Classical Decadence

Module title	Classical Decadence
Module code	CLAM117
Academic year	2023/4
Credits	15
Module staff	Professor Neville Morley (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	10

Number students taking module (anticipated)	15

Module description

Classical antiquity offers paradigmatic images of ‘decadence’, the idea that over time a society or culture inevitably grows old, decays and becomes corrupted. The Romans of the Late Republic lost their traditional virtues and were undermined by luxury until their feeble system was swept away. Emperors like Nero became notorious for grotesque self-indulgence, while around them Roman culture decayed. The Empire declined and fell because of immorality and corruption as much as the influx of impure barbarians. This module explores both ancient and modern interpretations of these themes.

There are no pre-requisites, but some knowledge of classical history is an advantage.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The overall aims of the module are:

To provide you with the tools and concepts to interpret ancient ideas of corruption and decline, and their modern legacy.
To understand how this history of reception in turn shapes modern historical interpretations of the classical past.
To introduce you to a wide range of different ancient sources, including historiography, political philosophy, literature and art.
To introduce key modern debates around the idea of ‘decadence’ and the crucial role played by classical ideas and examples.
To give you experience of exploring the continuing power of the classical past in the present.
To offer an opportunity to develop skills in independent research and analysis.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Demonstrate knowledge of a range of relevant primary material from Greece and Rome relating to themes of decadence, and show critical skills in analysing and discussing such material.
2. Demonstrate critical understanding of key modern interpretations and representations of classical decadence and decline, and their continuing influence.
3. Demonstrate awareness of debates around the role of decadence in contemporary discourse.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

4. Demonstrate sophisticated critical and analytical skills which can be applied to a wider range of textual and other evidence from ancient and modern contexts.
5. Demonstrate understanding of the influence of modern conceptions on the interpretation of the ancient world, with awareness of one's own assumptions and values.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

6. Demonstrate awareness of historical and cultural differences, and an ability to interpret the ideas and assumptions of unfamiliar societies.
7. Demonstrate sophisticated skills in independent research and the development of research questions, and in the construction, organisation and presentation of interpretations and arguments, both written and verbal.
8. Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a group, and to engage constructively in debate and discussion.
9. Conduct independent research, including experience in time management.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that the module will cover some or all of the following topics, which includes scope for students to focus on specific themes and case studies depending on their particular interests:

1. Decadence Ancient and Modern: exploring the idea(s) of decadence, and the importance of antiquity for modern decadents such as John Addington Symonds and Oscar Wilde.

2. The Decay of Political Regimes: ancient ideas of political decay and decline, and the role of virtue, including Aristotle, Polybius, Sallust and Cicero.

3. Luxury and Immorality: the interrelationship of wealth, indulgence, appetite and imperialism, leading to a crisis of masculinity and other social values, in the late Republic and early Principate.

4. Art and Culture: ancient and modern perceptions of decline in literary and artistic forms, in opposition to the idea(l) of the classical.

5. Decline and Fall: the end of the Roman Empire, whether through barbarian invasion, loss of virtue, decay of traditional values or the rise of Christianity, and its modern echoes and reinventions.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
15	135	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	15	Intensive seminar and small group discussion
Guided Independent Study	135	Working independently and in small groups, preparing for seminars and assessment.

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Participation	In-class	1-8	Oral feedback from lecturer and peers

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
80	0	20

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay	80	4000 words	1-7, 9	Mark, written and oral comments
Presentation	20	20 minutes including discussion	1-9	Mark, written and oral comments

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Essay (4000 words)	Essay (4000 words)	1-7, 9	Referral/Deferral period
Presentation (20 minutes including discussion)	Recorded presentation, e.g. PowerPoint slides with voice recording	1-9	Referral/Deferral period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Butler, S. (2022) The Passions of John Addington Symonds (OUP).
Desmarais, J. & D. Weir, eds. (2019) Decadence and Literature (CUP), esp. chapters by Toner, Malik and Hurst.
Desmarais, J. & D. Weir, eds. (2022) The Oxford Handbook of Decadence (OUP), esp. chapters by Malik and Morley.
Edwards, C. (1993) The Politics of Immorality in Ancient Rome (CUP).
Gibbon, E. (1776) “General Observations on the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West,” in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, ed. J. B. Bury (CUP, 1898), Vol. 4:160–9.
MacMullen, R. (1988) Corruption and the Decline of Rome (Yale UP).
Montesquieu (1734) Considerations on the Causes of the Grandeur of the Romans and their Decline, trans. David Lowenthal (Free Press, 1965).
Morley, N. (2004) ‘Decadence as a theory of history’, New Literary History 35.4: 573-85.
Murray, A., ed. (2020) Decadence: A Literary History, ed. Alex Murray (CUP).
Riley, K., ed. (2017) Oscar Wilde and Classical Antiquity (OUP).
Theodore, J. (2016) The Modern Cultural Myth of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Palgrave Macmillan).
Weir, D. (2018) Decadence: A Very Short Introduction (OUP)

Key words search

Decadence, classical reception, classics, ancient history

Credit value	15
Module ECTS	7.5
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	03/01/2023
Last revision date	26/01/2023