When it comes to contemporary concepts of governance and public policy in the Greco-Roman world, democracy, the legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome can hardly be underestimated. However, the relevance of this heritage is often a matter of the ‘well known but little understood’. This subject therefore endeavours to familiarize students with six key themes in Greco-Roman public policy. First, we will scrutinize the iconic polities of Sparta and Athens, including their more sinister sides, complemented with a look at economic and labour management in Classical Greece. Second, we will investigate the constitution of the Roman Republic (also in relation to such modern republics as the USA), electioneering, and public land management in the Roman Republic.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
show enhanced knowledge of the topic or area of scholarship taught in the module;
have an ability to reflect upon their own research work in relation to the content of the module; and
have enhanced engagement with leading-edge research in Arts today.