ROMAN HISTORY

The students will learn the correct analysis of the specific - literary numismatic, papyrological, epigraphic - sources for an objective reconstruction of the ancient and late antique world, to achieve a better knowledge of Antiquity and its complexity.

In the year 2016-2017 the students will analyze the cultural and religious changes which, at the end of a complex and difficult process, led to Late Antiquity. They will analyze the turning-point of the third century and the dynamics that led to the Constantine’s revolution. Then they will verify the new modes of power, through the different evidence and the specific bibliography, to identify new models of reference in the Late Roman Empire.

A. Silent Revolutions (3 credits).

Texts (one or two of your choice based on the number of pages for a total of 450 pp.):

- G.W. Bowersock, Hellenism in Late Antiquity, Ann Arbor 1990, pp.140.

- A. Cameron, The Mediteranean World in Late Antiquity AD 395-600, London-N.Y, 2001², pp. 251.

- C. Giuffrida - M. Cassia (a cura di), Silenziose rivoluzioni. Atti del convegno Catania-Piazza Armerina, 21-23 maggio 2015, Catania 2016, pp. 250.

B. A Christian Empire (2 credits).

Texts: (one or two of your choice based on the number of pages for a total of 300 pp.):

- K. Holum, Theodosian Empresses. Women and Imperial Dominion in Late Antiquity, Berkeley 1982, pp. 1-220.

- P. Brown, Power and Persuasion in Late Antiquity. Towards a Christian Empire, Madison-London 1992, pp. 1-180.

- F. Millar, A Greek Roman Empire. Power and Belief under Theodosius II, 408–450, Berkeley-Los Angeles-London, 2007. pp. 279.

- M. Mazza, Tra Roma e Costantinopoli, Catania 2009, pp. 428.

- Cl. Giuffrida Manmana, Il potere e i suoi inganni, Roma 2013, pp. 404.

C. The Emperor and the Gods of Olympus (1 credit).

Texts (chosen according to the number of pages for a total of 150 pp.):

- V.L. Neri, Medius princeps. Storia e immagine di Costantino nella storiografia latina pagana, Bologna 1992, 384.

- A. Marcone, Pagano e cristiano, Vita e mito di Costantino, Roma-Bari 2002, pp. 228.

- G. Bonamente - N. Lenski - R. Lizzi Testa (a cura di), Costantino prima e dopo Costantino, Constantine Before and After Constantine, Bari 2012, pp. 628.