Highlands Ranch High School - Mr. Sedivy
Highlands Ranch, Colorado

World History
Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire

Assignment
From Republic to Empire: The Achievements of Augustus

Augustus Caesar

Task: You are a Roman citizen living in the year A.D. 180. However, you are no ordinary citizenÑyou are also the Imperial historian. You work for the emperor, Marcus Aurelius. As the Imperial historian, you have completed many important assignments for the emperor, but recently Aurelius has commissioned you to research the reign of the first emperor, Caesar Augustus, and to design a monument appropriate to his memory based on that research. The design should incorporate frieze sculptures, free-standing sculptures, inscriptions, and anything else you think appropriate to symbolize the achievements of Augustus.

It is important to remember that Marcus Aurelius is a scholar himself and that he has rather high expectations for this project. Remember, too, that the last Imperial historian came to a very unfortunate end as a result of his shoddy and unprofessional work. (Marcus Aurelius takes his history very seriously!). With this in mind: Your plans for this monument must not be based on myth and legend, but on real history. They must be based on a thorough understanding of the reign of Augustus gained through the study of all the available evidence. This evidence, sometimes contradictory in what it says about Augustus, must be evaluated and used to justify your design plans. A written evaluation of the evidence will therefore accompany your monument design.

Your design will be judged acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of both the design itself and the degree to which it accurately and completely reflects the historical evidence. If your design does accurately reflect the evidence you will be greatly rewarded. If not, you will share the fate of the last Imperial historian!

Requirements

Part One

Research & Writing - You will thoroughly study and evaluate the available historical records and consider the following questions:

Which of the historical sources do you judge to be most reliable? Which do you judge to be biased? Why? How might the authorÕs bias affect the historical reliability of the source?

What were the main achievements of Caesar Augustus?

After considering this question and carefully examining the evidence, you will write an essay which addresses the following question:

How was Caesar Augustus able to transform the Roman Republic into an Empire? Explain and provide support that defends your interpretation. Your answer to this question will provide the basis for part two of this assignment, namely, your monument design. Details for the format will be given to you later.

Part Two

Design - You will produce architectural drawings for a monument to commemorate the reign of Augustus. Your plans should be based on the conclusions you reached in your research and study. These plans will include:

A scale drawing indicating the overall appearance and size of your design, including the location of sculptures, inscriptions and friezes.

Drawings and accompanying descriptions which illustrate the sculptures, inscriptions and friezes in detail (e.g. drawings which are enlargements of small, but important, details).

If preferred, you may make a model of your monument design.

Note: Marcus Aurelius realizes that not all historians are great artists and architects. He is mainly interested, then, in your research and your interpretation of the evidence. Professional artists can be employed later to execute your preliminary design ideas.

Value of this Assignment:

Preliminary evaluation of the evidence: 100 points
Essay - History: 100 points
English: 100 points
Monument Design: 100 points

Total: 400 points

Due Date: You will have approximately ten days to complete this assignment. Exact due dates for various parts of this assignment will be announced.

Key Areas of Evaluation:

Interpretation and Evaluation of evidence (primary)

Analysis of data; Drawing conclusions

Advanced 4
The student interprets a wide variety of historical evidence (written, visual, .) with a high degree of accuracy and with creativity. The student can differentiate among primary, secondary and tertiary sources. The student can consistently recognize author bias and point of view. The student analyze data, and draw accurate and sophisticated conclusions. The student can consistently recognize historical parallels and connect past events and situations and contemporary events and situations.

Proficient 3
The student interprets a variety of historical evidence with accuracy. The student can differentiate among primary, secondary and tertiary sources. The student can consistently recognize author bias and point of view. The student can formulate relevant historical questions, conduct independent research, analyze data, and draw accurate conclusions from that research. The student can consistently recognize historical parallels and connect past events and situations and contemporary events and situations.

Developing 2
The student interprets historical evidence, but with varying degrees of accuracy. The student can differentiate among primary and secondary sources. The student can recognize author bias and point of view. With guidance, the student can formulate historical questions, conduct research, analyze data, and draw conclusions from research. The student can sometimes recognize historical parallels and connect past events and situations and contemporary events and situations.

Progressing 1
The student attempts to interpret a historical evidence but with major inaccuracies. The student can usually differentiate among primary and secondary sources. The student can occasionally recognize author bias and point of view. The student can formulate historical questions, conduct research, analyze data, and draw conclusions from research, but requires continual guidance. Recognition of historical parallels and connect past events and situations is limited.

N
No attempt. No data.

Writings From the Time of Augustus By:

Augustus, Senate, Horace, Suetonius

Dio Cassius, Tacitus

Augustus - Res Gestae Divi Augusti

Class Activity
Roman Aqueduct Project

Further Topical Reading
Historical Jesus

More Information
The Emperors of Rome