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Roman Civilisation

Code: 104213
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Ancient Studies OB 3

Contact lecturer

Name :
Sebastià Giralt Soler
Email :
sebastia.giralt@uab.cat

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

NOTICE: This guide has been translated into English by means of an automatic translator and may contain translation mistakes. If in doubt, the original Catalan version prevails.

No knowledge of Latin or the history of Rome is required when taking this subject, although it may be advisable to have a certain degree.

Language

Students must be willing to follow classes taught in Catalan and use written material in this language, but they can use in their work or their participation Spanish (or another close language).

Objectives

This course aims to bring students closer to the knowledge of Roman civilization in a broad sense, including mentality, private life, religion, politics, and so on, often from historical, legal, private or literary texts by Greek and Roman authors, as well as inscriptions or other archaeological remains. Original sources will be presented in a bilingual version.

Learning outcomes

  1. Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network.
  2. Critically analyse ancient sources.
  3. Identify and assess the main cultural and civilising achievements of the Roman world.
  4. Explain the main characteristics of Roman idiosyncrasy.
  5. Describe salient features of the Greco-Roman civilisation in detail.
  6. Recognise the most significant contributions of Greco-Roman thought and civilisation to contemporary thought.
  7. Preparing an oral and written discourse in the corresponding language in a proper and organized way.

Contents


  1. Introduction
  2. The society
  3. The political system
  4. Religion and beliefs
  5. The family
  6. Sexuality
  7. Leisure


The gender perspective will be introduced in all topics, especially those of the family and sexuality.


Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Exams 3 0.12 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
Classes (teacher's lessons, text comentary, students discussion) 35 1.4 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Personal study 40 1.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Visits 5 0.2 5
Students expositions (preparation) 15 0.6 1, 2, 5, 7
Expositions 7 0.28 2, 5, 7
Essay 45 1.8 1, 2, 5, 7
The activities developed by the student will be developed as follows:
  • two written exams.
  • a written essay (based on the guidance provided by the teacher) and a presentation.
Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Participation in learning activities 10 0 0 2, 3, 6
Exam 2 30 0 0 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
Essay and exposition 30 0 0 1, 2, 5, 7
Exam 1 30 0 0 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

Evaluation criteria

  • The evaluation of the subject will be based on the following evidence:
  • Two written exams (30% + 30%),
  • An essay (based on the guidance offered by the teacher) and a presentation (30%).
  • Participation in learning activities (10%).


  • Being late for an exam may mean losing the option to take it.
  • Failure to present the course essay and the presentation will prevent passing the course.
  • To be eligible for the resit assessment, students must have been assessed in at least two-thirds of the total assessment.
  • Recovery will consist of a written examination and, where appropriate, reworking of the essay.
  • With the recovery it will only be possible to recover the note of the examination and, in his case, of the essay, if they have been suspended or if they have not been able to realize by a justified cause with an official document.
  • Recovering another activity not performed at the time will only be possible for a reason that can be justified with an official document.
  • Erasmus and exchange students who request to advance an exam must present a document from their home university justifying their request.
  • In the event that the student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an assessment act, such as plagiarism or other illicit means, this assessment act will be graded with 0, regardless of the process. disciplinary that can be instructed. In the event of several irregularities in the assessment acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0.
  • Those assessment acts in which there have been irregularities (copying, misuse of AI, etc.) are not recoverable.
  • A date for an assessment activity can only be changed if the student’s absence or non-delivery of the activity can be justified with an official document.
  • The review of exams and other activities will be carried out with the teacher on the date and time determined by him and communicated to all students.
  • Students will obtain a Not assessed/Not submitted course grade unless they have submitted more than 30% of the assessment items.
This subject allows the use of AI technologies exclusively for support tasks indicated by the teacher. Other specific situations may be contemplated, as deemed appropriate by the teacher.
The student must clearly (i) identify which parts have been generated using AI technology; (ii) specify the tools used; and (iii) include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and final outcome of the activity.
Lack of transparency regarding the use of AI in the assessed activity will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade may be lowered, or the work may even be awarded a zero.
In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.

Unique assessment

The student who wants to take the single assessment must complete the following assessment activities in a single day:

Single exam for the entire course: 60%

Written essay: 30% Exposure: 10%

Recovery will consist of repeating the exam or, if applicable, the essay.

To be eligible for retake, the student must have passed all the scheduled tests.

Calendar:

  • Exams: second week of November and second week of January.
  • Deadline for submission of the essay: Thuersday, 29 October.
  • Delivery of the essay: dealine Tuesday 15 Dicember.
  • Deadline for the exposition: Thursday 7 January.


Notice: Dates on this calendar are subject to change for justified reasons.

Bibliography

Studies

  • Lesley Adkins – Roy A. Adkins, Dictionary of Roman Religion, Nova York, Facts on File, 1997.
  • Géza Alföldy, Nueva Historia social de Roma, Sevilla, Universidad de Sevilla, 2012.
  • David Álvarez Jiménez, Panem et circenses. Una historia de Roma a través del circo, Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 2018.
  • Francisco J. Andrés Santos, Roma. Instituciones e ideologías políticas durante la República y el Imperio, Madrid, Tecnos, 2015.
  • Valentina Arena et alii (ed.), A companion to Roman political culture of the Roman Republic, Newark, Wiley, 2021. Online UAB.
  • Mary Beard, SPQR. Una historia de la Antigua Roma, Barcelona, Crítica, 2016.
  • Mary Beard - John North - Simon Price, Religions of Rome, 2 vols., Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1998.
  • Stanley F. Bonner, La educación en la Roma antigua, Barcelona, Herder, 1984.
  • Keith Bradley, Esclavitud y sociedad en Roma, Barcelona, Península, 1998.
  • Peter Brown et alii, Historia de la vida privada. Vol. 1: Del Imperio romano al año mil, Madrid, Taurus,2003.
  • Eva Cantarella, La mujer romana, Santiago de Compostela, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela,1991.
  • Eva Cantarella, Pasado próximo: mujeres romanas de Tácita a Sulpicia, Madrid, Cátedra, 1997.
  • Eva Cantarella, Instituciones e Historia del Derecho Romano. Maiores in Legibus, València, Tirant lo Blanch, 2017. Online UAB.
  • Francesca Cenerini, La donna romana. Modelli e realtà, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013.
  • Paul Christesen -Donald G. Kyle, A companion to sport and spectacle in Greek and Roman antiquity, Newark, Wiley, 2014. Online UAB.
  • Alexandra T. Croom, Roman clothing and fashion, Stroud (Gloucestershire), Tempus, 2000.
  • Georges Duby - Michelle Perrot, Historia de las mujeres. Vol. 1: La antigüedad, Madrid, Taurus, 2000.
  • Peter Garnsey - Richard Saller, El Imperio Romano: economía, sociedad y cultura, Barcelona, Crítica, 1990.
  • Andrea Giardina et al., El hombre romano, Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 1991.
  • Adalberto Giovannini, Les institutions de la République romaine des origines à la mort d'Auguste, Basilea, Schwabe Verlag, 2015. < https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/37891 >
  • Patricia González Gutiérrez, Soror. Mujeres en Roma, Madrid, Despertaferro, 2021.
  • Carmen González Vázquez, Diccionario Akal del teatro latino. Léxico, dramaturgia, escenografía, Madrid, Akal, 2014.
  • Danielle Gourevitch - Marie-Therese Raepsaet-Charlier, La femme dans la Rome antique, París, Hachette, 2001.
  • Pierre Grimal, La civilización romana. Vida, costumbres, leyes, artes, Barcelona, Paidós, 1999.
  • Pierre Grimal, El amor en la Roma antigua, Barcelona, Paidós, 2000.
  • José Guillén, Urbs Roma. Vida y costumbres de los romanos, vol. I. La vida privada; vol. 2. La vida pública; vol.3. Religión y ejército; vol. 4. Constitución y desarrollo de la sociedad, Salamanca, Sígueme, 1997-2000.
  • Harriet I. Flower (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2014. Online UAB.
  • Thomas K. Hubbard (ed.), A Companion to Greek and Roman Sexualities, Newark, Wiley, 2013. Online UAB.
  • Georgia L. Irby, A companion to science, technology, and medicine in ancient Greece and Rome, Newark, Wiley, 2016. Online UAB.
  • David Johnston (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Roman Law, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2015. Online UAB.
  • Robert C. Knapp, Los olvidados de Roma: Prostitutas, forajidos, esclavos, gladiadores y gente corriente, Barcelona, Arial, 2018 (1a ed. 2011).
  • Aurora López, No sólo hilaron lana. Escritoras romanas en prosa y verso, Saragossa, Pórtico, 2020.
  • Alain Malissard, Los romanos y el agua, Barcelona, Herder, 1996.
  • Alfonso Mañas, Gladiadores: el gran espectáculo de Roma, Barcelona, Planeta, 2013.
  • María Engracia Muñoz-Santos, Gladiadores, fieras, carros y otros espectáculos en la antigua Roma, Madrid, Síntesis, 2022.
  • Javier Navarro, Así se gobernó Roma, Madrid, Rialp, 2017.
  • David S. Potter (ed.), A Companion to the Roman Empire, Williston: Wiley-Blackwell, 2006. Online UAB.
  • Jean Prieur, La mort dans l'Antiquité romaine, París, Ouest-France, 1984 < https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k3322170g >.
  • Géraldine Puccini-Delbey, La vie sexuelle à Rome, París, Tallandier, 2010.
  • Beryl Rawson, Marriage, Divorce, and Children in Ancient Rome, Canberra: Humanities Research Centre- Oxford,Clarendon Press, 1991.
  • Jean-Nöel Robert, Eros romano. Sexo y moral en la Roma antigua, Madrid, Editorial Complutense, 1999.
  • Jean Rouge, Les institutions romaines, París, Armand Colin, 1969.
  • Jörg Rüpke, A companion to Roman religion, Londres, Blackwell, 2007. online (UAB)
  • Jörg Rüpke, Panteón. Una nueva historia de la religión romana, Madrid, Akal, 2021.
  • John Scheid, La religión en Roma, Madrid, Ediciones Clásicas, 1991.
  • Jerry Toner, Sesenta millones de romanos: La cultura del pueblo en la antigua Roma, Barcelona, Crítica, 2020 (1a ed. 2012).

Texts

  • Joan Carbonell (ed.), Manual per a unes eleccions: textos antics per a un fet actual; Lleis municipals, grafits electorals pompeians, Barcelona, La Magrana, 1996.
  • Pere Villalba, Roma a través dels historiadors clàssics, Bellaterra, Servei de Publicacions de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 1996.

Encyclopedies

  • Brill's New Pauly: encyclopaedia of the ancient world, 2 vols., Leiden, Brill, 2002-. online (UAB)
  • Charles Daremberg - Edmond Saglio, Dictionnaire des Antiquités Grecques et Romaines, París, Hachette, 1877-1919, < http://dagr.univ-tlse2.fr >.
  • Simon Hornblower - Anthony Spawforth, The Oxford Classical Dictionary, Oxford, University Press, 1996.
  • M.C. Howatson, Diccionario de la literatura clásica, Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 1991.

Webs:

Software

Nothing.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed