in becoming the dominant power in the Western Mediterranean.

We will examine the relationship between Rome and the North African metropolis of Carthage, the struggle for supremacy in the western Mediterranean, its history and conditions. This course introduces to the critical analysis of the relevant sources and analyzes the political, social and economic conditions and consequences of the Punic Wars.

Requirements:

Presentation and research paper

Emergence, genesis and functioning of Athenian democracy (600 - 322 BC)

Wed 12 - 2 p.m. ZH 1

Description:

In the Athenaion Politeia, perhaps written by Aristotle himself or by someone from his school of philosophers, the period in ancient Athens from Solon to the reign of the Thirty (end of the 7th century to 403 BC) is dealt with in detail in the historical overview. This is followed by a detailed description of the officials and institutions of the Athenian metropolis. The work, which was discovered late in the 19th century on papyrus leaves, is thus one of the most important sources on the history and constitution of this culturally and politically important ancient polity, even for our time. In combination with other important ancient and modern research results, a well-founded picture of the genesis and character of Attic democracy will be developed in the Proseminar.

Requirements:

Presentation and term paper

Elite(s) in the Roman Empire

Wed 2 - 4 p.m. PT 1.0.6

Description:

In many cases the history of antiquity is a history ot he aristocracy, ot he rich, the famous and the beautiful. But who belongs to this elite group in the Roman Empire? This course will focus on the members ot he senatorial and equestrian classes, the old and new elites ot he Roman Empire at the transition from the Republic ot he Principate, as well as their social, economic and family networks. In addition to exemplary biographies, the conditions for affiliation and exclusion will be examined, paths of ascent and descent will be documented, and mechanisms of integration will be analyzed. The course will also take a look at the norms and values of these elites, at the ritual, performative, symbolic and aesthetic dimensions of self-assurance and self-presentation, at theoretical concepts of elite, power and domination.

Requirements:

Presentation and research paper

The Imperium Romanum in the Age of the Tetrarchy and Constantine (A.D. 284 - A.D. 337)

Wed 8 - 10 a.m. ZH 1

Description:

After a period of existential danger (the so-called soldier imperial period between 235-284 AD), the Roman Empire under the energetic emperors Diocletian and Constantine experienced a phase of regeneration and stabilisation, which was associated with far-reaching changes in state and society. At the same time, after harsh persecutions, Christianity rose to become the dominant religion and finally, towards the end of the 4th century, the state religion. The aim of the seminar is not only to outline the reign of the two emperors mentioned, but also to sketch the further fate of the empire until the death of Theodosius I (395 AD), who was able to achieve sole rule for the last time.

Requirements:

written exam

Greece and Persia (546 - 331 BC)

Block date 1 August to 5 August 2022 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT 1.0.6

Description:

The epochal significance of the victorious Greek defence against Persian attacks in the years 490 and 480/79 BC is considered undisputed by scholars. However, the consensus dwindles as soon as one turns to fundamental questions. Such questions would be: Is the Persian attack on Greece part of a consistently pursued quest for conquest? Is this a panhellenic struggle for freedom to avoid Oriental domination? And above all, how should the relationship with the Persians after the repulse of the Xerxes campaign be described and evaluated? The clarification of these problems within the framework of an ancient history proseminar naturally presupposes an in-depth study of Herodotus, the "father of history", Thucydides and Xenophon, whose historical works are closest to the events. On the other hand, all other source genres of ancient history (epigraphy, numismatics, archaeology) and their formal aspects should be brought into the discussion about the conflict between Greeks and Persians.

Requirements:

written exam

The Roman Republic in Episodes

Mo 4:30 - 6 p.m.; digital

Description:

In the narration of Roman historians, Rome emerged in 753 BC from the joining of seven Latin communities. Thereafter, the city was ruled by seven kings and only after the expulsion of the last one, a Republic was establish. Starting with the Rome of myths and the constitution of a polity, this seminar focuses on the joint reading of selected sources on characteristic episodes of the Roman Republic (such as the secessio plebis 494 BC, the Battle of the Allia 387 BC, the protest against the lex Oppia 195 BC, the Bacchanalia scandal 186 BC or even Catilina‘s conspiracy). These and other episodes will be read and interpreted in relation to various concepts and key terms (including identity and otherness, the carnivalesque, gender). Participants are expected to be prepared to deal with the methodological difficulties of interpreting ancient texts through weekly reading and to give a presentation. This seminar takes place virtually. The link will be provided in advance.

Literature:

J. Bleicken: Die Römische Republik, OGG 2, München 2012; K. Bringmann: Geschichte der römischen Republik, München 2002; H. I. Flower (Hrsg.): The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic, Cambridge u.a. 2004; N. Rosenstein/R. Morstein-Marx (Hrsg.): A Companion to the Roman Republic, Oxford 2006; E. Wirbelauer (Hrsg.), Antike, Oldenbourg Geschichte Lehrbuch, München 2010.

Requirements:

Presence, presentation

Trade and traffic in the mirror of ancient inscriptions and papyrus texts

Wed 2 - 4 p.m. ZH 1

Description:

A fascinating element of Roman civilisation is undoubtedly the road system spanning the entire Mediterranean, with a regular chain of inns, with bridges that are in part still functional today, with heavily developed trackways in the mountains. In the exercise, however, attention will not only be paid to these topics. The aspects of harbour and canal construction and the general procedure of land and sea transport will also be included in the range of topics, with special appreciation of the epigraphic and papyrological sources.

Literature:

Hans-Joachim Drexhage, Heinrich Konen, Kai Ruffing, Die Wirtschaft des Römischen Reiches (1.-3. Jh.). Eine Einführung, Berlin 2002; Francesco de Martino, Wirtschaftsgeschichte des Alten Rom, München 2.Aufl. 1991; Moses I. Finley, The Ancient Economy, Berkley/Los Angeles 21985; Hans Kloft: Die Wirtschaft des Imperium Romanum (Zaberns Bildbände zur Archäologie, Sonderbände der Antiken Welt), Verlag Philipp von Zabern Mainz 2006 Anne Kolb, Transport und Nachrichtentransfer im Römischen Reich. Klio. Beiträge zur Alten Geschichte. Beih. N.F. 2 (2000)

Requirements:

Presence, presentation

The Epitome rei militaris of Vegetius

Thu 8:30 - 10 a.m. PT 1.0.6

Description:

Literature:

Requirements:

Introduction to the Study of History

DI 10 - 12 a.m. in PT 1.0.6

Description:

The propaedeutic course serves as an introduction to the basics and to the scientific methodology of History. The course provides fundamental knowledge and skills necessary for the study of History. It introduces concepts to the critical analysis of sources and scientific literature. It also addresses strategies of research and writing.

Literature:

Budde, G./Freist, D./Günther-Arndt, H. (Hrsg.), Geschichte. Studium – Wissenschaft – Beruf, Berlin 2008; Cornelißen, Ch. (Hrsg.), Geschichtswissenschaften. Eine Einführung, Frankfurt a. M. 2009; Feytag, N./Piereth, W., Kursbuch Geschichte. Tipps und Regeln für wissenschaftliches Arbeiten, Paderborn 2006; Thieme, S./Weiß, J., Lesen im Geschichtsstudium, Opladen 2020.

Requirements:

Term paper including bibliography, literature research, source review, essay

Tutorial

Schedule will be coming soon

The Tutorial is primarily for students in their first semester. This class is intended to amplify the contents of the proseminars in Ancient History and as an aid for learning how to work scientifically, for preparing presentations and term papers. There is also a possibility for queries regarding the proseminars.

Further materials will be available on GRIPS.

Exam revision course

Thu 6 - 8 p.m. VG 0.05

An opportunity to learn together for the exams in Ancient History, if you study History for a teaching degree.