An introduction to the history of the Roman empire, from the reign of the first emperor, Augustus (31 BC­AD 14), to the end of the 4th century AD. Major themes include the changing configurations of power in the Roman empire (institutional, personal, social, religious), the unity and diversity of Roman imperial culture, the relationship between state and
society, the political economy of the Roman empire, and the geography of the Mediterranean world. Lectures will provide an essential historical narrative and interpretations of central problems in Roman imperial history, and readings will give students an opportunity to engage with key texts from or about the Roman empire.