Students
AHIX320 – Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
2016 – SP4 OUA
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Associate Professor Andrew Gillett
Dr Kyle Keimer
Tutor
Dr Mark Hebblewhite
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
Learn about a key period of western history, the late fourth to the late sixth centuries AD known as the Fall of Rome. This period represents the transition from the ancient to the medieval period and provides a basis for many European historical conceptions. You will focus on the dynamics of imperial rule, the collapse of the Roman frontier system, the so-called barbarian invasions and religious disputes associated with the consolidation of Christianity. You will explore these issues through documents written at the time that include political speeches and holy biographies.
All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/key-dates/
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- A grasp of the main political, economic, and religious developments of the period
- Familiarity with major sources of the period
- An introduction to methodologies and interpretative issues involved in the exploitation of sources of the period
- Written communication skills
General Assessment Information
Submission of Written Assignments:
Submission of Historical Genre Study, Research Essay, and Exam: These written assignments are to be submitted through TurnItIn via the iLearn unit website.
Policies on Written Assessment: Extensions, Late/Early Submission, Length:
Extensions can only be granted in exceptional cases and may only be sought by consulting your tutor and before the assignment is due.
Late assignment policy (Department of Ancient History)
Barring genuine emergencies, extensions will not be granted without a valid and documented reason (e.g. medical certificate), and must be arranged in advance with your tutor. Late submissions will be penalised by 2% for each day (including weekends) the assignment task is late. No assignments will be accepted after assignments have been corrected and feedback has been provided.
Assignment tasks handed in early will be marked and returned with other papers (i.e. not before the due date).
Length policy: Essays exceeding or falling short of the specified word lengths will attract a penalty: divergences of more than 10% will attract a penalty of 10%.
Disruption of Studies Policy: see under Policies and Procedures.
Passing the unit: To pass this unit, students must achieve a mark of 50 or above.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Historical Genre Study: 2,000 | 30% | Week 7 Friday |
| Research Essay | 40% | Week 12 Friday |
| Examination | 20% | Week 13 Sunday |
| Discussion participation | 10% | Throughout Weeks 1-13 |
Historical Genre Study: 2,000
Due: Week 7 Friday
Weighting: 30%
For full description, see iLearn site for the unit under “Assessment: Assessment 1: Historical Genre Study”
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Familiarity with major sources of the period
- An introduction to methodologies and interpretative issues involved in the exploitation of sources of the period
- Written communication skills
Research Essay
Due: Week 12 Friday
Weighting: 40%
For full description, see iLearn site for the unit under “Assessment: Assessment 2: Research Essay”
On successful completion you will be able to:
- A grasp of the main political, economic, and religious developments of the period
- Familiarity with major sources of the period
- An introduction to methodologies and interpretative issues involved in the exploitation of sources of the period
- Written communication skills
Examination
Due: Week 13 Sunday
Weighting: 20%
Examination: The at-home exam is two hours in duration and based on the content of the lectures, Research Activities and readings. Wider reading is also expected in preparation for the exam.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- A grasp of the main political, economic, and religious developments of the period
- Written communication skills
Discussion participation
Due: Throughout Weeks 1-13
Weighting: 10%
In weekly online discussions, students should engage with each other to discuss aspects of the weekly readings. The Tutor will moderate and guide discussions, but students should seek primarily to explore the texts together.
All students are expected to contribute to discussion in class every week, and to have prepared in advance by reading the texts for that week.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Familiarity with major sources of the period
- Written communication skills
Delivery and Resources
Lectures
Weekly lectures are available through the iLearn site for students to access.
Online Discussions
The unit will be conducted by online discussions each week of the Study Period. Your Tutor will outline the pattern of discussion but in general, note that it will be a rolling discussion: the Tutor will open a discussion topic to which students can post and respond throughout the week.
Textbook
The textbook for this unit is:
- Stephen Mitchell, A History of the Later Roman Empire, 2nd edition (Wiley Blackwell, Oxford, 2015) (a second-hand copy of the first edition will be perfectly serviceable.
Using Mitchell, A History of the Later Roman Empire:
This text-book is set as a supplement to the lectures. One chapter (Chapter 2, “The Nature of the Evidence”) is also required reading for Assignment 1: the Historical Genre Study. The examination questions will be based on information from the text-book as well as from lectures and tutorials.
The unit iLearn site lists chapters to be read in association with each of the three modules on the unit. These chapters are listed in Weeks 2, 5, and 10. Students are expected to read the chapters as self-guided reading throughout the course of each module.
The book covers the eastern as well as western half of the Roman empire, from the late third to mid-seventh centuries, and so not all of the book is directly relevant to this unit. Most of Chapter 3 (one of the two main narrative chapters) covers material prior to the time-period examined in this unit; information from this chapter will not be included in the examination, but it is useful background to the period of this unit.
Additional Resources: Students who would like to have a more detailed narrative description of the period may wish to access the following book. It was previously set as the text-book for this unit but is now out of print. Despite its age, it remains the fullest narrative account of events. As well as being available in the Library, the full text is available on a public site on the Web:
J.B. Bury, History of the Later Roman Empire, 2 vols. (1923) Available at: Lacus Curtius (Prof. Bill Thayer, University of Chicago) http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/BURLAT/home.html
Submission of Assessments
All written assignments (Historical Genre Study, Research Essay, Examination) are to submitted via Turnitin on the unit iLearn site.
Unit Schedule
Weekly schedule
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Week 1 |
Lecture: Introduction: Did Rome Fall or Was She Pushed? Discussion: Introductions |
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Week 2 |
Module I: The Emperor in the Later Roman Empire Lecture: The Later Roman Empire: How It Worked Tutorial I: Historia: Ammianus Marcellinus |
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Week 3 |
Lecture: Bishops and Emperors Tutorial II: Letters and Letter Collections: Ambrose of Milan |
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Week 4 |
Lecture: The Nature of Our Sources Tutorial III: Panegyric: Claudian |
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Week 5 |
Module II: Romans and Barbarians Lecture: Romans and Barbarians to 376 Tutorial IV: Hagiography: Constantius, The Life of St Germanus of Auxerre |
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Week 6 |
Lecture: Theodosius I and the Generalissimos Tutorial V: Chronicles: Hydatius, Chronicle |
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Week 7 |
Lecture: Alaric and the Sack of Rome (No tutorial this week) Historical Genre Study due: Friday, Week 7 |
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Week 8 |
Lecture: The Barbarian Settlements (No tutorial this week) |
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Week 9 |
Lecture: The Last Generation of the Western Roman Empire Tutorial VI: Confessio: Augustine, Confessions
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Week 10 |
Module III: The Barbarian Kingdoms Lecture: The Barbarian Kingdoms: How They Worked Tutorial VII: Confessio: Paulinus of Pella, Thanksgiving |
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Week 11 |
Lecture: Theoderic of Italy, Justinian, Cassiodorus, Procopius, Jordanes Tutorial VIII: Historia: The History of Theoderic |
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Week 12 |
Lecture: After Empire: Identity and Culture Tutorial IX: Consolatio: Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy Research Essay due: Friday, Week 12 |
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Week 13 |
Lecture: Wrap-up: 210 Causes of Rome’s Fall (No tutorial this week) Examination: Due Friday Week 13 |
Policies and Procedures
Late Submission - applies unless otherwise stated elsewhere in the unit guide
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Extension Request
Special Consideration Policy and Procedure (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration)
The University recognises that students may experience events or conditions that adversely affect their academic performance. If you experience serious and unavoidable difficulties at exam time or when assessment tasks are due, you can consider applying for Special Consideration.
You need to show that the circumstances:
- were serious, unexpected and unavoidable
- were beyond your control
- caused substantial disruption to your academic work
- substantially interfered with your otherwise satisfactory fulfilment of the unit requirements
- lasted at least three consecutive days or a total of 5 days within the teaching period and prevented completion of an assessment task scheduled for a specific date.
If you feel that your studies have been impacted submit an application as follows:
- Visit Ask MQ and use your OneID to log in
- Fill in your relevant details
- Attach supporting documents by clicking 'Add a reply', click 'Browse' and navigating to the files you want to attach, then click 'Submit Form' to send your notification and supporting documents
- Please keep copies of your original documents, as they may be requested in the future as part of the assessment process
Outcome
Once your submission is assessed, an appropriate outcome will be organised.
OUA Specific Policies and Procedures
Withdrawal from a unit after the census date
You can withdraw from your subjects prior to the census date (last day to withdraw). If you successfully withdraw before the census date, you won’t need to apply for Special Circumstances. If you find yourself unable to withdraw from your subjects before the census date - you might be able to apply for Special Circumstances. If you’re eligible, we can refund your fees and overturn your fail grade.
If you’re studying Single Subjects using FEE-HELP or paying up front, you can apply online.
If you’re studying a degree using HECS-HELP, you’ll need to apply directly to Macquarie University.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/
Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
Creative and Innovative
Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- An introduction to methodologies and interpretative issues involved in the exploitation of sources of the period
Assessment task
- Research Essay
Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- A grasp of the main political, economic, and religious developments of the period
- Familiarity with major sources of the period
- Written communication skills
Assessment tasks
- Historical Genre Study: 2,000
- Research Essay
- Examination
Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- An introduction to methodologies and interpretative issues involved in the exploitation of sources of the period
Assessment tasks
- Historical Genre Study: 2,000
- Research Essay
- Discussion participation
Problem Solving and Research Capability
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- An introduction to methodologies and interpretative issues involved in the exploitation of sources of the period
Assessment tasks
- Research Essay
- Discussion participation
Effective Communication
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Written communication skills
Assessment tasks
- Historical Genre Study: 2,000
- Research Essay
- Examination
- Discussion participation