A systematic and updated introduction to the socio-economic dynamics in the Roman world, with a special attention to the interpretation of key ancient sources and to the current scientific debate.
Course Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of Greek and Roman history.
Teaching Methods
Frontal lectures, with some seminarial activities on ancient sources and their interpretation.
Assessment Methods
Oral examination. Learning is tested through an oral examination consisting of questions of various types: - True/False questions, designed to test the student's ability to answer pointed questions related to the topics and processes covered in the lectures. - Questions requiring image and/or text recognition, designed to test the student's ability to recognize a process from a text or to recognize an image related to the course content. - Questions that ask for meaning or define specific terms, aimed at verifying the understanding of terminology used during lectures. - Questions that ask for a brief description of a historical process, aimed at testing language properties, synthesis skills, understanding of theoretical concepts. Numerous examples of exam questions are presented during lectures.
Texts
A. Marcone, F. Carlà, Economia e Finanza a Roma, Bologna, Il Mulino 2011.
I will use parts of : A. Angius, P. Arena, A. Marcone, Fonti per la storia romana. Società, cultura, economia. Roma, Carocci, 2023.
Contents
ECONOMY AND SOCIETY IN ROME 1.Primitivists and modernists. 2. Landlords and peasants. 3.Conquerors and slaves. 4.Orders and classes 5.Is Wealth Good? 6. Cash and credit. 7. Census and demography. 8. Taxes and Trade. 9. The emperor and the economy. 10. Technology and Progress. 11. War economy and state wealth. 12. War economy: the case of the Jews. 13. Plagues in the Greek and Roman world 14. The Late Antique Period 15. Economic crisis and imperial intervention. 16. The Fall of the Empire 17. Discussion of sources 18. Discussion of sources and general revision for the exam
