The Grand Strategy of the Roman Principate
In this one time social studies lecture, students will be given a brief overview of how the Roman Principate functioned regarding its military policy.
What's included
1 live meeting
35 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
We will be going over the military strategy of the Roman Empire from the reign of Augustus to roughly 69 AD. This is not an in-depth analysis, but rather a survey of key details, dates, and ideas so that students are provided a strong foundation to build on. Our class will be structured around a powerpoint with numerous maps and illustrations with multiple pauses for questions, comments, and exciting discussions about (but not limited to); 1. The invasion of Britain in 43 AD 2. The rise of Augustus and what that meant for Rome 3. The Julio-Claudian dynasty and why they were so successful for so long Preexisting knowledge of the Romans, while helpful, is not required.
Learning Goals
Students will learn about this immensely impressive system devised by Augustus and his successors. Studying the ancient Romans is important because their society in so many ways remains the foundation of our own societies the westRome was a constantly warring and expanding culture, so no discussion is complete without at least some time spent to how it operated militarily.
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
We will be leaning heavily on Edward N. Luttwak's work, "The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire", first published in 1977. It remains a foundational work on the subject, and is readily available online. While challenged in recent years by modern scholarship, I believe the book still holds its own very well and contains much relevant information on actual military policy as best we can understand it separated from the Romans by over 1,000 years.
Furthermore, we will be referencing briefly the chief primary source written by Augustus himself during the period: Res Gestae Divi Augusti (Eng. “The Deeds of the Divine Augustus”) to better understand how the founder of the Julio-Claudian dynasty viewed his project and carefully crafted his policies, policies which his successors struggled with greatly and could not, ultimately, carry through.
Time will also be spent on less traditional primary sources. We will be looking in detail at the Augustus of Prima Porta, a statue (a copy of which is in the class thumbnail) currently in the Vatican that holds overwhelming historical significance. This statue says far, far more about the Romans than most literary primary sources do and is as close to required "reading" as one can get when studying the Julio-Claudian period. In particular we will be looking at unspoken themes and motifs that Augustus chose to promote, and what that says about the period immediately after the decline and fall of the Roman Republic.
Joined May, 2023
Teacher expertise and credentials
Hello, after several months absence I have returned to OutSchool to tutor. I have recently finished a tour in The AmeriCorps working at a small school local to Boston, and started Grad School to get my Masters of English Education while scheduling in time to take my MTEL exams and apply for a Fulbright Scholarship. Academics are important to me, and I love learning so much I’d like to help you learn something, too! Apart from all that, my academic credentials include;
A TEFL certification
Membership to The Golden Key International Honors Society
Membership to The History National Honors Society
A Bachelor Cum Laude in English and a minor in History
My teaching values are that everyone deserves the fair chance to learn and grow as a person, and I would like very much to help you along that process and give you the tools you need to succeed in a fun, relaxed environment where everyone is equals in their search for knowledge!
If my schedule does not line up with yours, please do not hesitate to reach out! I am more than willing to work with you to try and find a learning time that best suits your needs.Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$14
per classMeets once
35 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 14-18
3-4 learners per class
