FA 0150 Ancient Art (Fall 2007)

This course will focus on the art and architecture of ancient Rome, from its mythical and legendary foundation by the survivors of Troy and in tension with the enigmatic Etruscans, through the Republican and Imperial periods, and culminating with the legalization of Christianity by Constantine in the fourth century.  Our approach will be chronological, thus a thorough understanding of Roman history is important, and a good amount of time will be spend examining singular monuments and individuals in historical context. Through directed readings, we will also discover ancient myths and legends, as well as documents and treatises related to Roman power and everyday life, and thus connect them to specific works of art and architecture, in order to understand better the intention and reception of visual images and constructed form in the Roman world.

At the conclusion of this course, you will:

1. Possess a comprehensive understanding of how Romans perceived, utilized and appreciated works of art—in sculpture, painting, mosaic, and coins.
2. Distinguish unique stylistic characteristics and symbolism employed by individual power figures.
3. Comprehend architectural innovations and technologies exploited by the ancient Romans, and recognize their long-term impact on Western culture.
4. Have detailed knowledge of a specific monument or issue, acquired through formal analysis and research.

Fred S. Kleiner, A History of Roman Art (ISBN 0-534-63846-5) Wadsworth Publishing, 2007.

Additional textual and visual materials for this course (including terms and lists of works you will be tested on and PowerPoint presentations of class lectures); additional required readings; your grades; and pertinent announcements concerning class meetings and examinations are found at:  http://courseweb.pitt.edu

I reserve the right to modify the timing, order and content of the course schedule. It is your responsibility to attend class and be aware of any changes. Check the course website regarding any class cancellations should they become necessary due to adverse weather conditions or other situations.

Faculty Statement:

My role is to facilitate learning through lecture and clarification of specific points through questioning and discussion, whether in the classroom, during office hours or via electronic correspondence. It is your responsibility to attend class, take accurate notes and approach me with any questions and issues for clarification in a timely manner.

Attendance:

While there is no attendance policy for this course, be forewarned that most of what you will be tested on is discussed thoroughly in class. Even with the textbook, nothing replaces viewing the images projected on screen. Therefore, regular attendance is necessary to succeed in this course. In addition, as classroom discussion is expected, poor attendance will adversely affect you if it comes down to a borderline decision on your final grade.

Notes and Note Taking:

Under no circumstances do I provide notes for missed classes. It is your responsibility, if you miss a class, to acquire the lecture notes from a classmate. Class assignments and announcements are available on the course website. You may tape-record lectures as long as you inform the instructor in advance, and do not disturb others in the class.

Makeup Exams:

I give make-up exams only in cases with legitimate, documented reasons (death in the family, personal hospitalization, required fieldtrips, etc.). In such cases, inform me in advance and provide written confirmation of your absence. For serious issues, you must contact Dr. Jon Gonder’s office (269-2076, or gonder@pitt.edu) as soon as possible, and he will notify all your professors of your situation. The make-up exam must be taken within one week of the scheduled test; only one makeup exam per student will be permitted. No one can make-up the final exam, which must be taken at the scheduled time.

Late Assignments:

No extensions are granted for class assignments. Due dates are clearly noted on the syllabus at the beginning of the semester. You should begin each assignment in a timely manner and even complete assignments early. Illness or any other excuse has no bearing on the fact that your work was not turned in on time. Any assignment not turned in by the due date will not be graded, thus earning 0 points for the work. No exceptions are permitted so do not ask!

Academic Integrity:

Please read carefully the Academic Integrity Guidelines in your student handbook. They will be followed to the letter in this course. There is ZERO tolerance for cheating or plagiarism. Any time that you use another person’s words or thoughts as your own without giving them proper credit is plagiarism. Any instance of cheating or plagiarism will result in an automatic "F" (0 points) for that assignment, and steps may be taken, according to the Academic Integrity Guidelines, to receive an "F" for the course and for action leading to expulsion from the university. I will not permit re-writing any suspected plagiarized assignment.

Disabilities:

Students with disabilities who may be requesting academic accommodations for this course should notify the course instructor and Theresa M. Horner, L.P.C., Coordinator of Disability Services, as early as possible in the term.  The Coordinator of Disability Services will verify the disability and determine reasonable accommodations for the course. To schedule an appointment or to learn more about disability services at UPJ, please call ext. 7109 or visit the Academic Support Center in G-16 Owen Library.

Overall, you can earn 500 points during the semester. On this scale:

500-490 (A+)                          489-465 (A)                            464-450 (A-)

449-440 (B+)                          439-415 (B)                             414-400 (B-)

399-390 (C+)                          389-365 (C)                            364-350 (C-)

349-300 (D)                            299 and below (F)

Your grade will be determined in the following manner:

There will be four quizzes during the semester, each worth 20 points. The quizzes will cover the following areas: fundamental architectural terminology (September 11); names of Roman gods and goddesses (September 25); Roman leaders and emperors (October 9); and a geographical map of the Roman world (October 30).

There will be two exams during the semester—a Mid-Term Exam (October 16) and a Final Exam (December 10).  Each exam will be worth 150 points. The format will be essay questions drawn from class notes and readings. The final will NOT be comprehensive. I will post study guides on the course website, and facilitate online study sessions before each exam.

In consultation with the professor, each student will select a specific topic to research during the semester. You must meet with the professor during posted appointment times early in the semester, and receive approval for your topic before proceeding. These consultations will be set up beginning the week of October 1. A signup sheet for appointments will be posted on my office door the last week of September.

By November 1, everyone must submit a well-written abstract, and a bibliography of at least eight specific books and articles you plan to use for your paper (20 points). These sources would include not only articles accessible from library databases, but books found in our library or acquired through interlibrary loan. You are strongly encouraged to submit a draft of your term paper well in advance of the due date, upon which the professor will edit and make comments.

The finished term paper (100 points) must be 8-10 pages, typewritten and double-spaced.  Specific guidelines regarding technical requirements and layout are found on the course web site under “Assignments.”  They must be followed completely in order for your paper to be acceptable. Please reference the earlier passage on Academic Integrity Policy regarding issues of plagiarism. This most definitely includes "cut and pasting" passages from the Internet, which I can readily spot, so use your own words and ideas at all time, and properly note other people's contributions.

Due date for final submission of term paper: December 4.

August 28             Course Introduction

August 30             The Etruscans      

September 4          Early Rome (Kleiner, Chapter 1)                                    

September 6          Republican Town Planning and Pompeii (Kleiner, Chapter 2)

September 11        Pompeii (Kleiner, Chapter 3) * QUIZ 1            

September 13        From Marcellus to Caesar (Kleiner, Chapter 4)

September 18        Augustus (Kleiner, Chapters 5-7)

September 20        Augustus

September 25        Augustus * QUIZ 2        

September 27        Augustus

October 2              The Julio-Claudians: Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius (Kleiner, Chapter 8, pp 103-114)

October 4              Nero (Kleiner, Chapter 8, pp 115-119)

October 9              The Flavians (Kleiner, Chapter 9) * QUIZ 3     

October 11            The Flavians

October 16            Mid-Term Exam

October 18            No Class—Conference

October 23            Trajan (Kleiner, Chapter 11)

October 25            Trajan

October 30            Trajan * QUIZ 4             

November 1         Hadrian (Kleiner, Chapter 12)   

November 6         Hadrian

November 8         Hadrian

November 13       The Antoines (Kleiner, Chapters 13-15)

November 15       The Antoines

November 20       No Class—Thanksgiving Recess

November 22       No Class—Thanksgiving Recess

November 27       The Severans (Kleiner, Chapters 16-17)

November 29       Crisis of the Third Century (Kleiner, Chapters 18-19) 

December 4          Constantine (Kleiner, Chapter 20)  *Term Paper Due

December 6          Constantine and the Christianization of the Roman World

Final Exam: Monday, December 10, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.