Ancient Economy (330-0-2)

Topic

Roman Economy

Instructors

Taco Tjitte Terpstra
Kresge 4353

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-329: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

It is perhaps unsurprising that our time - obsessed as it is with GDP growth, the ups and downs of the stock market, inflation rates, the trade deficit - produces scholarship that studies the ancient Roman economy. This scholarship has made us increasingly aware of how different Rome was from the modern world. This course will focus on what that difference means for the realities of everyday life, both past and present. Questions to be addressed are: What did economic growth mean for the economy of the Romans? Can we even measure it? What role did energy consumption play in economic performance? What was the role of social class in business? What was the influence of a demographic regime with low life expectancy? How was trade conducted over long distances without fast means of communication and transportation? What was the role of technology and technological progress in the economy?

Class Materials (Required)

No textbook required.

Class Notes

Waitlist information for this course can be found here: https://classics.northwestern.edu/courses/2024-2025/classics-waitlist.html

Class Attributes

Advanced Expression
Historical Studies Foundational Discipline
Historical Studies Distro Area

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-Registration -- Reserved for Classics majors or minors.