Roman Nobility in the Late Republic:Social and Political Change

Pre-requisites: No requirement other than that students are expected to be at least somewhat proficient in two foreign languages.

Course objectives: By studying the ideals, mannerisms, political and social mentality of roman nobility students will be introduced to the fundamental shifts that occurred in roman society in the second and first century B.C. which led to the demise of the Republic.

Course description: Concept of roman nobility. Political actions. Career of a noble. Civil wars and the nobles. Republic and freedom - achievements of the roman nobility. Political ambition in state leaders. The dying out of senatorial families. New nobility and old nobility.

Learning Outcomes: Students will gain insight into the dealings of the upper echelons of the senate roman society; providing them with a foundation for understanding the reasons and triggers of the demise of the Roman Republic.

Literature/Reading:

• F. Muenzer, Roemische Adelsparteien und Adelsfamilien, Stuttgart 1920.
• M. Gelzer, Die Nobilitaet der roemischen Republik, u: Kleine Schriften, I, Wiesbaden 1962, 17-135.
• R. Syme, The Roman Revolution, Oxford 1939.
• Chr. Meyer, Res publica amissa: Eine Studie zu Verfassung und Geschichte der späten römischen Republik, Wiesbaden 1966.
• P.A. Brunt, The Fall of the Roman Republic and Related Essays, Oxford 1988.
• Ch. Wirszubski, Libertas as a Political Idea at Rome during the Late Republic and Early Principate, Cambridge 1950.
• E.S. Gruen, Roman Politics and the Criminal Courts, 149-78 B.C, Cambridge, Mass. 1968.
• The Cambridge Ancient History, Second edition, Vol. IX: The Last Age of the Roman Republic, 146-43 B.C, ed. J.A. Crook, A. Lintott, E. Rawson, Cambridge 1994.
• M. Gelzer, Die roemische Geselschaft zur Zeit Ciceros, u: Kleine Schriften, I, 154-184.
• E.S. Gruen, The Last Generation of Roman Republic, Berkley 1974.
• L.A. Burckhardt, The political elite of the Roman REpublic. Comments on recen discussion of the concepts "nobilitas" and "homo novus", Historia 39(1990) 79-99.