Undergraduate Course: Rome and the Caledonians (SCHI10054)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Scottish History |
Other subject area | Archaeology |
| Course website |
http://www.shc.ed.ac.uk/scothistory/undergraduate/ |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | Through a combination of archaeological and textual perspectives typical of 'Dark Age Studies', this course takes a close look at the major and often controversial developments - political, social and cultural $ú which took place in northern Britain during the era of Roman governance in Britain (AD 43-c.410). Roman military and diplomatic efforts among the 'barbarian' peoples of northern Britain, and the evidence that sheds light on them, are of considerable interest. So too are native perspectives on these efforts $ú which are not easy to ascertain $ú and the extent to which the changing social, economic and cultural patterns of life among the 'Caledonians' may fairly be regarded as consequences of contact and interactions with the Roman Empire. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | A pass or passes in 40 credits of first level historical courses or equivalent and a pass or passes in 40 credits of second level historical courses or equivalent.
Before enrolling students on this course, Directors are asked to contact the History Honours Admission Secretary to ensure that a place is available (Tel: 503783). |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should usually have at least 3 History courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses. |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Successful students will demonstrate (by way of essay and examination) a sophisticated understanding of key themes and aspects of the study of Roman Iron Age Scotland, including its native societies and cultures.
2. Successful students will demonstrate (by way of essay and examination) recognition of the potential and limitations of different categories of written and material evidence in pursuing the study of the Roman Iron Age in Scotland.
3. Successful students will produce a sound and competent essay which explores an approved research question. |
Assessment Information
Students will submit an individual essay of 3000 words and sit a two-hour Degree Examination. The final mark will be composed of the essay mark, weighted at 33% of the final mark, and the exam mark, weighted at 67% of the final mark.
Visiting Student Variant Assessment
Students will submit an individual essay, weighted as one-third of the final mark; and a take-home examination assignment, weighted as two-thirds of the final mark. |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
1. Introduction: 'Roman Scotland' vs. 'Free Caledonia'
2. Scotland at the dawn of the Roman Iron Age
3. The Romans in Britannia: issues and problems for northern Britain
4. Agricola: facts and fictions
5. Roman Scotland: the Flavian occupation and abandonment of northern Britain
6. Another brick in the Wall: limites, barbaricum and frontier policy from Trajan to Albinus
7. The Severan war: causes, courses and consequences
8. Caledonians and other Picts: society, identity and the new fourth-century order
9. Kings, Christians and the collapse of the frontier
10. The frontier zone and the myth of 'Anglo-Saxon England'
11. Concluding discussion: Rome and the Caledonians |
| Transferable skills |
- independent gathering of relevant evidence pertaining to a posed problem
- critical consideration of evidence in order to arrive at sound conclusions
- evaluating the work of others, including peers
- presenting evaluations and conclusions clearly in both written and oral form
- independent management of personal timetable, workload and other priorities in order to meet established deadlines |
| Reading list |
* Breeze, D. J. The Northern Frontiers of Roman Britain (London, 1982)
* Breeze, D. J. Roman Scotland: frontier country (London, 1996)
* Fraser, J. E. From Caledonia to Pictland: Scotland to 795 (Edinburgh, 2009), chapters 1-3
* Frere, S. Britannia: a history of Roman Britain (London, 1967)
* Hanson, W. S. and G. S. Maxwell. Rome's North West Frontier: the Antonine Wall (2nd edn: Edinburgh, 1986)
* Harding, D. W. The Iron Age in Northern Britain: Celts and Romans, natives and invaders (London and New York, 2004), especially chapters 6-7
* Henig, M. Religion in Roman Britain (London, 1984)
* MacGregor, M. Early Celtic Art in North Britain (Leicester, 1976)
* Maxwell, G. S. The Romans in Scotland (Edinburgh, 1989)
* Millett, M. The Romanization of Britain: an essay in archaeological interpretation (Cambridge, 1990)
* Ross, A. Pagan Celtic Britain: studies in iconography and tradition (2nd edn: London, 1992)
* Salway, P. Roman Britain (Oxford History of England 1A: Oxford, 1981)
* Smyth, A. P. Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80-1000 (London, 1984), chapters 1-2 |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
This is A SEMINAR COURSE. It revolves around student discussion (and often debate) in class, based on and revolving around a set reading list and several proposed discussion questions. There are NO FORMAL STUDENT PRESENTATIONS, but your contributions to the weekly seminars will be evaluated and assessed by the Tutor, who 'chairs' the discussion. There are also three written assignments aimed at evaluating your skills in analysing primary source texts, building a substantial historical or archaeological argument and assimilating the course content. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr James Fraser
Tel: (0131 6)50 4034
Email: james.e.fraser@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Clare Guymer
Tel: (0131 6)50 4030
Email: clare.guymer@ed.ac.uk |
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