In this module students examine the portrayal of Roman women in texts ranging from late republican to late imperial Rome. Texts will include Roman letters, historiography, epic, satire and elegy, as well as some epigraphic material. Representation of historical characters such as Clodia Metelli, or Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi, will be studied alongside fictional creations such as Propertius’ mistress ‘Cynthia’.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Demonstrate knowledge of a range of representations of women in ancient Roman texts.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key methodologies relevant to the study of Roman women.
Undertake independent enquiry into the representation of Roman women, and the scholarship concerned with it.
Analyse and interpret textual sources concerning the representation of Roman women.