OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, we will look in more detail at some examples of "close encounters" between "western" and "non-western" peoples. We begin this week with a discussion of how ancient Rome grew from a small city state in central Italy to become a world superpower, ruling much of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. This rise took place over more than 500 years, and at each stage of its growth, Rome changed and was changed by the different cultures it came to rule.

Then, after nearly 1000 years, the Roman Empire in the West fell to a series of barbarian invasions from the north and east of Europe. But these "barabarians" weren't as foreign as some Roman authors and especially later historians supposed, and the "fall" of the Roman Empire was not as dramatic as the term suggests. In fact, the long sunset of Rome may be better understood as yet another transformation of an ever changing and endlessly complex superpower of the ancient world.

We will begin this week with your textbook, Lynn Hunt, et al., The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures, A Concise History. Please read Chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7. As you read, concentrate especially on parts of the text that discuss Rome's growth and its assimilation of and interaction with non-Italian cultures, making special note of examples of both change and continuity.

Next you should read four primary sources, two of which date from the early years of the Roman Empire and two of which date from the late Roman Empire. From the earlier period, please read selections from Tacitus's Germania and "A Description of Egypt Under the Principate" from Strabo's Geography. From the later period please read Procopius of Caesarea's description of Alaric's Sack of Rome and Eugippius's Life of Severinus.

I understand that this is a lot of reading for one class, and I know that you will not be able to thoroughly examine and take notes on every page and paragrah. I do, however, expect you at least to have sampled every section of every chapter before we meet for class. Bascially, I would rather you skim the entire text than burn out after trying to read 10 or 20 pages too closely. Please see me at office hours if you need further guidance in using the textbook effectively.

There is no online exercise this week to give you time to work on your first graded writing assignment, but please remember that we will be visiting the National Gallery of Art this weekend as noted on the activities schedule.