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Courses / Modules / ARCH3028 Living with the Romans: Urbanism in the Roman Empire

Living with the Romans: Urbanism in the Roman Empire

When you'll study it
Semester 1
CATS points
15
ECTS points
7.5
Level
Level 6
Module lead
Anna Collar
Academic year
2025-26

Module overview

The towns in which the Romans lived are some of the most familiar features of the Roman world. Although they seem to look and feel like modern towns, they actually worked in quite different ways, a reflection of the fact that ancient Roman society was distinct to our own.

This module introduces you to archaeology of towns from across the Roman world between the 3rd century BC and the 6th century AD.

You will learn of the very different ways in which the Romans thought about towns and how they were organized. In particular, you will be introduced to the vibrant political and commercial life of towns in the Roman towns and provinces, and their links with Rome itself. You will also gain an appreciation of how Roman towns actually worked from day to day and their roles within the broader empire, and will also discover why there were very marked differences between towns in different parts of the Mediterranean, northern Europe and north Africa and the Middle East. You will also venture out into the countryside surrounding the towns, and learn something of their links to villages, farms and villas. Following this module, in short, will introduce you to some breath-taking archaeological sites and provide you with a fascinating glimpse into a key part of our European cultural heritage.