DESCRIPTION OF THE SEMINAR

("Roman Culture in the Age of Augustus")

1) Scope, emphasis, and methodological approach:

The seminar will concern itself with an interdisciplinary overview of the age of Augustus (31 B.C. to A.D. 14). Instead of looking in an isolated way at literature, art, architecture, political and social history, religion, and thought, we will focus on their relationship to one another and on their integrated totality. While the emphasis will be on the Augustan age proper, another useful dimension of the seminar will be to provide a model, pertinent to the teaching of the seminar members, for adopting a similarly synoptic approach to the study of other historical and cultural periods.

The Augustan age was one of most seminal and creative periods of western civilization. It witnessed the establishment of order after a century of turmoil, and it was high point of literary and artistic creativity. Small wonder that from the perspective of later ages, including Augustan France and Augustan England, the age of Augustus seemed one of unshakable solidity, reinforced by "classicism," and its achievements in poetry, art, and architecture were considered as static givens. A closer look at the evidence suggests otherwise. It was a time of transition, of continuing experimentation, of "a developing and shifting relationship, without precedents, where all parties involved were feeling their way" (D. Feeney). The "constitutional settlements" of Augustus were not set in concrete and there was continuing modification of various aspects of government and administration. Similarly, literature and the arts were anything but uniform. They evolved and there was a great deal of experiment. In brief, many Augustan phenomena--such as the form of government (the "principate"), poetic and artistic conventions, and the imperial religion-- were in a state of nascence and evolution, a fact that tends to be obscured by their routinization in later times.

The most influential book on Augustus in this century has been Sir Ronald Syme's The Roman Revolution (1939). While still indispensable for many of the historical details, its overall view of the Augustan regime as the ancient analogue to the European dictatorships of the 30's and 40's is outdated. So are the corollaries, such as: the static, top-down model of governance; the view of the 45-year period as being essentially monolithic; and the categorization of Augustan poetry and art as "propaganda." One reaction of scholars of Augustan poetry has been to separate the "private" and "public" voices of the poets, which again is too schematic a dichotomy. The most discerning treatment of late has come from art historians (such as Simon, Hölscher, and Zanker); after a quasi-moratorium on Augustan art because of its noisy Fascist appropriation, scholars of Augustan art and architecture (e.g. Gros) could make a fresh start by the 1970's and deal with the phenomenon much more perceptively.

In the seminar, therefore, we will place much less emphasis on Augustus himself than on the general dynamics, creative tensions, give and take, and, for that matter, contradictions of Augustan culture in its various manifestations. There are some obvious questions that we will discuss in this context because they are applicable to other periods, too. What is the relationship between a ruler, or government in general, and cultural excellence (this will include the role and definition of "patronage")? To what extent is the interpretation of past periods shaped by our own political and cultural circumstances? Are varying views (e.g. those of Dryden, Pope, Matthew Arnold, Theodor Mommsen, and Syme) of the Augustan age shaped by different ideologies or new evidence, or both? Does the thesis-oriented approach in scholarship lead to a tendency to tidy up or ignore contradictions? To what extent does Augustan poetry need to be read within its historical context and to what extent does it transcend that context? What is the likelihood that the many, "polysemous" layers of meaning that we discern today in works of Augustan poetry and art were in the eyes and minds of Augustan beholders? Without polemicizing--for we all stand on the shoulders of our scholarly predecessors--we will attempt to get beyond schematic concepts and dichotomies that have commonly been applied to Augustan culture. Posited antinomies such as classical vs. Hellenistic, public vs. private, and ideology vs. subversiveness may be convenient, but they are as imprecise as they are often irrelevant. They usually originate from a compartmentalized perspective on the Augustan age. For instance, one of the art historian's Paul Zanker's central theses in his Augustus and the Power of Images (1988) is that in the Augustan age we witness a turning away from the "Hellenistic" and its presumed excesses to "classicism." The thesis, which is of limited validity even in Augustan art and architecture, has no relevance to Augustan poetry, which excelled in combining Hellenistic, archaic, and classical inspirations. In this methodological context, we will assess the influence these essentially modern categories have exerted on the scholarly discussion. "Hellenistic," e.g., was not used as a periodizing term before 1832, while the concept of "archaic" Greek art dates to the 1880's.

Instead, there are other, more nuanced characteristics that are more central to Augustan culture. Foremost emong them are evolution, experimentation, complexity, and transcendence of the times. To focus on experimentation: the system of having a princeps right along with the machinery of republican government was a continuing experiment that underwent several modifications; most of Augustan poetry, including Vergil's Aeneid and Ovid's Metamorphoses, is characterized by wide-ranging experimentation rather than staid traditionalism (that, and not "Augustan pressures," also is the raison d'etre for Propertius' Book 4); the transition from the Second to the Third Style of wall painting was highly experimental as was the exquisite polysemy of the "Tellus" panel of the Ara Pacis (reduced to a simpler iconography on the Carthage relief); and there were similar such departures in architecture and religion, the latter involving, for instance, the notion of Augustus' divinity.

Other major topics will be the synthesis of Greek and Roman, which reached its most sophisticated heights in the Augustan period, the creative tension between tradition and innovation, and the emphasis on values. As for the first of these phenomena, "influence" again is too onesided a definition of this process. Rather, it was creative interaction that had characterized Roman literature, art, architecture, and religion from early on. The Augustan artists and poets were able to use the repertory of all Greek traditions and genres synchronically. We will study this creative process and try to (re)define Augustan "classicism" not as a mere return to fifth century Athens but as an attempt to fuse all existing traditions, both Greek and Roman, into a surpassing whole. Tradition and innovation: we will start with analyzing Augustus' claim that he restored the res publica (not to be translated as "Republic"). He made it a point to emphasize continuity with the past while innovating the system from within. The Republic became the Empire. Similarly, we will analyze the phenomenon of continuity combined with new directions in Augustan poetry, art, religion, and architecture. Was this a revolution or an evolution? Finally, the core of the res publica was values. Augustus tried to revive many of these--a splendid example of "moral leadership," as defined by James MacGregor Burns. The Augustan effort--I am referring particularly to the legislation on marriage, adultery, and families--is a useful example for thoughtfully discussing the role of government in promoting moral values. How successful was the Augustan program? How relevant is it to the current debate about the restoration of values?

In sum, within its synoptic framework the seminar will center on some major aspects of the Augustan age proper and on some underlying issues that are also germane to other historical periods, including today, and to scholarly methodology in several disciplines. The seminar will acquaint the participants with the current state of research and scholarship in the principal areas of Augustan culture and provide a flexible setting for them to pursue their own scholarly interests.

2) Relationship of the seminar topic to my own interests as a scholar:

The various pictures say it all, but just for those who don't believe in the power of images: the Augustan age, in its various aspects, has been central to my scholarship and teaching for almost three decades. I offered two NEH Summer Seminars for College Teachers on this subject in 1975 and 1976. I was in my early 30's then; I should be much wiser and more knowledgeable today. My book on Augustan Culture. An interpretive introduction (486 pp., 200 ills.) was recently published by the Princeton University Press (May 1996). Not to worry: the seminar will go beyond the confines of The Book at every step.

3) Pertinence of the topic for teachers of undergraduates and nonspecialized audiences:

The topic is a central to any course in Roman history or civilization and to survey courses in western or world history, and the like. The same goes for similar surveys in literature, art, architecture, and religion. The Augustan age figures so centrally because it marked the transition from Republic to Empire and because it was a high point of artistic and literary creativity. In all these aspects, it became a model for imitation and emulation by later ages. It was both praised and scorned. At the same time, because of the very richness of its culture and because of its very contradictions, it is a good paradigm for discussing some transcending issues. To those listed in (1), I could add, for instance, the role and definition of "propaganda" and "ideology" in the political realm (and in art and architecture), and the influential contrast (as evidenced by the history of their reception) between Vergil's and Ovid's view of human existence and of myth. The bulk of my teaching, moreover, is done in large undergraduate courses for non-classics majors and I have been active in many outreach programs for nonspecialized audiences; I think I can be a good resource for the seminar members in that regard also.

4) Seminar structure, procedures, and tentative outline:

The emphasis in the seminar sessions will be on informed discussion. They will be a cooperative effort; besides sharing the general readings, participants will present some short reports, lead the discussion at times, and present some of their own research findings. As can be seen from (1) and (3), there will be no shortage of topics where everybody can weigh in.

The following outline is not meant to be straitjacket; if one or the other topic engages us beyond the preliminarily allotted time, we'll pursue it further and make some adjustments elsewhere. I anticipate meeting three times a week for two hours each; longer meetings tend to wearying. We will decide together on the meeting days for each week. Also, I will be readily available to the participants for individual consultations. The emphasis, in this proposal, quite properly is on the formal seminar structure. At the same time, my experience with this type of seminar and with other NEH seminars and institutes has been that individual meetings between the director and the participants, and the out-of-class exchanges between the members of the seminar, are important constituents for the success of these seminars.

Week 1:

The main goal is to lay some foundations by reviewing the history of the late Republic and the Augustan principate. What were the problems of the Republic? Why weren't they solved? How did Augustus come to power? How did he govern? Was there a republican monarchy or a monarchical republic? Did the Romans lose their libertas? Was the second part of Augustus' reign a mere holding action? We'll also clarify terms like res publica, princeps, and auctoritas, and we'll refer (briefly) to some reflections of all this in literature and art.

Readings: Augustus, Res Gestae; Suetonius, Augustus; Vergil, Eclogues 1 and 9; Horace, Epode 16; Dio, Book 52. Modern scholarship: selections from Syme, Scullard, and Zanker.

Week 2:

The central topic this week will be the attempted restoration of morals and values. We will discuss the legislation on marriage and adultery, the issue of moral leadership, the myth of the Golden Age in literature and art, and the dialogic process of the shaping of such concepts--Augustan culture was more than the expression of one man's will. Does the existence of these ideas and ideals, which were articulated (or resisted) by a variety of contributors, amount to an "ideology"?

Readings: Vergil, Fourth Eclogue, and selections from the Aeneid and the Georgics; selections from Ovid and Tibullus (relative to the Golden Age); Horace's Secular Hymn; Livy, Preface and 1.1-22. Modern scholarship: various articles on the Golden Age and the Augustan moral legislation (incl. its effect on women); Galinsky and Zanker on the Golden Age in art; Burns on moral leadership; Ellul on propaganda.

Week 3:

The focus will be on Augustan poetry, stressing the characteristics it shares with Augustan art and political history: evolution, experimentation, and complexity. To what extent are the differences between the Augustan writers due to their belonging to different generations? How meaningful are terms like "pro-" and "anti-Augustan"? Experimentation: what were the new departures in Vergil's Aeneid, Augustan love elegy, and Ovid's Metamorphoses? Complexity: Augustan poetry thrives on multiple allusions, meanings, and perspectives. Is the resultant polysemy diffuse or is there any framework of authorial intention? How come the Aeneid is receiving so many different interpretations these days?

Readings: Vergil, Aeneid; selections from Ovid's Metamorphoses, Horace's Odes, and the elegists. Modern scholarship: selections from White (Promised Verse), Putnam, Conte, Harrison, Woodman and West, and Fowler.

Week 4:

We'll continue our discussion of these topics, and introduce the perspective of the synthesis of Greek and Roman, by concentrating on Augustan art and architecture. Were they propagandistic? Is there any unifying concept behind the plethora of evocations and assocations, and are these intentional or largely in the eye of the beholders, depending on their intellectual and social horizons? We'll devote particular attention to the Ara Pacis, the Prima Porta Augustus, the Forum of Augustus, and the developments in portraiture and wall painting. Are the latter the result of esthetic or programmatic shifts? We will also discuss the validity of parallels between art and poetry (cf. Horace's ut pictura poesis).

Readings: Selections from Zanker, Galinsky, Kleiner, and Ling. Reports on individual works of art and monuments will figure prominently as there is much essential scholarship in foreign languages.

Week 5:

The focus will be religion, including its treatment by the Augustan writers and the architectural and artistic documentation. Emphasis will be on the special character of Roman religion--it was quite different from Judaeo-Christian religion--and the nature of the Augustan "restoration." We will look at the relation between Roman religion and morality, the role of religion in the life of the state, cults as a means of social policy, Augustus' role as pontifex maximus and his association with Apollo, and the phenomenon of the ruler cult.

Readings: Various selections from the Augustan poets (incl. Ovid's Fasti) and Livy; source material from inscriptions. Modern scholarship: selected readings from Liebeschuetz, Ogilvie, Price (incl. his chapter in CAH 10), Geertz, Zanker, and Taylor.

Weeks 6 and 7:

During this week and the next, participants will have the opportunity to present some of their research. I do not envisage, however, a series of numbing marathon sessions in order to "get through." Rather, we'll combine the presentations with an exploration of some of the overarching themes of Augustan culture: tradition and innovation, the sophisticatied combination of Greek and Roman traditions, and the existence--and creativity--of contradictions. I will choose examples from areas that may need more attention. For instance, apropos innovation and tradition: if we've devoted a lot of attention to literature and the arts, we'll balance this now by studying further examples from political and social history, such the changing administration of the grain supply, Augustus' foreign policy, or the role of women in Augustan society. Conversely, if we have covered the contradictory nature of Augustan government, we will explore some of the perceived contradictions in Augustan poetry, such as the behavior of Aeneas, Horace the moralist and hedonist, or the elegists' appropriation of Augustan values (like pax and fides) for their private world. We will conclude with an attempt to define "Augustan." The suggested readings follow this scenario; some of them may be changed if other exempla are more appropriate.

Readings: selections from Tacitus (on the principate) and Velleius; representative poems of Horace and the elegists. Modern scholarship: selections from Momigliano and Gruen (on culture and national identity); Raaflaub and Toher (various assessments of Augustus; opposition to Augustus; Augustus' foreign policy); Rickman (on the grain supply); Fantham et al. (on Augustan women); Lyne (on the elegists' values); Weinbrot (on English Augustanism).

5) The audience for whom the seminar is intended:

Scholars and teachers of undergraduates in classics, history, political science, art history, English, religion, and Romance languages and literatures, to mention only the most obvious. In my 1976 seminar, I had a geographer, too. Clearly, it will be a plus for prospective applicants to have some background in Roman, if not Augustan, history, or art, or literature, etc. That background does not have to be a result of formal training; it may well include teaching an aspect or work (e.g., the Aeneid) of the period in an undergraduate course. Some knowledge of Latin will be helpful. In previous seminars, the gamut ranged from strong Latinists to non-Latinists, and the former acted as a resource for the latter. I assume that having a working (reading) knowledge of a modern foreign language (French, German, Spanish, Italian) is a requirement that can be met by almost all prospective applicants. It's a reasonable requirement because scholarship on the Augustan age is international in scope.

6) Facilities and resources:

The University of Texas at Austin is a major research university. Accordingly, the library collections and other support facilities are at a very high level. The University Library is the sixth largest academic library in the U.S. and its holdings in classics are excellent. They are enhanced by the Classics Library's being housed with the Department; that library is a fully funded branch library and professionally staffed and operated by the University Library (rather than being a graduate reading room or the like). It contains 25,000 volumes of major texts, commentaries, secondary works, reference works, and some periodicals; more specialized monographs and most other periodicals are shelved in the Main Library, which is a three-minute walk from the Classics Department. Seminar participants will be issued keys to the Classics Library and have 24-hour access; reserve books will also be shelved there--right down the hall from the seminar room. In addition, the Department's extensive computer facilities will be available to the participants as will some office space in the Department and library carrels.

While the university has a graduate wing in one of its dormitories (across the street from the Main Library), most college teachers, especially those with families, tend to prefer other accommodations. Renting a house from UT faculty is a popular option; there generally is no shortage, given the size of our faculty (about 2,400). In addition, there are several private dorms (ranging from $400 a month; lodging only) and summer apartment rentals. We will assist participants in making suitable arrangements. During the day, participants will be able to use the spacious Classics Lounge, which is a congenial meeting place.

7) Extracurricular activities:

The Austin metropolitan area has more than one million inhabitants and cultural life is extremely diverse, as is the city itself. There will be plenty of music (from classical to country) in the summer, along with theatrical performances and the like. Many of these events are held on campus or nearby. Recreational facilities abound both on and off campus; among other things, there are several major lakes not far from Austin, and there are plenty of activities for the participants' children. We will also arrange for at least one excursion to San Antonio (1 hour and 15 minutes by car). The San Antonio Art Museum has a superb collection, formerly in private hands, of Greek and Roman art, while the UT Art Museum has a valuable teaching collection, including plastercast replicas of some major statuary. And I'd fail in my responsibilities if I didn't point out that Austin is the summer training site for the Dallas Cowboys (practices are open to the public).

Interested? Here's more on the application procedures.