Isabel Köster studies the history and literature of the Roman Republic and early Empire with a special interest in the intersection between religion and law. Her publications include articles on the various accounts of the death of Rome’s most notorious temple robbers (Classical Journal) and on mythology and invective in Cicero’s Against Piso (Illinois Classical Studies). Her current book project examines temple robbery in the Roman world from the third century BCE to the second century CE. Future projects include a study of Roman ideas about divine punishment.
keywords
Roman history, Greek and Roman religion, Latin prose literature, Latin historiography and rhetoric, Roman imperialism, Roman crime and punishment
CLAS 1061 - The Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2023
Surveys the rise of ancient Rome in the eighth century B.C. to its fall in the fifth century A.D. Emphasizes political institutions, foreign policy, leading personalities, and unique cultural accomplishments. No Greek or Latin required. Same as HIST 1061.
CLAS 1140 - Bread and Circuses: Society and Culture in the Roman World
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019 / Fall 2024
Surveys the outstanding achievements of Roman culture and society as reflected in literature; philosophy and art; private and official religion; and legal and political thought. No Greek or Latin required.
CLAS 2110 - Gender and Sexuality in Ancient Rome
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2024
Uses art, archaeology, and literature to study, from a contemporary feminist point of view, the status of women in works of Roman art and literature, the development of attitudes expressed toward them, and their daily life. No Greek or Latin required. Same as WGST 2110.
CLAS 2610 - Paganism to Christianity
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024
Offers a cultural history of Greek and Roman religion. Students read ancient texts in translation and use evidence from archaeology to reconstruct the shift from paganism to Christianity in antiquity. No Greek or Latin required. Same as RLST 2614.
CLAS 4081 - The Roman Republic
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023
Studies the Roman Republic from its foundation in 753 B.C. to its conclusion with the career of Augustus. Emphasizes the development of Roman Republican government. Readings are in the primary sources. No Greek or Latin required. Same as CLAS 5081 and HIST 4081.
CLAS 4091 - The Roman Empire
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023
Intense survey of Imperial Rome from the Roman revolution to the passing of centralized political authority in the western Mediterranean. Emphasizes life, letters and personalities of the empire. No Greek or Latin required. Same as CLAS 5091 and HIST 4091.
CLAS 4761 - Roman Law
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019
Studies the constitutional and legal history of ancient Rome; emphasizes basic legal concepts and comparisons with American law. No Greek or Latin required. Same as CLAS 5761 and HIST 4761 and HIST 5761.
CLAS 5081 - The Roman Republic
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2021 / Fall 2023
Studies the Roman Republic from its foundation in 753 B.C. to its conclusion with the career of Augustus. Emphasizes the development of Roman Republican government. Readings are in the primary sources. No Greek or Latin required. Same as CLAS 4081 and HIST 4081.
CLAS 5091 - The Roman Empire
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022 / Spring 2023
Intense survey of Imperial Rome from the Roman revolution to the passing of centralized political authority in the western Mediterranean. Emphasizes life, letters and personalities of the empire. No Greek or Latin required. Same as CLAS 4091 and HIST 4091.
CLAS 7012 - Graduate Seminar
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020
Topic specified in online Schedule Planner. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours for different topics.
HIST 1061 - The Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2023
Surveys the rise of ancient Rome in the eighth century B.C. to its fall in the fifth century A.D. Emphasizes political institutions, foreign policy, leading personalities, and unique cultural accomplishments. Same as CLAS 1061.
HIST 4081 - The Roman Republic
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023
Studies the Roman Republic from its foundation in 753 B.C. to its conclusion with the career of Augustus. Emphasizes the development of Roman Republic government. Readings are in the primary sources. No Greek or Latin required. Same as CLAS 4081 and CLAS 5081.
HIST 4091 - The Roman Empire
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023
Studies Imperial Roman history beginning with the Roman Revolution and ending with examination of the passing of centralized political authority in the western Mediterranean. Emphasizes life, letters and personalities of the Empire. Same as CLAS 4091 and CLAS 5091.
HIST 4761 - Roman Law
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019
Studies the constitutional and legal history of ancient Rome; emphasizes basic legal concepts and comparisons with American law. No Greek or Latin required. Same as HIST 5761 and CLAS 4761 and CLAS 5761.
LATN 2124 - Intermediate Latin 2
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020
Selections from Virgil's Aeneid with attention to literary form and context as well as advanced grammar and syntax. Recommended prerequisite: LATN 2114.
LATN 3014 - Introduction to Latin Prose
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023
Author or topic in Latin specified in the online Schedule Planner (e.g., Cicero, Livy, Pliny). May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours for different topics. Formerly CLAS 3014.
LATN 3024 - Introduction to Latin Poetry
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2021
Author or topic in Latin specified in the online Schedule Planner (e.g., Virgil, Ovid, Catullus, Horace). May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours for different topics.
LATN 4014 - Topics in Latin Prose
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019 / Fall 2020
Author or topic in Latin specified in the online Schedule Planner (e.g., Roman historians, Roman epistolography, Cicero, Roman novel). May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours for different topics. Recommended prerequisites: LATN 3014 and LATN 3024. Same as LATN 5014.
LATN 5014 - Topics in Latin Prose
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019 / Fall 2020
Author or topic in Latin specified in the online Schedule Planner (e.g., Roman historians, Roman epistolography, Cicero, Roman novel). May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours for different topics. Same as LATN 4014.
LATN 5404 - Special Project: Teaching
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2020
Trains students to prepare classroom-ready materials, which are then tested in the students' own classroom. Required of master's candidates (teaching of Latin option). Formerly CLAS 5404.
RLST 2614 - Paganism to Christianity
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024
Offers a cultural history of Greek and Roman religion. Students read ancient texts in translation and use evidence from archaeology to reconstruct the shift from paganism to Christianity in antiquity. No Greek or Latin required. Same as CLAS 2610.
WGST 2110 - Gender and Sexuality in Ancient Rome
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2024
Uses art, archaeology, and literature to study, from a contemporary feminist point of view, the status of women in works of Roman art and literature, the development of attitudes expressed toward them, and their daily life. No Greek or Latin required. Same as CLAS 2110.
