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CLU33485 Latin Historians

This module focuses on the writing of history in ancient Rome. Through a close reading of texts from the middle Republic (Cato the Elder), late Republic (Sallust) and early Empire (Tacitus), we will explore the origin and development of the genre, discovering the diverse approaches and styles of the individual authors in their historical context, and understanding the ways in which history writing, public speaking and Roman politics were inextricably interconnected.
  • Module Organiser:
    • Professor Anna Chahoud
  • Duration:
    • Semester 1
  • Contact Hours:
    • 22 (one 2-hr seminar per week)
  • Weighting:
    • 10 ECTS
  • Assessment:
    • 40% coursework (oral presentation and written assignment), 60% written examination
  • Course Open To:
    • Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology; TJH Latin; Visiting

Learning Outcomes

Upon the successful completion of this module students should be able to:

  • Translate and critically analyse the prescribed Latin texts
  • Recognise and critically examine the distinguishing features of each author’s style
  • Critically discuss the content, themes and techniques of Latin historical prose
  • Situate each text in its literary and historical contexts, and comment on the relevance of these contexts for its interpretation
  • Critically discuss contemporary scholarship on classical historiography
  • Articulate well-researched views both orally and in writing