Explores the concept of empire, focusing on the Mediterranean during Classical Antiquity, including the empires of Rome, Greece, and Egypt. Along with historical case studies, grand-strategy video gaming provides tools for understanding the complexities of empire-building, maintenance, and collapse, and for exploring themes of governance, diplomacy, and military strategy.
Athena Title
Ancient Empires
Prerequisite
One 1000-level ENGL course or one 1000-level CLAS course or second year or higher student standing or permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to compare and differentiate the strategies of empire-building and maintenance across antiquity and the early modern period.
By the end of this course, students will be able to critique the interplay between historical narratives and video games.
By the end of this course, students will be able to interpret and analyze primary sources from ancient empires and appraise the ways in which in-game scenarios model historical examples.
By the end of this course, students will be able to explain the role of ideology, religion, and culture in empire-building and maintenance through both historical case studies and the mechanics of gaming narratives.
Topical Outline
I. The Concept of Empire
II. First Empires: Egypt and Mesopotamia
III. Egypt's New Kingdom and its Imperial Expansion
IV. The Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian Empires
V. The Persian Empire
VI. The Rise of the Athenian Empire
VII. The Macedonian Empire: From Alexander to the Hellenistic Successor States
VIII. The Roman Republic: Expansion and Crisis
IX. The Roman Empire: Imperial Administration and Identity
X. Ideology and Propaganda in Ancient Empires
XI. The Decline and Fall of Empires
XII. Legacies of Ancient Empires
Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes
Critical Thinking
The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.
