ARA8222 : Regionality and the Fall of Rome (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Professor James Gerrard
- Lecturer: Dr David Walsh
- Owning School: History, Classics and Archaeology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
Are you interested in the 'Fall of the Western Roman Empire' and its impact in Britain? Want to learn more about the unequal and diverse societies of Late Roman Britain? Interested in who the 'Anglo-Saxons' were and what happened in the fifth century AD? Then this module might be for you.
This module covers the period from the third century crisis up until the fifth century AD. The modules aim to:
- Introduce students to the archaeology of the late Roman Britain and its regional complexity;
- Contextualise Britain’s regional complexity within the of the North-Western Provinces;
- Demonstrate the complexity and diversity of late Roman Society;
- Explore the manner in which the Roman Empire and its neighbours responded to social, economic and political pressures.
- Investigate how archaeologists and historians have explored the identities of ancient social groups.
Outline Of Syllabus
The third century saw the Roman Empire’s veneer of unity shattered as usurpers and regional emperors fought for their local interests. These competing loyalties and priorities were regularised at the end of the third century by Diocletian’s creation of the Tetrarchy, but were then subordinated to Constantine’s Empire. By the end of the fourth century the Empire was superficially unified but formally split into its eastern (Greek) and Western (Latin) halves. A century later the west was gone, replaced by a patchwork of ‘barbarian’ kingdoms and the East was beginning to follow a ‘Byzantine’ trajectory.
Understanding how the ideology of unity was created by the Empire and the complex regional, social, ethnic and economic geography of its inhabitants (in Britain especially) and neighbours is key to understanding why the Western Empire ‘Fell’. The regional patterns that were to re-emerge or coalesce after the fall of Rome would lay the foundations of Medieval Europe.
- Historical narratives and interpretive frameworks
- Military threats
- Social Inequality
- Paideia and shared values
- Material Culture and regionality
- Approaches to early medieval identity
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 56 | 1:00 | 56:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Lecture |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 5 | 2:00 | 10:00 | Practical for object handling etc |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 50 | 1:00 | 50:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Seminar / discussion sessions |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 50 | 1:00 | 50:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Jointly Taught With
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| ARA3114 | Regionality and the Fall of Rome |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The teaching methods provide students with a sounds basis of evidence, interpretation and theoretical approaches. These are developed in small group work and presentations where students explore and research issues independently and/or collaboratively. This allows students to develop their confidence, research sills and knowledge base.
Three modes of delivery are used: 1) lectures, which offer an opportunity to impart knowledge, methods and theories; 2) seminars and small group teaching exploring specific themes or sites 3) Practicals, which offer opportunities for kills and methods practice, artefact handling and discussion. These offer a diverse means of delivering the module learning outcomes and enhancing students skills.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 1 | M | 25 | 1000 words - social media (tweet, blog etc) presentations of a site or artefacts |
| Essay | 1 | A | 75 | 2500 word essay (student to select own title) |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 1 | M | 500 word formative exercise |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Written Ex 1 tests professional skills in writing for online and non-academic audiences. Students will write up to 1000 words presenting an object or site as a tweet, heritage organisation blog, and Facebook post.
Essay 1 is a research essay designed by the student on a topic of their choice.
The formative exercise will be an essay plan with short bibliography in preparation for Essay 1.
Submitted work tests intended knowledge and skills outcomes, develops key skills in research, reading and writing.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- ARA8222's Timetable