Students of Mapping Rome will

• master the topography of ancient and modern Rome, including major monuments, districts, and religious sites;
  
  
• survey literary and artistic representations of Rome from ancient, medieval, and modern periods;
  
  
• plot three millennia of continuity and change in Roman institutions with profound impact on global history;
  
  
• examine the interplay between the shape of the city and the identities of its inhabitants; and
  
  
• prepare for the site presentations and writing exercises of Exploring Rome.

Professor Dan Curley (Classics)

Office: 212 Filene Hall
Hours: Tu 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. or by appointment.
Phone: x5463
Email: dcurley@skidmore.edu

Professor Gregory Spinner (Religious Studies)

Office: 205A Ladd Hall
Hours: W 10:20 – 11:20 a.m. or by appointment.
Phone: x8406
Email: gspinner@skidmore.edu

Program Assistant: Emily Gunter (Classics & Dance '19).

Email: egunter@skidmore.edu

Required and available in the Skidmore Shop:

• Macadam, A. with A. Barber. Blue Guide: Rome. 11th edition (Blue Guides Limited, 2016).
  
  
• Streetwise Rome Map (Streetwise Maps, 2017).

Our course reader will be available before classes begin.

Class participation (25%)

Class participation involves more than attendance. Students must also keep up with the readings and assignments, and participate actively during all sessions. Students are also expected to come to class on time, to remain in the classroom during class, and to maintain an environment that promotes the exchange of ideas.

MANDATORY SPECIAL EVENTS:

• Friday, March 29, 4:30 p.m.: OCSE pre-departure orientation
• Sunday, April 7, 1:00 p.m.: Field trip to Empire State Plaza, Albany

   Details on both events to follow. But note that the Plaza field trip is worth 25% of your overall participation grade.

Quizzes (20%)

Instead of exams, students will complete up to three online quizzes every week. Some quizzes will focus on current material; others, on older material.

Discussions (15%)

Students will divide into small groups, generate useful discussion questions on select readings and topics, and lead one of our class sessions. This exercise will allow students to shape the scholarly discourse and provide opportunities for peer-to-peer interaction inside and outside of class.

Travel writing (15%)

Exploring Rome will require students to keep blogs and complete short writing assignments. Students will prepare for those assignments in Mapping Rome with some practice writing prior to departure.

Site presentations (25%)

In Exploring Rome students will present on sites, structures or objects iconic to the Eternal City. In Mapping Rome students will prepare for the presentations by choosing a site, researching it over the course of the term, and (in lieu of a final exam) giving a dry run prior to departure.

Attendance

Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. Absences due to illness or some other emergency must be excused before class. Late excuses will not be accepted. Late arrivals will count as one-half absences.

Academic integrity

Skidmore's Academic Integrity Handbook (p. 6) defines plagiarism as "copying, paraphrasing, or imitating another person's ideas, information, data, words, descriptions, choice of evidence, structure of argument, and so on." It does not matter whether that person's work appears in print or on the web.

   Cases of plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, will be referred to the Office of Academic Advising for appropriate sanctions.

Laptops/Tablets/Phones

Unless required as an accommodation (such as for a disability), laptops and tablets should not be used during class. Likewise, phones must be silenced and stored away. If using a phone during class, you might be asked to leave the classroom.

   We prefer that you take notes by hand. If a laptop or other device is determined to be essential (not just desirable) for your learning, you will be asked to fill out and sign an agreement form that defines appropriate in-class use.

Disability

If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need academic accommodation, you must formally request accommodation from Meg Hegener, Coordinator for Student Access Services. You will also need to provide documentation that verifies the existence of a disability and supports your request.

   For further information, please call 518.580.8150 or stop by the office of Student Academic Services in Starbuck Center.

Content advisory

The material of Classical Studies and Religion is often violent and/or sexually explicit. Please be prepared for words, images, and discussions that might make you or your peers uncomfortable. Readings with content advisories are clearly labeled in the Session Guides of our course reader.

   If you have concerns about our readings, viewings, or anything else, please bring them to the attention of the instruction team.

Title IX statement

Skidmore College considers sexual and gender-based misconduct to be one of the most serious violations of the values and standards of the College. Unwelcome sexual contact of any form is a violation of students’ personal integrity and their right to a safe environment and therefore violates Skidmore’s values. Sexual and gender-based misconduct is also prohibited by federal regulations.

   Skidmore College faculty are committed to supporting our students and upholding gender equity laws as outlined by Title IX. If a student chooses to confide in a member of Skidmore’s faculty or staff regarding an issue of sexual or gender-based misconduct, that faculty or staff member is obligated to tell Skidmore’s Title IX Deputy Coordinator.

   The Title IX Deputy Coordinator will assist the student in connecting with all possible resources for support and reporting both on and off campus. Identities and details will be shared only with those who need to know to support the student and to address the situation through the college’s processes. If the student wishes to confide in a confidential resource, The Counseling Center Staff, Health Services, and Victim Advocates are all options available.

   More information can be found at https://www.skidmore.edu/sgbm/ or by contacting the Title IX Deputy Coordinator.