Paper Topics for Roman History

Paper Topics for Roman History

• Use standard, formal English (no slang, no contractions)
• Write a good thesis paragraph and prove your thesis
• Only quote primary sources (Greek or Roman authors)
• Use the guidelines in back of course reader

1. Watch A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (twice) and then mine Plautus plays for the inspiration matter for Gelbart et al. What is the next greatest influence on FTHoWtF after Pseudolous? Read through a number of Plautus & Terrence plays to find which plays provided material and where source material was common to multiple sources.

2. Compare the biographies of Julius by Plutarch and Suetonius. Find at least four places where they differ or one completely omits a story told by another. Which one do other sources back? Why would the two authors have different interpretations for the same event?

3. After reading Suetonius and Plutarch biographies, read a few of the short biographies by Cornelius Nepos. Then compose your own biography of a Roman figure who is not already the source of a biography. (Make sure you do not make any factual errors, which is a frequent problem with wikipedia.com).

4. Watch the whole HBO Rome series and write a critical analysis of five places where HBO made a historical mistake not as a plot enhancer, but as a simple (correctable) mistake. The characterization of the politically diabolical Atia intentionally departs from history for character development, just as is Titus Pullo’s impregnation of Cleopatra. Your task is to find errors that could have been corrected without changing the plot.

5. When Romans conquered a new region and decided to occupy it, what was the process of Romanization they enacted? How did they indoctrinate the locals? A few books may help you on this – but do not quote modern authors. Atlas of the Roman World, David Potter Roman Italy, or Ina Caro The Road from the Past.

6. Numa established superstition in the guise of religion in 715 BC. How do Romans regard magic and witchcraft according to Appuleius, The Golden Ass? How did Romans handle the threat of the black arts? Do religious cults splinter their followers from mainstream religion?

7. Appuleius, The Golden Ass, is a hilarious set of stories inside stories. How does the audience read these stories? Do they make provincials look provincial, or do they express the fears and hopes of everyone? How safe is the Roman Empire at its peak? Do you get this same sense fo daily life from any other reading that survived?

8. Vergil’s Aeneid became the national epic overnight, but there are a few inconsistencies and problems never resolved in the text. Many people say Aeneas = Augustus and Turnus = Mark Antony. Evaluate this theory and express an opinion. Is Aeneas entirely admirable and a good fit for Augustus? Does Aeneas make Augustus look good or bad? And is Antony really Turnus?

9. How does Polybius differentiate Romans and Roman imperialism from other people. Scour through Polybius and find 3 or more places where he tells his audience how Rs are different because … . Analyze and explain what makes Rs distinct in his opinion. If possible express whether this supports or countermands his theory as to why Rome dominates the Mediterranean.