About this course: Studying ancient - as well as medieval or modern - cities basically means telling local urban stories based on the reconstruction of changing landscapes through the centuries. Given the fragmentary nature of archaeological evidence, it is necessary to create new images that would give back the physical aspect of the urban landscape and that would bring it to life again. We are not just content with analyzing the many elements still visible of the ancient city. The connections between objects and architectures, visible and non visible buildings, which have been broken through time have to be rejoined, to acknowledge the elements that compose the urban landscape. Landscape and its content are a very relevant and still vital part of any national cultural heritage. The course will introduce students to the way we have been reflecting on over the last twenty years and still are engaged with the study of the past of our cities, beginning from the most complex case in the ancient Mediterranean World: the core of Italy and of Roman Empire. On the other hand, knowledge means also preservation and defense of material remains and cultural memory. “The Changing Landscape of Ancient Rome. Archeology and History of the Palatine Hill” presents to a large public the topographical lay-out of the most relevant part of the city (according the Greek and Roman Historians Rome was founded on the Palatine). Research developed on the Palatine since the end of last century by the team of Sapienza Classical Archaeologists opened a new phase in the urban archaeological investigation and in the scientific debate about the relation between archaeological features and literary tradition as well as the “correct use“ of both kind of evidence, key issues of wide archaeological and historical significance.
Who is this class for: The course is aimed at anyone interested in the history of ancient Rome and preservation and enhancement of cultural heritage and teaches the methods and techniques to achieve it.
Created by: Sapienza University of Rome
Taught by: Paolo Carafa, Prof.
| Level | Beginner |
| Language | English |
| Hardware Req | The course requires only basic knowledge, which will be acquired by the end of the Module 1 and it can be used at different levels by specialists in Classical Antiquity, specialists involved in heritage management and/or planning of any kind of works in urban and/or rural areas, university students interested in professional development in the field of Archaeology and Tourism or merely interested public. For this reason, the course can be useful for approaching these issues even in high school and, in particular, may contribute to the orientation towards the choice of university studies. |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
From ruins to a full evidence local history (methods, procedures, tools)
As a welcome module, the course will start discussing how we can move back through time and space to draw an updated archeological chart of the Palatine, to be integrated when possible with missing or lost part of the ancient overall framework, in order to be ...
8 videos
Graded: From ruins to a full evidence local history (methods, procedures, tools)
WEEK 2
From a border land to the largest settlement in Latium (13th–9th cent. b.c.e.)
The whole story of city parts begins before the foundation of the city itself. In this module we will discuss how archaeological evidence and roman cultural memory allow to envision the faster and faster development from a number of dispersed peer communities ...
4 videos
Graded: From a border land to the largest settlement in Latium (13th–9th cent. b.c.e.)
WEEK 3
A city - ruled by kings - is born (8th – 7th century b.c.e.).
April 21st year 753 before common era. This is the day when the Romans believed their city had been founded. And they were probably right. According to the Roman foundation legend, a prince born in Alba Longa by a god and the young king’s daughter - Romulus - ...
4 videos
Graded: A city - ruled by kings - is born (8th – 7th century b.c.e.).
WEEK 4
New kings before a new State (6th – 3rd century b.c.e.).
Just one hundred and fifty years after the foundation, huts and pebble streets were substituted by more substantial buildings and paved streets. On and around the Palatine, as well as in other districts of the city, Houses and temples resting on squared blocks...
4 videos
Graded: New kings before a new State (6th – 3rd century b.c.e.).
WEEK 5
The Masters of an Empire (2nd - end of 1st century b.c.e.)
In the course of nearly three hundred years – from 509 till 202 b.c.e. - central, southern and northern Italy were conquered by the Romans and included into the Roman political organization as submitted or allied territories. Later on, year 146 b.c.e. was the...
4 videos
Graded: The Masters of an Empire (2nd - end of 1st century b.c.e.)
WEEK 6
The Capital of the Empire (end of 1st century b.c.e. – beginning of 1st century c.e.)
Year 31 b.c.e. After nearly fifty year of Civil Wars, a 32 years old man, son of a sister of Julius Caesar, defeated his last enemy. Few years later - 27 and 23 b.c.e. – Roman Senators assigned him an immense power, asking him to watch over a new era of peace ...
4 videos
Graded: The Capital of the Empire (end of 1st century b.c.e. – beginning of 1st century c.e.)
WEEK 7
The Golden City (1st – 2nd century c.e.).
Imperial Rome was much more like a contemporary metropolis than we can imagine. Urban landscape, in particular on and around the Palatine, was crowded by: luxury residences and, first among them, the Imperial Palace on the Palatine; buildings for spectacles; b...
4 videos
Graded: The Golden City (1st – 2nd century c.e.).
WEEK 8
The Golden City and her decline (3rd – 6th century c.e.)
The embellishment of the city went on for a little further. At the beginning of the 4th century, Constantine the Great, first Christian Emperor, restored the imperial palace on the Palatine and also offered in different parts of the city monumental churches to...
4 videos
Graded: The Golden City and her decline (3rd – 6th century c.e.)
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Sapienza University of Rome
Sapienza University of Rome, founded in 1303 by Pope Boniface VIII, is the oldest University in Rome and the largest in Europe.
Since its founding over 700 years ago, Sapienza has played an important role in Italian history and has been directly involved in key changes and developments in society, economics and politics. It has contributed to the development of Italian and European science and culture in all areas of knowledge.
The main campus, designed by Marcello Piacentini, was opened in 1935. It is situated close to the city centre, and is the largest in Europe - a real city within a city where teaching activities are integrated with libraries and museums as well as comprehensive student services. Faculties and Departments also carry out their activities in decentralized locations in different parts of the city. There are two other university campuses elsewhere in Lazio.
Sapienza offers a vast array of courses including degree programmes, PhD courses, one to two year professional courses, and Specialization Schools in many disciplines, run by 63 Departments and 11 Faculties.
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Great course. I'm so grateful to Prof. Carafa and his team for presenting all this wonderful material on Septimontium and Rome from the Bronze Age down to the early Christian era, including so much interesting information, so many interesting facts and artifacts uncovered since my study and visit there in 1969. The course put a lot of what I knew already in a broader, more up-to-date mix of perspectives and added a lot of valuable knowledge and ideas based on archaeological investigations to date and current scholarship. The PDFs also are invaluable for building a timeline. Thank you, Professor and your team!