Late Republican History: From Julius Caesar to Octavian Augustus (Ca. 78-31 BCE)

(A) Required Experience: 

This is a mutli-day class addressed to students who already have a background on ancient civilizations, and a special interest in the Roman History. 
N.B.: The students do not necessarily need to take first Roman Republican History (offered as another class) in order to sign up for this class. The material of Late Roman Republic is based on the works and days of Julius Caesar and Octavian Augustus. So, anyone interested in learning about these two individuals is welcomed in the classroom. 

(B) Teaching style and students interaction:

The learning process of this class is based on a combination of a power-point presentation, a lecture that asks students to participate, class dialogue, questions based on the ongoing lecture, and new ideas based on the participants. There is not one universal solution to teach. Rather I combine techniques to achieve the maximum of my strengths and of my students. Having taught so far young kids, teenagers, University students and mature learners, I know that teachers need to approach students with understanding. After all, such a small class has the advantage of making the combined technique of ppt presentation-lecture-dialogue feasible and efficient. Thanks to Zoom, engaging students and interacting with them is always possible. 

(C) Topics to be covered, and class structure: 

1st day: Intro to the turbulent Late Roman Republic - Dictator Sulla’s Legacy in the early 70s BCE 

2nd day: The Rebellion of 77 BCE (Lepidus vs Catullus) - Pompey's, and Crassus's Rise to Power – The Revolt of Spartacus (73-71 BCE)

3rd day: Pompey becomes the “Great” (Magnus) – Caesar’s Beginning of Rise to Power

4th day: Conspiracy of Catilina (63-62 BCE) – Caesar’s Consolidation of Power – “the year of consulship of Julius and Caesar” (59 BCE) – Rome and Egypt

5th day: Pompey's Extraordinary Military Mandates (Lex Vatinia in 59 BCE - Lex Gabinia Calpurnia in 58 BCE) – Caesar and the Gauls

6th and 7th day: Gallic Wars (58-51/50 BCE) – Council of Luca (56 BCE) – Lex Trebonia (55 BCE)

8th day: The turbulent elections of 53 and 52 BCE – Pompey as sole consul in 52 BCE – Julius Caesar vs the Senate (51-50 BCE) – Caesar an Enemy of the State (49 BCE)

9th and 10th day: Civil War between the Caesarians and the Pompeians (49-46/5 BCE)

11th day: Caesar's quadruple triumph in 46 BCE - Caesar’s Dictatorship (46-44 BCE) - Temple of Venus Genetrix in Rome - Ludi Victoriae Caesaris 

12th day: Assassination of Caesar (44 BCE) 

13th day: Marc Antony – Brutus – Cassius (44 BCE)

14th day: Octavian arrives – lex Titia (27 November 43 BCE) and the Birth of the Second Triumvirate – The Execution of Cicero

15th day: The Battle at Philippi (42 BCE) – The Perusine War (41 BCE) – The Treaty of Brundisium (40 BCE)

16th day: The Parthian Empire as Major Threat in the East - Marc Anthony and Armenia

17th day: The Treaty of Tarentum (37 BCE) – The End of Lepidus – Antonius and Cleopatra

18th day: The Break of the Triumvirate (36-33 BCE) - Conflict between Octavia and Marc Anthony escalates (32 BCE) 

19th day: Octavian's final victory at the Battle of Actium (31 BCE) - Octavian chases Marc Antony and Cleopatra in Egypt (30 BCE) - Death of Marc Antony, Cleopatra and Caesarion