Beard’s SPQR. A History of Ancient Rome as Background Reading in Classical Latin Courses. A Teaching Proposal by Tamara Lobato Beneyto The Cambridge scholar provides an formulated by the present author and Introduction. Rationale, scope, analysis and discussion of primary aimed at furthering a reflection on and a and structure sources, and re-examines the significance discussion of the book’s contents among and consequences of the main historical students. This document was originally Contextual or background knowledge events and processes during such elaborated for undergraduates completing performs an important function in centuries. She starts by focusing on the ab initio and intermediate courses in second language learning and reading events of 63 BCE (first chapter), and then Classical Latin as part of degree comprehension, as a number of proceeds to discuss previous periods in programmes other than Classics (mainly theoretical and empirical studies have Roman History. In the sixth chapter, History), but it may be likewise useful for shown (see, for instance, P. L. Carrell, Beard resumes the account of events of students in other educational settings, 1983, 1982).1 To the extent that the already mentioned year, and continues such as the pre-university stage and Ancient Greek and Latin are verbal thereon with the rest of the historical continuous education. codes too, they constitute no exception account in linear chronological order. The headings in the first section, to the aforementioned principle. With a most engaging narrative style,she entitled On the chapter contents, are phrased Indeed, contextual knowledge is implicitly introduces non-specialist in a similar way as essay questions. Some particularly relevant to reading readers to some key aspects of the of them draw attention to specific comprehension in Classical Languages, methodological procedures of Source historical events, processes, and figures given the time, material, and cultural Criticism (Ad Fontes, Quellenforschung). The that students are requested to outline gap between their original context of book truly abides by the principle of docēre and discuss. Factual knowledge, use during antiquity, on the one hand, et delectāre. however, is not the sole scope in this and the context of the contemporary As far as the distribution of contents proposal, and so other headings concern learners of these languages, on the is concerned, the volume consists of a Beard’s argumentations on the other. Addressing and integrating this map section, a prologue, 12 chapters, an interpretative complexities entailed by type of knowledge into Classical Latin epilogue, timelines, illustrations, index, primary sources. In other words, the courses is, therefore, expected to aid and endnotes (further reading) referring the focus here is not only on Beard’s account student comprehension of both reader to the primary and secondary of major events and processes in Roman original and adapted classical texts. sources that have been handled in each history, but also on her remarks on It goes without saying that one way chapter. As far as the paratextual elements primary sources and their biases. to accomplish such integration is by of the volume are concerned, they Maps evidently place events and means of establishing a set of readings interrelate closely with Beard’s account processes in their geographical context, whereby students can autonomously learn and discussion, making an integral part of and the illustrations that feature about the historical context of theuse of the reading, one that certainly should not archaeological sites, inscriptions, artefacts, the Latin language during antiquity. to be overlooked by students. and artworks bear substantial interrelation Beard’s SPQR. A History of Ancient Rome This teaching proposal is structured with the discussions and argumentations covers the time period between the Iron into three main sections, all of which of the chapters.2 These elements thus Age (matters of Proto-History are consist of a number of suggested deserve as much attention as the volume’s addressed too) and the 3rd century CE. guidelines and assignments originally textual contents, and they are indeed The Journal of Classics Teaching 20 (40) p.25-29 © The Classical Association 2019. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction Downloaded infrom any https://www.cambridge.org/core medium, provided the original. IP work address: is properly 170.106.33.22 cited., on 24 Sep 2021 at 03:22:16, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at 25 https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631019000291 addressed in the second section, entitled subsequent historical periods, acquiring in On the paratextual elements of the volume. each given case new ad hoc connotations. Chapter 1. Cicero’s Finest Hour Recent publications have versed on Beard most accurately illustrates this by – Explain what the phrase Conspiracy of the role and relevancy of material culture citing public statements that were once Catiline refers to in the historiography in the instruction in Classical Languages made by or about contemporary political of ancient Rome and indicate the main and Ancient History. Liddel (2017) has leaders, as well as by including one press textual primary sources that document discussed the use of Greek inscriptions photograph in which a group of civilians that historical event. in the study of antiquity at the pre- are carrying banners featuring the phrase university stage and has drawn attention Quousque tandem during a protest in a large – Discuss the following statement: ‘63 to the convenience and opportunity of European city back in 2012. BCE is a significant year in that crucial their inclusion in the specifications of This teaching proposal can serve century’ (Beard, 2016, p. 23). course syllabi. Houghtalin (2018) has diverse purposes. The initial one was to discussed the suitability of ceramics and provide undergraduates with a set of – Explain what complexities are entailed numismatic legends for pronunciation guidelines with which they could by the interpretation of events in 63 exercises, vocabulary acquisition, practice self-monitor the reading of the book and BCE. When providing an answer, the in grammatical forms, and overall ensure to have reflected on and paid a following statement is to be taken into contextual awareness in Ancient Greek thought to a number of key contents and account: ‘Cicero casts Catiline as a and Classical Latin language courses. The argumentations. In this latter respect, it desperado with terrible gambling debts, suggested treatment of the paratextual could be argued that providing thanks entirely to his moral failings. But elements of Beard’s book that we present undergraduate students with a document the situation cannot have been so here is congruent with the of this nature may initially appear to be simple’ (Beard, 2016, p. 45). aforementioned claims on material condescending towards them, or even culture and Classics teaching. inadvisable to the extent that it might One further aspect of thevolume hinder their autonomy and academic Chapter 2. In the Beginning contemplated here concerns Latin maturity. It is, nevertheless, worth language samples. Each chapter includes heeding that undergraduate students may – Outline the main plot of Rome’s Latin terms and phrases designating key still be taking their first steps in how to foundational legend and name the main concepts of institutions and practices in approach the reading of titles of primary textual sources that have the realms of politics, social order, and secondary literature during the first handed it down in several different the army in ancient Rome. A list of semesters of a degree programme and, versions. You may wish to take into headings therein can be found in the third therefore, some form of guidance consideration the volume illustrations and final section of this teaching appears to be justified. Additionally, featuring iconographic motifs related proposal, entitled Latin language samples. It providing students with some orientation to that legend. requests students to focus on the with respect to the recommended morphology and semantics of a selection secondary literature of a given course – Discuss the following statement: ‘Most of such terms and phrases. The present may further their analytical and critical “foundations” are retrospective author has grouped them into the reading skills for academic purposes as constructions, projecting back into the following five semantic fields: army; well as their progression towards greater distant past a microcosm, or imagined ethics, morality and religion; politics; academic autonomy and maturity. primitive version, of the later city’ Roman urbanism; and social institutions Finally, it is worth noting that the (Beard, 2016, p. 71). and practices. On their part, lecturers and following guidelines may be also used to instructors may wish to discuss the structure class reading seminars on this semantics of such words in class and particular title, and/or as prompts for Chapter 3. The Kings of Rome prevent their students from attributing to written work to be submitted to the them the same meaning of some lecturer or instructor. – Name the most ancient epigraphic derivatives in modern languages Latin document that has been (instances