ARCH2091: BECOMING ROMAN: FROM IRON AGE TO EMPIRE IN ITALY AND THE WEST

• Discovering World Prehistory (ARCH1121) OR Cities in Antiquity (ARCH1131) OR Medieval to Modern (ARCH1141) OR Archaeology in Britain (ARCH1071).

• None.

• None.

• To enable students to gain a broad understanding of the archaeological information for Iron Age and Roman societies in Western Europe (e.g. Italy, Gaul & Britain).
• To examine current theories and debates about the interpretation of archaeological evidence from this region.

• This module examines the archaeological evidence for the cultural transition from Iron Age/Protohistoric communities into Roman provincial societies in Western Europe.
• The module develops a comparative and thematic approach to the social and economic reorganisation of Iron Age communities and the emergence of new cultural identities in the context of expanding Roman power.
• Key themes include colonization, urbanization, Romanization and trade/exchange.
• The module considers case studies including Italy, Gaul and Britain, documenting and seeking explanation of similarities and differences in cultural change across the Western Empire.
• Students will also consider the issues associated with the use of historical texts alongside the archaeological evidence.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• At the end of the module, the student will have:
• Developed a sound knowledge of a range of artefacts, sites, and landscapes of Iron Age and Roman date from Western Europe.
• Related this evidence to wider historical and conceptual frameworks.
• Interpreted this information within the context of recent theoretical developments.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Developed a broad range of core interpretive skills pertaining to knowledge of the Roman world

Key Skills:

• Accessing library and WWW resources
• Undertaking independent study, research and problem solving
• Preparation and effective communication of research methods, data, and arguments in written and visual form.

• The mode is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars.
• Lectures will ensure the effective communication of key information and theoretical ideas.
• Seminars will provide closer engagement with the material and its interpretation.
• The short answer section of the exam will test students' grasp of critical information, whilst the unseen essay will test their ability to evaluate current ideas and debates.
• Students' abilities to analyse data and place it in a wider framework of understanding will be assessed by the evidence-based essay.
• Research is embedded into the teaching of this module through the expertise of the lecturers and tutors. The examples and topics chosen within the curriculum will derive from the specialist research interests of the staff teaching the module. The module also enables students to explore how archaeologists produce evidence about the past, develop theories to explain it, and how archaeological evidence may subsequently be reinterpreted.
• Lectures may consist of pre-recorded videos and/or live presentations from tutors, and integrate break-out discussions, study exercises and other learning activities as appropriate to the material covered from week to week.

Formative assessment may include a range of quizzes, short answer tests and other short assignments related to the learning outcomes of the module.

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