Undergraduate Course: Tiberius, the "Reluctant Princeps" (CLTR10033)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Tiberius the second Princeps, the tyrannical figure, the hesitant and secretive individual. Who was Tiberius? In the transition between republic and autocracy, Tiberius' accession (AD 14) marks a crucial moment which deserves more attention. This course aims at investigating the history of the first hereditary Princeps, his enigmatic character, the works of literature emerged in his time, and reflect on the development of his reputation throughout the ages. |
| Course description |
In the course students are trained to combine close reading of the sources with broad class discussions. The works considered are Augustan sources (e.g. Ovid) and the two almost complete books of historiographical nature that emerged under Tiberius' rule, Velleius Paterculus' universal history from the aftermath of the Trojan war to the reign of Tiberius and Valerius Maximus' Facta et dicta memorabilia, a nine-book collection of more than a thousand exempla. Their portrayal of Augustus' later years and of Tiberius is compared to other (near) contemporary sources such as Seneca the Elder's declamations, Phaedrus' Fables, and it is informed by coinage and documents (e.g. the exceptionalSenatus Consultum de Cn. PisonePatre) and works originated in non-Roman contexts (Josephus, Philo of Alexandria). The core of Tiberius' portrayal is seen in Tacitus' Annals, Suetonius' biography of Tiberius, and Cassius Dio's Roman History. Students are exposed to a wide array of texts and not limited to the canonical sources on Tiberius and are thus trained to think across literary genres, epochs, and socio-cultural contexts and to deep their knowledge of the various authors' style, themes, and narrative techniques.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should usually have at least 3 courses in Classics, History or Archaeologyat grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses.
** as numbers are limited, visiting students should contact the Visiting Student Office directly for admission to this course ** |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 22 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
60 %,
Coursework
40 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework:
3000 word essay (40%)
Exam:
Two hour exam (60%) |
| Feedback |
Students will receive feedback on their coursework, and will have the opportunity to discuss that feedback further with the Course Organiser during their published office hours for this course or by appointment. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | :120 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Investigate Tiberius' fundamental role in the development of the monarchy and a time of succession.
- Analyse and reflect on the role of other important individuals linked to his accession and government such as Livia, Germanicus, and Sejanus.
- Compare contemporary, later, and modern sources on Tiberius to reflect on how the past and its protagonists are remembered and their memory repurposed in later ages.
- Learn to think across literary genres and media to see how different genres and media affect historical writing.
- Reflect on how the legacy of a historical figure such as Tiberius is created and why and how his portrayal made by influential authors affected subsequent representation.
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Reading List
Bloomer, W. M. (1992), Valerius Maximus and the Rhetoric of the New Nobility, London.
Champlin, E. (2011), 'Tiberius and the Heavenly Twins', Journal of Roman Studies 101, 73-99.
Champlin, E. (2012), 'Sejanus Augustus', Chiron 42, 359-386.
Cooley, A.E. (2023), The Senatus Consultum De Cn. PisonePatre: Text, Translation, and Commentary, Cambridge.
Cowan, E. (2016), 'Contesting clementia: the rhetoric of severitas in Tiberian Rome before and after the trial of ClutoriusPriscus', Journal of Roman Studies 106, 77-101.
Hillard, T. (2011), 'Velleius 2.124.2 and the Reluctant Princeps: the Evolution of Roman Perceptions of Leadership', in E. Cowan (ed.), Velleius Paterculus: Making History, Swansea, 219-252.
Levick, B. (1999), Tiberius the Politician, London.
Slavazzi, F., Torre, C. (2016), eds., Intorno a Tiberio. Indagini iconografiche e letterarie sul Principe e la sua epoca, Firenze.
Vervaet, F.J. (2020), 'Subsidia dominationi: The Early Careers of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Nero Claudius Drusus Revisited', Klio 102, 121-201.
Woodman, A. J. (1977), Velleius Paterculus. The Tiberian Narrative (2.94-131), Cambridge.
Woodman, A. J. (1989), 'Tacitus' Obituary of Tiberius', Classical Quarterly 39, 197-205.
Woodman, A.J. (2018), The Annals of Tacitus: Book 4, Cambridge. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Collect, evaluate, compare ancient texts of different genres and familiarise oneself with less known sources.
Reflect on a time of transition and on one of its main protagonists; make sense of how the portrayal of the emperor Tiberius and other members of his family were transmitted and repurposed.
Summarise, interpret, and critique the work of scholars by competent use of major theoretical perspectives and concepts in ancient history and classical literature.
Analyse and argue in weekly seminar presentations about a topic of choice; ability to work in team and exchange productively ideas with peers in class and during group presentations. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Viola Periti
Tel:
Email: vperiti@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Ksenia Gorlatova
Tel: (0131 6)50 8349
Email: Ksenia.Gorlatova@ed.ac.uk |
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