Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The sheer quantity of information available for the frontiers of Roman Britain allows unparalleled opportunities for archaeological analysis.

This module aims to:

1. Introduce students to the archaeology of frontiers and Romano-British society.
2. Develop students’ ability to work with archaeological evidence from the frontier zone.
3. Explore and assess the degree to which theories of community, ethnicity and identity can illuminate the archaeological record.

Outline Of Syllabus

This course will not only examine the fascinating structures and settlements that formed Rome’s frontier systems, the Gask Line, Stanegate, Hadrian’s Wall and the Antonine Wall, it will also investigate the remarkably diverse communities which lived and worked in their vicinity. We will ask what archaeology can tell us of these different groups. In each case, whether discussing the diverse contingents of successive Roman garrisons or the varied civilian populations that interacted with them, we will gain rich insight into life in Northern Britain under imperial rule.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

1 Students will demonstrate a detailed awareness of the role of archaeology in expanding our understanding of Roman frontiers.
2 Students will learn how to archaeological evidence from the frontier zone.
3 Students will be familiar with a variety of interpretative frameworks for modelling community, ethnicity and identity.

Intended Skill Outcomes

In order to complete the module successfully, all students must demonstrate that they have developed the following intellectual skills:

Reading, understanding, critiquing historical and archaeological data.
The capacity to work with bulk finds data and to appreciate basic statistical models for numismatic analysis.
Analysing and evaluating archaeologists’ use of evidence.
Research, critical reading and reasoning, sustained discussion and appropriate presentation of the results.

All students will also develop the following key skills:
Time management
Bibliographic and library skills
Oral discussion and debate
Writing and revising analytic prose

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The structure of the course ensures that students acquire detailed knowledge of sites, with extensive experience of finds materials, with an appreciation of wider synthesis.

Lectures and non-synchronous lecture materials will introduce topics and provide expert orientation and exposition on a broad range of themes and issues, supplemented by the module reading list, imparting core knowledge. In-person lectures will provide opportunities for dialogue, while lecture materials can be reviewed at any time across the week and revisited numerous times afterwards. In the event that on-campus sessions need to be reduced, there is the capacity to present recorded materials asynchronously and retain timetabled slots for live discussion of these materials.

Seminars will also consolidate the learning progress from lectures, lecture materials, and weekly readings by
enabling students to focus on connected issues and material in greater depth. Seminars will be student-led and
facilitated by teaching staff, and will hinge upon group discussion and debate about materials circulated in advance (for example, sets of evidence, scholarship, and questions). In the event that on-campus sessions need to be reduced, there is the capacity to hold live seminar discussions online and retain timetabled slots.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The Portfolio and Essay examine students’ understandings of key concepts, and allows students to develop expertise in one particular area (building knowledge in outcomes 1, 2, and 3).

The Portfolio is set mid-module (1,500 words, 40%), an acts as a feed-forward formative development to further underpin skills and knowledge required for the final module assessment (Essay at 2,500 words worth 60%).

Submitted work tests intended knowledge and skills outcomes, develops key skills in research, reading and writing.

All of the assessments for this module will be submitted and marked online.

General Notes

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