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GRC20090

Academic Year 2021/2022

Roman Sculpture, Myth and History (GRC20090)

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

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module focuses on Roman sculpture from the Late Republic to the High Roman Empire. It examines ancient collection practices and the programmatic display of statues in the context of the Roman villa and monumental public spaces in the city of Rome and beyond. The module also addresses issues of style, iconography, and the relationship of Roman to Greek art. Many of the sculptures studied in this module are mythological, and the meanings contained in these myths provide an important insight into Roman elite culture. Sculpture was also used to assert cultural dominance or political power, and this course will examine how it functioned as a medium of Imperial self-promotion from Augustus to Hadrian and beyond. Modern replicas of several of the mythological statues examined in this module are on public display in the Dublin area.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:
- identify the canonical works of sculpture from the period
- analyse their iconography in terms of attributes, style, and subject matter
- evaluate the relationship between sculpture and broader cultural and political trends
- interpret the programmatic meaning of sculpture groups and collections in a variety of architectural contexts

Indicative Module Content:

Canonical works and their reception, e.g. the Laocoon and Apollo Belvedere
Collection practices, the Roman art market, and the relationship between Greek originals and Roman copies
Display practices and cultural politics in Roman villa gardens, e.g. the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum
Mythological allegory in the iconography of public sculpture, e.g. the Prima Porta Augustus, or the Altar of Augustan Peace
Public sculpture in its architectural and urban setting, e.g. narrative reliefs and statue galleries
Key themes of public sculpture in the Imperial period, e.g. dynastic legitimacy, military conquest, and cultural identity
Funerary sculpture and the social history of non-elite citizens in Rome and the provinces

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

40

Autonomous Student Learning

43

Lectures

12

Tutorial

5

Total

100


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Combines lectures and small group teaching, with a strong focus on the interpretation of visual evidence.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Essay: Coursework Essay Assignment Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No
40
No
Class Test: Slide Test Week 7 n/a Graded No
30
No
Assignment: Object Case Study Week 10 n/a Graded No
30
No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

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

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Group feedback on class test, with individual feedback on request. Individual feedback on written assignments.

Beard. M. & Henderson, J. Classical Art from Greece to Rome (Oxford 2001)
Haskell, F. & Penny, N. Taste and the Antique: the Lure of Classical Sculpture 1500-1900 (New Haven 1981)
Kleiner, F. S. A History of Roman Art (Boston 2010)
Pollitt, J. J. The Art of Rome, c. 753 B.C. – A.D. 337. Sources and Documents (Cambridge 1983)
Rutledge, S. Ancient Rome as a Museum: Power, Identity, and the Culture of Collecting (Oxford 2012)
Stewart, P. Statues in Roman Society: Representation and Response (Oxford 2003)
Taylor, R. The Moral Mirror of Roman Art (Cambridge 2008)
Tuck, S. L. A History of Roman Art (Malden 2015)
Zanker, P. Roman Art (Los Angeles 2008)

Name Role
Ms Niamh Tobin Tutor