The Monuments of Rome in English Culture

FAIN: ES-50557-14

University of Texas, El Paso (El Paso, TX 79968-8900)
Ronald J. Weber (Project Director: March 2014 to May 2017)

A four-week institute for twenty-five school teachers on the influence of Cicero and ancient Rome on law, government, and culture in Enlightenment-era Britain.

Dr. Ronald Weber and Dr. Jessica Sheetz Nguyen are proposing a four-week summer Institute for twenty-five teachers and graduate students in the humanities, classics, history, and social sciences. The Institute will take place in Rome. The purpose of the Institute will be to understand how in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries—the years following the break between England and the papacy—Rome served as a world intellectual center that contributed to the emerging national and global identity of the English people. To do this Institute participants will concentrate upon the intersection between the rhetoric of the Roman orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero and the rhetorical display, ceremony and instruction constructed by emperors and popes in the form of processional routes and ceremonial centers in the Roman Forum and the Campus Martius.

Associated Products

Monumental Literacy (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Monumental Literacy
Author: Diane Hance
Abstract: This lesson will recreate one of the experiences of the 2015 Monuments of Rome in English Culture NEH Summer Teacher Institute. Students will explore a selection of Roman monuments and their history, essentially learning to “read” the messages the monuments are meant to convey. Students will then compare these messages with modern monuments connecting past to present. In Lesson 1 (Introduction to Classical Monuments) students will learn about several “tropes” or symbolic features that appear in classical monuments over time. In Lesson 2 (Understanding Classical Influence), students will apply this basic knowledge as they analyze the purpose of these Classical “tropes” in modern state and national monuments. Finally, students will select one of the state and local monuments to research in depth. The summative project asks students to analyze the architectural details of the monument as well as its history and purpose. Students will take a “guided tour” of the monuments in the Library as they present (and view) final projects, just as the NEH teacher scholars presented monuments to our institute peers at the ancient sites.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://romanmonuments.utep.edu
Primary URL Description: Mounuments of Rome in English Culture Website
Audience: K - 12

Rhetoric in the Monuments of Rome (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Rhetoric in the Monuments of Rome
Author: Claire Walter
Abstract: The classical tradition of rhetoric traces its history from Greece with Plato and Aristotle through to Rome and Cicero. The physical spaces constructed during these time periods, moreover, serve as a tangible reflection of the rhetorical styles, structures, and tenets of these early philosophers and orators. Both Cicero in the waning days of the Roman Republic and Augustus in his rise as Emperor of Rome employ rhetorical strategies and devices that are simultaneously reflected in the physical spaces around them. In studying the visual depiction of rhetoric in conjunction with the written form, students will build visual frameworks for identifying written rhetorical strategies and analyzing their use. In Lesson 1, students will explore and develop relationships between several related primary sources in order to build a synthesized argument on Augustus’s rhetorical strategies. In Lesson 2, students will follow the same format with new source materials from Cicero to build independence in the process and develop greater understanding of rhetorical analysis. Finally, in Lesson 3, students will apply the skills developed in Lessons 1 & 2 to write a rhetorical analysis essay.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://romanmonuments.utep.edu
Primary URL Description: Roman Monuments in English Culture Website
Audience: K - 12

Rhetoric of Rome in English Culture (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Rhetoric of Rome in English Culture
Author: Neva Coats
Author: Denise Scavitto
Author: Diane Hance
Author: Claire Walter
Abstract: Students will understand the importance of symbols used to convey specific messages in Classical literature, art and architecture.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://romanmonuments.utep.edu
Primary URL Description: Monuments of Rome in English Culture website
Audience: K - 12

An Interdisciplinary Study of the Roman Pantheon (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: An Interdisciplinary Study of the Roman Pantheon
Author: Amy Perez
Author: Ruban Sandoval
Abstract: Analyze and understand the story and significance of the Roman Pantheon throughout its existence and explain why it continues to be important today. Through the addition of units in art history, math and chemistry, to use the pantheon to demonstrate the interconnection of of the humanities and sciences in the understanding of history and culture.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://romanmonuments.utep.edu
Primary URL Description: Roman Monuments in English Culture website
Audience: K - 12

Art History Curriculum to Accompany the Interdisciplinary Study of the Roman Pantheon (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Art History Curriculum to Accompany the Interdisciplinary Study of the Roman Pantheon
Author: Candace Printz
Abstract: The Pantheon is a building in Rome, Italy that has undergone numerous transformations throughout the years. This building has gone from being a pagan temple, to being used by local vendors to sale goods on the porch, then back to a place of worship in the form of a Christian church. Regardless of its purpose, the Pantheon is a fine example of ingenious architecture, even by today’s standards. In this lesson, students will learn about the history of the Roman Empire and the effects it has had on the Pantheon in the past 2,000 years. They will focus on the aesthetics of the building with the help of the elements of art and principles of design. Students will be asked to identify particular visual components of the Pantheon and see what modern-day architecture it may have influenced. Students will also do a hands-on project which will require them to write about, design and construct their own personalized building.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://romanmonuments.utep.edu
Primary URL Description: Roman Monuments in English Culture website
Audience: K - 12

The Secrets of Roman Concrete: Chemistry Curriculum to Accompany the Interdisciplinary Study of the Roman Pantheon (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: The Secrets of Roman Concrete: Chemistry Curriculum to Accompany the Interdisciplinary Study of the Roman Pantheon
Author: Ruth Dominguez
Abstract: The Pantheon is remarkable for its size, construction, and its design. Two factors that have contributed to its success over time are: the quality of mortar used in the concrete and the careful selection and grading of the aggregate materials which range from basalt, tufa, pozzolana, and pumice.(2) Pozzolana is a fine, chocolate-red volcanic earth, which when mixed with hydrated lime forms an excellent cement that will set well even under water. Pozzolana beds are found at Pozzuoli, near Naples, and around Rome.(1) This unit will cover concepts of Materials Science and Technology and give students the opportunity to learn about cement hydration, material properties, and making concrete. Concrete is important to study in the context of chemistry because of its widespread uses.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://romanmonuments.utep.edu
Primary URL Description: Roman Monuments in English Culture webstie
Audience: K - 12

Studying Geometry Through the Pantheon: Math Curriculum to Accompany the Interdisciplinary Study of the Roman Pantheon (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Studying Geometry Through the Pantheon: Math Curriculum to Accompany the Interdisciplinary Study of the Roman Pantheon
Author: Maria Rascon
Abstract: This lesson will allow students to explore various geometry concepts concentrating on the radius, circumference, diameter, volume, and surface area of a sphere through such magnificent piece of architecture. Students are expected to apply the geometric properties they have learned in the classroom to real life as we study interesting features of the Pantheon.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://romanmonuments.utep.edu
Primary URL Description: Roman Monuments in English website.
Audience: K - 12

Continuity of Culture Lesson Plan on Romans in Pompeii (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Continuity of Culture Lesson Plan on Romans in Pompeii
Author: Warren Soper
Author: Lori Howell
Author: Melody Nishinaga
Author: Sarah Poku
Abstract: Students will study Roman culture through various activities and be able to explain how the Ancient Romans in Pompeii are similar to people today. “A typical day in this town means going shopping, stopping by the laundry, catching a sporting event at the amphitheater, or maybe taking in a play – and that was 2000 years ago. Can you guess where you are? Not where you might expect: You’re in ancient Pompeii, an Italian village where life came to a fiery halt when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. “ -Discover Kids Pompeii Magazine
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://romanmonuments.utep.edu
Primary URL Description: Roman Monuments in English Culture website
Audience: K - 12

How to Read a Monument: Student Guide to Accompany Lesson on Rhetoric of Rome in English Culture (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: How to Read a Monument: Student Guide to Accompany Lesson on Rhetoric of Rome in English Culture
Author: Christina Pitcher-Cozzone
Abstract: DISSECT Detail:Upon viewing the monument, make a list of all the details you see without stopping- don’t feel a need to analyze or connect them to each other. Inscription:Carefully examine the monument for an inscription on or near the monument. To whom is this dedicated and why are they being remembered in this form? Structure:How are the pieces of this monument working together to create meaning? What is the monument made of? (Research this if you are not sure.) Examine the pieces of the monument. What is the style of it? (Research this.) Was the style inspired by another historical period? (For example- classical.) Symbols:Record possible symbolic elements of the monument. What associations did the society then make with these symbols? What associations does your society now make when examining these symbols? Emotion: What is the emotional impact of the monument? How should the audience feel when viewing it as a whole? What about the separate components of the monument? Context: What is the historical context of the monument? When was it built and what time period does it memorialize? Text: Now that you have explored the monument’s visual components, examine any text on or near the monument. Approach this text as you would any reading. Examine for thematic concepts, historical significance, and allusions that connect the monument to the time period and other historical or cultural icons.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://romanmonuments.utep.edu
Primary URL Description: Monuments of Rome in English Culture website
Audience: K - 12

Studying Rome via Primary Sources and Artifacts (Symbols and Monuments) (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Studying Rome via Primary Sources and Artifacts (Symbols and Monuments)
Author: Dennis Rogala
Author: Charles Diaz
Author: Kristen Van Der Linden
Author: Matthew Grant Potts
Author: Phillip Harvey
Abstract: Ask students to draw a symbol and use student symbols to introduce the concept of using primary sources and monuments as tools for studying the ancient Romans. Define essential vocabulary for the week. Briefly explain the three paradigms that will be used in the next three days to examine Roman history, then place students in groups and lead them in a discussion of primary source and artifact examples about Roman gladiator games. Emphasize that this will be the method employed in the next three days to examine the three paradigms. Finally, conclude the lesson by reemphasizing the week’s essential question and objectives, the three paradigms, and the upcoming final assessment project.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://romanmonuments.utep.edu
Primary URL Description: Monuments of Rome in English Culture website
Audience: K - 12

The Grand and Not so Grand Tours of the Duchess of Devonshire (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: The Grand and Not so Grand Tours of the Duchess of Devonshire
Author: Ronald J. Weber
Abstract: The Italian travels of Elizabeth Foster, Duchess of Devonshire (1780 to 1820).
Date: 10/10/2015
Conference Name: Western Conference on British Studies

Elizabeth Foster and the Rediscovery of Rome (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Elizabeth Foster and the Rediscovery of Rome
Author: Ronald J. Weber
Abstract: Archaeological projects of Lady Elizabeth Foster, Duchess of Devonshire (1800-1824)
Date: 02/16/2016
Conference Name: Southern Converence of the Society for Eighteenth Century Studies

Mutuality & Mutability: Language and Thought in Victorian England (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Mutuality & Mutability: Language and Thought in Victorian England
Author: Phillip Harvey
Abstract: The language of the peasant varies “according to the accidental character of the clergyman, the exciseman, publican, or barber, happened to be, or not be, zealous politicians, and readers of the weekly newspaper pro bono publico,” Samuel Taylor Coleridge, contrasting the earlier stance taken with “Mr. Wordsworth” in their Preface to Lyrical Ballads, portrayed the poor here as having no culture or language worth mentioning because of its accidental, arbitrary nature, i.e. shifting nature (qtd. in Smith 225; italics mine). Even Samuel Johnson, titan of the English language that he is, wrote “more ‘permanent’ language is written and differs from the language of the ‘laborious and mercantile’ classes, which is ‘in a great measure casual and mutable’.” (qtd. in Smith 217).
Date: 02/03/2016
Conference Name: Student Research Day: University of Central Oklahoma

Demigods and Dreamers: John Keats and Posthumanity (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Demigods and Dreamers: John Keats and Posthumanity
Author: Phillip Harvey
Abstract: According to the narrator of Lamia , Philosophy assigns a rainbow a listing “in the dull catalogue of common things. Philosophy will…/Unweave a rainbow” (233237) thus robbing it of any mystery that it once held. Some might ally with Lamia ’s narrator, accusing me of “unweaving a rainbow” as I researched the posthumous literary reputation of the Romantic poet John Keats. “Posthumous literary reputation” is the idea that one holds in their mind when they think of a literary figure such as Keats and my research suggested that this concept is a lot like cement: surprisingly fluid at first but, when allowed to settle, resilient and difficult to break.
Date: 10/10/2015
Conference Name: Western Conference on British Studies

Making the Best of a Good Thing: Mrs Trollope in Italy (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Making the Best of a Good Thing: Mrs Trollope in Italy
Author: Marilyn D. Button
Abstract: The 19th century is full of intrepid women travelers who left the comfort of home for the sake of some personal or political commitment, the enrichment of travel, or, in some cases, specifically to pursue a profession. Frances Milton Trollope traveled for all three of these reasons. She was always a woman in search of a subject and no place or person was beyond the reach of her rapier pen. Nevertheless, her works are rarely read today and her reputation for literary skill fell short of that of her contemporaries. Only her first book, Domestic Manners of the Americans (1832), is readily available in print today, and only a few of her novels and travel journals are available online. Why then, should one study the life and works of this unusual woman? What insights about 19th century women travelers can be gleaned from a perusal of her work?
Date: 10/10/2015
Conference Name: Western Conference on British Studies

Josephine Butler's Italian Journeys as Seen Through the Lens of Saint Catharine of Siena (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Josephine Butler's Italian Journeys as Seen Through the Lens of Saint Catharine of Siena
Author: Jessica Sheetz-Nguyen
Abstract: How the religious beliefs of Josephine Butler were influenced by her travels in Italy.
Date: 10/10/2015
Conference Name: Western Conference on British Studies

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