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Domestic Space in the Roman World: Syllabus

Term 1: Roman Domestic Architecture and Decoration

Week 1 Introduction: theories, methods, and approaches

Week 2 The Atrium House and its development

Week 3 Wall-painting

Week 4 *NO CLASS*

Week 5 Decorating the Roman House

Seminar: The Eye of the Beholder: Themes of myth and sex in the Roman House

Week 6 Reading week: Museum trip ‘Last Supper in Pompeii’ at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Tuesday, November 5th 3:30 PM

*You must make your own way to the museum, ready to enter the galleries promptly at 3:30 PM. Exhibit tickets have been paid for by the department, but you are responsible for getting to/from Oxford*

Week 7 Working from Home: Commercial Enterprises in Domestic Spaces

Seminar: Eating and Drinking in Pompeii

Week 8 Non-elite housing in Campania, Rome and Ostia

Week 9 Roman Villas and Villa culture

Seminar: Landscapes and Gardens

Week 10 Contextualing the Roman House: Space, Gender, & Identification

Term 2: Housing in Rome and the Provinces

Week 1 Republic to Empire: Housing in Rome

Week 2 Horti and palaces

Week 3 Imperial villas and display

Week 4 Non-imperial villas outside Rome

Seminar: Sculptural collections at Sperlonga and Tivoli

Week 5 Houses and decoration in North Africa

Week 6 Reading Week - no lecture

Week 7 Houses and villas in the Eastern Mediterranean

Seminar: Mosaics Decoration

Week 8: Housing in Britain: field trip to Chedworth Roman villa (tbc)

Week 9 Housing in the Western provinces: Gaul and Spain

Week 10 Housing in Late Antiquity (Split and Piazza Armerina)

 

Term 3 (TBC):

Week 1 Receptions of Roman Domestic Art from the Renaissance to the 19th century

Week 2 Revision

Week 3 Revision