KLB_115 The Roman army and warfare

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2021
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Balázs Komoróczy, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Barbora Hrušovská (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Věra Klontza, Ph.D.
Department of Archaeology and Museology – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Archaeology and Museology – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 14:00–15:40 M11
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is a comprehensive presentation of the state of knowledge of the development of the Roman army and warfare including the problem of arms and equipment within the interval from the beginning of the Republic to the collapse of the Roman Empire. The lessons are focused on the development of military organisation and transformations of its strategic and tactical displays, which are studied through a wide range of narrative and archaeological sources of information. Attention is paid to the most important battles of the Republican (e.g. Punic Wars, wars against Hellenistic empires, conquest of Gallia) and the Imperial era (e.g. Battle of Teutoburg Forest, conquest of Britannia, Marcomannic Wars, Battle of Harzhorn). Parallel to the manifestations of the war strategy, the course also pays attention to the development of arms and equipment of various corps of the Roman army.
Learning outcomes
After completion of the course, student will be able to:
- describe the key stages of the Roman military organisation development
- summarize the main characteristics of the Roman military and strategic aspects of its most important battles
- orientate in detail in the problem of the Roman military arms and equipment on the example of the most important archaeological sources
Syllabus
  • Introduction to the importance of the Roman army
  • Early phase of development of Rome and the conquest of Italy
  • Punic Wars and the wars against Hellenistic empires
  • Rome as a hegemon of the Mediterranean and the civil wars
  • Roman army at the beginning of the Principate
  • Roman army in battles with barbarians
  • Crisis of the 3rd century AD and reforms
  • Roman army during the Late Antiquity
Literature
    required literature
  • BISHOP, M. C. - COULSTON, J.C. Roman Military Equipment from the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome. Oxbow Books, 2005.
  • CONNOLLY, Peter. Dějiny římského vojska. Bratislava: Fortuna Print, 1992, 74 s. ISBN 8071530107. info
  • JUNKELMANN, Marcus. Die Reiter Roms. Mainz am Rhein: Philipp von Zabern, 1992, 277 stran. ISBN 3805312881. info
  • JUNKELMANN, Marcus. Die Legionen des Augustus : der römische Soldat im archäologischen Experiment. 9., erweiterte Aufl. Mainz am Rhein: Philipp von Zabern, 2003, 342 s. ISBN 3805308868. info
  • 2000 Jahre Varusschlacht. Stuttgart: Konrad Theiss Verlag, 2009, 400 s. ISBN 9783806222784. info
    recommended literature
  • CEJNKOVÁ, Dana, Balázs KOMORÓCZY and Jaroslav TEJRAL. Římané a Germáni : nepřátelé, rivalové, sousedé. 1. vyd. Brno: Svan, 2003, [24] s. ISBN 8070281979. info
  • KOMORÓCZY, Balázs. K otázce existence římského vojenského tábora na počátku 1. století po Kr. u Mušova (kat. úz. Pasohlávky, Jihomoravský kraj). Kritické poznámky z pohledu římsko-provinciální archeologie. (To the question of presence of roman military camps at the beginning of the 1st century AD at Mušov (Pasohlávky, District South Moravia). Critical notes from the viewpoint of the Archaeology of Roman Provinces.). In E. Droberjar; M. Lutovský (edd.), Archeologie barbarů 2005. Sborník příspěvků z I. protohistoricé konference „Pozdně keltské, germánské a časně slovanské osídlení“, Kounice, 20.-22, září 2005. Praha: Ústav archeologické památkové péče středních Čech, 2006, p. 155-205. ISBN 80-86756-11-4. info
  • KOMORÓCZY, Balázs. Barbares et Romains sur le limes danubien. (Barbarians and Romans on the Danubian limes). Les dossiers ďarchéologie. Dijon (Francie): Editions FATON S.A.S., 2008, 327/2008, mai-juin, p. 26-31. ISSN 1141-7137. info
  • KOMORÓCZY, Balázs. Hradisko (Burgstall) u Mušova ve světle výzkumů v letech 1994-2007. (Hradisko (Burgstall) at Mušov in the Light of Results of Excavations in 1994-2007). In E. Droberjar; B. Komoróczy; D. Vachůtová (edd.), Barbarská sídliště. Chronologické, ekonomické a historické aspekty jejich vývoje ve světle nových archeologických výzkumů (Archeologie Barbarů 2007). Brno: Archeologický ústav AV ČR Brno, v.v.i., 2008, p. 391-438. Spisy Archeologického ústavu AV ČR Brno 37. ISBN 80-86023-89-3. info
  • Die Varusschlacht : Wendepunkt der Geschichte? Edited by Rainer Wiegels. Stuttgart: Theiss, 2007, 132 s. ISBN 9783806217605. info
    not specified
  • PENROSE, Jane. Řím a jeho nepřátelé : říše stvořená a zničená válkou. Translated by Lenka Adamcová. Praha: Fighters publications, 2007, 303 s. ISBN 9788086977102. info
Teaching methods
Lecture
Assessment methods
Oral exam
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2021/KLB_115