Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The sheer quantity of information available for the frontiers of Roman Britain allows unparalleled
opportunities for archaeological analysis.

This module aims to:
• Enable students to critically investigate the archaeology of frontiers and Romano-British society.
• Develop students’ ability to work with archaeological evidence.
• Explore and assess the degree to which theories of community, ethnicity and identity can illuminate the archaeological record.

Outline Of Syllabus

This course will not only examine the fascinating structures and settlements that formed Rome’s frontier systems, the Gask Line, Stanegate, Hadrian’s Wall and the Antonine Wall, it will also investigate the remarkably diverse communities which lived and worked in their vicinity.

We will ask what archaeology can tell us of these different groups. In each case, whether discussing the diverse contingents of successive Roman garrisons or the varied civilian populations that interacted with them, we will gain rich insight into life in Northern Britain under imperial rule.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate a detailed awareness of the role of archaeology in expanding our understanding of Roman frontiers in Britain.
2. Students will learn how to work with archaeological evidence from the frontier.
3. Students will be familiar with a variety of interpretative frameworks for modelling community, ethnicity and identity.

Intended Skill Outcomes

In order to complete the module successfully, all students must demonstrate that they have developed the following intellectual skills:

Reading, understanding, critiquing historical and archaeological data.
The capacity to work with bulk finds data and to appreciate basic statistical models for numismatic analysis.
Analysing and evaluating archaeologists’ use of evidence.
Research, critical reading and reasoning, sustained discussion and appropriate presentation of the results.

All students will also develop the following key skills:
Time management
Bibliographic and library skills
Oral discussion and debate
Writing and revising analytic prose

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The structure of the course ensures that students acquire detailed knowledge of sites, with extensive experience of finds materials, with an appreciation of wider synthesis.

Lectures and non-synchronous lecture materials impart core knowledge and an outline of knowledge that students are expected to acquire and they stimulate development of listening and note-taking skills, while also providing expert orientation on a broad range of themes and issues, supplemented by the module reading list. In-person lectures will provide opportunities for dialogue, while lecture materials can be reviewed at any time across the week and revisited numerous times afterwards. In the event that on-campus sessions need to be reduced, there is the capacity to present recorded materials asynchronously and retain timetabled slots for live discussion of these materials.

Seminars will also consolidate the learning progress from lectures, lecture materials, and weekly readings by
enabling students to focus on connected issues and material in greater depth. Seminars will be student-led and
facilitated by teaching staff, and will hinge upon group discussion and debate about materials circulated in advance (for example, sets of evidence, scholarship, and questions). In the event that on-campus sessions need to be reduced, there is the capacity to hold live seminar discussions online and retain timetabled slots.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Site-based Portfolio (25% of the total mark): A portfolio exercise of 1,000 words + images that will examine a student’s ability to engage with archaeological evidence essential to understanding frontier communities of Roman Britain. The portfolio will focus on 1 archaeological site pertaining to a frontier of Roman Britain selected by the student (with ML's approval), in which the student will present an image and offer a brief commentary on the following components: 1. Site overview/summary (including a site plan); 2. concise identification and commentary on x2 discrete structures/buildings associated with the site; 3. concise identification and commentary on x2 artefacts/items of material culture from the site; and 4. concise commentary on 1 inscription that is significant to the site and/or its occupants. The bibliography will not contribute to the word count. This will test the students advanced knowledge of the frontier zone, their ability to use advanced finds recording skills (as required by PAS) and advanced skills in the reading of Roman textual sources. The assessment while summative, also acts as a feed-forward formative assessment, as the skills demonstrated in this assessment will underpin the activity of the final module essay.

Essay 3000 words (75% of the total mark): Examination of a selected frontier community. Students will be expected to evaluate a range of archaeological evidence for an agreed frontier community. This exercise will require a mastery of research agenda and the advanced skills necessary to evaluate and exploit reports, a key source of archaeological information. The community chosen is to be agreed with the module leader.

Submitted work tests intended knowledge and skills outcomes, develops key skills in research, reading and writing.

All of the assessments for this module will be submitted and marked online.

General Notes

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