Classics 273: Studies in Roman Civilization
Imperial Women

Beth Severy-Hoven
Fall 2006
Macalester College

Calendar of Readings and Assignments

Week Date Reading/Assignment
1 W 9/6 Welcome and Introduction
F 9/8 Survey of the Field

1.* A basic introduction to Roman women: D. Kleiner and S. Matheson, 2000, "Introduction," in I, Claudia II. Women in Roman Art and Society. Austin., pp. 1-16 (note recommended textbook).
Note any questions that come to mind as you read - factual, theoretical, about words, institutions, sources or scholarly interpretations. What types of evidence or sources are presented?
2. An overview of the study of Roman women: Dixon, pp. Ix-xiv & 3-16.
Create a brief outline of the history of scholarship on Roman women and the contextual forces on the scholars which have affected this work. What else has gotten in the way of productive scholarship on Roman women? What is 'compensatory history'? Note any sub-specialties of the field, questions, materials or approaches that intrigue you.
2 M 9/11

Methods and Sources

1. Some thoughts on methodology: Dixon, "Reading the genre," pp. 16-25.
Explain in your own words Dixon's claim that in ancient texts "both men and women are constructions of discourse rather than real, observed actors" (pp. 16-17). List several implications of this for studying history.
2. Case Study: Dixon, "Women's Work," pp. 113-32.
3. Primary Sources: Photocopied excerpts from M. Lefkowitz and M. Fant, 1992, Women's Life in Greece and Rome, Baltimore, (#251, 319-21, 312-15, 334, 191, 198-9).
Keeping Dixon's comments in mind, what do you make of these epitaphs? What can we conclude and not conclude about these women?

Images of Spinning and Weaving, from the webpages of Professor Barbara McManus at the College of New Rochelle

W 9/13 Evidence from Inscriptions

For each, complete form "Reader's Guide to Assessing Scholarship."
1.* Mary Taliaferro Boatwright, 1991, "Plancia Magna of Perge: Women's Roles and Status in Asia Minor" in Sarah B. Pomeroy (ed), Women's History & Ancient History, Chapel Hill, pp. 249-72.
2.* Brent D. Shaw, 1987, " The Age of Roman Girls at Marriage: Some Reconsiderations" The Journal of Roman Studies, 77:30-46.
. F 9/15 Evidence from Art: Feminizing the Provinces

1. * Teresa Ramsby and Beth Severy-Hoven, "Gender, Sex and the Domestication of the Empire in Art of the Augustan Age," Arethusa 40 (2007) (forthcoming). Sent to students via email.
2. Read through the Macalester Library's Guide to Research Resources in Classics.
Begin the library worksheet designed around this article -- you will have time to complete it together in the first few moments of class. We will then discuss possible answers under the guidance of a research librarian.

Class in the Bibliographic Instruction Room in Library (second floor)
3 M 9/18

Literary Constructions of Woman and Empire

1.* Tacitus, Annals 11.1-4, 12, 26-38.
2.* Sandra R. Joshel, 1997, "Female Desire and the Discourse of Empire: Tacitus's Messalina" in J. Hallett and M. Skinner (eds.), Roman Sexualities, Princeton, pp. 221-54 (note recommended textbook).
Complete form "Reader's Guide to Assessing Scholarship."
W 9/20

Women Writing: Sulpicia the Poet

1.* Biography and Translations: I.M. Plant, 2004, "Sulpicia," Women Writers of Ancient Greece and Rome. An Anthology. Norman, pp. 106-11.
2. Carol U. Merriam, 2005, "Sulpicia and the Art of Literary Allusion," in E. Greene (ed), Women Poets in Ancient Greece and Rome, Norman, pp. 158-68 (distributed in class).
3.* Barbara L. Flaschenriem, 2005, "Sulpicia and the Rhetoric of Disclosure," in E. Greene (ed), Women Poets in Ancient Greece and Rome, Norman, pp. 169-91.
For each article, complete the form "Reader's Guide to Assessing Scholarship." In the last section, contrast the two articles - how do they differ in approach, methodology, forms of evidence? Are they mutually contradictory? Reinforcing?
F 9/22 Women and the Law

1. Constructions of women over time: Dixon, "Womanly weakness in Roman law," pp. 73-88.
2.* Overview of Augustus' social legislation: Karl Galinsky, 1996, "The Legislation on Morals and Marriage," Augustan Culture, Princeton, pp. 128-40.
How did the legislation promoted by Augustus fit into earlier legal attitudes toward women, and how did it differ? Do you think that the empire offered a different public life to citizen women than the republic?
4 M 9/25 Case Study: Agrippina the Younger

Ginsburg, chapter 1, "Agrippina in the Literary Tradition"
W 9/27 Ginsburg, chapter 2, "Visualizing Agrippina"
F 9/29 Ginsburg, chapter 3, "Agrippina and the Power of Rhetorical Stereotypes"
5 M 10/2

Discussion of Student Research Interests

Come prepared to discuss the issues you will pursue for the rest of term.
W 10/4 Academic Publishing: How Journals Work
F 10/6 No class meeting, but complete self-guided tutorial on RefWorks on- line.
6 M 10/9 Article Review Due
W 10/11 Reading & Writing Workshop: Introductions
F 10/13 Comparison of Two Articles or Book Chapters Due
7 M 10/16 Individual Meetings of Students and Professor
W 10/18 Annotated & Narrative Bibliographies Due
F 10/20 Discussion of Primary Sources

Come prepared to present to the class one of the key sources for your question and some of the challenges of using it.
8 M 10/23
. W 10/25 Source Analysis Due
F 10/27 Fall Break ~ No Classes.
9 M 10/30
W 11/1
F 11/3
10 M 11/6

Final Draft Due for Peer Evaluations

Due in my office by 12 noon. Packets for review ready to retrieved by 3pm.

W 11/8

Dsicussion of Papers in Small Groups

Come to class prepared to offer useful suggestions to the two authors whose papers are in yor packet, as well as to hear from them about your essay.

F 11/10 Getting Down to the Deadline Pizza Party
and opportunity to ask questions.
11 M 11/13 Final Draft Due for Professor Evaluation
W 11/15 Drafts returned in class. Comments on common problems.
History Lecture: Alexandria and Antioch under Rome.
F 11/17

Writing Workshop: Re-visioning your Overall Argument
12 M 11/20 Writing Workshop: Revising for Strong Prose
W 11/22

Submission to Journal Due

Electronic copy by email and hard copy due in my office by 4pm.

F 11/24 Thanksgiving Break ~ No Classes.
13 M 11/27 Establish criteria for evaluating book reviews. Look at ‘comments’ and ‘changes’ features in Word.
W 11/29 Evaluation of Book Reviews in class
F 12/1 Evaluation of Book Reviews if necessary; otherwise, viewing of episode of HBO’s Rome.
14 M 12/4 Responses to book reviews should be e-mailed to me by 5pm. You should hear soon afterwards about the acceptance of your own article. Otherwise no class meeting.
W 12/6 Individual Meetings with Professor; otherwise, no class meeting.
F 12/8 Open office hours for consulting with Professor, no class meeting.
15 M 12/11 Final Manuscripts Due
in hard copy and electronic format by 11am. Celebration in class!
W 12/13 Journal Editing and Production
If your article has been accepted, you will receive page proofs to review and approve this week.
Otherwise no class meeting.
F 12/15 Wrap Up - Course Evaluations and Last Comments

 

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Beth Severy-Hoven, Macalester College
last revised 11/28/6