79-149 Ancient Rome: What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?
9 units, Carnegie Mellon University
The Romans are nowhere and everywhere in our world. Hundreds of years after anyone could plausibly claim to be Roman, the influence of ancient Rome is still palpable in our political institutions, religions, languages, geography, art, law, architecture, technology, and so much more. And not just in Europe. The legacy of ancient Rome can be felt in the Americas and elsewhere in the world. It affects how we think about the tension between West and East, the definitions of civilization and barbarism, and citizenship and belongingness in a multiethnic society. How did ancient Rome rise and how did it fall Did it fall at all How can a people who flourished about two thousand years ago still play a role now If ancient Romes impact is still so broad and deep, what lessons can or should we draw from the Romans This course will explore these questions by tracing the history of Rome from its mythical and actual foundations to its expansion, gradual decline, and repeated renewals. At the end of the course, students will be able to answer that memorable question in Monty Pythons Life of Brian What have the Romans ever done for us
Prerequisites: none listed
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