Students

AHIS342 – The Roman Eastern Frontier

2019 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Peter Edwell
peter.edwell@mq.edu.au
Level 2, Australian Hearing Hub
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
39cp at 100 level or above or (6cp in AHIS or AHST units at 200 level)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit is an in-depth study of Rome's attempts to defend itself against a resurgent Iran in the late-third and early-fourth centuries CE. Students have the chance to study both military and diplomatic history of the two great empires, as well as religious change. Archaeological evidence is used extensively to help us to reconstruct our knowledge of Roman defensive systems.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Work with and respond to the views of staff and other students in the unit in both oral and written form.
  • Plan, revise and submit written work according to schedule.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Tutorial Essay 15% No Week 2, 4 or 6
Tutorial Essay 15% No Week 8, 10 or 12
Tutorial Participation 15% No Ongoing
Major Essay 35% No Week 13
Weekly quizzes 20% No Ongoing

Tutorial Essay

Due: Week 2, 4 or 6
Weighting: 15%

You must choose one set of tutorial questions (either set 1 or set 2) for the tutorials held in weeks 2, 4 or 6 and write a 1,000-1,500 word essay which answers that set of questions. You can answer the questions separately or altogether. The essay should include footnotes/endnotes and a bibliography and should conform with the requirements of undergraduate essays in the Department of Ancient History. Footnotes/endnotes and the bibliography are not included in the word count but should not be excessive.

All papers must be submitted in class in the tutorial to which they are relevant. Internal students also need to submit this essay through turn-it-in.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Work with and respond to the views of staff and other students in the unit in both oral and written form.
  • Plan, revise and submit written work according to schedule.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Tutorial Essay

Due: Week 8, 10 or 12
Weighting: 15%

You must choose one set of tutorial questions (either set 1 or set 2) for the tutorials held in weeks 8, 10 or 12 and write a 1,000-1,500 word essay which answers that set of questions. You can answer the questions separately or altogether. The essay should include footnotes/endnotes and a bibliography and should conform with the requirements of undergraduate essays in the Department of Ancient History. Footnotes/endnotes and the bibliography are not included in the word count but should not be excessive.

All papers must be submitted in class in the tutorial to which they are relevant. Internal students also need to submit this essay through turn-it-in.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Work with and respond to the views of staff and other students in the unit in both oral and written form.
  • Plan, revise and submit written work according to schedule.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Tutorial Participation

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 15%

Contributions to tutorials will be assessed on the basis of both quality and quantity.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Work with and respond to the views of staff and other students in the unit in both oral and written form.
  • Plan, revise and submit written work according to schedule.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Major Essay

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 35%

What in your opinion were the three most important ways in which the Roman and Sasanian Persian Empires interacted from ca. AD 224-363? How did the relationship between the two empires change during this period?

The word limit is 3,000 words not including footnotes. Footnotes should not contain excessive amounts of content.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Work with and respond to the views of staff and other students in the unit in both oral and written form.
  • Plan, revise and submit written work according to schedule.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Weekly quizzes

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 20%

Weekly online quizzes will be available on the ilearn site and appear under the week heading for which they are relevant. There will be 10 quizzes in all. There is no quizz in weeks 1, 7 and 13. The quizzes require you to answer 10 multiple choice questions and there is a time limit of 15 minutes in which you are required to answer the questions. The quizzes are based closely on the material covered in the recorded lectures available online. It will be very difficult to successfully complete the quizzes without listening to the recorded lectures.

Quizzes will open on the Monday morning at 9am of the week for which they are relevant and close at 9pm on the following Sunday. Once the quiz closes it is not possible to attempt it and it is not possible for me or even IT to give you access to it. Please be aware that once you start a quiz you have 15 minutes to complete it and you may only attempt each quiz once.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Work with and respond to the views of staff and other students in the unit in both oral and written form.
  • Plan, revise and submit written work according to schedule.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Delivery and Resources

Staff Contact details

The convenor and main lecturer for this unit is Dr Peter Edwell (Level 2, Australian Hearing Hub, e-mail address: peter.edwell@mq.edu.au). 

Please note: Apart from the first lecture which will act as a brief introduction, lectures in this unit are recorded only and will not be delivered live. It is very important to listen to the recorded lectures because weekly assessable quizzes are closely based on the material covered in the recorded lectures.

Required Unit Materials

The only compulsory book for this unit is M.H. Dodgeon & S.N.C. Lieu (eds), The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars AD 226-363, 2nd edition, Routledge, London & New York, 1994. It is essential to purchase this book because it contains most of the material which forms the basis of tutorial questions and discussions. Tutorial questions and bibliographies are available in a separate document on the unit's iLearn web page.

The co-op bookshop at Macquarie has ordered some copies of this book but you may prefer to purchase it via online book stores such as Amazon or electronically in the Kindle edition. It also worth checking http://www.abebooks.com for second hand copies.  Be very careful not to accidentally purchase Volume II which is edited by Greatrex and Lieu and covers the period from 363 - 630.

Important dates

Semester Commences:           Monday, 25 February

Semester Break:                      Monday, 15 April to Friday, 26 April

Semester recommences:         Monday, 29 April – Friday, 7 June

Examinations commence:       Tuesday, 11 June

 

Lecture Times

Due to the closure of the Macquarie University train station in Semester 1, 2019 we have been encouraged to find ways in which students need not be on campus as much as they would in other semesters.  For that reason, the first lecture will be given live but all other lectures are recorded only and not delivered live. It is very important to listen to the recorded lectures because weekly assessable quizzes are closely based on the material covered in the recorded lectures.

Tutorial Times

Tutorials are live for internal students but will be run every second week in 2-hour blocks. You will have the same face-to-face tutorial hours but will only need to be on campus for these every second week. Tutorials will run, therefore, in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12.  

 

 

Lecture_1 

  

Class_01

Wed

12-14

23 Wally's Walk 105
 

All other lectures recorded only 
 

Tutorial

  

Class_01

Thursday

10-12

23 Wally's Walk 105
     

 

 

 

 
     

 

  

 

 

 Technology Used

Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone may not be sufficient.

The lectures for this unit will be recorded and the audio recordings will be available on the Echo 360 system. There is also an iLearn page for the unit which can be accessed at http://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/. Readings will be available via Leganto, Multisearch and iLearn; other digital resources may also be placed on the iLearn site.

Unit Schedule

Lecture Schedule

Week 1

Lecture 1                        Week commencing 25 February                  Introduction & welcome

Lecture 2                                                                                             Geography of the Eastern Frontier

No tutorials

Week 2

Lecture 3                        Week commencing 4 March                         Historical Background 1 (Rome)

Lecture 4                                                                                             Historical Background 2 (Iran)

Tutorial 1                         Geographical and Historical Background

Week 3

Lecture 5                        Week commencing 11 March                      The Sasanian “revolution”

Lecture 6                                                                                             Rome’s early wars with the Sasanians – Severus Alexander & Gordian III

Week 4                                   

Lecture 7                        Week commencing 18 March                      The invasions of Shapur I

Lecture 8                                                                                             The siege and capture of Dura Europos

Tutorial 2                     Early Sasanians/Roman/Byzantine sources and the SKZ

Week 5           

Lecture 9                     Week commencing 25 March                          Palmyra – 1st & 2nd centuries AD

Lecture 10                                                                                           Palmyra – 3rd century and after.

 

Week 6

Lecture 11                   Week commencing 1 April                               The Persian Wars of Diocletian and Galerius

Lecture 12                                                                                            The Strata Diocletiana

Tutorial 3                     Portrayal of Zenobia/ Sources on the wars of Diocletian and Galerius

Week 7                       No lectures

Semester Break         Monday, 15 April – Friday, 26 April

Week 8

Lecture 13                   Week commencing 29 April                               Christianity & the Eastern Frontier

Lecture 14                                                                                              Manichaeism & the Eastern Frontier

Tutorial 4                     Christianity/Manichaeism on the Eastern Frontier                              

Week 9

Lecture 15                   Week commencing 6 May                                  Frontier theory and the Eastern Frontier

Lecture 16                                                                                              Constantine & Persia  

Week 10

Lecture 17                   Week commencing 13 May                                The Role of Armenia between Rome and Persia

Lecture 18                                                                                              The Role of the Arabs

Tutorial 5                     Constantine and the Christians of Persia/Armenian Historiography

Week 11         

Lecture 19                   Week commencing 20 May                                The Persian wars of Constantius II -1

Lecture 20                                                                                              The Persian Wars of Constantius II-2

Week 12

Lecture 21                   Week commencing 27 May                                The Persian campaign of Julian-1

Lecture 22                                                                                               The Persian campaign of Julian-2

Tutorial 6                    Constantius II and the Eastern frontier/Sources on the Persian invasion of Julian

Week 13                     

Lecture 23                   Week commencing 3 June                                  Rome and Persia in Art & Coins

Lecture 24                                                                                               Unit summary

Learning and Teaching Activities

Tutorial

1 x 2 hour tutorial in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12

Lectures

2 x 1 hour recorded lectures per week.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Late Submission Policy

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.

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

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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 outcomes

  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial Essay
  • Tutorial Essay
  • Tutorial Participation
  • Major Essay
  • Weekly quizzes

Learning and teaching activities

  • 2 x 1 hour recorded lectures per week.

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial Participation
  • Major Essay
  • Weekly quizzes

Learning and teaching activities

  • 2 x 1 hour recorded lectures per week.

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Work with and respond to the views of staff and other students in the unit in both oral and written form.

Assessment tasks

  • Major Essay
  • Weekly quizzes

Learning and teaching activities

  • 2 x 1 hour recorded lectures per week.

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

  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial Essay
  • Tutorial Essay
  • Tutorial Participation
  • Major Essay
  • Weekly quizzes

Learning and teaching activities

  • 1 x 2 hour tutorial in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12
  • 2 x 1 hour recorded lectures per week.

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 outcomes

  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial Essay
  • Tutorial Essay
  • Major Essay
  • Weekly quizzes

Learning and teaching activities

  • 1 x 2 hour tutorial in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12
  • 2 x 1 hour recorded lectures per week.

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 outcomes

  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Plan, revise and submit written work according to schedule.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Assessment tasks

  • Major Essay
  • Weekly quizzes

Learning and teaching activities

  • 2 x 1 hour recorded lectures per week.

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 outcomes

  • Analyse and express your judgement about the history of Rome's Persian Wars from the 3rd-4th centuries AD in oral and written form.
  • Interpret written and archaeological evidence with appreciation and understanding of their context and modern interpretations of them.
  • Work with and respond to the views of staff and other students in the unit in both oral and written form.
  • Plan, revise and submit written work according to schedule.
  • Draw together and judge pre-selected and self-located evidence to provide analysis of important aspects of the history of Rome's Persian Wars.

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial Essay
  • Tutorial Essay
  • Tutorial Participation
  • Major Essay
  • Weekly quizzes

Learning and teaching activities

  • 1 x 2 hour tutorial in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12
  • 2 x 1 hour recorded lectures per week.

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Work with and respond to the views of staff and other students in the unit in both oral and written form.
  • Plan, revise and submit written work according to schedule.

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial Participation
  • Major Essay
  • Weekly quizzes

Learning and teaching activities

  • 1 x 2 hour tutorial in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12
  • 2 x 1 hour recorded lectures per week.

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial Participation
  • Major Essay
  • Weekly quizzes

Learning and teaching activities

  • 2 x 1 hour recorded lectures per week.