Rome, Italy
Details about the 2008 program will be available soon. The information here may be helpful if you're considering attending this program.
Study Tour of Roman History and Archaeology
May 23-June 10, 2007
Program Description
Rome, "the eternal city," is a magnificent example of cultural continuity. Now more than 2,700 years old, Rome is the heart of classical civilization and antiquity in the Western world. Evidence of life throughout these years, and many thousands before, are found in the modern city: a Roman bridge with an archaic Latin inscription; a modern wall built right into a medieval wall, built in turn into a pre-Roman wall; a column from a Roman temple holding up the ceiling of a medieval church; richly decorated tombs of pre-Roman peoples, the Etruscans; and remains of entire public areas and human works-places of worship, entertainment, leisure, business, and pleasure. The city of Rome and its environs hold all of these and more, and they are waiting for students who enroll in the Rome program.The itinerary and logistics of this study tour have been designed by faculty in the Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Penn State. The program is specifically designed to enhance and extend previous classroom studies by a unique travel experience, through which students can earn 3 or 6 credits. The program aims at offering qualified students an opportunity to study firsthand the physical remains of ancient Roman cities in central Italy, from foundations to the emergence of early Christian societies.
The students will stay in the heart of Rome, within walking distance of many ancient remains, museums, and other cultural sites. The daily activities will be built around visits to the important archaeological and museum sites in Rome and at other nearby sites (the Roman port and suburb of Ostia, for example). There will also be a three-night trip to visit Pompeii, Herculaneum, and other important sites (often not accessible to the average tourist) around the Bay of Naples.
Within Rome the students will visit the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill, the Colosseum, and the Baths of Caracalla to name a few sites. Guided tours to several museums-the Capitoline Museum, the Vatican Museums, and the Terme Museum-form an essential component of the program. In addition, there will be opportunities to visit several early Christian churches and sites, including at least one catacomb.
Historical and archaeological lectures will accompany each site visit. The students will be required to participate actively in site and museum visits, based upon readings assigned and other exercises.
program of the College of Agricultural Sciences, the College of Arts and Architecture, the College of the Liberal Arts and the Office of International Programs
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