Environmental History of Rome
We live in the Anthropocene, a geological age defined by humanity’s dominant influence on climate and the environment. But there remains much debate as to when exactly the Anthropocene begins. This debate matters, as it puts into perspective our current environmental crises and the significance of human-environment interaction across time. Environmental History of Rome (CLSS 293) reflected on this significance over the short- and long-term by casting an environmental lens on the archaeology and history of the Roman Empire. Along the way, the course drew from diverse paleo-environmental, archaeological, art historical, and literary evidence to interrogate Roman mentalities towards the environment; examine Roman technologies and organizational systems which enabled the Romans’ ability to bring about enduring environmental transformations; and explore the confluence of socio-political events and environmental phenomena. The primary goal of this survey was to learn the role of the environment in the history of Rome, and vice versa. Of equal importance was comparing Rome’s relationship with the environment to our own, in particular how ideas, tools, institutions, and circumstances bring about or obstruct transformation. This course was taught by David Pickel as a Doyle Seminar in spring 2023. Please refer to the current course catalog for an up-to-date description of the course.
