Rome is a city that fires the imagination. It is the city of seven hills, the city where all roads lead, the capital of the world (caput mundi). It has been the seat of emperors and popes, the site of political confrontations and bloody sieges, the destination of ambassadors, travellers, and pilgrims. It houses magnificent temples to the gods and to the Christian God, like the Pantheon and St Peter's Basilica, grandiose monuments of bloodthirsty entertainment such as the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus, and venues of political activity which have determined the destiny of individuals and states, like the Senate House and the Palatine. This course explores political, religious, and cultural transformation of Rome and its monuments from Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages and considers why the city has captivated our imagination for centuries.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- demonstrate a sophisticated knowledge of the city of Rome, its evolution, monuments, and significance, from Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages;
- think critically about the way in which politics, religion, and culture have shaped Rome;
- analyze and evaluate primary historical sources and modern scholarship;
- conduct independent scholarly research and construct logical arguments based on that research; and
- express these arguments effectively in written and oral forms.
Indicative Assessment
- Tutorial Participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,5]
- Source Analysis Exercise (approx. 800 words)
(10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5] - Tutorial Presentation (approx. 10 minutes) (10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Independent Research Project (approx. 3000 words) (40) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Final Examination (2 hours) (30) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 36 hours of contact: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorials.
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
No prescribed texts: sources and reading lists to be made available through the ANU Library/Wattle.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $4320 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $5580 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8444 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | In Person | N/A |