Required Books
[AWH] = Wallace-Hadrill, Andrew. Augustan Rome. Bristol Classical Press, 2007. ISBN: 9781853991387.
[TFXN] = Noble, Thomas F. X. Charlemagne and Louis the Pious: Lives by Einhard, Notker, Ermoldus, Thegan, and the Astronomer. Translated by Thomas F. X. Noble. Pennsylvania State University Press, 2009. ISBN: 9780271035734. [Preview with Google Books]
[JF] = Froissart, Jean. Chronicles. Translated by Geoffrey Brereton. Corrected reprint edition. Penguin Classics, 1978. ISBN: 9780140442007.
[SA] = Armitage, Simon. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Translated by Simon Armitage. Faber and Faber, 2007. ISBN: 9780571223275.
[Virgil] = Virgil. The Aeneid. Translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 2010. ISBN: 9780143106296.
Useful Reference Books
Bowman, Alan, et al., eds. The Cambridge Ancient History. Vol. X: The Augustan Empire, 43 BC—AD 69. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, 1994. ISBN: 9780521264303.
Hornblower, Simon, and Antony Spawforth, eds. The Oxford Classical Dictionary. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, 1996. ISBN: 9780199545568.
McKitterick, Rosamond, ed. The New Cambridge Medieval History, Vol. 2: c.700–c.900. Cambridge University Press, 1995. ISBN: 9780521362924. [Preview with Google Books]
Online Resources
JSTOR—The Scholarly Journal Archive, including several relevant classical studies and archaeology journals.
Lacus Curtius—Your source for Cassius Dio, Plutarch, and other ancient sources in translation, among other items of interest.
The Perseus Digital Library—A wealth of information relevant to our subject: ancient texts and translations, extensive photo archives of an impressive range of sites, and plenty of secondary material.
Internet Medieval Sourcebook—A useful on-line collection of medieval sources translated into English.
Digital Atlas of Roman and Medieval Civilizations—A wonderful series of maps and geodatabases related to multiple aspects of Roman and medieval civilization.
Readings by Session
SES # | TOPICS | READINGS |
---|---|---|
PART I: The Roman Empire in the Age of Augustus | ||
2 | Hard Power—From Octavian to Augustus |
|
3 | Soft Power—Persuasion and the Principate |
The Achievements of the Divine Augustus. [AWH] "Augustan Rome," pp. 1-42. "Augustus of Prima Porta." Photograph on Wikipedia. |
4 | Running the Empire |
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5 | Empire and the Gods |
[AWH] pp. 63–97. [Virgil] Book 6.
|
6 | Virgil's Imperial Epic | [Virgil] Book 8. |
7 | Imperial Destiny: Aeneas and Dido |
[Virgil] Book 4.
|
8 | The City of Rome and the Forum of Augustus | [AWH] pp. 43–62. |
9 | Assessing Augustus: Suetonius and Tacitus |
|
PART II: Emperors of Europe—Charlemagne and Louis the Pious | ||
10 | Overview: The Reigns of Charlemagne and Louis the Pious |
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11 | Narrating Carolingian Triumphs: The Annales Regni Francorum |
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12 | Assessing Charlemagne: Eingard's Life of Charlemagne |
[TFXN] "Einhard, Life of Charles the Emperor." pp. 1–50. |
13 | Assessing Louis the Pious, I: Thegan's Deeds of Emperor Louis |
[TFXN] "Thegan, Deeds of Emperor Louis." pp. 187–218.
|
14 | Assessing Louis the Pious, II: The Astronomer's Life of Emperor Louis |
[TFXN] "Astronomer, Life of Emperor Louis." pp. 219–302. |
15 | Imperial Epics: Karolus Magnus et Leo Papa and Ermold the Black |
[TFXN] "Ermold, In Honor of Louis, the Most Christian Caesar Augustus." pp. 1197–86. |
16 | Apocryphal Stories: Notker's Deeds of Charlemagne | [TFXN] "Notker, Deeds of Emperor Charles the Great." pp. 51–118. |
PART III: The English Empire in the Age of Edward III | ||
18 | Origins: Legendary Antecedents for English Empire |
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19 | Beginning the War: The Order of the Garter and the Battle of Crécy | [JF] pp. 37–45, 55–110. |
20 | Continuing the War: English Success, French Resurgence | [JF] pp. 111–92. |
22 | Ricardian Poetry, Edwardian Themes: Arthur's Court Reappears | [SA] pp. 1–3. |
23 | Chivalry and Empire in a Post-Edwardian World |
[SA] p. 4. Mann. "Courtly Aesthetics and Courtly Ethics in SGGK." Studies in the Age of Chaucer 31 (2009): 231–65.
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24 | Combat, Tournament, and the End of a Reign | [JF] pp. 309–15, 373–85, 402–8, and 421–71. |