LJ351 Roman Literature of the Roman Empire and Late Antiquity

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Katarina Petrovićová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Katarina Petrovićová, Ph.D.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
LJ302 Roman Literature: August. Age
No specific demands; however, completion of the courses preceding the period in question (Greek literature and Roman literature till the Flavian period) is recommended.
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 course offers introduction into the Roman Literature from the end of the reign of Nero till the end of Ancient period.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course, students:
- can distinguish individual genres of particular period;
- can name and characterize the most important figures and their works of the genres covered during the course;
- are informed about the relevant secondary literature.
Syllabus
  • 1. Flavian epics: Statius, Valerius Flaccus and Italicus.
  • 2. Characteristics of Flavian epics: comparison with classical and Lucanus's epos.
  • 3. Scholarly literature: Pliny Maior.
  • 4. Epigram a satire (Martialis and Iuvenalis).
  • 5. Rhetorics a epistolography (Quintilianus, Plinius).
  • 6. Historiography (Tacitus, Suetonius, Historia Augusta, Ammianus Marcellinus).
  • 7. Adoptive caesars and Second Sophistics (Aulus Gellius and M. Cornelius Fronto).
  • 8. L. Apuleius: philosoph, rhetor and novelist.
  • 9. Poetae novelli, Anthologia Latina (Nemesianus, Optatianus, Ausonius, Claudius Claudianus).
  • 10. Late poetry: blending of antiquity and Christianity (Prudentius, Namatianus, Sidonius Apollinaris).
  • 11. Beginnings of Christian literature.
  • 12. Last flourish of Antiquity and the "combat" with Christianity: Iulian and Symmachus' circle.
  • 13. Augustin a Boethius: the first and the last one.
Literature
  • CONTE, Gian Biagio. Dějiny římské literatury. Translated by Dagmar Bartoňková. Vyd. 1. Praha: KLP-Koniasch Latin Press, 2003, 790 s. ISBN 8085917874. info
Teaching methods
Lectures 2 hours per week. Homework: reading discussed ancient and secondary texts according to professor's demands.
Assessment methods
Written examination consisting of 4 questions focusing on the basic works of the selected authors of Roman Poetry. Oral colloquium afterwards: proof of the student’s ability to characterize and analyze the particular Roman genre. As a part of the colloquium also: debate about the ancient works read by student during the semester.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Spring 2022, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/LJ351