The Conflict of Religions in the Roman Empire:
Case Studies on Judeans and a Judean Movement (first and second centuries CE)
(HIST 5025; Winter 2011)

Philip A. Harland (pharland  AT  yorku  DOT  ca). Office hours: Wednesdays 1-2pm or by appointment (Vanier 248)

Thursdays 9:00am-11:45 am (Bethune 225)

Description

    This course examines cases of ethnic, social, and political conflict relating to honours for the god(s) (“religion”) in the Roman empire.  We will consider incidents involving ethnic and other conflicts as well as literary representations that reflect conflict.  The relationship between Roman imperial authorities and particular groups will also occupy us.  This year the focus will be on cultural minorities in the Roman empire, especially the Judeans and a particular set of groups that arose from a Judean context (Jesus-followers).  As many conflicts arise from relations between different ethnic groups, we will also give attention to issues of ethnography, namely ancient writings in which an author from one ethnic group describes or critiques the cultural practices of other peoples, particularly with respect to the gods, or god.

    Some key questions: What is the nature of our sources? What sort of conflicts do we observe in them (social, religious, political, ethnic factors)? To what degree are such conflicts representative or anomalous, ongoing or incidental? What do incidents of conflict reveal about patterns of relations between different ethnic or minority groups? How do such conflicts relate to the “policy” or approach of civic or Roman authorities towards the groups involved? In what ways can actions by Roman authorities be considered ad hoc? Can conflicts involving Judeans and Jesus-followers be understood within broader patterns of relations within the Roman empire?

_______

Required readings

_______

Evaluation

Weekly analytical piece (10%), due each week at the beginning of class

Each week, students will submit a 500 word (2 pages double-spaced) analytical piece dealing with the readings for the upcoming discussion (due at the beginning of class).  This should not be a summary, but rather a comparative analysis and synthesis focused on key issues raised by the readings, particularly with respect to our approach to the ancient sources.   (You do not need to submit this assignment for the week when you present).

Participation (25%)

Participation in discussions is an integral part of the educational experience.  All students are required to come to class each week prepared for detailed discussions of the readings, both scholarly materials and, especially, the ancient sources.

Calculation of participation mark: 0-30% mark (infrequent or no participation; comments show little or no familiarity with the readings); 40-60% mark (occasional participation; comments show general knowledge of readings but not detailed knowledge; comments tend to be personal opinion or ad hoc observations more so than analytical or comparative); 70-100% (frequent participation; comments regularly demonstrate detailed understanding of the readings; analytical and comparative contributions stimulate further discussion among students).

Presentation (10%)

Each student will also have an opportunity to present on the book s/he read for the book review assignment (20 minute presentation + 10 minute discussion; see book options on the discussion schedule).  Students should meet with me to discuss their approach to the presentation at least one week in advance of presenting.  Although you will need to explain the author's key arguments, the purpose of this presentation is not simply to reiterate material from your book review.  Instead, you will present in a way that furthers our ongoing discussion of issues (both methodological and content-related) and our analysis of ancient sources within the course.

Academic book review (15%), due week 5

Each student will choose a work (see options on the discussion schedule) and write a five-page (double-spaced) academic book review, which entails: outlining the main argument of the book and how the author builds up this argument; discussing the author's methods (or approach) and use of evidence to support his or her points; and, providing a critical assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the work.  To familiarize yourself with the genre of the academic book review, read at least five book reviews (but not reviews of the book you are analyzing) that interest you in an academic journal of your choice or online at: http://www.bookreviews.org/ (Review of Biblical Literature) or http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/ (Bryn Mawr Classical Review - note that reviews on that site are not limited to the typical 5 pages).

Paper proposal and bibliography (5%), due week 7

Choose a topic relating to the course that interests you. Speak with me to confirm the topic and to get further assistance. Write a succinct proposal (2 pages double-spaced plus bibliography), which entails:
- Stating your topic and the sort of material you expect to cover.
- Outlining your tentative thesis or main argument and how you expect to structure the paper.
- Discussing primary and secondary sources that will be useful in research.
- Providing a bibliography (following an accepted academic style of bibliography correctly).

There is a helpful online bibliographical guide ("Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide") for the two Chicago Manual of Style options here:  http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html.

For this assignment, please print out two hardcopies.  You will submit one to me and another to a fellow student (to be determined), who will also provide feedback and suggestions.

Research paper (35%), due week 11

20 pages double-spaced maximum.  A good research paper focuses its attention on analyzing primary sources (in our case ancient materials) with the help of scholarly sources.   You may also choose to do a historiographical paper, which analyzes the history of scholarship on a particular topic.  We will discuss the options at more length in class.

_______

DISCUSSION SCHEDULE

Week 1 (Jan 5)

Introduction:

Problems with the category of “religion” and usefulness of “ethnicity” as a category in understanding conflict; encounters between different peoples in the Roman empire

Context: Greek and Roman Perspectives on the Cultural Practices of “Others”

Week 2 (Jan 12)

Incidents of conflict: Roman authorities’ actions against foreigners and foreign practices – the case of the Bacchanalia

Week 3 (Jan 19)

Conflicts / encounters in literature: Romans and Greeks on the cultures of other peoples (ancient ethnography)


The Case of Judeans and Judean Culture

Week 4 (Jan 26)

Conflict in perspective: An overview of life for Judeans in the diaspora

Incidents of conflict: Greeks, Egyptians, and Judeans at Alexandria, Egypt in the 30s-40s CE

Week 5 (Feb 2)

Conflicts / encounters in literature: Josephus’ Against Apion (first century CE)

    **Book reviews due at the beginning of class in week 5**

Week 6 (Feb 9)

The Roman authorities and diaspora Judeans: Roman “policy”

Week 7 (Feb 16)

Symbolic representations of conflict with the empire: 4 Ezra and the Sibylline Oracles

    *Research paper proposal due at the beginning of week 7*

    Reading week Feb 20-24 – no classes

The Case of Jesus-followers

Week 8 (March 1)

Conflict in perspective: Everyday life for Jesus groups in the empire

Incidents of conflict: Greeks, Roman authorities, and Jesus-followers

Week 9 (March 8)


Week 10 (March 15)

Incidents of conflict: The nature of persecution in Asia Minor

The origins of "martyrdom" (discussion of Bowersock's theory)


Week 11 (March 22)

Conflicts / encounters in literature: Ethnographic traditions and criticism of Jesus groups as cultural minorities


Week 12 (March 29)

Symbolic representations of conflict with the empire: John’s Apocalypse (Revelation)

    *Research paper due at the beginning of class*