CL3NH: History, Culture and Society in the time of Nero

Module code: CL3NH

Module provider: Classics; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Andreas Gavrielatos, email: a.gavrielatos@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Nero’s personality has inspired the arts for centuries and has been one of the most influential figures of Roman history and through its reception of the modern world as well. Himself a poet and Hellenophile, he’s better known as a maniac, the one who burnt Rome and condemned writers and philosophers to death. He has been extensively portrayed in literature with abundant references in poetry, historiography etc. Moreover, his idiosyncratic character has provoked a series of anecdotes, micro-histories and rumours that  survived until later times and shaped his legacy with modern depictions of his rule and personality in literature and movies. In this module we will try to explain whether Nero’s legacy as a cruel leader reflects his true self or it is a biased image based on exaggerated portrayals by his contemporaries. By doing so, we will attempt to understand how contemporary Romans experienced his rule and affected his later memory. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Identify and analyse appropriate sources for the purpose of understanding the ancient world and their historical-political context
2. Collect historical data to relate them with and address diachronic political and social issues, such as oppression, mass culture, freedom of speech, resistance
3. Distinguish biases in historiography, different perspectives of authors, the philosophical and the poetic principles that affect one’s evaluation, presentation and narration of events, views and perceptions of common people and lower social strata, the power of personal propaganda and the use of the image and tradition for these purpose
4. Demonstrate independence of mind and initiative; intellectual integrity and maturity; the ability to develop and sustain scholarly arguments in written form, by formulating appropriate questions and utilising relevant evidence

Module content

In this module, we attempt to tackle the ancient sources for Nero’s reign (AD 54-68), examine and evaluate literary, archaeological, and epigraphic sources, and use the collected data to understand and interpret the impact of his rule. We will address among others the issues of freedom of speech, resistance, and propaganda, and we will examine how political and social situations affect cultural developments. The main primary sources will be the works of Suetonius, Tacitus, Cassius Dio, and Seneca, with parallel extracts from Lucan, Persius, and Petronius. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module comprises two contact hours per week in lectures and regular meetings with the module convenor. The lectures will include powerpoint presentations and videos. The assessment will involve two short reports (500 words) in weeks 5 and 7 with applied feedback and an essay submitted at the end of term. 

Study hours

At least 20 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

A short written assignment (short essay – 500 words) to be submitted in Week 4 of Semester 1. 

Reassessment

Additional costs