Paganism in the Roman Empire

History 311-286
Spring 2003
Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00-5:15 pm
Hill 57
http://www.carrieschroeder.com/paganism
Prof. Caroline T. Schroeder
318 Muller
607-274-3542
cschroeder@ithaca.edu
Office Hours:  Thursday 10-11 am or by appointment

Course Description

In the ancient world, gods and goddesses were omnipresent.  In temples, dreams, and literature, people interacted with deities on a daily basis.  This course will examine the varieties of religious experience in the Roman Empire, focusing on the so-called "pagan" traditions.  We will examine classical mythology; temple rituals and cults such as the healing cult of Asclepius and the popular cult of Isis which had women priestesses; astrology; magic, including curses and love spells; the veneration of the emperor as a god; oracles and divination.

Course Objectives

Required Texts

Note:  Students should bring the assigned readings (or detailed notes) to class every day.
The following Required textbooks are available at the IC Bookstore.  ( The textbooks are also on reserve in the IC library.)
  1. Luther Martin, Hellenistic Religions
  2. Apuleius, Golden Ass (Jack Lindsay trans.)
  3. Christopher Faraone, Magika Hiera
  4. Marvin Meyer, The Ancient Mysteries:  A Sourcebook
  5. S. R. F. Price, Rituals and Power:  The Roman Imperial Cult in Asia Minor
Mary Beard, et al., Roman Religions is only recommended.
A Coursepack of required readings is available for purchase ($6) in 424 Muller.

Course Requirements

Class participation and attendance
Students should come to class prepared to discuss the daily assignments.  Assignments should be completed before class on the day on which they are listed on the syllabus.  Students should bring the assignments (or detailed notes) to class along with specific questions and topics for class discussion.  

To facilitate discussion, students must participate in the discussion board on the IC Courseware page for this class.  Students are expected to login to the discussion board before each class session and post at least one new thread about the readings for the day and respond to two post by other students.   In class and on the discussion board, all students are expected to participate in a thoughtful, well-prepared manner that is grounded in the course assignments.  Participation in class and on the discussion board will be graded by the quality of participation.  Each student may skip the discussion board four times during the semester without penalty.

All members of the class are expected to reflect critically on they ways in which they can contribute to constructive rather than destructive class dynamics.  I often call upon students and may not wait for students to volunteer themselves.  Take notes:  you will be expected to incorporate issues raised in class discussions in your papers and on your exams.

More than two unexcused absences may severely affect your grade.  Students with multiple excused absences should speak to me about a make-up assignment for their missed participation.  Unexcused absences cannot be made up.  If you must miss class, you should get notes from a classmate before meeting with me to go over missed material.  If you miss a video or other multi-media presentation in class, it is your responsibility to find and view the material on your own time.

Papers
You will write two papers based on the assignments and class discussion.  Papers will be graded on the strength of their argument and use of course materials.  Late papers will not be accepted.

Minimum requirements for the papers are:
  1. A thesis supported by evidence from primary sources and information provided by secondary sources.
  2. A minimum length of 1500 words (approximately 5-7 pages).
  3. Documentation of all facts, ideas, and quotes taken from other sources (including lecture and class discussion) using parenthetical citations.
  4. An avoidance of lengthy direct quotations from either primary or secondary sources; students instead should summarize and analyze the sources in their own words as much as possible.
  5. Correct grammar and spelling throughout the paper.
Papers will be turned in electronically to the Courseware drop box or via email.

Exams
There will be one midterm exam and a final exam on the scheduled finals day.  Exams cannot be taken early.  Exams cannot be made up unless there is an emergency.  Students in such a situation should contact the professor and their advisors immediately.

Grading

Work that violates the academic integrity policies of the College or this course will receive a ZERO and will be reported to the Dean's office.
Late work will not be accepted and will receive a ZERO.
If you experience an absolute emergency and you need an exception to my policy regarding late work, you must provide an official excuse from your advisor, dean, or doctor and make arrangements with me before the work is due.  

All assignments will be given a percentage grade based on the following grading scale:
F 0-59% expresses little accurate information and/or is not coherent, fails to answer the questions posed by the assignment, does not meet minimum assignment requirements (especially the word length)
D 60-69% demonstrates little thought; work shows effort, but the information, explanation, and conclusions are weak
C 70-79% articulates your thoughts coherently
B 80-89% explores why you think the way you do
A 90-100% reserved for excellence, when you use the material as a springboard for higher level critical thinking of your own rather than merely report information or describe what you think.  For instance:  You engage with other perspectives or counter-arguments.  You demonstrate creativity and original thought.  You step back from your own point of view to look at the pros and cons of thinking in the ways you do.

Pluses and minuses will be included on final course grades where appropriate.

Regular, critical engagement with the assignments in class and on the discussion board is required to earn a participation grade above 75%.  You will not be graded on whether or not your comments are "right."  You will be graded using the above grading scale on whether or not you completed the assignments, critically reflected on them and the issues for the class, and constructively engaged questions and ideas posed by the professor and your fellow classmates.

Final grades will be calculated as follows:
Attendance & participation: 15%
Papers: 40% (20% each)
Mid-term exam: 20%
Final exam:
 25%

Academic Integrity

Plagiarism will not be tolerated.  Students should consult Ithaca College's plagiarism and academic honesty policies at http://www.ithaca.edu/judicialaffairs/SCCAppendix.htm#AppendixII.  Students must also submit original work for each assignment in this course.  So, students may not turn in a paper that is identical to or contains portions of another paper or assignment that has already been submitted for this course.  To prevent plagiarism, I submit papers to an anti-plagiarism search engine at Turnitin.com.

Students may be removed from the course for disruptive behavior, excessive absences, plagiarism or academic dishonesty, or other activities that the professor deems unacceptable.

I encourage students to study together before exams and to discuss course materials outside of class.  Unless otherwise indicated in the assignment, no papers, exams, or other graded assignments are  collaborative; they must be completed by the individual student.  Students should use their own discretion in determining how far to take their conversations about the readings before writing their papers.

Students with questions about the academic integrity policies for this course should consult with the professor before the deadline for the assignment in question.

Course Websites and Email

All information about the course can be found at the main course homepage at http://www.carrieschroeder.com/paganism.  Hot links to important websites relevant to the course are also located there.

Additional material for students, including changes or updates to the assignments, can be found at the Ithaca College Courseware site at http://courses.ithaca.edu.  This course will utilize several features of the Courseware website, including the grading reports and discussion board.

I frequently communicate with students over email.  All students must have an active Ithaca College email account and should check their email frequently for correspondence from other students or from me.  If you have another outside email account that you prefer to use, you should forward your IC email to that address.

Schedule of Assignments 

These assignments are subject to change by the professor.  Students who miss a class should check the Courseware site (http://courses.ithaca.edu) for announcements about the course, updates to the syllabus, and handouts.  Websites, in particular, will be added as the course progresses.

Students should bring the assigned readings (or detailed notes) to class every day.

An* indicates an assignment in the Coursepack.
Tu Jan 21
Introductions
Th Jan 23
Imperial Romans and their World
Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 3-15
*Lane Fox, Pagans and Christians, 28-63
Tu Jan 28
Religion and the Founding of Rome
*Beard et al., Roman Religions, vol. 1:  167-184
Virgil, The Aeneid, selections (handout)
Plutarch, Life of Romulus (http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/romulus.html)
Th Jan 30
The People and their Gods:  Overview
Martin, Hellenistic Religions, 35-36
*MacMullen, Paganism in the Roman Empire, 18-33
*Household shrine in Beard, et al., Religions of Rome, vol. 2:  102-103
Virgil, The Aeneid, selections or Ovid, Metamorphoses, selections (handout)
Tu Feb 4
Temples, Priests, and Rituals
*Beard et al., Roman Religions, vol. 1:  184-206
*Beard et al., Roman Religions, vol. 2:  86-88, 148-152, 164-165
*MacMullen, Paganism in the Roman Empire, 33-48
Th Feb 6
Assignment TBA
Tu Feb 11- Th Feb 13
Divinations, Oracles, and Dreams
Martin, 40-48
Magika Hiera, chapter 6
*Arcana Mundi, selections
Visit the famous Oracle at Delphi at http://iam.classics.unc.edu/loci/16/16_brf.htm
Tu Feb 18
Religion and the Governing of Rome:  City & Empire
*Beard et al., Roman Religions, vol. 2:  91-93, 202-207, 213-215
Deeds of the Divine Augustus, by Augustus (http://classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html)
Visit ancient Rome at http://www.capitolium.org/eng/virtuale/virtuale.htm
Th Feb 20
The Cult of the Emperor I
Price, 1-77
Tu Feb 25
The Cult of the Emperor II
Price, 78-169
Th Feb 27
The Cult of the Emperor III
Price, 170-248
Tu Mar 4
Magic:  Prayer & Ritual
Magika Hiera, chapters 4, 7, 9
*Greek Magical Papyri, selections
Th Mar 6
No Class
(I will be at a conference.)
Paper #1 due
Tu Mar 11
No Class -- Spring Break
Th Mar 13
No Class -- Spring Break
Tu Mar 18
Magic:  Love and Hate
Magika Hiera, chapters 2, 3, 8
*Greek Magical Papyri, selections
Th Mar 20
Magic, Medicine, and the Cult of Asclepius
Martin, 50-53
Magika Hiera, chapter 5
*Greek Magical Papyri, selections
*Arcana Mundi, 141-155
Websites of temples to Asclepius TBA
Tu Mar 25
Midterm Exam in Class
Th Mar 27
Mystery Religions:  The Eleusinian Mysteries and Demeter
Martin, 58-72
Meyer, 15-46
Tu Apr 1
Mystery Religions:  The Dionysian Mysteries
Martin, 90-102
Meyer, 61-110
Th Apr 3
Assignment TBA
Tu Apr 8-
Th Apr 10
Lucius:  The Roman "Everyman"
Martin, 16-34
Golden Ass, books 1-3 (pp. 31-87)
Visit the Apuleius homepage at http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/jod/apuleius/
Tu Apr 15- Th Apr 17
Lucius and the Great Mother
Martin, 81-84
Meyer, 111-141
Golden Ass, books 4-8 (pp. 88-184)
Tu Apr 22-
Th Apr 24
Lucius and Isis
Martin, 72-81
Meyer, 155-176, 193-196
Golden Ass, books 9-11 (pp. 185-255)
Tu Apr 29
Cult of Mithras
Martin, 113-118
Meyer, 197-208, 210-221
Th May 1
Conclusions
Paper #2 due
Fr May 9
4:30-7:00 pm
Final Exam

Page last updated 1/20/03
Copyright Caroline T. Schroeder, 2003.  All rights reserved.*

*Except grading scale (based on criteria developed by Anne Burlein).