| Unit name | The Poetics of Civil War at Rome |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CLAS37004 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. O'Gorman |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Classics & Ancient History |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
"It is always thus: harsh fate drives Romans, and the crime of brother-slaughter; the blood of innocent Remus stains the ground" a curse on his descendents. (Horace) From the mythical fratricide which marks the foundation of Rome, to the power-struggles of the legions after Nero's death, civil war permeates the Roman imagination. This unit will look at poetry and prose accounts of mythical and historical conflicts. In particular, it will focus on the wars between Caesar and Pompey, and Octavian and Antony, which ushered in the rule of emperor Augustus. These texts present the great leaders of the civil wars clashing in epic battle, the losers of war attempting homecoming - or decent burial. They demonstrate how civil war unravels the fabric of society, destroying family relations, political identity, and the nature of virtue itself. Finally, they negotiate the question whether civil war can ever end, in actuality or in memory.
Aims:
By the end of this unit students will:
By the end of this unit students will have developed, through class discussion, their skills in close analysis of literary texts, and, through essay work and class discussion, their skills in oral and written presentation.
Seminars.
