Last updated: January 4, 2008

Classics Section  Major/Minor Programs in Classics at BGSU Romance and Classical Studies Bowling Green State University

Due Date: Thurs. Feb. 28. (Anything turned in after 5:30 PM will start accumulating late points.)

Description: A 5 page review of a movie, TV show, play or performance with Roman historical content. (Double-spaced, 1 inch margins, 10-12 pt. font.)

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.)

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

You should also give me some specific idea of what you reviewed-- the title, date produced, performers etc.

Don't be hesitant in expressing an opinion, but remember to support your opinion with evidence.

ex.

The acting is superb. When the actors surround Pfundsteinus to smite him with their pointed sticks, it looks like they really hate him.

I assume you guys know how to run a spellcheck, but don't forget to actually proofread your review. It's up to you to spell Roman names and Latin words correctly-- the computer won't know how.

Topics: Any type of performance, movie or TV show with Roman historical content.

If you want to know whether the work you want to review is eligible for this assignment, feel free to ask (in person or via e-mail). Off-topic reviews will (reluctantly, but invariably) receive a zero. In general, follow these guidelines:
 

It has to have historical content. Reviews of Hercules vs. the Terror of Rome or Troy are off-topic (although they would work in CLCV 380: Classical Myth).

The history has to be Roman. Reviews of Braveheart or The Three Musketeers would have historical content, but they don't have anything to do with ancient Rome.

Gladiator is an obvious choice, but there are other options. You won't find a Roman section in your local video store, but these movies are all over the place: filmed versions of Shakespeare's Roman plays, Cleopatra, Spartacus, Ben Hur, Fall of the Roman Empire, The Last Days of Pompeii etc. Any story that involves the origin or early history of Christianity is Roman by definition. There was a British TV series, I, Claudius, which had its moments, and can still be found on video; more recently British TV was running a situation comedy set in Pompeii. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is widely available, and well worth seeing.

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 an informal writing assignment, but standards of academic honesty still apply. (See a brief description of plagiarism and its penalties in a PDF file downloadable from the BGSU Provost 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.