Giving a comphrehensive panorama of Roman World in a physical and cultural stage in order to locate Roman History in Universal History.

This course will explore the history of the development of Rome from a conglomerate of some villages to a world power. It will first discuss early Rome, its kings, and the Roman Republic. Within this context archeological, literary, and artistic evidence for Rome’s foundation, its relations with the Etruscans, and its first kings will be explored. Birth of the Republic, its expansion in Italy, its wars with Carthage, and its conquest of the Mediterranean will also be discussed. Development of the Roman professional army as well as the effect that this had upon the careers of the great commanders of the late Republic will be described. Special attention will be paid to the careers of Julius Caesar and Augustus as well as the impact that their careers had upon the citizens of the empire. Next discussions will be moved to life under the first century of Roman emperors. First two imperial dynasties—the Julio-Claudians and the Flavians— will be examined and the process by which these dynasties established themselves and gradually lost legitimacy will be considered.