Last updated: January 25, 2020

Classics Program at BGSU Studies in Latin at BGSU Department of Romance and Classical Studies Bowling Green State University

Due Date: Friday April 24.

Description: A review (1500 word minimum) of a book with ancient Roman historical content. (Double-spaced, 1 inch margins, 10-12 pt. font. Remember: when double-spacing, do not put extra space after a paragraph break. Yes, I take points off for this.) (Those in the Honors section will write a 3000 word review.)

Technical Details: Submit it to me via Canvas. 

Necessary Elements: You should evaluate whatever you review on two grounds:

1.) On its accuracy in reporting Roman social life and history. (The required texts are your basis for making this judgement; I don't expect you guys to do research for the review. In fact: if you think of research as "googling stuff", then don't do research.)

2.) On its artistic or educational value (i.e. whether it sucks or not, and why).

3.) A bibliography of the book you're reviewing and any other works you used in writing the review. It doesn't have to be much (this is a very small project), but whatever you used in writing the paper should be in the bibliography (which should be on a separate page, and doesn't count as one of the 5 pages).

e.g.

Brutus, Marcus J. I Popped a Cap in C Juli C (True Confessions Press, 44 B.C.)

Shakespeare, W. Julius Caesar: The Lost Episodes (Opera Dubia Press, 1606)

 
Any time you refer to or quote from a work you should cite a page number (or equivalent).

e.g.

It was at this point that the assassins began to attack Caesar (Brutus, p. 222) not, as Shakespeare claims, when Caesar referred to Pompey as "a useless bucket of snot" (Shakespeare, Act 15, scene 32).

Eligible work: Almost anything booklength that relates to the course subject (Roman history and society). It could be a historical mystery novel (or fantasy, or science fiction), a piece of straight-up historical fiction, a graphic novel, a narrative history of some event (the Punic Wars, the Civil Wars, etc), a book on some topic of Roman social history (women, slavery, gladiatorial shows, etc), a biography. It could be something else. (If in doubt, consult me.) It should be a work directed at adults, although if you're interested in looking at more than one children's book about ancient Rome, run the idea past me; we can probably work something out.

About sources: The book that you review doesn't have to be scholarly. Works that you use to critique it should be, though. Shelton and Morey are fine to use; you don't have to do additional research for this project.

In general, a book which gives you the evidence on which its assertions are based (e.g. citations of primary evidence) is scholarly. If it doesn't, it's not scholarly, even if it was written by a scholar. When in doubt about a source, consult me (via e-mail, phone or in person). Be especially cautious about internet sources: there is a great deal of misinformation masked online as information. (There are plenty of excellent sites, too, though.) Do not base your paper on an internet source without consulting me first. ("Is he serious?" you may be asking yourself. If I could show you all the papers I've given failing grades to because of bad internet sources, you wouldn't need to ask.)

A Final Warning: Don't plagiarize. I don't mean to sound paranoid, but the issue does come up from time to time. This is a fairly brief writing assignment, but standards of academic honesty still apply. (See BGSU's Academic Honesty standards, including specific definitions and mandated penalties, in a PDF file downloadable at this link.) If you're unsure whether something you're doing constitutes plagiarism ask someone (me, for instance, or someone at the writing center--a great resource whenever you're having trouble with a paper). There's no penalty for asking, whereas the penalties for being caught are fairly severe--ranging from a zero on the assignment to (in extreme cases) suspension or expulsion from the university.

Also: beware sinister buttocks. Your own words will be the best words, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time.