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GRC20080

Academic Year 2026/2027

Virgil's Aeneid (GRC20080)

Subject:
Greek & Roman Civilization
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Classics
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Martin Brady
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

When Virgil began writing his epic poem the Aeneid, Augustus was establishing his imperial rule. While Virgil's contemporaries and generations-to-come greeted the Aeneid as a celebration of Augustan Rome, many modern readers view it as a powerful denunciation of war and imperialism. This module explores the ways in which the text engages with both political ideologies and the literary tradition. The prescribed text is Virgil, The Aeneid, in the prose translation by D. West (Penguin Classics, 1990). Recommended secondary literature: R. Thomas, Virgil and the Augustan Reception (2001); C. Perkell, Reading Virgil's Aeneid (1999); P. Hardie, Virgil: New Surveys in the Classics No. 28 (1998).

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:- describe the content of Virgil's poetry; - analyse Virgil's poetry in its literary and historical contexts; - appreciate the aesthetic qualities of Virgil's poetry; - evaluate modern interpretations of the text; - evaluate the contribution of Virgil to Roman and Western literature.

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

30
Autonomous Student Learning

53
Lectures

12
Tutorial

5
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module is taught through a combination of weekly lectures and small-group tutorials. Tutorials provide an opportunity for discussion and engagement with the reception of myth in art and literature.

AI usage for this module is Red. You are not permitted to use Generative AI on this module.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

GRC10130 Ancient Rome: an introduction


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
GRC10190 - War and the Hero, LAT30120 - Virgil's Aeneid


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Essay: 2000 word essay Week 9 Graded No
30
 No
Exam (In-person): 2 hour end of trimester exam End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No
70
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Ms Lisa Doyle Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr George Prekas Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fri 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 6 Fri 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 1 Week(s) - 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 Tues 13:00 - 13:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 2 Week(s) - 2, 4, 6, 9, 11 Tues 13:00 - 13:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 5 Week(s) - 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 6 Week(s) - 2, 4, 6, 9, 11 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
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