The fall of Troy might be the most famous myth from Classical antiquity. In the second book of the Aeneid, Aeneas himself tells the story of Troy's destruction, as a first hand account to Dido, in Carthage. This lecture investigates the Greek antecedents for this myth in Homeric epic, and what it tells us about the fate of Troy and Aeneas himself. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Roman Myth as Poetry: Love and Hate (handout)

The Roman World introduces students to the society, literature and art of ancient Rome, through a study of its major historical and literary figures, such as Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero, Virgil and Ovid. We shall look at Rome’s place in the ancient Mediterranean world, and its connections with ancient Greece and other cultures, such as Egypt and Gaul. Through almost constant warfare, Rome accumulated an enormous Mediterranean empire, and this subject will investigate how this shaped Roman culture, through such topics as the acquisition of slaves and the ability to import luxury objects. We shall also see how the civil conflicts of the first century BCE affected Rome and Roman identity, leading to Caesar, Pompey and others engaging in propaganda wars, as seen through competitive monumental building, and to some self-questioning in the literature of the period. Towards the end of the semester, we shall look at Rome’s lasting influence, and the way that we continue to represent Rome in book and film.