Roman Religion: Current Issues

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

Admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth year honours in classics or classical studies and archaeology.

The study of Roman religion raises many issues which are vital to the understanding of Roman culture and ancient ritual practice generally. Significant ideological questions remain open, such as the extent to which Romans of different social levels believed in their gods and what that belief entailed. Problems of evidence, such as the difficulties of recovering and defining 'popular' religion, render the study of Roman religion more problematic, but also emphasise the operation of social and political divisions within Roman culture. The debate over the extent of religious diffusion within the provinces offers insight into the nature of Roman imperialism, which has undergone re-examination in recent years under the influence of postcolonial theory. On a more specific level, the interpretation of details of Roman religious practice, whether the ritual functions of the Vestal Virgins or the meanings of festivals such as the Lupercalia or Saturnalia, has played a central role in debates about the construction of Roman self-identity. This subject will use a series of case studies to examine these and similar issues and assess the usefulness of recent arguments and methodologies for solving the problems associated with Roman religion. Students who complete this subject should not only possess a knowledge of Roman religious practice and ideology, but be able to identify the difficulties involved in their study and the potential methodologies for overcoming those difficulties.

• possess a broad knowledge of the iconographical and literary evidence for Roman religion;
• possess a thorough understanding of the methodological problems involved in analysing Roman religion;
• be able to apply a variety of interpretative approaches to several central issues involving Roman religious practice and the intrepretation of the evidence for it in diverse media (sculpture, coinage, literature, topography, architecture).

A 750 word seminar report 20% (due during semester), a 1750 word case study 35% (due during semester) and a 2500-word essay 45% (due during the examination period).

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• be skilled in research;

• possess advanced skills of critical thinking and analysis;

• possess an ability to communicate knowledge intelligibly, economically and effectively;

• have an understanding of social, ethical and cultural context.