Course content and focus areas
The master's program "Archaeology and History of the Roman Provinces" focuses on the Roman provinces in general, with a particular emphasis on the provinces of the western part of the Roman Empire, from their establishment to the end of the Western Roman Empire (ca. 250 BCE – ca. 500 CE). The program examines the full range of surviving legacies from these centuries, including material, intellectual, and religious culture, as well as data on the natural environment. The aim of the program is to provide students with a coherent and well-structured selection of the diverse sources available. Material sources are extensively documented through archaeological excavations, which continue to expand with each new dig. Written sources include text corpora from ancient authors, inscriptions on stone and bronze, and cursive inscriptions on various materials (papyri, writing tablets, brush inscriptions, graffiti, etc.). Building on these sources, the program seeks to reconstruct past life in the geographical and chronological contexts as comprehensively as possible from the perspective of classical antiquity.
Studying "Archaeology and History of the Roman Provinces" equips students to independently engage with the body of sources in a theoretically grounded and methodologically sound manner, critically assess and classify different types of sources, and develop a deeper understanding of the subject. The master's program is designed to deepen and expand the expertise acquired during the bachelor's course, further develop the ability to think and argue independently in an academic context, and strengthen skills in time management and efficient work organization.